Mated to alpha triplets at all-boys school Chapter 231

Kaiden pov

After the showdown in the courtyard and far too many disapproving stares, I return to the library to look through more paperwork in hopes of finding some answers. 

My father’s angry voice still echoes in my head. I know I crossed a line no one before me has crossed, but I also don’t care. 

Now that all of those morons have see the power only I can control, they need to understand real fucking quick that I’m not just a prince anymore. Overnight, I have become so much more than all of them combined could be. 

For now, they all, including my father, can act like I am no threat and I will gladly let them delude themselves because once I strike, they’ll see how wrong it was to underestimate me. 

Walking closer to the massive table with the map laid out on top of it, I relish in the silence of the library and the overpowering scent of old books that surround me. My fingers trace the edges of the territory lines, but my mind is elsewhere. 

The magic still runs through my veins, like a wild animal that has just been awakened from their slumber, still sleepy yet hyperaware at the same time, ready to snap out of control any given moment. I can’t stop the rush, I don’t want to stop it, it’s too intoxicating. 

The door to the library is slammed open, the loud sound instantly breaks the comfort of the silence. My father storms in, his face red and twisted in what I can only describe as rage. His inner circle follows close behind, but unlike him, the men that follow don’t look angry - they look terrified. He’s got almost his whole crew on my ass, every one of them except for his precious Gio. 

I glance up from the map and scan the faces. All of them, even the most cowardly ones, are judging me as they look down on me. Fuck that. I don’t care. 

“What in the Goddess’s name were you thinking?” My father growls and slams his fist against the table. His whole body shakes with anger as the sound echoes against the walls, yet I can’t find it in myself to react at all. “Do you have any idea what you have done? You can’t use magic like that, Kaiden! You scared everyone out there, there isn’t a single person in that crowd that trusts you anymore. They fear you!” 

“Good,” I respond without a care in the world and flash him a grin. “They should fear me. All of them. Fear keeps people in line. Fear makes them obedient. Fear keeps them loyal. There’s no better weapon than fear.”

“Loyal?” Nicholas, one of my father’s advisors scoffs. “What you’re creating among people isn’t loyalty. It’s downright tyranny. You will tear the pack apart with your own bare hands and somehow, you fail to see the mistake you’re making.” 

I turn to face him, my eyes focus on the face I wish I could smash against the wall for no good reason, really. “I see everything I do just fine, I have no problems with vision. As for your opinion, I don’t care. If the people don’t choose to follow me willingly, I have no problem making them. I have the power to do it and quite frankly, as you already witnessed, I’m not afraid to use it.” 

My father takes a step closer to me, his jaw clenched so tightly, I can see the muscles under his skin twitch. “Where did you get this power, Kaiden?” He asks, using a low, almost warning tone, as if he’s leaving me no other option but to come clean with him. “The man out there, it wasn’t my son, Kaiden. That magic, I’ve seen it before, it’s not natural. What have you done?”

I meet his glare head-on and smirk. “Does it matter? The magic is mine now and I can use it however I see fit. Who cares where it came from?” 

“It matters and I care!” He snaps, raising his voice like I’m a child he’s scolding. “It matters because this problem isn’t only about you, Kaiden. Your reckless behavior is creating a problem for the entire pack, the kingdom and everything I have worked for so hard. You don’t get to throw that away for the sake of your fragile ego.” 

“My ego?” I laugh. “This isn’t about ego, father. I do what I do for the sake of survival of everything I’m supposed to lead in the future. Do you really think that those idiots will follow us out of respect? Or maybe out of love? Fuck, no. They will follow me because they fear me and soon, with that fear will come respect. They will do as I say because now, they know what I’m capable of.”

“You’re a fool. A blinded, little scared boy, hiding behind the most dangerous and stupid thing one could ever take on themselves,” my father growls, taking another step closer. “You think what you got there is strength? You think that is power? Tell me, son, what did you give up to get it?”

His words catch me off guard for a moment, but I quickly hide it. Instead of focusing on his onslaught of questions, I take a step forward and completely close the distance between us until I’m inches away from his face. “You’re afraid,” I whisper, making sure no one but him will hear me. “You’re afraid of me and what I’m capable of, but you shouldn’t be. What you should be afraid of is what happens if I fail. If this pack ever falls apart, know this - it’ll happen because they don’t fear me enough to follow.” 

“Fear isn’t a leadership tool,” he spits back. “Fear is the root of evil control. A tool of destruction. And if you keep heading down this path, you will destroy everything I have built first and then, you will destroy whatever is left of you.” 

“Maybe,” I shrug. “But at least I can say that I did everything in my power to prevent that from happening. Unlike many in this room, I can say that instead of sitting back and watching everything fall apart before my eyes, I took control of the shitshow and tried to fix it.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I get it, you have the idea that this new power makes you untouchable, but you’re wrong. Slowly, it will consume you, Kaiden. It will burn you from inside out until there is nothing left.” 

“Do I look like I care? If that’s the price I have to pay, then so be it. I’ll pay whatever the price is to take what is rightfully mine. I am the king, not you and definitely not anyone else. It’s me. And as you see, I’m done waiting for you to step back and let me rule. I’m done with your games of dangling the throne before my eyes and snatching it away every time I take a step closer. The games end today.” 

For a moment, there’s silence. My father looks at me like he doesn’t recognize me, like he’s staring at a stranger he just met and already decided the person is too twisted to stay near to. 

“You’ve gone too far,” he mutters and shakes his head. “This isn’t over, you’re not king yet. Son or not, I suggest you pray you know what you’re doing, because if you don’t, this new toy of yours will destroy you. And when it does, there won’t be anything left to save.” 

I slap my hand on his shoulder, starling him so much, he yelps and jumps a little. “Let me worry about that,” I grumble and lean in closer to whisper, “now, if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do and places to be.”