ALPHAS CONUNDRUM

Four to Tango

ANABELLA

I woke up to the sharp, unforgiving drumbeat of a headache pounding behind my temples. Groaning, I pressed the heel of my hand to my forehead, as if that might somehow dull the pain. My mouth was dry, my body heavy, and my mind… oh, my mind wasn’t letting me off easy.

The events of the past few days surged into my consciousness, one chaotic memory after another, like waves crashing against a fragile shoreline.

The gunshots came first, ringing in my ears like echoes of a nightmare. Ducking behind the dashboard of that speeding car, my pulse hammering as bullets whizzed past us. The terror in Sebastian’s voice as he shouted for me to stay down.

Then there was Sebastian himself, pulling me aside in the aftermath, his piercing eyes locking on mine. “Your father isn’t who you think he is, Annabella. He’s dangerous.”

I remembered the ache in my chest, the way his words tore through me like jagged glass. Sebastian—the boy I had once trusted with my heart—telling me that my father, the man who had raised me, wasn’t just flawed, but wicked.

And then, running. Running away from Sebastian, from the truth he carried, from everything.

My stomach twisted as my thoughts landed on Kade. How had I ended up there, in his arms, in his bed? I could still feel the heat of his touch, the way his lips had left me breathless. For a fleeting moment, I thought I’d found a reprieve from the chaos.

Until I learned the truth: Kade was an Alpha too. Just like Ryker, the man my father had chosen for me. Just like Sebastian. They all were cousins and to make it worse, they didn't seem to like eachother very much.

Now, I was caught in a trap of my own making, a maze with no clear exit.

Ryker, Sebastian, Kade.

Three men. Three impossibly complicated men, each pulling me in a different direction. Ryker, my father’s choice, his golden boy. Sebastian, the ghost of my past, and Kade… Kade, the wildcard.

I groaned again, the weight of it all pressing down on me.

Forcing myself out of bed, I shuffled toward the bathroom. A shower. That’s what I needed. Something to wash away the heaviness, even if only for a moment.

The water was scalding, exactly how I liked it, but even the heat couldn’t burn away my thoughts.

This is too much, I told myself. It’s too much, and I have no idea what I’m doing.

I pressed my forehead against the cool tile, letting the water cascade over me. When had my life turned into this mess? A week ago, I’d had some semblance of normalcy. Now, my world was upside down, and every move felt like stepping into quicksand.

When the water ran cold, I finally turned it off and stepped out, wrapping a towel around myself. I needed clarity, a sounding board.

I needed Milla.

My best friend had always been the level-headed one, the calm in my storm. If anyone could help me untangle this mess, it was her.

I grabbed my phone and scrolled through my contacts, hitting call as soon as I found her name.

“Hey, Bells!” she answered after a few rings, her voice cheerful and familiar.

“Milla,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “I need to talk to you. It’s… a lot.”

There was a pause. “Okay. Deep breaths, girl. Start from the beginning.”

I sank onto the edge of my bed, the towel still wrapped around me. “Do you remember when I told you about my dad wanting me to marry Ryker?”

“Yeah, Mr. Perfect Alpha. What about him?”

“Well, things got… complicated.”

“Define ‘complicated.’”

I sighed. “Okay, so a few days ago, I was in this car with Sebastian—”

“Wait,” she interrupted. “Sebastian as in your Sebastian? The ex you never stopped pining over?”

“Yes, that Sebastian,” I said impatiently. “Listen. We were in the car, and then someone started shooting at us.”

Milla gasped. “Shooting? Like, with real bullets?”

“Yes, Milla, real bullets,” I said, rubbing my temples. “It was terrifying. Afterward, Sebastian told me that my dad is… not who I think he is. He said my dad is dangerous.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” she said, her words tumbling out. “Dangerous how? Like, mob boss dangerous? Evil genius dangerous?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “He didn’t get into details. But I panicked. I ran.”

“Ran where?”

“To Kade.”

“Who the hell is Kade?”

“Someone I met recently. He helped me out when I was in a bind, and I… I slept with him.”

Milla let out a low whistle. “Damn, Bells. Okay, continue.”