HIDDEN HOWL

Chapter Nine: The Alpha's Judgment

TRINITY

The cold, oppressive silence hung heavily in the air, punctuated only by the occasional rustle of fabric as the Alpha triplets—Xerxes, Nasir, and Liam—shifted in their thrones. Their eyes, sharp as blades, were trained on me, unmoving, unforgiving.

I could not bring myself to look up at Xerxes. He warned me about this.

And just mere hours ago.

Yet I did exactly what he told me not to. I am so dead.

But how the hell was I supposed to know that I would be caught by Nasir? What on earth was he doing out there by that time anyway?

It doesn’t matter. I am the one who has been caught. I am the one in trouble. And I am the one who was going to answer for it.

I could feel the weight of their gaze pressing into my skin, each of them silently scrutinizing me. The air felt thick with their disapproval, as if the very space around me was suffocating. I dared not look up; to meet their eyes would be to provoke their wrath further. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, my pulse quickening, but I kept myself composed.

Then, the heavy doors of the throne room opened, and my heart lurched in her chest. My aunt Lila, followed by my cousins Amara, Maia, and Selene, entered. Aunt Lila’s face was drawn with concern, her steps quick and purposeful as she scanned the room, eyes landing on my kneeling form. The moment she saw me in such a state, her expression softened with pity and worry.

Aunt Lila's voice, full of desperation, broke the silence. "Please," she implored, her hands clasped in front of her, "Please, your Graces, forgive my niece. She’s young, reckless, and naïve. She didn't mean any harm, I swear it. Please show mercy."

Xerxes’ gaze didn’t shift from me. "Your niece was specifically warned," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "not to leave pack territory. Yet she defied that direct order. She knew the consequences, and still, she chose to act recklessly."

The tension in the room thickened, and I could feel my throat tighten, my breath coming in shallow gasps. My aunt’s plea echoed in my ears, but the alphas’ words—Xerxes’ words—cut deeper than any accusation.

Before she could even find my voice, Maia spoke up, her tone sharp and dismissive. "Who cares if she left or not?" Maia scoffed, crossing her arms with an air of indifference. "She’s not important. It’s not like anything will change."

The room seemed to freeze at her words. A chill swept through the air, and the triplets’ eyes narrowed in unison, their expressions turning cold with anger.

Liam’s voice, low and venomous, sliced through the silence. He sounded just like his brothers as he spoke, which was strange because I always saw him as the calm and collected one.

"You will never speak of our mate in such a way again," he growled, his commanding presence overwhelming the space. Nasir and Xerxes’s gazes locked on Maia, their faces expressions of sheer dominance.

Maia froze, her face paling as Liam’s words registered in her mind.

“She—she is your mate?” Maia stuttered.

“Yes, and you will address her with respect. Is that understood?” Liam asked, and Maia bowed her head, not a single word leaving her lips. My eyes flickered between my cousins, and it felt as though their hatred for me had only multiplied.

“I said, is that understood, Maia?” Liam repeated, but this time his wolf’s eyes flashed. Even though his words were not directed at me, it still sent a shiver down my spine.

Maia gulped, nodding her head quickly and saying, “Y-yes, alpha. My apologies.”

For a moment, the room was silent, save for the distant hum of the place beyond the throne room walls. Even Amara and Selene, who had been silent until now, looked on in shock, though they quickly composed themselves, not daring to speak out after seeing what happened to their sister.

Nasir, ever the tactician, shifted in his seat, considering the situation. "Perhaps the dungeons would be a fitting place for Trinity," he suggested coolly, his eyes glinting with a hint of malice. "Two weeks, perhaps. That should give her time to think."

Aunt Lila, who had been standing nervously at the side, dropped to her knees in an instant, her hands shaking as she reached out towards the triplets.

The sight made me feel guilty. I have only been here for a couple of hours, and I was already putting her through so much.

"Please," she begged, her voice breaking. "Have mercy on my poor niece. She is just a girl, lost and confused. She doesn’t understand the weight of her actions. She doesn’t deserve such punishment."

Xerxes was silent for a long moment, his expression unreadable. He gazed down at Lila with an intensity that made the room feel even colder. My heart pounded in my chest, her breath coming in shallow, erratic bursts. I wanted to speak, to tell them I was sorry, but the words caught in my throat. I couldn’t—I had already defied them once. How could I beg for mercy now?

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Xerxes spoke, his voice hard but not without a trace of something else—something like resolve.

"Trinity will remain in the palace," he declared, his gaze shifting to her. "She will not leave these grounds for the next month. One month to think about her actions and the consequences of her disobedience. Until we come to a decision whether to accept or reject her as our mate."

Aunt Lila’s eyes widened in relief, though there was still a hint of worry in her expression. She rose slowly, her hands still clasped together in front of her.

"Thank you, your Graces," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Thank you for showing mercy."

I, however, could not bring myself to feel relief.

One month.

The weight of the punishment still pressed down on me like an anchor, pulling me into the depths of her regret. And yet, there was something about the way Xerxes had spoken—something in the finality of his tone—that left me uncertainties of what would come next.

All I knew was that, for the next thirty days, I would remain here, under the watchful eyes of the triplets—of their eyes.

And that thought was both a comfort and a curse.