The Flame-bound Wolf and Her Triplet Mates

4

Chapter 4

“Jessa Thompson. You are a snake.” I said as soon as I saw my dear best friend on Monday morning.

“I am not.” Jessa replied, denying my accusation. She closed her locker before turning to face me.

“Who else would even be in contact with the triplets enough for them to know that I was dating Malcolm?” I pointed out. Jessa didn’t act like it, but her mother was the sister of the Luna of our pack, making the triplets her cousins. It’s part of the reason I found myself in their company so often while I was growing up.

“I can-” Jessa started before backtracking, “When did you talk to them to find out that I had been talking to them about you?”

I paused. It would be better for me to drop this conversation right here. If Jessa found out about my little rendezvous with Orion, I would not have been able to escape the onslaught of questions that would arise.

“Is that why you were MIA all weekend?” Jessa asked, tugging on my arm gently. “Milli, what happened?”

“Nothing, I swear.” I said, but the look Jessa threw my way let me know she didn’t believe me one bit. “Let’s just drop it.”

Jessa looked to think for a bit. “Fine, but let’s talk about something else.”

“Like?”

“Your birthday.” Jessa said.

I chuckled. “Unless you are getting me a car, I don’t think there is much to be excited about.”

Jessa let out a bright smile. “My baby girl is turning 18 in 3 days, and you’ll finally be ready to meet your mates.”

I had completely forgotten about that. The whole situation with Malcolm had put me off of the whole mate thing. I knew pretty early on in our relationship that he wasn't my mate, but for the longest time, I still held on to the slightest bit of hope that maybe he was. Things would have worked out much better that way.

I scrunched my nose. I was certain that if anyone in the pack was my mate, I would have known by now, but there was no one my wolf had shown interest in. “I don't think my mate is in this pack.” I admitted.

“Never say never. ” Jessa said.

I felt my wolf bristle at that. Jessa knew something that she wasn't letting on. Before I could ask, I saw her lift her hand to wave at someone behind me. I turned to look and found Flint and Orion. Flint was staring right at us as he threw Jessa a smile while Orion was locked in what seemed to be a serious talk with the Principal.

“They graduated right, what are they doing in school?” I asked, turning back to look at Jessa. Jessa scrunched her shoulders before reaching into her bag to pull out a silver charm.

“I got this for you. It was going to be part of your birthday gift, but I thought of something better to get you.”

I held up the silver charm to the light. It was a wolf with golden eyes that seemed to shimmer when the light hit them just right. It would make a great addition to those on my bracelet. “Thank you, Jessa.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I didn’t know you liked me enough to get a charm of my wolf made.” I heard a voice from behind me say.

“You wish,” I replied without even looking. I knew exactly who that voice belonged to. Flint.

“And if I tell you I do, what will you do?” Flint asked, getting a little too close for comfort.

“Backup, will you?”

“Or what?” Flint asked. He was always the most forward of triplets. He didn’t believe in personal space, much less personal belongings. His favourite trick to play on me was to stake a claim on my belongings. I can't remember the number of times I would find him in possession of my belongings.

“I’ll scream.” I said, turning to face him.

Flint smirked and as my eyes met his blue ones, I felt my stomach flip. Why did he have to be so handsome? “That's not a threat. Do it.”

My cheeks heated up. What was happening to me?

“Stop teasing her, Flint.” Jessa said, pulling me away from Flint. I didn’t realize that me and him had become that close.

“Yeah, we don’t have time for this.” I heard Orion say before he appeared behind Flint. “Let’s head back. We still have work to do.”

Orion didn’t even spare me a glance before pulling Flint away. It was as if what had happened between us on Friday night meant nothing. Well, if he was going to act that way, I would do the same. That was just a moment of insanity that I wouldn't spend anymore energy on.

***

The Alpha’s meeting had the pack buzzing with a mix of curiosity and unease. The main hall of the pack house was packed with wolves of all ranks, from the youngest pups to the oldest elders. I sat near the back with Jessa, hoping to avoid notice, but even here, I could feel the heavy presence of the triplets who stood just off to the side of the stage. Flint’s gaze swept the crowd until his eyes landed on me. He smirked, giving me a knowing wink before tuning back into the conversation he was having with his brothers.

I groaned quietly, sinking lower into my chair.

“Someone looks like they want to die,” Jessa whispered with a chuckle.

“You don’t even know the half of it,” I muttered.

The room fell silent as Alpha Thorn stepped up to the podium, his commanding presence enough to bring even the rowdiest wolves to attention.

“I called this meeting to make you all aware of something important. We’ve had increased rogue activity along the borders in recent weeks,” Alpha began, his deep voice resonating through the room. “This isn’t normal behavior. These attacks aren’t random—they’re coordinated. We think someone is leading these rogues.”

A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd. I felt Jessa’s hand on my arm, a quiet reminder to stay calm.

I knew a bit about the situation as my father was an enforcer for the pack. He had been away from home a lot these past few weeks.

“To ensure the safety of the pack, my sons, Orion, Evan, and Flint, will be taking a more active role in border security and rogue investigations. I expect all of you to cooperate fully with them. This is a time for unity, not division.”

My stomach twisted as the triplets joined Alpha Thorn on the stage. They stood right behind him, each exuding an aura of authority and confidence. The triplets didn’t favour any of their parents, being a perfect mixture of both the Alpha and the Luna, but when the four of them stood together, their resemblance was uncanny. The four of them were a perfect example of what an alpha should look like. Strong and authoritative even when not speaking.

The room broke into applause, but I couldn’t stop myself from joining in. Orion’s gaze swept over the crowd, briefly meeting mine before moving on as though I were just another face in the sea.

Jessa leaned in close. “Everything will be fine, right?”

I nodded stiffly, but my mind was racing. The thought of the triplets having more power made me uneasy. I knew I could trust them as my alphas, but with their history of tormenting me, how could I trust that their newly minted power would lead to worse treatment of me?

***

After the meeting, the pack house was a flurry of activity. Wolves milled about, discussing the Alpha’s announcement and speculating about the rogues. I lingered by the wall, hoping to blend in until Jessa finished her conversations with various pack members.

“Shouldn’t you be celebrating the triplets’ rise to power?” a smooth voice said from behind me.

I turned to find Evan leaning casually against the wall, his grey eyes fixed on me with a mixture of amusement and something else I couldn’t quite place.

“Shouldn’t you be celebrating your new role as pack hero?” I shot back, crossing my arms.

Evan chuckled, the sound low and warm. “Touché. But I’m not much for celebrations. I prefer the quiet corners.”

“Convenient, since that’s where I was hoping to stay,” I said, glancing around for an escape.

Evan’s gaze sharpened. “You were there, weren’t you? In the woods the other night.”

My heart skipped a beat. How did he know? I tried to play it off. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t lie to me, Milli,” he said, his tone dropping an octave. “I’m the best at hiding in quiet corners and only coming out when I want to be found. I saw you the other night.”

I hesitated, torn between denying everything and admitting it to Evan. Something in Evan’s expression, a rare vulnerability, made me pause.

I sighed. “I was out for a run.”

“And then you met Orion,” Evan said. I nodded. “You were lucky.” I looked up at him. “I’ll let you in on a secret since you choose to be honest with me. They don’t smell like normal rogues. There’s something...off about them.”

Evan continued. “These rogues aren’t acting on instinct. They’re organized. It’s like they’re being led by someone—or something.”

His words sent a chill down my spine. “Do you think they’re after the pack?”

“Maybe,” he said, his gaze darkening. “Or maybe they’re after something—or someone—specific.”

The way he looked at me when he said that made my stomach drop.

“Be careful, Milli,” he said softly, stepping closer. “I don’t want you getting caught up in this if you can avoid it.”

Before I could respond, a commotion broke out near the front of the pack house. Someone shouted about a rogue sighting at the border, and the crowd erupted into chaos. People immediately started for the door, wanting to get to the safety of their homes.

Evan’s demeanor shifted instantly, his easygoing attitude replaced by a sharp focus. I wanted to move as well, but Evan grabbed hold of my hand. “Stay here,” he ordered, already moving toward the doors of the hall.

But I couldn’t just stay put. My curiosity got the better of me, and I followed at a distance, weaving through the crowd until I exited the house. I had just exited with I saw Evan take off into the woods and took a decision to follow him. I followed him deep into the forest and only stopped when I saw him slow down.

What I saw stopped me cold.

A rogue lay restrained by the enforcers, its eyes wild and its fur matted with blood. But the smell—it wasn’t just the usual rogue stench. It was something darker, something unnatural. It was foaming at the mouth and its eyes glowed bright green. Not the usual red that was expected of a rogue.

“Milli, get back!” Evan’s voice snapped me out of my daze. He grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the scene. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I just wanted to see,” I stammered.

Evan’s expression was unreadable, but his grip on my arm tightened. “You don’t belong here. This isn’t a game.”

“I know that,” I said, my voice trembling. “But I just couldn't stop myself.”

Evan’s jaw clenched. “We’ll talk about this later. Right now, go home. And stay there.”

His tone left no room for argument, but as I walked away, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something much bigger—and much more dangerous.