Mated to alpha triplets at all-boys school Chapter 220

Gio pov

After I’m dragged back to the cells, I’m thrown into the most disgusting one. I kind of understand why the guards do that, getting the direct order from the king makes them act especially cruel.

The cell is quiet, lifeless. It’s the kind of silence that presses down on you until you feel like it’s weighing on your chest, its hands wrapped around your throat, suffocating you.

I lean back against the cold stone wall and stare up at the ceiling where the mold keeps growing with days and the dampness can be seen even without a ray of light as it keeps dripping down on my head.

It feels like it’s been hours since they dragged me back here. Almost like ages ago, I watched Ashley disappear with the king and Kaiden while I could do nothing to stop them. That memory is fresh, I know that, but it still feels far too distant and haunting.

I pull my hands to my sides only to be reminded about the chains around my wrists. Why they see the need to lock me down is beyond me, I haven’t tried to fight back, let alone escape.

But now, I’m tired. Tired of ignoring the sense of hopelessness washing over me. I should have done more. I should have found a way to stop this mess before it went too far. Maybe, just maybe, I was too overtaken by the idea of my mate to think about the actual issues.

Just as I try to embrace and enjoy the silence, a voice breaks it. Low and rough, coming from the cell next to mine. “It’s a damn shame, what they’re doing upstairs,” the voice murmurs, the bitterness clear even through the thin stone wall. “No one deserves to be trapped like that.”

I freeze, listening carefully. It’s the first time I’ve heard another prisoner’s voice since they locked me up.

“Who’s there?” I ask and tilt my head, as if I could see the owner of the voice.

There’s a long pause, and then the voice speaks again. “Just another fool who said the wrong thing to the wrong people,” he replies with a humorless laugh. “Name’s Kyle. They threw me down here for questioning Kaiden’s orders during a patrol. Didn’t like the way he handled things, got too many people hurt for no good reason.”

I shift closer to the wall, eager to hear more of his story. “You’re not the only one who thinks that way,” I whisper, showing my support. “Kaiden is dangerous. He acts like he’s invincible, and he’s dragging the entire kingdom down with him.”

“Yeah, well, saying that out loud is what got me locked up,” Kyle mutters. “Not that it matters anymore. Whatever is going on upstairs, it’s big. They’ve doubled the guard on the cells for days, barely let anyone through.”

I nod, although I know he can’t see me. “The ceremony,” I whisper. “They’re trying to force a girl into a bond she doesn’t want. I’ve seen what she’s been through. It’s wrong. All of it.”

Kyle is silent for a moment, and when he speaks again, there’s a new note of curiosity in his voice. “This girl, who is she?”

“Her name is Ashley Kingston,” I tell him. “She’s strong, smarter than any of them give her credit for. But they’ve broken her down, trapped her, and now they’re using her for their own gain. She deserves more than this. More than anything, she deserves a choice.”

“Doesn’t sound like anyone’s given her one,” Kyle says bitterly. “Why does it matter to you? You don’t sound like the kind of guy who’d end up in here for nothing.”

I hesitate, staring down at the chains around my wrists. “It matters because it’s wrong,” I say finally. “Because I’ve seen what Kaiden’s obsession with power does to people. He’ll ruin her if he gets what he wants. And if the rumors I’ve heard are true, it’s not just Ashley who’s at risk.”

“What do you mean?” Kyle presses, sounding more curious. I can tell he’s starving for information he might use to his advantage. And truth be told, I don’t mind sharing some.

“At the Elite Academy, there were triplets,” I whisper, careful not to be overheard by the guards. “They were always near Ashley, watching over her. I don’t know the full story, but they’re powerful, more than they seem. And their parents, they’re Alphas. Strong ones, the kind that don’t take threats to their own lightly.”

I hear Kyle suck in a sharp breath. “The Sorrentinos,” he mutters. “I’ve heard of them. They don’t mess around. If they get wind of what’s happening here, wow.”

“Exactly,” I murmur. “If Kaiden goes too far, if the Sorrentinos decide to protect her, it could mean war. A real one, not just the political games Kaiden and the king are playing.”

“Then why are they letting this happen?” Kyle asks, sounding angrier than previously. “If they’re so powerful, why haven’t they stepped in?”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “Maybe they’re waiting for the right moment. Maybe they’re trying to avoid making things worse. But if something doesn’t change soon, we’ll be the ones watching and experiencing the blood bath they create.”

The silence between us stretches out. For a moment, I wonder if I’ve said too much. There’s a possibility that my words might be used against me later.

But then Kyle speaks again. “I’m with you, you know. Whatever happens, Kaiden’s not fit to lead, and the king, he’s just as blind.”

I’m about to respond when a sudden commotion erupts from upstairs, the sounds of shouting, of rapid footsteps and chaos. My breath catches in my throat, and I hear Kyle shift in his cell, his chains clinking in the darkness. “What the hell is going on?” He asks, his voice dripping with fear.

“I don’t know,” I snap back, trying to hear more.

The noise grows louder and then, I hear the sound of boots as the guards outside my cell bolt down the hall, their voices full of panic and fear.

“Check the perimeter!” One of them shouts. “Lock the exits!”

My heart races. Something has gone terribly wrong. I exchange a quick glance with Kyle through the tiny gap in the stone wall, both of us equally confused. “Do you think-” Kyle begins, but he doesn’t get the chance to finish.

The heavy door leading to the cells slams shut, the sound echoes through the darkness and leaves us in a silence worse than the sounds of chaos upstairs.

“What’s happening?” I whisper, more to myself than to Kyle.

Kyle clears his throat. “I don’t know. But whatever it is, it sounds bad.”