Trap of the King Alpha Triplet
Chapter 9 Fallout

Content warning: This chapter contains mild language, bullying, and sexual harassment. Emily.

I stumble into school. The hallways are buzzing with gossip, curious eyes following me as I make my way to my locker. I can practically feel their stares burning holes into my back. "Isn't she attacked Jasmine?"

"I heard she shifted in front of everyone. What a weirdo."

"Do you think it's true? That she's the triplets' mate?"

I clench my jaw. I want to scream at them to mind their own damn business, to leave me the hell alone. But I don't.

As I round the corner, I collide with a solid chest, nearly losing my balance. Strong hands grip my shoulders, steadying me, and I look up to see a pair of familiar blue eyes staring down at me. "Emily," Damien says. "Are you okay?"

I swallow hard, my throat suddenly tight. "I'm fine," I lie, forcing a smile. "Just a little tired, that's all."

He frowns, his brow furrowing. "I wanted to thank you," he says quietly, "for standing up for me yesterday. I know it couldn't have been easy, going up against Jasmine and the triplets like that."

I shrug, trying to play it off like it's no big deal. "Someone had to put them in their place. I'm just sorry I couldn't do more."

Damien shakes his head, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You did more than enough. Honestly, I'm in awe of you."

I offer him a weak smile. "It's nothing, Damien. You didn't deserve what happened to you."

He nods, his eyes searching mine. "How did you manage to leave?" he asks. "I saw Leo go after you, and I was worried..."

I tense, my heart skipping a beat. I can't tell him the truth, not now. I can't reveal the bombshell that the triplets are my mates. It's too complicated, too messy. And I'm not ready to face it myself, let alone explain it to someone else. "I just ran," I say. "I shifted and I ran until I couldn't anymore. And then I came back."

It's not a lie, not really. But it's not the whole truth either.

He just nods, his hand giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad you're okay," he says softly. "And I'm here for you, if you ever need to talk."

I nod, my throat too tight to speak. He gives me one last smile before turning and walking away, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the sinking feeling in my gut.

***

The rest of the day passes in a blur, my mind too consumed with thoughts of the triplets and the mate bond to focus on anything else. I drift through my classes like a ghost, my pen hovering over blank pages, my eyes glazing over as the teachers drone on about topics I couldn't care less about.

But even as I try to distract myself, even as I try to lose myself in the mundane routine of school, I can feel the pull of the bond, the invisible string tying me to the triplets. It's like a constant itch under my skin, a prickling sensation that grows stronger with every passing minute.

I hate it, hate the way my body responds to them, the way my heart races and my skin flushes at the mere thought of their touch. It's wrong, it's twisted, it's everything I've ever feared.

And yet, I can't escape it. Can't deny the primal, instinctual part of me that yearns for them, that craves their presence like a drug.

Arya notices my distraction, her dark eyes filled with worry as she watches me pick at my lunch, my appetite nonexistent. "Em, are you alright?" she asks.

I shake my head, my throat too tight to speak. How can I explain it to her, the chaos raging inside me, the war between my head and my heart? Arya did not have to know that shit.

"I'm fine," I mumble, pushing my tray away. "Just tired, that's all."

She frowns. She looks like she wants to argue, wants to push for more. But she doesn't.

The truth is, I'm lost. Adrift in a sea of confusion and doubt, with no idea how to find my way back to shore.

***

The final bell rings, and I'm out of my seat like a shot, desperate to escape the suffocating walls of the classroom. I weave through the crowded hallways, my head down, my eyes fixed on the scuffed linoleum beneath my feet. As I head towards the exit, I find my path blocked by a familiar figure, her blonde hair gleaming under the fluorescent lights.

Jasmine.

"Hello, little hybrid slut." she sneers.

"Get out of my way, Jasmine," I growl. "I'm not in the mood for your bullshit."

She laughs, a harsh, grating sound that sets my teeth on edge. "Oh, but I think you are," she purrs, stepping closer. "In fact, I think you're in the mood for a lot of things. Like stealing other people's mates."

My blood runs cold, my heart stuttering in my chest. "I don't know what you're talking about," I say. "I didn't steal anyone."

She scoffs, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Don't play dumb with me, bitch."She leans in, her breath hot and sour against my cheek. "Listen up, freak. The triplets are mine. They've always been mine. And I won't let some pathetic little hybrid mutt like you take them away from me."

"I didn't ask for this," I say, my voice shaking with barely contained rage. "I didn't choose them, and I sure as hell don't want them. So why don't you do us all a favor and back the fuck off?"

Jasmine's face twists, her eyes flashing with fury. "You think you can reject them?" she hisses, her claws digging into my arm. "You think you have a choice in this? You're nothing, Emily. Nothing but a freak of nature, an abomination. And the triplets will never choose you over me."

I wrench my arm out of her grip, my skin burning where her claws broke through. "We'll see about that," I spit. "Now get the hell out of my way, before I make you."

"This isn't over, bitch," she says. "I will destroy you, one way or another. And when I'm done, the triplets will be mine, and you'll be nothing but a distant memory."

With that, she turns on her heel and stalks away, her hips swaying like a pendulum.

I stand there for a moment, my heart pounding, my breath coming in shallow gasps. I can feel the eyes of the other students on me, their whispers and snickers echoing in my ears.