Mated to alpha triplets at all-boys school Chapter 217

Ashley pov

The doors of the ceremony hall are so close already, even from afar, I can see the cravings in the wood, ones a maid once told me symbolize power and tradition of the line of kings before the current one.

My knees keep threatening to give out from under me as we walk closer, the king’s grip on my hand only tightens, as if he’s worried I could take off, which for the record, is exactly what I want to do. There isn’t a fiber in my body that doesn’t scream for me to turn around and run as far as I can.

Kaiden is already waiting at the doors, pacing back and forth, stealing glances at his watch and grunting something under his breath. He looks irritated, but of course, the moment he notices us approaching, a look of fake happiness crosses his face. “What took you so long?” he asks, his eyes darting from me to the king.

“Gio decided to cause a scene. You know how he is, always acting like a toddler, ready to throw a temper tantrum and get all the attention on himself,” the king explains, his tone dismissive. “I had to send him back to the cells. He can watch the ceremony from a much safer distance.”

Kaiden’s eyes darken, so he’s clearly angry, but he refuses to show it. Instead, he reaches out to grab my hand in a grip that is far too tight, one that will surely leave bruises on my skin. “Then let’s not waste any more time,” he grumbles and yanks me forward. “I want this done. Now.” The tone he uses leaves no room for arguments.

“Kaiden,” I hiss out his name and try to pull my hand out of his grip. “Please, slow down. You’re walking too fast and your grip is painful. You’re hurting me.”

“Fast? Painful?” He snaps and glares at me over his shoulder, this time, he doesn’t bother to hide just how done he is with me. “We’ve waited long enough. The kingdom needs this, I need this. And you’re going to give it to me.”

I stumble over my feet, trying to keep up with his pace as he drags me through the hall. The guests rise to their feet as we pass, their faces shine with joy and expectation. Of course, they’re happy. They’re not the ones getting married to this man and being the guests of the Royal wedding is an honor to them.

Honor for some, horror for me.

I look around, all of their eyes are set on me, almost as if they’re looking for faults, any detail that they could use against me, something that might hurt if said out loud. The longer they stare, the harder it is for me to breathe.

We reach the altar, and Kaiden turns to face me, his eyes burning with satisfaction that soon, he’ll get what he wants. I force myself to stand upright, hiding every jolt of fear that runs through my body like electric waves and meet his gaze. Kaiden smiles at me, but there’s no warmth and love in that smile, only the satisfaction of trapping a possession many might want.

And honestly, that’s kind of true. Somehow, my life has gotten so damn messed up that everyone is acting like they own me.

“Begin,” Kaiden growls at the officiant, who clears his throat nervously before launching into the formal speech that starts the formal mating bond ceremony.

I barely hear any of them. My ears are ringing, my vision narrows into a tunnel that begins and ends with Kaiden’s face. The twisted, sick smile on his lips only widens as he speaks his part of the vows, the words flow out of him like a speech he’s been rehearsing in front of the mirror for many days before the ceremony.

But all I can think of is how wrong this is. How awful it is to stand here. Every part of this ceremony is a lie, a trap to hold me a prisoner and build an illusion of love for his people.

“Do you, Kaiden, take Ashley as your mate? Do you accept the bond and promise to cherish it forever, just like our Goddess intended you would?” The officiant asks, his voice so loud, it carries through the hall and echoes against the walls with the same force, despite the murmurs and whispers around us.

“I do,” Kaiden says without any hesitation. His smile widens as if he has already won the game and in no time, he’ll sit on the throne.

Then it’s my turn.

The officiant turns to me and offers me a gentle smile. “Ashley, do you accept this bond, to stand by Kaiden’s side-”

“No.” The word leaves my lips before I can stop it and the hall goes deathly silent.

Once again, all eyes are set on me for all the wrong reasons. Kaiden’s smile fades, replaced by a frown that makes him look so ugly, I’m a little taken aback.

He looks confused as he tilts his head to the side and squeezes my hands a little tighter. Then, he leans closer and hisses in my ear. “What the fuck are you doing? You’re supposed to agree, damn it!”

I suck in a deep breath and mimic his behavior by squeezing his hands. My heart pounds so hard, I fear it’s trying to make its way up my throat, but somehow, I manage to speak the words I should’ve said a long, long time ago. “I, Ashley Kingston, I accept your-”

Before I can finally set myself free of this nightmare for good, the door of the hall burst open and a large group of men, dressed in dark military gear crowd the hall, their faces hidden behind masks, their weapons drawn and aimed at the people around us.

Chaos erupts instantly - people scream and the guests scatter in every direction, pushing and shoving each other to get away.

“Hunters!” Someone screams so loud, the word can be heard over the chaos.

Kaiden’s grip on my hand tightens, he looks angry and scared at the same time, his eyes dart everywhere, looking for a way out. But while he’s distracted, I don’t hesitate and take the chance - I yank my hand out of his hold and run like I’ve never run before.

I don’t look back, don’t stop. All I know is that I have one chance and I won’t let it slip away.