Chasity’s POV
I had to wake up at the crack of dawn as usual on the day of the party despite going to bed after midnight. I was so tired. I passed as far away from the Triplet’s rooms as I could so I would not have to smell those delicious scents. I had to keep away from them. I could not bear to look them in the eyes if just their smell was driving me wild now that I was eighteen. How could fate be so cruel? I wondered if they would be horrible mates. I would not let it reach to that. I had never even had one boyfriend, now I had three mates. What would I be expected to do? How would I handle that? I felt overwhelmed just thinking about it. There was a heat in the lower part of my tummy when I thought about all three of them and me. I would not even know who was doing what to me. I bit my lip. I was getting aroused again. I quickly pushed those thoughts away.
Maybe they will reject me outright? I thought.
My heart threatened to cleave in two or maybe three when I thought about that. My inner wolf whimpered. I hushed her soothingly. My wolf kept pushing thoughts of the triplets into my mind as I worked on all the last minute party details. Felix would be the roughest. Calix would be the gentlest. I was not sure what Alex would be like. He would probably boss me around, telling me to have respect for him as his mate and Luna. A chill crept through me. Luna. The current Luna hated me. She would not want me as her successor. I did not think the current Alpha would care much. Around half past five in the morning, Ronda, the party planner showed up to help.
“Where are the birthday boys?” She said excitedly. I rolled my eyes. My inner wolf growled. She was possessive. I looked at Ronda’s micro mini skirt and tiny tube top. I was surprised she did not freeze to death on the way here. She was holding three identical baby blue gift bags.
“They’re asleep,” I said, frowning. “They usually don’t wake up until noon on weekends,”
“Oh,” she said. She looked crestfallen. She put a coat over her tiny outfit, probably to unveil it at noon. Around six o’clock, I heard heavy steps. It couldn’t be! The Triplets woke up early! I ran out of the house without thinking. I shifted. Ronda ran out after me, her eyes wide with shock. I went bounding through the snow. I had ripped my clothes shifting suddenly like that. I needed to clear my head and stay clear of the Triplets until I decided what to do.
Third Person
“This is stupid!” Said Calix. “I need my mate, right now. I want Chasity!”
He stormed out of her room and down the stairs with his brothers on his heels. He was surprised to find Ronda in the kitchen.
“Where’s Chasity?” Asked Calix, still sleep-deprived and grumpy.
“Hey, sleepy head! Good morning!” Cooed Ronda.
“Have you seen Chasity, Ronda?” Asked Alex.
“I have presents for the birthday boys!” She squealed.
“Is she here?” Felix asked, getting annoyed.
“Who?” Asked Ronda, handing each triplet a gift bag.
“Thanks, Ronda!” Said Alex. “Chasity! Where is she?”
Ronda frowned. “She shifted and went for a run,” Ronda said.
“Oh yeah!” Said Alex. “She can shift now,” he said, grinning. He was excited to see her wolf and go running through the snow with her.
“Ok,” said Ronda, rolling her eyes. “Since when do you guys care about Charity?”
Calix snarled. Alex glared at Ronda. Ronda was taken aback.
“It’s Chasity,” corrected Felix, though he was the one who originally gave her the nickname.
Chasity’s POV
I had been running for a few hours all around the pack lands. I started to tire out. I knew I would be in pain when I shifted back. My wolf was strong but my human form was weak. I had never been athletic. I could not shift back without going home. I was stealthy on my way back to the pack house. I saw that one of the Triplet’s cars was gone. Hopefully they had all gone. I shifted back and snuck in a side door. I crept up the stairs as quickly as I could. I squealed when I reached my room. The door was closed and all three scents were incredibly strong. Were they in there? I peaked under the door. I sighed in relief and went in.
I put on my clothes. My clothes smelled like Alex. They had been here. All of them. Recently. Their scents were heavenly. Every single item of clothing and every book smelled like Alex. The bed smelled intensely like Calix. Felix’s scent was concentrated near the door. They knew. That’s the only thing that would have led them to my room. They enjoyed teasing me but in the last nine years they had never set foot in my room, not a single time.
I went back to the kitchen to find a seething party planner. Ronda was furious at me for taking off. The Triplets scents were here too. They probably had not noticed her skimpy outfit. I laughed to myself as I worked alongside her. I was incredibly jumpy, expecting the Triplets to return at any minute. I dared not ask Ronda where they had gone. The time passed by quickly. Before I knew it, it was four o’ clock. The party started at six in the evening and I needed enough time to get ready.
I was walking up the stairs when the Luna spotted me.
“Oh! Hey, I’m so sorry but one of the servers called in sick, so we’ll need you to help out with the serving? Ok?” She asked though it was not really a question. It was not like I could refuse. I did have one condition though.
“That’s fine but I’m not wearing a uniform,” I said, laughing.
She laughed too as if she had not even considered it but I bet she would have made me wear one if I had not brought it up first. Every pack member would be here soon. Thankfully, the pack house was huge with a sprawling living room. The DJ was setting up in there now. All the decorations were hung and the lights were dimmed. I wondered if I would have to watch the Triplets dance with their girlfriends. They would obviously be at the party. I sighed. I needed to stop feeling entitled to being with the Triplets. They were my mates but they hated me and I hated them.
I showered methodically. My muscles ached. I knew I would pay for that long run. My skin no longer looked sallow though. It was golden and had a healthy glow. My dark circles were still there though. My body needed some rest but I was always working or studying. I sighed. My hair looked shiny. I left it down. Mina and Tina seemed to think my dark blonde curls were my best feature. I put on the outfit they had picked out for me, a black sequin mini dress and high heels. I did my makeup the way they had taught me. I was pleasantly surprised with the result. I spritzed on some perfume and ran down the stairs.
People started arriving a bit early. I greeted them and took their coats. Everyone called me “Charity” genuinely thinking that was my name and it was too late to correct them. I would be leaving this place in a matter of months. My inner wolf growled at me. I sighed. I noticed Sandra, Tonya and Avery all arrived together, holding hands, looking disgruntled in their mini dresses. Their eyes were red. They approached me to talk for the first time ever.
“Hey…uh…Charity,” said Sandra, tossing her flaming red hair back.
“Hey girl!” Tonya said. She had long straight black hair and olive skin.
“Nice to see you again,” Avery said with a smile. She had shoulder-length blonde hair.
“Hey girls, welcome, please help yourselves, feel free,” I said, awkwardly motioning towards the refreshment tables.
“Have you seen the Triplets today?” Sandra asked, narrowing her green eyes at me.
“No,” I said honestly in the most innocent tone I could muster.
“Ok, well, here’s the thing…” Tonya paused exchanging glances with the other two.
“The guys broke up with us!” Blurted out Avery. The other two glared at her. “Well, it’s true,” she said to them.
My heart was pounding.
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” I said stiffly.
“They said they found their mate,” Sandra added tensely.
I felt lightheaded. I stumbled backwards a little but caught my balance, leaning against the wall.
“They brushed us off…they said we’d only been together six weeks,” Tonya said, folding her arms.
That was true. The longest relationships the Triplets had were all about two months so the girls were only missing out on two more weeks.
“So since you live here, we figured you’d know who she is,” said Avery. “Their mate.”
I braced myself against the wall. I felt nauseated. The Triplets had already ended their relationships…for me? They would have ended them anyway but I felt awful for the three girls. I bit my lip. Did that mean the Triplets wanted me? Like right away? They had wasted no time breaking up with their girlfriends. I did not answer the girls’ question.
“Please, excuse me, girls,” I said feebly. I went into the kitchen. What was I going to do when the Triplets arrived?
Third Person
The Triplets were late for their own party after spending so much time bickering at the mall over what to get Chasity. They ended up getting her a whole host of things and getting it wrapped and gift bagged at the mall. They loaded the stuff out of the car, greeting guests as they entered the pack house. They narrowly avoided a confrontation with their three ex-girlfriends. All three girls stormed out together hand in hand. At least they had each other. They showered and got dressed in a matter of minutes, all three in matching black blazers, black trousers and baby blue shirts.
“She’s not in her room,” said Calix anxiously.
“Of course, not,” said Felix. “Mom and Dad are making her help with the party”
“Ok, before we do anything else, we need to have a serious conversation with Chasity,” said Alex, the Alpha even among Alphas.
His younger brothers nodded.
Chasity’s POV
I stayed hidden in the kitchen until the Luna came in and found me doing nothing. She glared at me and handed me a tray of champagne glasses to serve so the current Alpha could make a toast to his sons before he officially handed over the position. My mates would be Alphas in a matter of minutes. I passed out the champagne. Everyone smiled. The pack members were in a great mood. I even got a few thank yous and a few compliments on my outfit. I was a really low ranking member of the pack but because I served the Alpha and his family everyone knew my name or at least they knew my cruel nickname.
I refilled the tray with more glasses and more champagne. I spotted the party planner in an even skimpier outfit than this morning if that were possible. I remembered the blue gift bags she had brought. I had not gotten my mates anything even though I helped put this party together. I had literally zero dollars and zero cents. I hope they understood that. Mina and Tina grinned at me. I hugged them. They actually seemed to like me now. Our hug elicited a few glares and disapproving looks from older pack members nearby. Mina and Tina were the daughters of rich pack members and some people considered me trash because my parents borrowed a lot of money from the pack funds and pack members. I had been so little then. I felt it was unfair to blame me but I was the only one around to blame. I pushed those old memories away.
Mina and Tina said happy birthday to me. I was so happy, I got a little teary-eyed. They were the only ones who had remembered or said anything. They each handed me a sparkly pink gift bag. I was shocked. They had already bought me clothes as part of our deal.
“Girls! Thank you! I’m shocked!” I said, taking the bags.
“It’s nothing!” Said Mina.
“We dropped off our homework assignments during Saturday morning football practice cause we were so excited!” Said Tina.
“Just like you promised, we aced it! He corrected it right in front of us!” Added Mina.
I grinned. They flipped their hair in unison. They were wearing identical hot pink dresses.
The Luna caught me socialising and I quickly scampered off to get more champagne. I handed a glass to the Luna who smiled coldly. The Alpha took a glass and nodded at me. I almost dropped my tray when I turned around and saw the Triplets. They looked unbelievably handsome. My inner wolf was howling. Their scents were out of this world. They were staring at me. I could not read their expressions. I could not be with them but I could not be without them. I just hoped they would not reject me right away. It was my birthday too and I just wanted to enjoy it a little, without worrying too much.
I offered them the champagne glasses. Alex took the whole tray away from me to his mother’s chagrin. He handed the tray to an offended-looking Ronda. Calix grabbed my hand, causing tingles to shoot through my arm. Felix put his hands on either side of my waist from behind. I felt unexpected heat and bit my lip. Some pack members were regarding us with curiosity. Alex led us up the stairs with Calix pulling me by the hand and Felix gently pushing me forwards as he gripped my waist.
They took me to Calix’s room and shut the door, locking it. I quickly scurried away from them to the other side of the room, pressing my back against the wall. The spell of seeing my mates for the first time since I had come of age had broken now that we were alone.
“Don’t be scared, Chasity,” pleaded Calix, his blue eyes widening with hurt due to me letting go of his hand. He was using my real name.
“We’re not gonna hurt you, Baby,” purred Felix, eyeing me intensely.
I was shocked at the pet name. The heat in my body was back.
“We need to talk,” said Alex sternly. “Ok, Chasity?”
At least they were being respectful for once and using my real name with the exception of Felix who seemed to think I was already his Baby.
The brothers sat on Calix’s bed on one side of the room. I sat in the chair by his desk with his computer. The chair had wheels. I spun on it a little. I had never been in any of their rooms at all before until early this morning when I inspected Calix’s room. The Triplets cleaned their own rooms. We had lived together but emotionally we were like strangers in a way. I knew the Triplets had to have normal personalities outside of bullying me because they were certainly admired by everyone else and I had seen them be good to others with my own eyes. It stung thinking that they had reserved their venom for just me. What had I done? Besides be born unfortunate? Just like that, I broke an eight year long promise to myself as the tears streamed down my face without warning.
Alex looked despondent.
“Shh, Baby, it’s ok,” said Felix softly, handing me a tissue.
Calix grabbed my hand again and pulled the chair, wheeling it over to them. I was within arms reach of all three of them now. My heart raced due to fear. My body was really confused when it came to them. I knew they could hear my heartbeat and smell my arousal.
“As you probably already know, Chasity,” Alex said gently, “you’re our mate. All three of us. Triplets tend to have just one mate because…”
“I know,” I said, annoyed. I was probably better at science than them. They were always treating me like I was stupid. Normally they would glare at me for interrupting them and even curse and complain but they just stared at me intently. “Because identical triplets are naturally occurring clones, one fertilised egg that split into three so one mate.”
“Exactly,” said Alex smiling. I dried my eyes and blew my nose.
“You smell so good, Baby,” said Felix. His eyes were black. He reached out and caressed my knee. I shivered.
“Easy, Felix!” Warned Alex, removing his brother’s hand from my knee. Alex sighed.
“We’re so so so sorry, Chasity,” murmured Alex. “The way we’ve treated you is disgusting. We won’t make any excuses for it. We don’t deserve you but we want you as our mate and Luna. We’re willing to spend the rest of our lives making everything up to you.”
I was shocked. I had always wanted an apology. Now I had one, I wasn’t sure if it would suffice.
“We’re so sorry, Chasity,” said Calix. “Please let us love you!”
I blushed. Calix was always so dramatic.
“We’re really sorry, Baby,” said Felix. I was pretty sure I would never hear my horrid nickname or my real name come out of him ever again. I was henceforth Baby as far as he was concerned. I giggled at that thought. That was the wrong move because it set Felix’s wolf off.
“Oh, you’re so cute!” Growled Felix just before he grabbed me.
Chapter 5: Happy Birthday
Felix grabbed me before Alex could stop him. He pinned me to the wall, going to mark me!
“Stop!” I squealed but Felix’s eyes were black. His wolf was in control. I was completely not ready for this. I was not even sure if I wanted to be with them.
In a flash, his brothers pulled him off of me. They pinned him to the other wall.
“Calm down!” Bellowed Alex in his Alpha voice making the whole room shake.
Felix took a few deep breaths. His eyes slowly turned blue. His brothers walked him back to the bed and they all sat down again.
“Oh my God,” he said, panting. “Chasity!” He said my name! “I’m so sorry, Baby.” We were back to Baby again.
“It’s…ok,” I said slowly. I laughed half-heartedly. “Actually that’s not the worst thing you’ve done to me by a long shot. That won’t even make the top ten.”
I laughed at my own feeble joke. The Triplets looked horrified and guilty.
“So after Felix has gone and ruined the scrap of a chance we had left…what do you say?” Said Calix.
That actually made me laugh. The brothers all smiled. I had seven more months until high school was over and I was still angry as hell with the Triplets but I was no fool. Rejecting them would mean I would have to move out. I had no idea what I wanted. My wolf craved them. She was filling my head with positions that I had not known were possible. I had never even been kissed. If I even decided to be with them, only one of them could be my first kiss. My eyes went instinctively to Calix. He grinned. The other two looked a little jealous, wondering why I was staring at just him all of a sudden.
“I don’t know what I want,” I told them honestly.
“That’s completely fine!” Said Calix.
“Take your time,” said Alex.
“All the time you need,” added Felix who had pinned me to a wall a few moments ago to try to mark me as his mate. Yeah, sure.
“Ok, that brings us to the second part of this discussion,” said Alex.
Huh?
“Happy birthday, Chasity!” Said the Triplets in unison.
I smiled. They pulled a lot of gifts out from under Calix’s bed. I squealed and then I felt guilty. I bit my lip and frowned.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” Asked Felix quickly.
“I had thought about getting you something but I really couldn’t. I had literally no money,” I said apologetically, feeling ashamed.
Felix laughed. “Baby, we know you have no money. That’s ok.”
“You never let me forget it,” I muttered.
Felix frowned. They started prompting me to open my gifts. There were so many. It was so awkward for me. I had not gotten a single gift in nine years until today. Mina and Nina gave me gifts and now the Triplets had bought the whole mall. I wanted to open all my gifts later in the privacy of my room. I had already put the bags from Mina and Nina in there.
“Alex, Felix, Calix,” I said. They all reacted to their names. They all looked so gleeful.
“I want to open these later ok, when I’m thinking about stuff,” I said.
“We wanted to see your face…” pleaded Calix.
“It’s not about what we want,” interrupted Alex. I smiled.
“I’m just going to put the gifts in my room. Thank you so much!” I said.
I approached them shyly. We had never hugged before. Felix snatched me up first just as I expected. He squeezed me tightly, lifting my feet off the ground. I giggled. He let me down. Calix bent down to hug me gently. Alex lifted me by the waist and spun me around like I was a little princess. He put me gently on my feet. I started carrying an armful of gifts to my room.
“Wait!” They all said.
“You can’t stay in that room. It’s too small. We will organise the best guest room and turn it into your room,” Alex said.
This should have made me happy but it actually made me angry suddenly.
“So this room isn’t good enough for me now but it was good enough when you didn’t give a shit!” I snapped.
I immediately regretted saying that. I waited for the huge argument to start. They were quiet.
“If you’re not ready for your new room yet, that’s ok but I’m very uncomfortable with you staying there. It’s not even a bedroom and it’s a complete disgrace that my parents put you there,” said Alex.
We did not talk anymore as we moved the gifts to my room and went back down the stairs where everyone was still waiting impatiently for the birthday boys.
“Boys!” Said Luna Ronnie, narrowing her eyes. “Where have you been?” She seemed shocked to see me coming down the stairs with them.
“Do another lap to see if anyone needs more champagne,” she ordered me. Ronda handed me a fresh tray filled with glasses. The party planner had a smug look on her face.
Alex took the tray from me again and put it on the floor this time.
“Alex!” Said Ronnie to her eldest son.
“Let’s start the toast!” Said Alpha Romeo.
The Pack members cheered. Everyone gathered around the grand staircase and Alpha Romeo stood a few steps up so that everyone could see him. The Triplets pulled me with them to the same step as Alpha Romeo. The Luna who stood next to her husband was eyeing me suspiciously. I was pretty sure she was putting two and two together or in this case, one and three together. Alpha Romeo began his speech. It literally started with him meeting his mate, the Luna, their love, their wedding, honeymoon, childless years, having the triplets, their childhood, their teenage years and now their manhood and ascension to Alphas. It made literally no mention of me despite me being there for the past nine years since the triplets were twelve but the Alpha and Luna truly viewed me as a servant so I knew I should not expect to be mentioned. A lot of people kept glancing at me, wondering why I was there in the limelight. I tried to descend the stairs a few times but Alex kept grabbing my wrist. Felix put his hand absentmindedly on my behind. I stifled a gasp. He squeezed it and rubbed it gently. I started to cream my clothes. I glared at him and he blew me a kiss which many people noticed.
“I present to you, Alpha Alex, Alpha Felix and Alpha Calix Thorn, the Triplet Alphas,” boomed former Alpha Romeo using his Alpha voice for the last time.
The Pack members cheered. Their screams were deafening. Many girls shrieked and squealed over the Triplet Alphas. The Alpha Triplets went around the room to be congratulated by important pack members. They dragged me with them. No one asked about me but everyone’s eyes darted to me. Finally the Luna could take it no more. She marched her sons, me and the former alpha into the kitchen. The party planner nosily followed us.
“Since when are you three so close with Charity?” Asked the Luna.
“It’s Chasity, Mom,” said Felix.
“Sorry,” said the Luna. People truly thought my name was Charity so I never held it against them.
“She’s our mate,” said Alex, getting straight to the point. There was utter silence.
“And you’ve accepted her as your mate?” Said Romeo.
I felt a little offended. “Of course,” said Calix. “We want her more than anything.”
My cheeks burned.
“And has she accepted?” Asked the Luna.
There was more silence.
“I want to finish high school while I think about it,” I said.
The Luna laughed. “She wants to live here for as long as possible before she rejects you the day after she graduates high school and then goes off to search for her parents.”
“Mom!” Said Calix, the Luna’s favourite.
She stared at him. “Honey! I…”
“Chasity has not been treated well here and you know it!” Said Calix.
The Luna sighed.
“She’s our mate and things around here will reflect that,” said Alex firmly.
The eavesdropping party planner was looking at me with so much envy I actually feared for my life a little.
“She hates you three you know,” said Ronda the party planner. “She thinks you’re all arrogant overrated snobs.”
I paled. I looked at the Triplets, half-expecting them to turn on me. Calix had not even been listening to her. He was still pleading with his Mother with his eyes. Alex was looking at the big birthday cake and Felix was still looking at me, smirking. Felix was definitely going to try to sneak into my room tonight. I felt really warm thinking about it.
“They’re old enough to decide,” said Romeo.
“Let’s cut the cake with Chasity,” said Alex.
Ronda wheeled the huge cake out to the guests. Everyone began singing happy birthday and snapping pictures. I knew people wanted me out of the shot. They wanted pictures of the identical triplet alphas and birthday boys but the guys would not let me go. Calix grabbed one wrist and Alex grabbed the other. Felix was standing behind me, squeezing my waist. This was the first time all three of the Triplets had their hands on me and I felt like fainting. I was so overwhelmed. What was I going to do when they all really got their hands on me? I had thought I did not have to worry about that anytime soon but looking back on it, I should’ve worried more because all three brothers snuck me into one of their rooms that very night.