Blooming for the Alphas

Chapter 4

Ophelia P.O.V.

It was silent, none of them uttered a word while they stared at me. Each of them causing a different reaction within my body while I waited for them. I waited for them to do something, say something, look at each other.

But they didn’t.

I don’t know why but part of me hoped that they would even put up a little fight to have me as their mate. I’m supposed to be the one they are meant for, but maybe even the moon goddess plays tricks sometimes.

I took in a shaky breath and opened my mouth to say it. To say the final words that would end all of this when Tristan cleared his throat. He looked at me with a fire burning in his eyes, “ You feel it don’t you?” Tristan’s voice was almost a purr, his words wrapping around me in a heated promise. A vice that would consume me and get us all killed and tortured.

“We can’t.” I whispered, trying to put my focus back on the flowers in front of me.

“Why?” Tobias asked, a fleeting question. I looked up startled by his voice. He finally spoke to me, something that wasn’t ‘ why are you running’

“They’ll kill you and spend the next forty years torturing me until I’m nothing but a puppet. Please.” I begged, hoping that one of them would see reason. One of them would value their life more than a future with me.

But, none of them looked moved or even threatened by what my parents could do to us. What they would inevitably do to them. I took in another deep breath as images of them being executed splashed across my mind, “Do. You. Feel. It?” Tristan asked, annunciating each and every word with more fire than he ever had before.

I nodded my head yes, “ But, I want you to live.” I whispered, admitting the truth about what has gnawed at me for years. The silent torment of what could happen to them if I let them love me.

“Say the rest, little wolf.” Tobias smirked, looking at me with his cold eyes. Eyes that don’t let me hide anything and I blushed. He already knew the truth. I shook my head no, “Say the rest.” he said again, looking at me- daring me to deny him what was on the tip of my tongue.

“ I feel the bond. I can’t- I can’t run anymore not from you.” I murmured, playing with my hands while I looked at the floor. Tobias cleared his throat again, “I feel like there’s something else that you need to say little wolf.” He smirked, looking at me with cold, calculated eyes.

“I need you, all of you.” I whispered, trying not to let the shame devour me. My stomach twisted, and I fought to steady myself as my legs threatened to give out from under me. They were pushing the bond, trying to make me submit to crushing band of fate. I didn’t want to want them, though. I didn’t want to feel the burning desire creeping up from deep inside of me and threatening to overtake my reason.

But I did.

I did want them.

I did need them.

I did feeling the burning desire.

And I couldn’t deny it any longer.

Theodore was the first one to break. He reached out, his hand grasping my chin gently and yet firm, forcing me to meet his gaze, “Your ours, Ophelia.” He murmured. His voice wasn’t just stating a fact, something that he thought of in the moment, it was a promise- an oath, a claim.

And, as much as I wanted to fight it. As much as I wanted to tell him- to beg him to let me go. I didn’t. Instead, I could feel my body betraying me. Theo looked at me, the danger and lust burning in his eyes, “ We’ve waited to long to have you.” He continued, as his lisp brushed just above mine.

I gasped, feeling the silent tease of what he was offering as his lips remained just millimeters away from me, “Now, it’s time for you to come to us. To accept what you have always known is true.” He smirked.

My chest tightened.

My breath caught.

My heart pounded in my ears.

I shook my head and looked at my other two mates. Is there even a small possibility that my mates could actually keep me safe from them? From my own parents? What about their own packs? They can’t run and govern a pack on the side of the road. How could we ever be true mates with the fear of being found?

“Let us worry about it, little wolf. Let us be your protectors, your alpha’s.” Tobias said, looking at me with the promise of a future. A future where I wouldn’t have to be alone for the first time in ten years. A future where I could be accepted.

I wanted to fight. I wanted to scream, to push them away and make them leave but I couldn’t.I couldn’t find a way to make them leave me alone, I couldn’t find a way to convince them that rejecting me was in their best interest, I couldn’t find a way to live my life knowing they were out there. They wouldn’t be willing to leave me, not until they had me. Not until they had all of me and I was their luna.

The worst part- was deep down. Despite the years of running, the years of hating them for making me give up everything. Part of me wanted that, part of me wanted them to love me, to want me.

Some desperate, broken, needy part of myself would always wanted that, would always need that. Some part of me had always wanted to belong to them. A part of me still wants to belong to them.