The Triplet Alphas' Forbidden Mate (Book 1&2)

Sure, firecracker. Whatever you say!

Emily's POV

My apartment had never felt smaller than it did with Caleb Blackthorne standing in it.

His presence overwhelmed the cramped space, his tall, broad frame effortlessly commanding the room. The rich leather of his jacket and his effortless confidence contrasted sharply with the peeling paint on my walls, the creaky floorboards, and the clutter of mismatched furniture. My cheeks burned as his golden eyes scanned the room, lingering on the unwashed dishes piled in the sink and the heap of laundry stuffed behind the couch.

I hugged my arms to my chest, trying to steady my racing heart. "Why are you really here, Caleb?" I asked, my voice colder than I intended.

Caleb's lips quirked into that infuriating smirk of his as he leaned casually against the doorframe, his jet-black hair falling messily over his forehead. "Because I wanted to see you," he said smoothly, his tone dripping with charm. Then he whistled sharply, and a pack guard appeared behind him, carrying a stack of neatly wrapped gift boxes.

My eyes widened. Gift boxes?

"Happy birthday, Firecracker," Caleb said, stepping forward as the guard set the packages on my small dining table and left without a word.

I stared at the boxes, my mouth slightly open. "I... What?"

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by my shock. "You heard me. It's your birthday, isn't it? I thought you'd like a gift or two."

My chest tightened, and a strange mix of emotions swirling inside me. No one had ever celebrated my birthday before except Tessa who tried in her little way to cheer me up each year. It had always been just another day—a reminder of everything I'd lost. No balloons, no cake, no one saying, Happy Birthday, Emily. And now here Caleb Blackthorne was, standing in my dingy apartment, acting like my birthday was something worth celebrating.

Tears welled in my eyes before I could stop them.

"Hey," Caleb said softly, his smirk fading as he stepped closer. "Don't cry. You're supposed to be happy."

I wiped at my cheeks furiously, willing myself to get a grip. "I'm not crying," I muttered, even though I clearly was.

He chuckled, the sound warm and smooth like honey. "Sure, Firecracker. Whatever you say."

Caleb motioned toward the table. "Go on. Open them."

I hesitated, my fingers trembling as I reached for the first box. It was wrapped in shiny blue paper with a crisp black bow. I tore it open, revealing a soft red scarf inside. My breath caught.

The memory hit me like a slap. Caleb and Gina laughing as they snatched my old, worn-out scarf and tossed it back and forth, teasing me about how cheap and tattered it looked. The one they had mocked me for. It was old, frayed at the edges, and barely hanging on. The one they had laughed at, calling it pathetic, something I could never afford to replace. And now, here he was, giving me a new one—as if that could erase the past.

My voice turned icy. "Do you think I'm a charity case?" I asked, clutching the scarf tightly. "Does Gina even know you're here?"

Caleb's face hardened, but his eyes remained calm and steady. "No," he said quietly, "I don't think you're a charity case. And I'm not here to make up for anything, Emily. I'm here because you're mine."

"What?" My voice came out in a shocked whisper. I blinked twice, staring at him, unable to believe what I had just heard.

Caleb stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, his gaze intense and unwavering. "I broke up with Gina," he said softly, his fingers brushing my cheek. "When I found out you were my mate, everything else became irrelevant."

"What?!" I stared at him, my mouth falling open as I tried to process it all. How could that be possible?!

"It was just a fling," he said calmly, his golden eyes locked onto mine. "She never meant anything to me. But you..." He reached for my hand, his touch warm and steady as he laced his fingers with mine. "You're the one I've been searching for all my life since I first shifted."

My heart skipped a beat. "I... I don't understand."

Caleb stepped closer, his gaze boring into mine with an intensity that made my knees weak. "Me and my brothers," he said softly, "yearned for you. Prayed to the Moon Goddess to grant us our mate. I craved your existence, Emily. I imagined what you'd look like, what you'd smell like. What your touch would feel like. I could feel it in my bones before I ever met you. And now, here you are."

He leaned in, his nose brushing the side of my neck as he inhaled deeply. "And now I know. You smell like heaven, Firecracker. Coconut, warm and sweet, like nothing I've ever known before."

Heat flooded my cheeks as my wolf practically purred with delight. My heart raced, my mind scrambling for something to say, but I was completely unprepared for the way he made me feel.

Lila's voice hissed in my mind, sharp and bitter. "Don't fall for it, Emily. Reject him before it's too late."

"Don't bask in your fantasy, sister, you are the demon wolf he sought to destroy." Lila pressed further, pooling the wool off my eyes.

Her words jolted me back to reality. I pulled away from Caleb, my voice shaky. "This is all... It's too much. It's happening too fast. I just... I need some air."

Caleb studied me for a moment, his gaze unreadable. Then he smiled faintly and reached for the scarf in my hands. "Here," he said, wrapping it gently around my neck. "Keep this one. I promise no one will take it from you this time."

His fingers brushed my skin, sending a shiver down my spine.

He motioned toward the second box. "Open that one too."

With trembling hands, I tore open the second package. Inside was a sleek, shiny iPhone—the latest model. My eyes widened as I picked it up, noticing Caleb's name already saved in the contacts.

As if he knew I needed a new phone. Logan threw my old phone in a pot of boiling water to teach me never to talk back at him two months ago. I was going to save up to buy a new one but now, it was like Caleb just took it off my bucket list.

"Just a call away, Firecracker," Caleb said, winking at me. Then he turned and walked out of my apartment, leaving me standing there in stunned silence.

For a moment, I just stared at the door, my heart pounding. Caleb Blackthorne—one of the triplet Alphas—had been in my apartment. He'd brought me gifts, broken up with Gina, and said I was his mate.

I pressed my hands to my burning cheeks, trying to make sense of it all. "Caleb Blackthorne," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. "He was here. In my apartment. And he broke up with Gina... for me."

The realization hit me like a lightning bolt, and suddenly I couldn't contain it anymore. A giddy laugh bubbled out of me as I twirled in place, clutching the scarf to my chest. "He broke up with Gina for me!"

I flopped onto my couch, hugging the scarf as tears spilled down my cheeks again—this time, not from sadness, but from something that felt dangerously close to hope.

My eyes darted to the wall clock and then I realized how late I was to the pack house. I jumped off hurriedly, ready to start my day with a giddy smile and a permanent reminder that Caleb dumped Gina for plain poor clumsy me.

My birthday has never been any better!