Mated to alpha triplets at all-boys school Chapter 213

Ashley pov

“Miss Ashley,” a guard calls sharply, making me jump. I look up, forcing a warm smile, but my mind is spinning. “It’s time to go inside. The prince doesn’t want you lingering out here for too long. He still worries you’re not well enough for this type of activity.”

“Of course,” I say sweetly, stepping away from the fountain. I give the servant a brief nod, hoping he understands my gratitude.

As I walk back to the house I dread more than prison, the guard remains at my side. It's a good thing he doesn’t question me; I fear I might say something out of line and blow up the small mission.

But all things aside, at least there’s this weak sense of hope blooming in my heart. I’m scared the servant will fail, but hope hasn’t killed anyone, right? For now, I can live with the thought that I’m not alone, not anymore. There’s someone on my side.

Back in my room, I sit on the bed and stare out of the window. Even as people come and go, I pretend I don’t see them, ignore their words and questions, and focus all my attention on the outside world that is so close but still feels so far.

As the night approaches, I wait until the sounds of life around me slowly fade. The chatter of the servants disappears first, then the guard’s voices fade and eventually, the steady hum of life fades for good as most of the people living here head to their bedrooms to sleep.

When I’m sure that no one is coming, I drop to my knees next to the bed and I pull up the loose floorboard I pried open yesterday between the doctor’s visits.

My hands tremble as I grab the piece of paper and the pen I snatched from the doctor earlier and scribble down a note for anyone who might find it in future. If I can’t do more, at least I can warn the future prisoners about the true nature of Kaiden and his sick father.

Just as I lower the floorboard in place, I catch hurried steps approaching my door and nearly scream in panic. As fast as I can, I jump on the bed, toss a blanket over me and pretend to be asleep.

The steps stop at my door and I hold my breath, waiting for someone to barge in, but that doesn’t happen. Instead, a moment later, the steps echo against the hall as the person leaves.

I glance at the door and almost miss the note that’s been slid underneath it. The speed my heart starts racing at is insane as I slide out of the bed and hurry to grab the note, returning to the bed and waiting until someone else might come.

When about two minutes pass with no indication about more unwanted guests, I unfold the note.

I’ve sent the message. I don’t know if it’ll reach them in time, but I did my best. The king is watching. So is the prince. Stay alert and be ready for something grand to happen during the ceremony. Trust no one.

I press the note to my chest, relief washing over me in waves. It worked. They will know. But there’s still so much that could go wrong. Kaiden’s paranoia has only grown stronger. I can feel it in the way he watches me, the way his fingers tighten when he touches my arm as if he’s already predicting my escape.

The sound of footsteps jolts me from my thoughts. I shove the note under the pillow, my heart racing as the door opens. It’s Kaiden, his expression is unreadable, but I can see the tension in the set of his jaw.

“What are you doing?” He asks, his voice dripping with suspicion.

I force a weak smile. “Nothing,” I say, gesturing to the book lying open on the nightstand next to the bed. “I was thinking about reading a little before I sleep. I’m trying to get used to everything, finding my place in your home. Just like you told me to.”

His suspicion doesn’t fade, as he crosses the room and sits beside me. “Good,” he murmurs, reaching out to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re learning. That’s what I like about you, Ashley. You know how to adapt.”

I swallow my disgust and lean into his touch, my smile widening just enough to make him believe it. “I just want to make you proud,” I lie. I want to be ready for the ceremony, to be good enough for you.”

As if. I might be playing the stupid girl in love, but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten what he did to me. I remember. No wonder I felt he’s a liar from the start. I remember how he ambushed me in the woods, how he beat me to an inch of death, and the vile things he did before that. I remember it all.

In the meantime, Kaiden’s eyes light up with happiness, and he leans forward, pressing his lips to my forehead. “You will be,” he says. “I know you will.”

I hold the smile until he leaves and the door clicks shut, and the lock turns. Then I close my eyes and focus on my breathing, my fists clenched so tightly my nails dig into my palms.

I don’t know how much longer I can keep up with playing the role of the perfect wannabe mate for him.

If only I still had Sam by my side. She’d definitely know what to do, how to act and what our next step would be. Sadly, I know she won’t be able to reach out to me for a good while. With all that filth Kaiden kept pumping in my system while I was in the hospital. Even these days, I sometimes struggle to tell the truth from fragments of my imagination.

My hand slides under the pillow and the tips of my fingers brush against the note. The accidental reminder of the ray of hope makes me smile, and finally, I manage to drift to sleep, hoping for better days to come.

Now, more than ever, I regret keeping my identity a secret from the triplets. If they knew we’re mates, maybe I wouldn’t land in a mess as awful as this.