Mated to alpha triplets at all-boys school Chapter 206

Everett pov

The forest feels different. There’s an odd heaviness in the air, like something big is just waiting to happen, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. The ground beneath my paws shifts as I push forward. With every leap closer to the target, it becomes more difficult to ignore the cool brush of the leaves and the faint scent of everything in the wild. Almost like the closer we get, the more heightened my senses become.

We’ve been running for what feels to be hours, but being in this form, I lose the ability to follow time, and I’m sure so do my brothers. It’s been far too long since the last time we got to run together, side by side like this. Too bad the situation had to go to absolute shit for us to enjoy a run together.

I take a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air, letting it fuel my wolf for the last stretch of our journey. We’re getting close to the king’s territory. I can smell it in the air. The closer we get, the more my instincts itch. This is no longer about the thrill of the run; it’s about crossing the invisible line into danger.

I glance at Elias and Ethan, both running just a few steps ahead of me. They’re focused, but I know we’re all thinking the same thing. How do we get in? How do we move through this territory, especially with the mating ceremony approaching so soon? The guards will be everywhere.

When we get closer to the border, I can feel the change in the air. Something shifts. We stop just shy of the line, and I slow, shifting back into my human form. My skin burns with the shift, my bones ache and there's an unpleasant thump in my head, but it’s part of the deal. I haven’t shifted for a while, so these are my consequences.

It’s always the same. One moment, you're a wolf, the next, you’re human. I roll my shoulders, feeling the familiar weight of being back in this body, the strength and awkwardness of it. I glance at the brothers as they shift as well, their eyes glowing with that wild energy only a wolf can give.

“Ready?” Elias asks, his voice low as he pulls on his shirt, eyes scanning the horizon. I nod, pulling on my clothes, the rough fabric feeling strangely restrictive after the freedom of an adrenaline-induced, wild run.

Ethan, of course, is already half-dressed and grinning like an idiot. “What’s the worst that could happen? We’ll just talk our way in, right?” He sounds way too confident for my liking, but it’s Ethan, so what else is new?

“You never talk your way through anything,” I mutter, tugging my shirt over my head and catching Elias’ eye. We share the look. We’ve all been through too many messes with Ethan to expect anything other than chaos when he’s around.

“Yeah, I mean, sure, why not?” Elias shrugs, then gives me a pointed look. “We’ll just have to make sure to stick to the plan, okay? If we start getting caught up in your wild ideas, we might as well turn around now.”

Ethan grins, pulling on his boots, completely unbothered. “Nah, you just wait. I have a plan. And it’s a good one.”

“Your plans are never good,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“Not true!” He protests, throwing his hands up. “I had a great plan last time. It’s not my fault it didn’t work out.”

“Oh, I’m sure it wasn’t your fault,” Elias adds dryly, making a face. “But let’s stick to the basics this time. We need to get past the guards, figure out where Ash is, and make sure we don’t attract attention.”

I nod, agreeing with every word. The king’s territory is tricky. We’ve all seen how tight the security is, and it’ll be worse with the upcoming ceremony. It’s not just the usual guards patrolling. They’ll be everywhere, likely doubled in number. And they won’t let anyone slip by unnoticed.

“I still don’t get why we can’t just... walk in,” Ethan asks, clearly not taking the situation as seriously as the rest of us. “Like, what if we just stroll up, all casual-like? Like, yo, man, where can I get some bitches around here?”

“Ethan...” I rub my face. “We’re not going to stroll into the king's territory like we’re here for a damn picnic. There’s a reason it’s guarded.”

“But what if we act like we belong? You know, pretend we’re supposed to be there?” His eyes sparkle with that confidence that gets him into more trouble than I can count.

Elias and I exchanged a glance again. This is the part where Ethan takes things too far, and we have to reel him back in.

“Look,” Elias says, voice firm and unmistakable for nothing but the fact that he means business. “I’m fine with pretending to be something we’re not, but only as long as we don’t go too far. We’re not just barging in like idiots. We need to get the lay of the land first. Figure out where Ash is, and how we can move without drawing attention. And besides, didn’t you see how brilliant my attempt at lying to Axel’s face went? I barely survived that, you want me to keep pushing?”

I can see the wheels turning in Ethan’s head, but he doesn’t argue. He knows we’re right. He just doesn’t care most of the time.

“Fine, fine,” he mutters, shoving his hands into his pockets. “But if we don’t try to sneak our way in, I’ll be disappointed.”

“We’ll try not to disappoint you, then,” I say, winking at him.

“Alright,” Elias takes over. “Let’s move. We’re not far now. Keep it quiet and stay alert. If anyone sees us, they’ll be asking questions. We don’t have time for questions.”

With one last shared glance, we started moving toward the border. The king’s land is close, so we can’t afford to make a sound. But knowing Ethan, it’s only a matter of time before we’re caught up in something. He’s like a magnet for trouble. But we can’t afford any of that now.

We’ve got one chance.

One.

And I intend to make it count.