The voice behind her was sharp and commanding, cutting through the quiet air like a blade. Lena froze at the spot. She turned around slowly, looked back at them and was surprised to see the triplets storming towards her, each had an expression that spoke in volumes of the turmoil inside them.
Rage and heartbreak flickering in her eyes. She hadn't expected to see them. No. She had hoped, prayed and wished never to see them again, because everytime she did, they reminded of everything she lost that night. But here they are. She quickly hardened her expression.
The triplets looked tense, their auras and scents overwhelming Lena even though they'd rejected the bond mate. There was still something..... that undeniable pull between them.
It's shouldn't be, she thought. She shouldn't perceive their f*****g scent anymore.
Their presence is intense and intimidating, everyone nearby could feel it. But instead of being scared or respectful like others expect, Lena stood her ground and refused to bow to them, which shocked everyone around her.
A gasp rippled through the students that were gathered nearby as they wondered how audacious she was.
“She didn’t bow to the Alphas…” someone whispered.
“Is she insane?”
“She dares disrespect the Alphas”
“She must want to die.”
Lena took a quick glance at the guards, then back to the triplets. Her gaze was cold as stone. She just wanted to leave.
The triplets stepped closer. "How dare you not bow to your Alpha?" Ronan roared, towering over her. "Do you have a death wish or something?"
Lena let out her bitter laugh. Bow? Were they really serious? Did they expect her to bow at their feet? She'd rather die than do that.
“You are not my Alpha," she snapped. "And I will clearly not bow for cowards," she said confidently. Her voice was sharp and clear, cutting through the murmurs.
The triplets, including the surrounding students, were shocked.
Ronan took a cautious step forward, trying to speak. “ Aurora….”
“Don’t,” she snapped, her voice sharp and sudden. “Don’t get closer." I don't need to hear any damn thing from you. All I want right now Is for you to let me take my leave.”
He froze and couldn't take a step further.
“I’m leaving,” Lena continued, her tone ice. So step aside. Let me go.”
Kieran smirked. “Is that all? You’re just going to run away? You just showed the entire Blackthorne Academy how weak and cowardly you are.
Lena’s breath hitched. Her wolf howled beneath her skin, clawing to be heard.
“I’ve faced things far worse than death,” she said as she took a step forward. “You think I'm running because I’m weak?” she hissed. “You hated me the second time your wolves recognized mine, but even then, you were drawn to me. Not because I’m fragile, but because I'm strong and bold. And you don’t know what to do with a girl who doesn’t break.”
The triplets were awed at the display of her confidence. They wondered how she had so much boldness to speak to them in such a manner.
However, there was silence. Soren looks deeply uncomfortable and eventually says softly, “Just listen. We saw the Goddess.”
Goddess? What do they mean by that?
She blinked, clearly taken aback. A mocking laugh almost escaped from her throat, but she quickly subdued it. Goddess? They were definitely fooling her, weren't they? How could these monsters see the Moon Goddess? She bets that the Moon Goddess definitely does not recognize them as one of her people.
When they noticed she wasn't saying anything, they continued.
“Well, we had a dream,” Soren began, his tone calm but laced with deep respect. “The Moon Goddess came to us.”
Lena arched a brow, her arms folding tightly across her chest. “And?” she asked coldly.
“She told us to accept you as our mate,” Ronan added. He carefully omitted the fact that they would run mad if they didn't accept her. Of course, she would have found a better way of punishing them .
Lena’s wolf stirred at the mention of the Moon Goddess, shifting beneath her skin. But Lena ignored it.
“No,” she said sharply, shaking her head. “I’m not coming back." And I’m sure as hell not accepting you.”
Tension filled the air. Ronan was trying hard to control himself as his wolf instincts were getting stronger, urging him to claim their mate.
“You have no idea what you’re saying,” he muttered in a low, tense voice, moving just a little closer, but she didn’t back down . “There are women who would die to be in your place. So why are you so full of yourself and decide to be foolish?”
“Then, just go ahead and give them a chance instead of wasting your damn time chasing me around, because as for me, Aurora,” hitting her right hand on her chest , “ will never accept you, not in this world, not even in the world to come. “I’d rather die than belong to any of you.”
Her words pierced them like a dagger. Ronan, his face burning with anger, then asked,” Why do you hate us so much?”
If course, she would spat it on their faces, telling them how they were the monsters that ruined her world. But she couldn't. They shouldn't know yet because it would ruin everything. “I don’t owe you that explanation,” Lena replied simply.
But Ronan stepped forward again, fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles whitened, clearly struggling to stay in control. He is emotionally hurt, and his inner wolf is struggling to stay under control because he’s overwhelmed by Lena’s presence, making it hard for him to resist his instincts.
“Mark her,” said his wolf echoed, urging him to claim her. "She is ours."
Kieran and Soren looked away. Ronan, however, took a step forward, and before Lena realized what was happening, he sank his teeth on her neck and marked her as their mate in front of everyone before Lena could react.
Lena is shocked and shaken. Her body reacts intensely, and everyone around them is stunned. Ronan realizes what he’s done and looks horrified.
Lena, angry and trembling. Her wolf had been quiet before. Now it is fully awakened and furious. She felt a powerful heat run through her body. Her body reacted strongly to the mark as she was shaking uncontrollably.
“You bastard. You marked me without my consent. How can you force me to be your mate? "You will regret this!” Lena gasped.
Ronan pulled back, blood staining his lips, eyes blown wide by what he’d done.
Lena touched her neck, trembling. Her wolf was silent now—but her heart was beating fast. She accepted her enemies as her mates.
And this time, her wolf didn’t stir. It roared.
She has been bounded to her arch enemies, to the people who burn down her world and the people she hated the most.
She fainted.
Kieran and Soren, who had been watching with a shocked expression, turned to Ronan and echoed, "What have you done?”