Mated to alpha triplets at all-boys school Chapter 204

Ashley pov

I focus on keeping my breathing slow and steady, even though my heart beats so fast I’m sure they can hear it. Don’t move, don’t flinch, don’t open your eyes. My fingers twitch involuntarily, and I freeze, panic clawing up my throat. Did they see it?

The doctor laughs again, a forced, uneasy sound. “And I’m telling you again, he would do no such thing. Our prince is many things, the same as his father, but neither of them is the monster you paint them to be.”

There’s a pause, and I can almost feel the guard’s doubt hanging in the air like a heavy cloud. He steps closer, and I can sense him leaning over me, his voice lowering to a whisper. “I don’t need to paint anyone to be a monster. We all know they are. In war and love everything is fair or whatever that shit saying is. The king and prince care only about the war and this woman right here, she’s the perfect pawn for the war they’re planning to start.”

I have to fight the urge to scream, to leap off the bed and run, but I’m not ready. My body isn’t ready. So I stay still, willing my limbs not to betray me.

The doctor sighs, a weight of hesitation in the sound. “I don’t have that kind of authority. If the king decides-”

“Convince him,” the guard interrupts, his voice growing lower and sharper at the same time. “Tell him she’s too unstable. Lie that the medication hasn’t worn off yet. Tell him it’s a risk to move her - anything to keep the prince away from her. While she’s in this state, only the Goddess knows how far the prince might go. Truth be told, judging by your own reaction, it seems that you, too, understand that he can’t be trusted. The difference between me and you, Doc, is that I have the guts to call ugly, not paint it pretty as you’re trying to do.”

My mind is racing. I’m not sure how much time I have, but the conversation is a warning I can’t ignore. If I stay, I’m a prisoner. If I go... maybe I have a chance. A desperate plan begins to form, risky and far too unpredictable, but it’s the only plan I have. I can’t stay here, waiting for someone to decide my fate. Especially people I don’t trust at all.

The doctor mutters something, but I barely register the words. I’m already focusing on the room, the noises, the shadows moving over my eyelids. The moment they stop talking, the second I hear the door open and the heavy footsteps retreat down the hall, I’ll make my move.

The voices fade, shifting away. The door creaks - a soft groan as it swings open. I wait, counting the seconds, minutes, holding my breath, hoping that they leave.

One... Two... Three.

The door clicks shut.

Now.

I force my eyes open, my vision swimming as I push myself up, biting down hard on my tongue to stop the groan that threatens to slip out. My legs dangle off the edge of the bed, weak and trembling, but I make myself stand.

It’s almost like walking on broken glass - each step feels impossible like my limbs might give out at any second. But I have to move. I have to get out of here.

The window is closer than the door; I instantly notice that the room I’m in is on the first floor, and for that second, hope within me burns with such intensity I don’t think I’ll be able to force it down before I get out of this mess. If I can make it there, sand lip through without a sound, I might be able to

The door burst open.

I barely had time to react. I whip around too quickly, dizziness washing over me as the world spins. My foot catches on the metal edge of the bed frame, and I go down hard, knees cracking against the cold tile. A shadow looms over me, and before I can scramble back up, a hand clamps around my arm, gripping me with so much force that I almost scream out in pain and jerks me back.

“No,” I choke out. I twist violently, trying to yank free, but I’m still too weak, my limbs sluggish and unresponsive.

The guard’s eyes widen in shock, then narrow in anger. “Thought you could get away?” He growls, yanking me upright so fast my vision blurs. I let out a whimper of pain, which only makes his hold on me rougher. “Shut up!” He snaps. “Do you have any idea what they’ll do to you if they hear this? You’re only making it worse for yourself.”

My cries die in my throat as his free hand slaps over my mouth, cutting off my scream. I try to bite down, but his fingers dig into my jaw, forcing it open. Tears instantly blur my vision.

“Listen to me,” he hisses, lowering his face until our noses nearly touch. “If you don’t want the prince involved, you’d better behave. You think running’s gonna save you? It won’t.” His grip tightens, and I wince, feeling the bruises already forming on my skin. “You don’t understand what’s at stake here, do you?”

I shake my head, struggling to breathe through my nose, and he hesitates for a split second. In his eyes, I catch a flicker of something - fear? Doubt? But just as quickly, his expression hardens back to something I can’t read.

“Fine,” he mutters, more to himself than to me. “I guess we’ll see how much you’re willing to risk. Maybe you think it’s worth it. Maybe you think he won’t-” But he never finishes. His grip turns to iron, and he drags me back to the bed, forcing me down. My back hits the mattress, and he pins me there, his breath hot and fast against my face.

“You move again, and I’ll make sure you never get another chance,” he warns, punches the pillow next to my head and turns around to leave the room.