Chapter 3.
840 Words
Chapter 3: A Morning of Mockery and Resolve
The sounds of footsteps echo down the hall as I hurry to set the table, the weight of the day already bearing down on me. Breakfast in the pack house isn’t just about food; it’s a display. The triplets are the center of attention, their birthdays turning into a week-long event, celebrated with more enthusiasm than any holiday or accomplishment the rest of the pack could ever hope for.
As the clock ticks closer to their arrival, I brace myself. This isn’t my first time doing this—feeding them, cleaning up after them, enduring their presence—but it doesn’t make it any easier. Not when they’re so loud and confident, and I am nothing more than the invisible girl in the background.
I try to shake the dread from my mind, but it lingers like a storm cloud.
Alpha Darius enters the room first, his heavy footsteps marking his entrance. He’s a large man, even bigger than the triplets, with graying hair and sharp eyes that never miss a thing. He kisses Luna Lyra on the cheek with a smile that barely reaches his eyes, his affection for her always cold, always calculating.
I offer him a small, timid smile. He nods at the breakfast spread without saying much. I don’t expect much from him. He’s always polite enough, but there’s a wall between us, one built on status and bloodlines, and I’m on the wrong side of it. His eyes flick over to the triplets’ chairs, and I know it won’t be long before they come barging in.
And then, they appear.
Orion, Kael, and Sylas Duskwood, the infamous triplets, the future alphas of the Winter Moon Pack, the boys who’ve made my life a living hell for as long as I can remember. Their arrival isn’t just a simple entrance—it’s an event. They fill the room with their presence, their towering frames, their identical chiseled faces, their hair styled in sleek waves of black. It’s as if the entire atmosphere shifts when they walk in.
Orion, the eldest, takes the lead as always. He walks in with a commanding stride, his sharp features hardened by years of responsibility. He’s always serious, always thinking about something beyond the moment. He’s the one who’ll become the Alpha, the one who carries the weight of the pack’s future. He barely acknowledges me as he takes his seat, his gaze already focused on his brothers.
Kael follows, his charm in full force. He grins widely as he plops down, a wink in my direction. He’s the one who loves to tease, to rile people up, and to make life just a little more uncomfortable for those who can’t fight back. His laughter is always too loud, his voice too smooth, and when he looks at me, it’s never with kindness. But there’s a certain playfulness to him, an energy that keeps everyone on edge.
Finally, there’s Sylas, the youngest, the one who carries the title of “mommy’s favorite.” He’s got a soft smile and a carefree attitude, often the one to make the others laugh with a joke or a flirtatious remark. He’s also the one who sometimes shows me the tiniest bit of decency. But that decency is fleeting, as I’ll soon see.
As they settle into their seats, I brace myself. It’s the same routine every morning. They’ll mock me, tease me, and then forget about me as quickly as they started. But today, something feels different.
Sylas leans back in his chair, eyeing me with that mischievous glint in his eyes. Before I can even react, he reaches out and pulls at my hair tie.
“Cassia,” he says with a grin, “you look like a mess this morning. Maybe we should let your hair down so you can show us how messy you really are.”
I gasp and immediately duck away, pulling my head back, but it’s too late. The hair tie is already halfway off my head. My hands fly to my hair, trying to secure the loose strands, but it’s no use. Sylas laughs and tosses it to Kael, who snatches it out of the air with a skillful flick of his wrist.
“Catch it if you can,” Kael taunts, holding the hair tie just out of my reach.
I lunge forward, trying to grab it, but Kael’s too quick, tossing the hair tie to Orion, who watches the exchange with a bored expression.
I can feel my face flush with humiliation as they laugh at me, a group of alpha males toying with their servant. My hands tremble as I try to retrieve it, but they keep passing it around like a game. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Orion pockets the hair tie, his expression unchanged.
“Enough,” Sylas says, his voice softer now, but still with a teasing edge. “Let her focus on her chores. She’s got work to do.”
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