TRIPLED: THE KINGS & THEIR MOON

CHAPTER 6: THE BODYGUARD

7:00AM. The New Problem.

There was a man at the guest house door.

6’4. Suit. Sunglasses.

"Mr. Voss hired me," he said. "To protect Ms. Voss. From you."

Kael stepped in front of me. "You’re not coming in."

"I’m not here for you," the man said. "I’m here for him." He pointed at me.

Riven laughed. "Bold."

"Name?" Kael asked.

"Dante."

Dante. Serena’s new bodyguard.

Or my new stalker.

All Day. Being Watched.

Dante followed us.

To class. To lunch. To the library.

Everywhere.

"He’s creeping me out," I whispered at lunch.

Kael’s jaw was tight. "He’s reporting to her."

Riven kicked me under the table. "Then let’s give him something to report."

He slid his hand over mine. Laced our fingers. Right on the table.

Gasps.

Kael did the same on my other side.

Dante took a photo.

"Good," Riven said loud. "Send it to Serena. Tell her we’re not hiding."

My face was red. But I didn’t pull away.

.

Night. The Guest House.

Dante was parked across the street. Watching.

"Let him watch," Kael said. He locked the door. All three locks.

The air was thick tonight.

Riven was on me the second the door closed.

Pushed me against the wall.

"Kiss me," he demanded.

So I did.

His hands were in my hair. Mine on his chest.

We were breathing hard when Kael pulled him off.

"My turn," Kael said. Voice rough.

He backed me into the bedroom.

Riven followed.

The bed was right there.

"Are you sure?" Kael asked me. Gray eyes searching.

I nodded. "I’m sure. Both of you."

That was all he needed.

Kael laid me down first.

Slow. Like I was something fragile.

His mouth found mine. Deep. Possessive.

One hand under my shirt. Hot on my skin.

Riven didn’t wait. He was on my other side.

Kissing my neck. My jaw. Whispering my name like a prayer.

"Tell us to stop," Kael said between kisses. "And we will."

"I don’t want you to stop," I whispered.

Riven grinned against my throat. "Good boy."

Clothes came off. Slow. Then not slow.

Hands everywhere.

Kael’s were careful. Reverent. Like he was memorizing me.

Riven’s were everywhere. Teasing. Making me gasp.

"Look at him," Riven said to Kael. "So responsive."

Kael’s eyes were gold. "He’s perfect."

The tension broke.

It wasn’t just s*x.

It was claiming.

It was comfort after days of war.

It was strength.

Riven first. Making me feel wanted. Loud.

Kael after. Making me feel safe. Deep.

Then both. Together. Moving with me. Around me.

I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe.

Just felt.

Their voices in my ear.

"Noel."

"With us."

"Ours."

When it was over, I was shaking.

Not from fear. From everything.

Kael pulled me to his chest. "You okay?"

Riven curled around my back. "Talk to us."

I nodded. Couldn’t speak.

So I just held them tighter.

.

We didn’t move for an hour.

Kael’s fingers drew patterns on my back.

Riven kissed my shoulder. Again. Again.

"You’re ours now," Kael whispered. "Officially."

"Wasn’t I before?" I asked.

"Now the whole world knows," Riven said. "We made sure."

He showed me his phone.

New post. From all three accounts.

Photo: Us. In bed. Covered. But obvious.

Caption: Ours.

It had 50k likes.

Kael sighed. "Dante got photos too. He’s sending them to Serena."

"Good," I said. "Let her see what she lost."

Riven laughed. "That’s our boy."

.

A noise. Outside.

Kael was up instantly. Gun in hand.

Riven shielded me.

Dante. At the window.

Kael opened it. "Problem?"

"Just doing my job," Dante said. "Making sure he’s safe."

"He is," Kael said. "With us."

Dante looked past him. At me. In their arms.

He left.

Riven shut the window. "Asshole."

I was still shaking. But not from him.

From adrenaline. From what we’d just done.

Kael noticed. He pulled me into his lap. "Hey. Breathe."

I did.

Riven kissed my forehead. "You’re safe. We’ve got you."

And I believed them.

10:00AM. The Call.

Kael’s phone rang. DAD.

He put it on speaker.

"Kael Drayven," Alpha Darius Drayven's voice was ice. "What the hell is going on?"

Riven’s phone buzzed too. MOM.

He answered. "Mom, not now—"

"Don’t ‘mom not now’ me, Riven Cole!" Luna Ivy Cole snapped. "Is it true? You’re bonded to a scholarship boy? A wolfless?"

Silence.

"Yes," Kael said. Calm. "It’s true."

"Absolutely not," Alpha Darius growled. "You are meant for your lunar mate. Serena Voss. You signed the contract when you were 16."

"Serena tried to burn us alive," I said.

Both phones went quiet.

"Who is that?" Alpha Darius asked.

"Noel Hart," I said. "The ‘low life wolfless scholarship boy’."

Riven squeezed my hand. "And we choose him."

Luna Ivy’s voice came through. "Riven Marcus Cole, you will come home right now."

"No," Riven said. "I’m not going anywhere."

2PM. The Meeting.

Both Alpha families. At the guest house.

Alpha Darius Drayven. Tall. Gray eyes like Kael. Furious.

Luna Selene Drayven. Silver hair. Watching me.

Alpha Marcus Cole. Riven’s dad. Arms crossed. Scar on his jaw.

Luna Ivy Cole. Red hair. The first one to really look at me.

"Explain," Alpha Darius said.

Kael stood. "We didn’t plan this. But the lunar bond with Serena was forced. Political."

"And this?" Alpha Marcus pointed at me.

"Real," Riven said. "The first time we touched him, it felt right. No contract. No politics. Just... right."

Luna Selene walked to me. "May I?"

I nodded.

She took my hand. Her eyes flashed silver.

"You don’t have a wolf," she whispered. "But you have something else. Something they need."

She looked at her son. "Kael has been cold for 18 years. Since you, he’s warm."

Luna Ivy did the same. "Riven never stops moving. Never stops joking. With you, he’s quiet."

She smiled at me. "I like it."

Both Alphas stared at their wives.

"They’re our sons," Luna Selene said. "And they’re happy. When was the last time you saw that, Darius?"

Alpha Darius was silent.

Alpha Marcus rubbed his jaw. "Marcus, we didn’t raise them to throw away legacy for..."

"For love?" Luna Ivy finished. "Yes. We did."

The Bond Break.

At the full moon altar.

Both families. The Council.

Serena was there. Out on bail.

She laughed. "You really think they’ll choose you? Over their legacy?"

Kael stepped forward. Cut his palm.

Riven did the same.

They pressed their bleeding hands together. Over me.

"By blood and choice," Kael said. "I break the lunar bond to Serena Voss."

"By blood and choice," Riven said. "I break the lunar bond to Serena Voss."

The air cracked.

Serena screamed. "NO!"

Then Kael looked at me. "By blood and choice. I bond to Noel Hart."

Riven: "By blood and choice. I bond to Noel Hart."

Heat. Light.

Something snapped into place in my chest.

Their wolves howled. Inside their heads. And mine.

I could feel them now.

Kael: steady. Protective. Darius’s son

Riven: bright. Warm. Mischievous. Marcus’s son

Serena lunged.

Dante caught her.

"Take her away," Alpha Darius said. "Before I do it myself."

Luna Selene came to me after. Hugged me.

"I have two sons now," she whispered.

Luna Ivy did the same. "Welcome to the family, Noel."

Midnight. Back at the Guest House.

We were bonded.

Riven was grinning. "So I have to call him Alpha Darius and you have to call him Alpha Marcus now. No more mixing them up."

Kael rolled his eyes. "I’m not calling anyone Alpha in bed."

Riven burst out laughing. "Damn right you’re not."

I was between them. Bonded. Claimed.

Luna Selene texted: Dinner Sunday. Both families.

Luna Ivy texted: Bring him. We’re making his favorite food.

The Alphas didn’t text.

But Alpha Darius did send Kael one message: We’ll talk.

Progress.

Riven kissed my temple. "See? Moms always win."

Kael pulled me closer. "Yeah. They do."