Stolen by the Triplet Alphas: The Luna's Revenge

6. Two More Trouble

AVERY

"Come in," Shade grunted, jerking his head toward the looming pack house. "And keep your mouth shut if you know what’s best for you."

A slow smirk tugged at my lips. "Can I open it when I eat?" I asked, batting my lashes innocently.

Shade’s jaw ticked so hard I thought his teeth might shatter. He looked like he might snap in half.

He muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like “mouthy brat.”

I leaned in just enough to make him twitch. "Careful, Alpha. If you keep grinding your teeth like that, you’ll need dentures by thirty."

His nostrils flared, and I bit back my laughter.

"How old are you, twelve?"

"Twenty-three," I said with a smile.

Shade didn’t respond. He just muttered a stream of curses that might’ve lit a priest on fire.

And I just smiled, turned around, and walked away. hips swaying, heart pounding, already craving more of this power that came with control.

Fuck. I would play this game the way I wanted, and Shade would follow.

I was enjoying this more than I should. My life had been pretty bleak just before he broke my door room like a knight in shining armor.

"He really was," Ember said, a little thoughtfully. "If he hadn't come, who knows what might have happened to you."

"Kylen wouldn't have killed me..." I said, but death wasn't the worst thing he could have done to me. He was already feeding me wolfsbane, but the worst one yet was facing Lyra and Jessa every day. I hated their lying, tricking faces.

When I went back, they would be the first ones to scream... I would make sure to show them the same cruelty they have showed me.

I gritted my teeth, anger making my skin burn.

I hurried past Shade, wanting to get this part over with as soon as I could. I pushed the door open, and walked inside, my steps unhurried, eyes carefully taking in the massive hallway. It looked like it could seat at least fifty wolves.

The voices went quiet, and every eye in the room snapped to me. Some curious, some cold, a few already calculating. Eager, expectant, and not all of them friendly. I could feel judgment thick in the air, pressing into my skin like a second coat.

Courtney gave me a sympathetic, almost apologetic grin from the corner. That didn’t help my nerves, but I was glad she wasn't hostile.

Then my bravery promptly curled up and died a pitiful death.

Because standing by the long couch were two wolves who looked exactly like Shade.

Same dark, unruly black hair. Same unforgiving angles carved into their jaws. But their eyes... oh, their eyes were different. One pair gleamed gold, a little too sharp. The other, deep storm-gray, was shining with amusement.

"Who the f**k are you?" I breathed, taking an unconscious step back, straight into Shade’s chest.

He grunted, steadying me with a firm hand around my waist, but I barely registered the touch. My gaze was locked on the doppelgängers from hell.

“I have to deal with two more of him?” I hissed, not even bothering to lower my voice this time. “What kind of twisted cloning experiment did the Moon Goddess sign off on?”

The gray-eyed one smirked like I’d just made his day. The golden-eyed one stared at me like he was calculating the fastest way to dismantle me. And Shade, standing behind me, sighed like he suddenly regretted bringing me in at all.

“Great,” I muttered under my breath. “A house full of brooding wolves on testosterone. Just what the doctor ordered.”

I thought I could deal with one Shade.

One brooding, growling, annoyingly hot shadow of a man who looked like he could kill with a glare and kiss like a sin.

But apparently, trouble didn’t come in singles. It came in goddamn set of three.

What did I do to deserve this, Moon Goddess? But apparently, Moon Goddess had forgotten me.

The gray-eyed wolf tilted his head and smiled, not the cold, assessing smirk, but something almost charming. Almost. “I’m Blaze,” he said, voice smooth and warm. “And this is Thier.”

The other brother—Thier—stood silent, unmoving. He didn’t smile. He didn’t blink. He just stared like he was trying to read my soul.

“We’re his brothers,” Blaze added. “Welcome,” he said, like this was a feast… and I was the main course.

I stared at them, lips parting slightly. “Welcome?” I echoed under my breath. "What is this—The Bachelor: Psychotic Wolf Edition? Welcome? Hilarious!"

Blaze chuckled, amused. Thier blinked like I’d just spoken another language. Shade stepped away and joined his brothers, still looking like he wanted to throw someone... me off a cliff and be done with this madness.

"You're not what I expected," Blaze said, studying me like I was his shiny new toy. Shade groaned under his breath. "I like you."

I sighed. "Don't even try." I turned to the only sane person in this room. Courtney. "I really am hungry."

She gave me a smile. “Boys, scatter,” she said, waving the triplets and a few of the others lingering just outside the hallway away like they were annoying flies. “Let’s do this later, shall we?”

Shade grumbled something under his breath, and Blaze winked at me before following Thier out with exaggerated slowness.

I followed Courtney into the massive dining hall, grateful for the temporary silence. It was warm here—high vaulted ceilings, dark wood floors, and the long table set with far more chairs than necessary. The scent of spices, cheese, and something roasted made my stomach ache with need.

“Sit. I’ll bring you everything we have,” she said kindly, motioning toward the chair.

“Thank you,” I murmured, my voice thinner than I liked. I sank into the plush seat and closed my eyes. I was too hungry to think properly, too hollowed out from everything. Since I’d figured out that Kylen and his mistresses had been slowly poisoning me, I hadn’t touched a single thing they brought me to eat.

She returned a few minutes later with a heavy tray. A plate piled with golden slices of cheesy pizza, a steak, fried potatoes, and a glass of chilled juice.

“If you want more, I can ask Cook Belinda to whip up something fresh,” she offered.

“This is more than enough,” I whispered, touched by the effort. “Thank you.”

I picked up a slice and took a bite and nearly moaned. It was so good. And not poisoned. Tears prickled behind my eyes before I could stop them.

Courtney sat down beside me. After a long, quiet moment, she asked softly, “Can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer.”

I took another bite, chewing slowly. “Go on.”

“Why were you in that room? No one else was. The whole pack was out.”

I swallowed, carefully. “I was sick,” I lied, avoiding her gaze.

Courtney didn’t ask more. She just nodded, like she understood that I wasn’t ready.

She was truly good, unlike Lyra and Jessa.

I wondered what she would do—what any of them would do—when they found out I wasn’t the weapon they thought I was?

I wasn’t even sure I was useful.

Of course, Kylen’s ego would be bruised when he discovered I’d escaped, but would he actually care that I was taken?

I didn’t think so.

***

When the plate was empty, I stood up with a groan.

"I will take you to your room," Courtney said. "Come."

I followed her wordlessly. We climbed up the curving grand stair until we reached the second floor. She pushed a door open.

"Wait here and I will bring you something to change into."

They gave me water. Food. And now a room, which was bigger and comfortable than the room my mate had locked me in.

Which was nice, I guess, for a group of kidnappers.

I sat on the couch pushed up agains the wall, and I looked up when I felt eyes on me. I looked up to see Thier standing there, staring at me.

"Want something?"

He was the only one who hadn't said anything yet to me.

He gave me a strange look like he couldn't figure me out.

"No."

"No? After all this trouble?" I asked with a frown, trying to decipher his silence. He looked like he kept all his secrets under tight wraps. The quiet type.

"You deserve it," he said, never meeting my eyes.

"Why do I deserve it? Enlighten me, Alpha Thier. That's your name, right?"

"Because you and your mate... killed someone close to me."

"Your mate?" I asked, wide-eyed. "Did he kill your mate?"

Killed? Did Kylen really kill someone? I knew Kylen was s**t, but would he go as far as killing?

"Ok, this worse than I thought." Ember looked angry.

"No no," he said, and then turned away from me as if he had said enough.

"I didn't kill her," I whispered, not knowing why I was telling him. I knew he wouldn't believe me anyway.

He stilled, his back rigid.

"I don't believe you." His voice was too soft, but the underlying anger in it was loud and clear. He didn't storm like Shade, but his anger was just as malicious, just as potent.

"I know you won't, but I didn't kill anyone as far as I know. My conscience is clear in that."

"Liar," he bit out before he walked into a room two doors from mine and slammed it closed. I stared at the closed door with a frown.

So... Courtney had graciously put me on the same floor as one of my kidnappers, or maybe all three of them lived here. She was sly...

Shaking my head, I grabbed a book from the shelf--the room even had a built-in library--and waited for her to come back.

I was deep into the second chapter when Courtney finally came back.

"I think this will fit you. Here," she handed me a few clothes. "If you want more, I can ask someone to buy for you."

"For kidnappers, you guys sure go above and beyond," I said with a chuckle. "This is fine."

She gave me an abashed smile. "I am sorry again. I was outvoted."

"I understand, and I... really don't mind."

She gave me a look. "Why?"

I just shrugged, and she hesitated for a second before she gave me a nod.

"Sleep. If you need anything..."

"I should ask one of the three Alphas. They all have rooms around mine."

She gave me another guilty smile. "Sorry. Shade's order."

"Thought so. I really need to go to sleep," I said when a yawn broke out.

"Night. Once again, terribly sorry for this."

"Like I said, I don't mind," I said as she walked away without locking the door.

I was about to lock the door when I caught movement from the opposite end of the hallway.

Blaze was walking toward me, shirtless, his chest rising and falling with each breath like he’d just finished a long run. Sweat glistened on his bronze skin, catching the dim hall light, making my heart hitch.

His gray sweatpants hung low on his hips, and the tattoos spiraling up both arms made it hard to focus on anything else. Intricate patterns of wolves, moons, and runes coiled over his muscles like living artwork.

He paused when he saw me, and his lips curled into a smile. Dimples winked on either side of his mouth, and those stormy gray eyes crinkled with mischief. Goddess.

That smile was dangerous. Like a weapon he wore on purpose. And judging by the way his gaze lingered on me, he knew exactly what it did.

“Didn’t know the hallway came with such a pretty view tonight,” he said, voice low and teasing. I wondered why he wasn't as angry as his brothers, but who knew what he was hiding.

I tried to scoff, but it came out breathy. “Do you flirt with everyone before bed, or am I just lucky?”

He chuckled, slow and easy, and damn if it didn’t make something flutter in my stomach. “Only the ones who stare at me like they want to eat me for a meal.”

Heat crept up my neck. “I wasn’t—I... You...”

“Sure you weren’t,” he cut in smoothly, eyes dancing. “It’s okay. You can stare a little longer. I won’t report you to the authorities, aka, Shade.”

“I thank your generosity,” I muttered, though my lips twitched.

“And yet you’re still standing there,” he said, stepping closer. Not too close. Just enough. "I know I am handsome..."

I smiled a little.

He looked at me for a beat longer, something softer flickering behind the humor in his eyes. “Good night, Avery,” he said at last, voice gentler now. "And if you ever want to get out of this place, let me know."

“Good night, Blaze, and what... your brother said I am a prisoner?”

"Shade? He is overly dramatic for no reason," Blaze said with a shrug.

He brushed past me slowly, the heat of his bare skin a whisper against mine. He stopped just a few steps down the hall, motioned lazily to the room directly across from mine.

“That’s me. Right there. So if you ever get lonely... you know where to knock.”

He winked, then disappeared inside with a wave, like he just didn't... casually invited me to his room.

I stared at his closed door for a long second before shaking my head, locking my own, and trying very hard not to think about tattoos and dimples and the stupid way my heart was racing.

Again.

I wasn't a horny woman. I was not very much interested in s*x either... and Kylen said I couldn't satisfy him.

So what the hell was happening to me?

I was becoming hornier than I had ever been in my life, and no one, not two, but around three kidnappers?!

This was going to be a big problem.

"You need a psychiatrist."

"Maybe..."

___