Chapter 6
OMARI
Kael’s feet kicked uselessly in the air. Aston’s hand tightened around his throat, choking the life out of him.
“Stop!” I cried, clawing at Paxton’s grip on my arm. “You’ll kill him!”
Leighton leaned against the wall, calm as ever, his grin sharp. “That’s the point, darling.”
Kael’s lips were turning pale. His chest heaved, fighting for air. Yet even then, even broken, his eyes found mine. Burning. Pleading.
“Run…” he rasped again, the word faint.
But I couldn’t. My legs wouldn’t move. Paxton’s fingers dug into my skin like iron hooks.
“You think he can save you?” Paxton’s voice was soft, deadly. “He can’t even save himself.”
“Let him go!” My scream tore my throat raw. “Please! I’ll do anything, just let him go!”
Leighton straightened, his grin fading into something colder. “Anything?”
“Yes!” The word ripped out of me. I didn’t even care anymore. “Just don’t hurt him!”
Aston chuckled darkly, still holding Kael high in the air. “You hear that, brothers? Our little mate is begging for the human.”
“Pathetic,” Paxton muttered.
“Sweet,” Leighton corrected. His eyes cut into me, sharp and cruel. “But not enough.”
Kael gagged, his body jerking, nails clawing at Aston’s wrist. His glasses slipped from his face, clattering to the floor.
“No! Please!” Tears blurred my vision. I fought, twisting, kicking, anything to get free. “I’ll do whatever you want! Just let him live!”
Leighton moved closer, his shadow falling over me. His hand brushed my cheek, slow and mocking. “Show us.”
I froze. “W-What?”
“Prove you belong to us,” he whispered, his lips curling. “Kiss me. Right here. Now. In front of him.”
My whole body went cold. “No…”
“Then he dies.” Leighton’s smile widened. “Simple choice.”
“No!” Kael’s strangled voice broke through. His body convulsed in Aston’s grip. “Don’t… don’t you dare, Omar!”
Tears streamed down my face. My heart hammered so hard it hurt. “Please… don’t make me…”
Leighton tilted his head, amused. “Tick-tock, sweetheart. His life for one kiss. Sounds fair to me.”
I shook my head violently. “I can’t!”
“Then watch him die.” Paxton’s voice was final.
Aston’s grip tightened. Kael gasped, his face turning red. His legs slowed, his fight slipping away.
“No!” My scream tore from somewhere deep inside. I shoved against Paxton with all my strength. “Stop it! Stop it, I’ll do it!”
Leighton’s grin sharpened. “Good girl.”
He leaned in, close enough that I could feel his breath.
Kael thrashed weakly. “Don’t… Omar… don’t…”
But I couldn’t let him die. I couldn’t.
Leighton’s lips brushed mine.
“Enough.”
Paxton’s voice cut through like a blade. He yanked me back, away from Leighton, his grip bruising my arm. “We don’t need a kiss. Not yet.”
Leighton’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “Spoilsport.”
Aston finally dropped Kael. He hit the floor hard, coughing, dragging in desperate gulps of air. His hands shook as he wiped blood from his mouth.
I dropped to my knees beside him. “Kael! Are you okay?”
His chest heaved, his voice raw. “I told you… don’t… give in to them.”
I grabbed his hand, squeezing tight. “I don’t care! I just want you alive!”
A boot slammed down, crushing Kael’s hand against the floor. He cried out in pain.
Leighton leaned over him, his eyes glowing with cruel fire. “Alive? For now.”
I shoved at Leighton, desperate. “Stop it! Please!”
But Paxton pulled me back again, his arm like a cage around me. His voice was calm, almost bored.
“Why are you fighting so hard for him? He’s nothing. A weak little human.”
“He’s not nothing!” My voice shook, breaking into sobs.
“He’s everything!”
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
The room went still.
Leighton’s grin froze. Aston’s brows lifted. Even Paxton’s grip tightened slightly.
Kael’s eyes met mine, wide and stunned through the blood.
Silence hung heavy.
Then Leighton laughed. A low, dangerous sound. “Oh… this is beautiful.”
Aston crouched down in front of Kael, studying him like prey. “She chose you.”
“No,” Paxton corrected, his voice sharp. “She thinks she did.” His gaze burned into me. “But she’s wrong.”
Kael coughed, forcing himself up on shaking arms. “I don’t care what you think. She’s mine.”
The words rang out, defiant.
Leighton’s smile dropped. His eyes darkened into something lethal.
“Yours?” His voice was low, deadly. “Wrong answer.”
He moved faster than I could see. His fist cracked across Kael’s face, sending him sprawling. Blood splattered across the floor.
“Kael!” I screamed, struggling wildly against Paxton’s hold. “Stop it! Please, you’ll kill him!”
Aston crouched lower, fingers brushing Kael’s jaw, forcing his head up. “Not yet. Breaking him too quickly would be boring.”
Leighton’s grin returned, sharp as a knife. “Then let’s make him watch.”
“Watch what?” My voice trembled.
Paxton’s lips brushed my ear, his whisper cold. “Watch us claim you.”
“No!” My scream tore out of me, raw and desperate. I thrashed, biting, clawing, but Paxton only laughed, tightening his hold until my ribs ached.
Kael staggered up again, blood dripping from his mouth, fury blazing in his eyes. “Touch him and I’ll kill you!”
Leighton laughed. “Kill us? You can’t even stand.”
Kael charged anyway, a broken roar ripping from his chest.
The triplets moved as one.
A blur of fists and shadows. A thud. A crack. Kael hit the ground again, harder this time. His body lay limp, unmoving.
My scream ripped the air. “No! Kael!”
He didn’t move.
Didn’t breathe.
The world tilted. My knees buckled, but Paxton held me up, forcing me to watch.
Leighton crouched over Kael’s still body, brushing blood from his lip. “Oops.”
Aston tilted his head, almost bored. “Did we break him too soon?”
Paxton’s voice was flat, final. “Doesn’t matter. He was nothing anyway.”
“No!” My voice shattered. I fought with everything left in me. “Don’t say that! He’s not nothing!”
Leighton turned to me slowly, his grin stretching wide. “Then prove it.”
He dragged Kael’s limp body closer, dropping him at my feet. “Bring him back, little mate. If you can.”
My hands shook as I reached for Kael. His skin was cold. Too cold.
“Kael…” My voice cracked. “Please, wake up. Please…”
His eyes stayed shut.
My tears dripped onto his bloodied face. My chest felt like it was tearing apart.
Behind me, the triplets laughed. Low, cruel, endless.
And then
A sound.
A gasp.
Kael’s chest rose, shuddering. His eyes fluttered open, glowing faintly in the dark.
Not human.
Not anymore.
Leighton’s laughter stopped. Aston’s smirk faded. Even Paxton’s grip loosened slightly.
Kael’s voice came out low, ragged, but filled with something new. Something terrifying.
“Get. Away. From him.”
The walls shook.
And for the first time, the triplets didn’t look amused.