Mated to alpha triplets at all-boys school Chapter 169

Him pov

The following morning, I'm not surprised that I'm awoken by a phone call. Not one meant for me, but Benjamin. He's the only one with a phone on him on this mission.

Yesterday evening, after we finished setting up the camp and everyone ate, we decided to have a drink. As always, one turned into two and two became three, so at one point, all of us were laughing around the campfire, drunk off our asses.

Since Benjamin is grinning from ear to ear and slurring suggestive words, I assume he's talking to the bratty prince.

I swear, this guy has the worst taste in partners. He chooses women who are capable of cursing his bloodline many generations to follow and men who are simply not interested or don't find other men attractive.

One would think being bisexual is a good thing, finding both genders attractive and having so many options, but when it comes to my naive friend Benjamin, he always finds the worst from the bunch.

When the phone call ends, Benjamin grins at me. “Man, I swear, if the prince didn't have such a massive stick up his asshole, I might have enough space to slide in there myself. I seriously hope he will pull that thing out and let me replace it with something better.”

The grin on his face is so wide, you'd think he's talking about his favorite person, not anything sexual.

Also, I'm pretty sure my face just turned green with disgust and yesterday's drinks are demanding I let them out. “Thanks buddy, I didn't need the mental image.”

“Always welcome,” Benjamin beams and the rest of the guys let out a collective groan, also done with his antics.

“Wait till I tell you more about the tricks I learned. Sticks could be used, sure, but damn, do those tricks work better with the thing I'm packing here,” Benjamin carries on, pointing a finger at his crotch.

Everyone, except for me, takes the bait and looks down at where he is pointing at. Another collective sound leaves the guys and all of them get out of their sleeping bags instantly.

I watch them jump to their feet, still a little wobbly and one of the hunters, Bobby, announces he's going down by the river to wash up.

Since he has provided the perfect out for everyone, the guys jump on the chance and start chanting it's a wonderful idea, being louder and way happier when they realize Benjamin isn't even thinking about joining them.

Eventually, we stay in the camp alone and since there is nothing better to do, I focus on gathering my gear and cleaning up a little.

“The prince called,” Benjamin repeats when I start loading some of the empty bottles in the trash bag to toss out later when we find a community bin somewhere on the trail.

“That much I understood,” I grumble without sparing him a glance.

“I think he might have a thing for me,” Benjamin announces and I can't hold in the bark of laughter even though I do try. “What? What's so funny? Think I'm not likable enough to be fancied by some stuck-up prince of halfbreeds, huh? Telling me I'm not good enough for someone like him?”

With every word, more anger penetrates his voice, but I just can't take him seriously. Benjamin is a known drama queen, so this little outburst will fade just as soon as it appeared.

“Nope,” I say and wink at him. “You're too good for a disgusting mistake of nature like that prince. If anything, Benjamin, my friend, I believe you just have a broken gay radar or whatever you guys call it. And probably broken radar for everything else since you have a habit of choosing the worst of the worst. No idea how you're doing it, but you are.”

Benjamin pulls his bottom lip between his teeth and thinks for a second. Then, he grins again and stands to his feet, pointing a finger at me. “I call dibs on prince. If he's into guys at all, I'm claiming him, a beast or not, he has a nice bubble butt. Also, I think he just asked me out on a date, so that's that.”

“A date?” I repeat, my eyes growing a little wider than usual. Nah, this is too hard to believe.

There might be a possibility with shifters liking the same gender, but they have that whole soulmate shit going on and it's not like they have the freedom of choosing their partners. They take what is given to them, not what they really want and desire.

“Yeah, called to tell me he's out on the hike and if we're somewhere close by, he could come around to see me,” Benjamin explains and returns the playful wink.

“Pretty sure he wants to check for himself if we aren't lying that the girl isn't with us yet,” I mutter, a little quieter than usual, not really willing to break my friend's fantasy bubble.

Benjamin is a little stupid, but he's a good man and deserves to be happy. If a little delusion is what makes him feel that way, who am I to stop him?

“That, or he just wants to see me,” Benjamin insists and joins me on clean up duties, rolling up his sleeping bag and shoving it into his backpack.

For a good moment, we work in a nice silence, left with nothing but our own thoughts and the automatic movements of getting rid of the camp while making it look like nobody has spent the night here.

“I know it's not my business at all, but I've been dying to ask this to understand you better. Why do you hate shifters so much? If it's so bad, maybe I'll learn how to hate them too.” Benjamin whispers the last part, almost like he actually wants to learn how to hate the beasts.

I ponder his question and eventually decide it's best I grant him the answer. Short version, of course, but answer enough to open his eyes to the shifters' vile ways.

“That girl we're hunting down, right? Her brother found my sister while she was gathering berries in the forest. He kidnapped her, forced himself onto her and months later, just when our family thought we had lost her forever, he sent her lifeless body to our home, claiming she died in childbirth along with the child. A beast forcefully impregnated my sister which resulted in her death. If that isn't a true definition of a monster, I don't know what it is. I'm still looking for the brother, but if the girl is all I can get, that's exactly what I'm taking. Life for life. Sister for sister.”