Calix
Chasity wiggled her way out of my arms. Her skin was slippery in the water so she managed to escape me for just a moment. She had seemingly forgotten we were still at the deep end. She went under the water’s surface instantly. I grabbed her and pulled her back up. She was spluttering and coughing up water. No sooner had I plucked her from the watery deep than she tried to wriggle away again.
“Take me back to the pool’s edge please now! I want to get out!” Shrieked Chasity.
I could feel her going into panic mode. I was not sure how to salvage this moment. Everything had been going so well up until this point, up until the very moment I had revealed the secret Alex had explicitly told me not to reveal while we were on vacation. I had done just the opposite and now Chasity didn’t even want me touching her.
“Take me back!” She shrieked, snapping me out of my rumination. “Calix!” She yelled.
I tightened my grip on her. I was scared to let go of her now. If I did not reassure her right away, she might withdraw from us emotionally for the rest of the trip.
“I just want to talk to you, ok. Let’s talk about this!” I pleaded, trying to calm her down.
“Let me go!!!” She screamed.
Suddenly, a memory hit me out of nowhere.
I reached the ice fishing hole just in time to see Felix dunk her into the freezing cold water. She was kicking and screaming as he held her under the water. Alex had been on board at first but now he looked like he wanted to put a stop to this. He demanded that Felix hand her over. When they pulled her out, she was motionless. I felt like throwing myself into the ice fishing hole. Why was I such a coward?
She had been utterly terrified back then and she was still somewhat apprehensive around us now. She let out a blood-curdling scream, catching me completely off guard. I jumped, startled, and she slipped from my arms and into the water a second time. Shit. I reached for her but someone else got there first.
Felix
I had been about three drinks in when I heard Chasity scream. My hot blood ran cold. I moved at werewolf speed towards the direction the screaming had come from. I had never moved faster in my life. I was actually winded when I arrived mere seconds later to find my Baby Chasity struggling in the deep end of the pool and a befuddled looking Calix nearby. What the fuck?!
I dove right into the deep end of the pool in a flash. I gathered Chasity up in my arms just as Calix’s two brain cells finally rubbed together and decided to reach for her. I beat him to it though. She clung to me and I carried her straight out of the pool, cradling her to my chest. I turned to look at Calix who was still standing in the centre of the pool looking befuddled.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I snapped, throwing a dirty look at Calix.
He looked so pitiful standing there all forlorn in the deep end of the pool but I could not help but raise my voice at him. We had just secured our relationship with our beautiful mate yesterday and he was about to let her drown the very next day.
“Didn’t you see her struggling in the water? She was screaming almost a minute now. I ran here as fast as I could. I thought she was alone in the pool or something. Now I see you’re here! What the fuck happened?” I bellowed.
I knew I was exaggerating a little. She definitely had not been screaming for a full minute but it was a somewhat long scream. My heart felt like it had dropped into my stomach when I heard it. I was so relieved to have my Baby safe in my arms. Calix looked despondent. I knew Chasity being afraid of the water was our fault and by our fault I meant mostly my fault. My stomach clenched just thinking about it. That had been the scariest day of my life. I had a hard time trying to remember it with my wolf blocking it out but I knew I had been devastated. I had tried to scare her and had ended up hurting her and scaring myself.
“I was trying to grab her. She didn’t want to be held by me,” said Calix softly. He flinched a little when he revealed Chasity had refused his help.
Calix rubbed the back of his neck and then smoothed back his hair. We could all do with a haircut. Everyone’s hair was to their shoulders at this point, myself included. And by everyone, I meant us triplets. Chasity’s dark golden curls were almost to her waist and it was staying that way. She was my little Rapunzel and I was that smoulder guy Rapunzel had tried to fight with a frying pan in the movie. Calix could be the lizard and Alex could be the horse. Our Mom was Mother Gothel unfortunately. Calix had left his phone with Alex and Mom had called for him three times, each time checking to see if he was done swimming yet.
I mind-linked Alex. I needed backup to deal with the upcoming inevitable deluge of Chasity’s emotions.
“Felix, put me down,” said Chasity suddenly, pulling me from my imaginary casting call.
I could hear the shakiness in her voice and I could see the quiver of her lips. She was trying to hold it together but she was close to bursting into tears. I wanted nothing more than to hold onto her but I gently placed her on her feet just as Alex came rushing into the room.
Alex
I had left Felix at the bar on deck after Mom had called Calix’s phone for the third time. I had taken a walk to the front of the ship while I reassured her yet again over the phone that Everything was fine. I had been at the ship’s front where the wind was roaring in my ears when Calix mind-linked me.
Alex! I messed up! I messed up big time! Said Calix in my mind.
He sounded panicked.
Relax, it’s okay. Whatever it is, we’ll fix it together! I said reassuringly. What is it?
It’s Chasity, said Calix.
My heart skipped a beat.
Is she okay? Is she hurt? Where are you two? The pool room? I asked instantly, breaking into a run, heading for the pool room.
She’s physically okay but she’s really upset. I told her the secret, Alex. That her father was Mom’s step-brother! And yeah, we’re still by the indoor pool, said Calix, sounding stressed.
Alex, come quick! Chasity is taking two steps backwards! See, this is exactly what I was afraid of! Something happened with Calix and she’s pushing away from us already because of a pool incident! Said Felix all in one breath.
He sounded just as worried as Calix. Felix played tough but he was a softie at heart, especially where Chasity was concerned. I burst into the indoor pool room.
“Chasity!!!” I cried, rushing towards my Luna. “Calix and Felix both mind-linked me! I didn’t hear you, honey! I was near the front of the ship where the wind is powerful. What happened?”
I bent a little to better meet her brown doe eyes.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, sniffling.
My heart hurt for my little Luna. I could tell she was trembling from the effort of holding back tears. I tried to take her into my arms but she protested.
“No! Please! Don’t!” She pleaded, refusing to be held.
She took a deep breath and then requested something that literally gave me chest pain.
“Alex, please, may I have a separate room from the three of you for the rest of the trip?” She asked.
I searched her expression, hoping she did not mean that.
“Baby,” said Felix quietly, his voice cracking a little.
I took a deep, slow breath to calm myself. My Luna could have anything she wanted but I needed her by my side.
“Chasity,” I said softly, “you can have whatever you like, whatever makes you feel comfortable, but please, I’m begging you, let’s talk about this first!” I implored her.
She was making a rash decision here. She narrow her eyes at me.
“You knew all along!” She cried. “You knew my father was your mother’s stepbrother! That means she probably even knows where my parents are!” Presumed Chasity.
Everything was out in the open. Not only was this news to Chasity, it was also news to Felix. The guilt was gnawing at me, threatening to consume. Why hadn’t I told them beforehand. Leaving them to find out in this way had been a huge oversight on my part. I supposed I had been counting on Calix to keep the secret.
“Wait! What?!” Growled Felix.
I launched into an apology.
“I shouldn’t have kept that from you! I’m sorry! I meant to tell you when the time was right! I’ve only known since we became Alphas and realised you were our mate, Princess. I wanted you to enjoy life a little bit! Not worry for once! That’s all!” I said, hoping she understood her deeply I loved her.
Felix
I was livid. Alex and Calix had been keeping secrets from me! From me! Their triplet brother. We had shared a womb! We shared the title of Winter Moon Alpha! We shared our beautiful Luna, Chasity! I could not believe them. They had also kept the secret from my Baby, Chasity, and it heavily involved her.
Chasity had begun crying. Tears silently rolled down her flushed cheeks. I approached her hesitantly in the hope that she would not push me away. I could be angry at my brothers later. My Baby needed me now. I drew her gently to me. She relaxed in my warm embrace. Our wolves adored each other no matter what silly squabbles our human halves got into.
If our mother and her father were step-siblings, that made Chasity my little step-cousin. That was a bit questionable but it was too late now. She had my mark already and wolf law only acknowledged biological ties went it came to the rule of relatives not being fated mates. My wolf called me out, implying I would have never let our feeble relation stop me anyway. He was right but I was a bit annoyed with him. He had no chill.
Calix
I hugged Chasity from behind as Felix was already hugging her from the front. I tightened my arms around her, hoping our comfort could quell the tears falling from her beautiful eyes.
“I’m so so so sorry!” I said softly in her ear. “I shouldn’t have kept that from you but I also shouldn’t have blurted it out like that!” I admitted.
I should have discussed telling her with Alex before I just unleashed the truth on her. Alex and I should have also told Felix before Chasity so we could sit and calmly tell her as a unit. I had just been made to suppress my feelings for Chasity for so long, it drove me crazy sometimes. Growing up, the more I tried to bond with Chasity, the more Mom would pull away from me. I was close to my Mom so in trying to salvage our relationship, the friendship I had wanted with Chasity had fallen by the wayside. However, I was a boy no longer and thankfully, I was no longer afraid of my Mom’s reaction to my closeness with Chasity. Nothing could make me pull away from my Goddess now.
“I love you, Chasity!” I murmured in her ear. “Do you remember New Year’s a few years ago when I kissed you?” I asked softly.
I knew she remembered. She gave a very slight nod.
“I’d wanted to do that since I saw you on the doorstep of our house!” I confessed.
Felix and I had Chasity sandwiched between us while Alex played with her hair. It hurt me to see her crying over something I had done. I had messed up this vacation and it was supposed to be my present to her.
Alex
Chasity’s tears left me shaken. I felt so guilty. I stroked her hair, gently playing with her curls. I licked her tears, grooming her. She was trembling a little as my bros and I surrounded her. I could smell her arousal filling the air. I could not let her switch rooms no matter what. That would bring us right back to square one. We had come way too far.
Felix
I knew we were turning Chasity on even though she was probably fed up with us. The aroma of her arousal was mouthwatering. I immediately got hard for her. Talking might not fix this but fucking might.
Suddenly, Chasity placed her little palms on my bare chest and pushed me. My wolf snatched control and pushed her back, scaring the shit out of me momentarily. Thankfully, I knew deep down that he would never hurt her. He grabbed her, lifting her off her feet and crashing his lips to hers. When I regained control, I continued the kiss just as ravenously while Chasity wrapped her gorgeous legs around me. I kept my palms under her thighs, squeezing the backs of them a little. Chasity kissed me back hungrily until she suddenly gently pushed me away, breaking the kiss. I put her down and she stepped away from all of us and put her hands up, palms facing forwards, indicating for us to keep our distance. My heart threatened to cave in until Chasity said, “I won’t change rooms if we talk about this. And if you promise no more secrets?!” She said, looking at each of us in the eyes in turn.
I folded his arms, narrowing my eyes. This was bullshit. I had not kept any secrets in the first place.
“I promise but I never kept any secrets to begin with!” I said, glaring at Alex and Calix.
I had every right to be mad too. I had been kept in the dark for just as long as she had. I looked at her. I needed to make something clear. I was an individual and I needed my Baby to acknowledge that. Sure, we had a dynamic as four people but my relationship with Chasity was separate just as each of my brothers had their own special connections to her.
“I don’t want to be treated as if we’re one person. We’re three individual people. And I didn’t know about this! So why should I be punished by you too? Is that fair?” I pointed out, unable to mask my anger completely.
She had demonstrated her understanding of us as individuals on Christmas Day when Alex and I had been in the Dog House and Calix, King of Christmas, had been her only snuggle buddy for a while.
“When you were mad at Alex and I, you were nice to Calix still at Christmas!” I said, taking a deep breath. “So why now that you’re mad at Alex and Calix, you don’t want me in your bed?” I said, feeling sensitive about it.
Chasity’s expression softened.
“Sorry, Felix,” she said to my pleasant surprise. “You didn’t know either,” she admitted, walking over to me and giving me a hug.
I hugged her back. I tried to pick her up again to resume where we had left off but she wriggled away, giggling. My eyes darkened. Her giggles always brought my wolf forwards. I was holding onto control by a thread.
“We’re so sorry, Chasity!” Said Calix, turning on the charm. “I promise! No more secrets!”
“I did what I thought was best!” Said Alex. “I’m sorry too. No more secrets. I promise.”
She kissed Alex and Calix both on the cheek.
I gave Alex and Calix a kiss on the cheek each. What the hell?! So where was mine?!
“I didn’t get a kiss on the cheek!” I complained.
“You got a real kiss just a second ago!” Said Calix, reminding me of my wolf’s stolen kiss.
Alex rolled his eyes at us. He took Chasity’s hand.
“I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, Chasity, my Luna,” he said, his lips close to her ear.
I saw him brush his lips gently against her ear. He and Calix should be banned from kisses for the rest of the day! This should be my cuddle time. I folded my arms, annoyed.
“Let’s talk!” Said Alex.
Ugh. Hadn’t we talked enough? I supposed it couldn’t hurt to go over the whole story. My mind was spinning thinking about the implications of Chasity being Mom’s step-niece. That put Mom and Dad in a whole other category. They had treated her like a burdensome bane on their existence when they might have been the closest kin available to take care of her although not biologically related to her. I squirmed uncomfortably thinking about it as we headed back to our room for our talk. My parents were a whole lot colder than I’d realised.