The Triplet Alphas's Christmas Gift

Chapter 15 - Dinner announcement

Teira's POV

Kyle drove us home after a few more moves, where he knocked me down a few times until I was able to avoid him completely. When he helped me up, he looked at the clock on the wall and led me back to the locker room to shower and change.

I rinsed off real quick and changed back into my clothes, tussling the towel through my hair to get as much water out as possible. When I came back out, the triplets were talking with Kyle but stopped suddenly when they saw me walking over. Kyle smiled, "Ready to go?" he asked, and I nodded, looking at the triplets curiously, but none of them met my eyes.

Kyle waved at them, and I murmured a goodbye before we headed out to his car, I was curious as to what they had talked about, but knowing Kyle, he probably wouldn't tell me. So I sat back and dozed a bit, the warmth of the heater and the movement of the car lulling me to sleep.

I woke to Kyle shaking my shoulder gently a bit later, "Tei, you need to get out. Mom and Dad would get angry if they saw me bringing you home. Hurry, Dad will be home soon." he said gently, and I woke with a jolt. I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car quickly, wrapping Tyler's coat around my shoulders. It was getting cold but not as bad as yesterday. The rain had eased up since this morning, so there was nothing to worry about getting soaked as I walked the five minutes home.

Kyle waited until I got to the front door before driving around the block a couple of times. He usually did that to simulate him coming home later when he had to bring me home early. Thankfully, we didn't have any close neighbors to report his strange behavior, so our parents didn't notice.

I walked into the kitchen and pulled out vegetables, beef, and different spices. It was cold enough for vegetable beef stew, and it wasn't too fatty for Mom to complain about. I started a salad as well and placed some warmed garlic toast for dipping when Mom walked into the house, followed by Kyle. I rushed out of the kitchen and began to place the dishes on the table as well as fill the glasses with water and juice. Mom wrinkled her nose a bit at the food but otherwise ignored me, and Kyle just sat, not looking at me like normal.

I ran back into the kitchen and began scrubbing pans, curious as to where Dad was. He normally beat Mom home and usually wasn't late unless there was an important pack issue that needed dealing with. I had nearly finished scrubbing the counters and stove when the door opened again with a slam, and Dad stomped in, clearly in a bad mood.

I hesitated to go out to the dining room, and I was sure he would take his anger out on me. But I didn't truly get a chance to decide when he tossed his coat on the side table and growled toward the door. I scrambled to grab it and hang it up by the front door like normal when Mom tossed her coat and purse at me as well, catching me off balance and nearly crashing to the floor.

"Watch it, you useless girl!" Dad barked as he sat down and began to eat, Mom and Kyle, following suit. "How was your day, dear?" Mom asked him gently, and he huffed. "Terrible, the Alpha has decided that women need to learn to train to boost our warrior numbers. Huh, like women could protect the pack. Then, before I left the office, the triplets came barging in to speak to the Alpha, who should've sent them away but instead sent me out. Me! Like, I don't do enough for this pack that he needs to send someone important like me out of the room so he can talk to his sons!" he ranted as Mom listened sympathetically.

Kyle straightened up at the sound of the triplets, but I didn't move from my spot in the corner. Did the triplets go to see the Alpha after training? What did they need to talk to him about? Mom looked at him seriously, "Did he bring you back inside after they left?" she asked. Dad growled, "Yes, but only to tell me that we will be hosting an Omega for a while. Alpha Christian has decided that we need more help around the house as a 'reward' for all the hard work I've been doing lately. Someone to clean, cook, etc."

Mom stiffened and then looked at me suspiciously, "But surely you told him that it wasn't necessary. We already have someone to do that." she said, barely gesturing toward me. Dad glared at her, "Of course I told him! But he's the Alpha! To not accept his kind gesture is to basically spit in his face! And I couldn't tell him about her! He thinks she's a rogue who wanders in from time to time, not the useless daughter we have! So we will have a new housekeeper for the foreseeable future."

Mom glared at me, and I flinched and quickly looked down at the floor, "You will clean the guest room next to Kyle's before bed, and you will be here tomorrow morning to greet the Omega and show them around the house. And don't think this gets you out of your chores. You will do the same amount of chores as before. Understood?" she demanded. I nodded, I knew better than to show any emotion in front of them.

When they finished, I went to grab the plates and take them to the kitchen when Dad stopped me. "Did you talk to the triplets today?" he asked quietly. I shook my head vigorously, I had spoken to them, but I never told them to get a housekeeper sent here. He growled and grabbed my arm roughly, "Liar! Why else would they ask their father to send a housekeeper to our home?! You've been complaining to the triplets behind our backs, haven't you?! HAVEN'T YOU?!" He yelled as he shook me. I started trembling, Kyle was half crouching in his seat, looking like he was ready to pounce on Dad.

"N-No sir, I swear. I don't know the triplets or talk to them at school. I haven't said anything about what happens at home." I squeaked. Dad growled, and his eyes turned black, a sure sign that he wasn't listening to me. Kyle stood up looking bored, "Dad, Teira's not important enough to be around the triplets, let alone speak to them. I'm the one who told them we needed a housekeeper. Finals are coming up, and I need my room to be spotless to study in. Teira's fine, but a better Omega would get it done without having to worry about other chores." he said coolly, trying to look apathetic to what was happening, but I could see the tension in his shoulders as he held his arms behind his back.

Dad turned to him calmly, "If you told the triplets we needed a better housekeeper, then it's plain that Teira isn't doing her job properly." he turned to me growling. "You can't keep his room spotless due to having too many chores? Is that it?! You lazy, useless, waste of space!" he yelled, throwing me to the floor. I squealed, and Kyle tried to intervene before Mom grabbed him and took him out of the room. Tei! I'm sorry! I'll try to get help! he linked quickly, and I looked at him sadly.

Kyle was only trying to diffuse the situation, but with Dad in the mood he was in, it just made it worse. I didn't want him to beat himself up so I gave him a tiny smile and shrug, the signal to let him know I didn't blame him since I couldn't link him back with Dad in the room.

When Mom took Kyle upstairs to his room, Dad grabbed me by my hair and pulled me towards the basement door. I yelled and struggled; I couldn't help it; I hated it down there. The triplets were only trying to help me, but unknowingly, they made it worse. Dad slapped me hard, causing my lip to split again, "Stop struggling, you're lazy, useless, worthless. And what's worse, you got your brother to complain to the future Alphas because of your laziness! Obviously, I've been too lax with your punishment, so I'm going to rectify that." he growled as he pulled me down the stairs roughly.

Each jolt of the wooden stairs caused a bruise to my back and legs, and even though I couldn't see in the pitch-black darkness, I knew what was coming next. He threw me hard against a concrete slab bolted at a tilt against the wall, or at least that's what it felt like, knocking the breath out of me. Dad then chained my arms and legs spread-eagled laying on my stomach.

I screamed at the touch of the silver, it burned like h*ll. Normally, Dad just wrapped them in a thin cloth, but it was obvious he was beyond p*ssed. He had my arms stretched above my head, then left me there for a few minutes, muttering to himself as he fiddled with something in the corner of the room.

He came back over towards me, "I have tried to get you to understand that you should know your place, Teira. But it's plain to me that my other methods haven't worked. You are to be seen rarely, never heard, and never to get involved with your brother's social life. We have a reputation to uphold, and you apparently don't care. So, your punishment is going to be tougher. Maybe it will get through your thick skull after a few lashings." he said deadly, calm.

I stiffened. What did he mean by lashings? I didn't have long to wait. A searing slicing pain hit my back, causing me to scream involuntarily. I tried to keep quiet, but it was impossible as he hit me over and over and over again.

I felt blood trickling down my back, and blackness was creeping across my vision when the door to the basement burst open and light flooded the room. I could hear Mom screaming upstairs and Dad yelling as a voice yelled for someone to take him away. Then a pair of gray eyes tinged with green took my face gently in his hands, "We've got you, angel. You're safe." he said gently.

Warm tingles spread from his hands to my face, soothing the pain in my back a bit, and I smiled as I gave in to the call of the void and allowed the blackness to sweep over me.