The Alphas Christmas Gamble

2.

I glance at him, then at Roland and Luke, and for a moment, the gym seems to blur around me. The mistletoe, the decorations, the noise—it all fades. I’m not sure what just happened, or why it feels like my world just tilted on its axis, but one thing is clear: these three alphas have just changed everything.

The music in the gym blurs into an indistinguishable mix of jingle bells and holiday cheer, but my mind is still racing. I stand there, surrounded by the buzz of conversation, the sound of laughter, and the occasional pop of a Christmas cracker, but all I can focus on are the three kisses I just received.

Three.

From Seth, Roland, and Luke.

I’m still reeling, still trying to make sense of what just happened. I mean, it’s just a kiss, right? Just a holiday tradition, like they said. Nothing serious. Nothing to lose my head over.

But why does it feel like everything has shifted?

I glance across the gym floor, my gaze landing on Zach. He’s standing with his arm around Sarah, his new girlfriend. My stomach churns. It shouldn’t matter. I told myself it wouldn’t. But seeing them together after everything—after what he did to me—it makes my heart ache.

I turn my back on the sight, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest, and take a deep breath. I need to get out of here. It’s too much. Too many memories. Too many people.

“Freda, wait up!” Emily’s voice calls from behind me, and I freeze.

I don’t want to deal with anyone right now. I just want to leave this stupid party and forget the kiss, forget the alphas, forget Zach. But Emily’s my best friend, and I can’t ignore her.

I turn slowly, plastering a smile on my face. “Hey, Em. What’s up?”

“Don’t tell me you’re leaving already. It’s barely been an hour.” She looks around the gym, her eyes scanning the scene. “It’s Christmas! Everyone’s having fun.”

“Yeah, I’m just not feeling it tonight,” I say, shrugging. “I’ll be fine.”

Her eyes narrow, sensing something’s off. “What happened? You look like you’re about to bolt.”

I bite my lip, unsure of how to explain. “It’s nothing, really. I just… need some air.”

Emily sighs, her expression softening. “Okay, I get it. But you don’t have to go through this alone. You know I’m here, right?”

I nod, appreciating her concern, but I don’t want to drag her into my mess. “I know. I just need a few minutes.”

She looks at me for a moment longer, as if trying to figure out if I’m lying, then finally relents. “Alright. Just don’t be gone too long, okay?”

“Promise,” I say, offering her a weak smile before turning and heading for the exit.

The cool night air hits me like a wave as I step outside. The Christmas lights from the gym shimmer in the distance, but everything feels so far away now. It’s like I’m standing on the edge of the world, and I can’t figure out where to go next.

I lean against the brick wall of the school building, closing my eyes for a moment, letting the cool breeze settle my nerves. Why do I feel so… off?

I push away from the wall, pulling my jacket tighter around me. I can’t keep thinking about it. I can’t keep thinking about them. Seth, Roland, Luke.

But it’s impossible to forget. They’re not like everyone else. They’re not just the triplets. They’re the Blackwoods. Seth is the quiet one, the one who always seems like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Roland is the wild one, the one who always pushes the limits, never afraid of anything. And Luke… Luke is the smooth talker, the one who knows how to get under your skin without even trying.

They all kissed me. And I can’t figure out why it’s messing with my head so much.

A voice breaks through my thoughts. “You okay?”

I turn quickly to find Seth standing a few feet away, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jacket. His expression is unreadable, but there’s a hint of concern in his eyes.

“Just needed some air,” I say, my voice sounding a little more defensive than I intended.

Seth doesn’t seem to mind. He steps closer, his boots crunching in the snow. “You sure? You looked like you were about to run off earlier.”

“I’m fine,” I say quickly, though I’m not sure I believe myself. “I just… I don’t know what to make of tonight. The mistletoe thing, and—”

“It’s just a kiss,” Seth interrupts, his voice calm. “That’s all it was.”

I nod, but it doesn’t feel that simple. Not when his words linger in my mind, not when my heart keeps racing every time I think about it.

“Freda,” he says again, his voice gentler now. “You’re not the only one who’s confused about all this. We didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. But if it helps, we didn’t do it because of some tradition or because we thought it was funny. We did it because… well, because we wanted to.”

I look up at him, my heart skipping a beat. “You wanted to?”

Seth hesitates, then nods slowly. “Yeah. We’ve all known you for a long time, Freda. And… maybe we’ve taken you for granted. But tonight, something shifted. And I think you felt it too.”

I swallow hard. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think you do,” Seth says softly. “But it’s okay if you’re not ready to admit it. We’ll give you time. We’re not going anywhere.”

His words hang in the air, and I don’t know what to say. Part of me wants to pull away, to run back into the gym and pretend nothing happened. But another part of me is drawn to him, drawn to the way his voice lowers when he talks, drawn to the way he looks at me like he sees something I don’t even understand.

“I didn’t ask for this,” I finally manage to say, the words coming out more harshly than I intended. “I didn’t ask for any of it.”

“I know,” Seth replies, his gaze steady. “But sometimes, things happen that we don’t expect. And sometimes, they change everything.”

Before I can respond, Roland’s voice cuts in from behind me, making me jump. “Are we interrupting something?”

I turn around to find Roland standing a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest, a smirk on his lips. “Don’t mind me,” he adds with a wink. “I just wanted to make sure Seth didn’t get too serious.”

Seth rolls his eyes but doesn’t move away. “Roland, we’re not having this conversation right now.”

“Right,” Roland says, his voice full of mock innocence. “Because the last thing Freda wants is to hear about our ‘complicated feelings.’”

I feel my face flush. “I didn’t ask for that either.”

Luke appears next, stepping out of the shadows like he was just waiting for the right moment. “You two are never going to let this go, are you?” He grins as if he’s enjoying every second of it. “I swear, it’s like we’re in the middle of some rom-com.”

“Maybe that’s exactly what this is,” Roland says, giving Luke a look. “Except Freda doesn’t seem to be enjoying the part where the love triangle gets complicated.”

“Or the part where it feels like the love triangle just keeps growing,” Seth mutters under his breath, though I catch the hint of a smile on his lips.

I shake my head, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. “I can’t do this. Not now. Not with you guys.”

Luke raises his hands in mock surrender. “Whoa, we’re not trying to pressure you. We just want you to know that we’re here. No games. No tricks. Just… us.”

I’m not sure what to say. Part of me wants to argue, to push them all away and pretend I can’t hear the way my heart is pounding. But the other part of me, the part that’s been hiding for so long, wants to give in. Wants to see where this goes.

“I don’t know what you want from me,” I finally say, my voice barely above a whisper.