Claimed by the triplet Alphas.

008.

Hailey’s POV

I stood rooted to the spot, contemplating whether I should leave or stay back like Trent had asked me to. Hades’ anger made me hesitant and truth be told, he was the only triplet I was immensely afraid of.

When wouldn’t move or wouldn’t turn back to them, Savannah scoffed. I didn’t need to see her face to know that she was rolling her eyes. With her excessively fake high-pitched voice, she exclaimed; “Hades baby, please let’s go. I have no idea why your brother has taken a likeness to the slave.”

The room fell deathly silent after that. It was as if her comment was the one thing that had finally broken the Camel’s back. I turned around then, just in time to see Hades pull his arm aggressively out of her hold. He stepped back, away from her, and without sparing her even the smallest glance, he drawled; “You should leave. I need to talk to my brother and the slave.”

“But Hades..?”

“Leave!” He bellowed and I could swear that I felt the walls shake from the intensity of his voice.

A frown etched its way onto her pretty face then and after muttering something under her breath, something that I suspected was an insult directed at me or Trent, she stormed off, but that wasn’t until after pinning me with the ugliest stink eye in the history of stink eyes. There and then, I knew that she would be an issue. Her glare promised a long time of torture, of torment, and judging by her looks, I was certain that she would keep to her promise.

I was however snapped out of my thoughts when I felt someone walk up to me and I blinked in surprise when I realized that it was Hades. Before I could react, he wrapped his hand at the back of my neck and using his hold on my neck to push me forward, he growled at Trent;

“I don’t give a s**t about whatever you feel about this girl, Trent, she is nothing but a slave, an enemy’s daughter… and she would be treated as such! This would be the last time you’ll disrespect my fiancée because of her!”

As soon as he said those words, I squeezed my eyes shut whilst praying that the ground would open up and swallow me whole. His hatred for me was evident in his voice, his anger… but what surprised me the most was the fact that he kept referring to me as the enemy’s daughter when I in fact do not even know who my parents were.

Tears sprung into my eyes as the grip on my neck tightened. I saw Trent watch my face for a moment before he looked up to Hades and snarled; “If you insist that she’s a slave then what exactly is she doing living in the main quarter?”

Hades opened his mouth then but for the first time, I saw uncertainty flash through his eyes before he quickly sealed his mouth shut. For the next few seconds, he opened his mouth and closed them continuously like a bob fish and when Trent’s knowing smile wouldn’t stop growing, he angrily let go of my neck and snarled;

“Maybe because I like keeping my enemies closer.”

“Lies, brother. Keep lying to yourself.”

“Trent, shut the f**k up! You have no idea what you’re implying.”

“I know exactly what I am talking about, Hades!” Trent snapped back. “You’re keeping her in the house because despite your ‘hatred’ for her and her people, you still acknowledge the fact that she’s your mate. Our mate, and there’s nothing—”

“SHUT UP!” Hades growled and in a split second, his fist connected with Trent’s face. “Shut up! This wench isn’t my mate… and she’ll never be!” He snarled, causing something vile, something bitter to squeeze its way through my chest.

I gasped as the scene unfolded in front of me and without thinking for a minute, I rushed over to Trent to check the extent to which the hit must’ve caused him. However, before I could touch him- his face, he held my hands and whispered; “it’s fine baby, I am fine.”

All my life, no one’s ever been that gentle with me or had spoken to me like I was a person, and seeing it happen for the first time made me freeze in shock. I couldn’t move as I could only look up at him in both admiration and something else… something that made my insides churn and my knees turn to jello.

I heard a disapproving sound from behind me and when I turned to look, I saw that it was Hades but surprisingly, he was walking away. He was bristling with anger as he strode off, leaving Trent and I there and it wasn’t until after he was gone that I felt something akin to guilt settle deep within my stomach. This was all my fault but if Hades hadn’t decided to buy me from the auction house, maybe all of these wouldn’t have happened in the first place.

Now, I was sure that I disliked the man, especially after everything he’s said and done to me. I could only watch him leave with resentment building up inside of me and was again snapped out of my reverie when Trent clapped in my face.

“Come back, princess!” He muttered and again I was hit with shock at the nickname.

As if noticing my unease, he carelessly draped an arm around my shoulder and began to lead me up the stairs. “You’re a Princess, you know that right?” He whispered but I didn’t say a word, and that was mostly because I didn’t know what to respond with. I wasn’t entirely sure that it was a compliment because back at the auction house, the guards also called me Princess, but somehow, they always did it in a demeaning manner.

Ignoring my silence, Trent continued; “I see that you do not know. Well, you are!”

Right now, I had no idea where he was taking me to but I didn’t complain. I didn’t even bother because right now, with him, was the most humane experience I’ve had in the longest time. He took a turn by the end of the hallway and my room came into view, so immediately, I knew that he was walking me to my room. When we arrived, he pushed the door open and stepped in, pulling me with him as he went. Then he let go of my shoulder and began to inspect the room. I watched him as he walked over to the window and then looked out of it, and it wasn’t until he turned that I realized that his face, the spot where Hades had struck him, was now bruised.

Again, I rushed over to touch it and to my surprise, he didn’t even flinch. He simply held my hands again and turned around to look at me with a small smile playing on his lips. “You seem drawn to my face, cupcake, why?”

His words, as innocent as they might’ve sounded, made a fierce blush tint my face. I looked down at my feet as my stomach began to tie itself into knots again. Even the places where our skins touched flared with electric sparks. It was a lot, too much, I feared that I would drown in these feeling his eyes and touch were eliciting from deep within me.

He tilted his head to the side and then I realized that he was still waiting for my response. Shyly, I ducked my head and stuttered; “b-because y-you’re bruised.”

Trent smiled. “Thank you but it doesn’t hurt much.” He said and I nodded.

Seeing as there was nothing left to say, I made to move away but he wouldn’t let go of my hands. My eyes instinctively flew from his face to our entwined hands and another blush crept up my face when I saw that he was doing the same. With my head bowed, I muttered; “Sir, please… let go.” But still, he didn’t budge. I was uncomfortable but not in a bad way…

The room fell into utter silence and right now, the only thing I could hear was the sound of my frantic heartbeat against my chest. Just when I was sure that I had begun to hyperventilate, he suddenly said; “I want to kiss you so badly, Hailey, but even though I argue with my brother that you belong to me just as much as you belong to him, he’s still your master. He bought you… and that hurt.”

Those words made me raise my eyes to meet his immediately and the look I met there had my breath hitching in my chest. I do not know where I found the courage but I found myself saying;

“Then kiss me.”

Trent hesitated. I saw his Adam’s apple bob in anticipation but he didn’t move an inch and when I had begun to think that he wouldn’t, and that I had made a mistake asking him to, he pulled me close and slammed his lips against mine.

Hades be damned… for now.

I closed my eyes as I parted my lips, welcoming him in but just then, we jumped apart as the door flew open and someone stepped in.

“Trent?”