Mated to alpha triplets at all-boys school Chapter 233

Kaiden pov

Every lead I’ve chased after my runaway mate has crumbled into nothing. 

I’ve torn through my father’s territory, questioned everyone who might have seen her, but she’s gone, vanished into thin air, and it’s driving me insane.

I can’t stop thinking about the look in her eyes when she said ‘no’, the defiance, the fire that never should have been there. I should have stopped it then. I could have forced her to submit, but instead I hesitated, and now she’s  slipping further from my grasp with every passing moment.

I slam my fist into the wall, the stone cracks under the force of the blow, and the magic surges within me, pulsing in my veins with anger I’ve never felt before. It’s not enough. None of it is enough. I need more. More power, more control, more ways to find her.

I tried to retrieve her on my own, used every resource I had, but the few loyal soldiers I could trust returned empty-handed. They failed, and that failure falls on me. The longer Ashley stays free, the more my father’s distrust grows.

I pace my room as my mind races with possibilities, plans that have already failed. There’s only one option left, and I hate it, but it seems I have to put my pride aside and come crawling back to them. They are the only ones who could help me now. The hunters.

I swore I’d never work with them again. After their betrayal at the ceremony, after they turned their backs on our agreement and left me humiliated, I told myself I was done with them. 

But the new power has changed me, given me the strength I need to force them to listen, to make them bend to my will. If I can’t find Ashley on my own, then I’ll use them, whatever the cost.

***

When the night falls over the kingdom, I make my way through the dense forest. I can feel the weight of the magic pressing down on me, dark and insistent, but it’s not enough to make me turn back. Not now.

The hunters’ camp is exactly where it always is, hidden deep in the woods, far from the prying eyes of the king’s patrols. I’ve visited this place more times than I should have before, so it’s easy to find. 

Sometimes, I still wonder how easily they managed to build a whole camp right under my father’s nose - on his own territory, where none of these men has any business to be. 

The hunter camp buzzes with energy even this late in the night. They work in shifts, nights and days, ensuring no one can enter their camp unnoticed. And tonight, they’re ready for trouble, I can see it in their eyes as they turn to face me, but I don’t stop. 

“Kaiden,” a familiar voice calls from the shadows. I turn to look at Dane, who’s leaning against a tree with a knife in his hand. He’s smiling, but it’s not a friendly smile, more like the smile of a predator that’s just caught the scent of blood. “Back so soon? I thought we were done playing games.”

“I didn’t come to play your games. You failed to keep your end of the bargain so I want a new deal.”

Dane’s smile widens as he pushes himself off the tree and flicks the blade, eyes focusing on the weapon in his hands almost like he’s considering my words. “Oh, is that right? You came all the way out here, alone, to demand a second chance after you attacked us the last time we met? You must really want something..”

“I want her back. I need Ashley found, and you’re going to help me do it.”

“Is that so?” Dane asks, taking a step closer, his voice dripping with mockery. “And why would we help you, after everything that’s happened? Our last arrangement didn’t end so well, if I remember correctly. You’re a pretty sore loser, prince.”

I take a step closer to Dane, his hunters already surround me like they think it’ll be easy to take me down. The magic surges in my veins, feeling the change in my mood, feeding into the monster. “I have something you don’t, Dane. Enough power to destroy you all if I have to. Enough to make you wish you’d never crossed me.”

Dane’s eyes widen, his stance shifts to something more guarded. “Power, huh?” He whispers, clearly to himself, not me. Then, he nods at one of the hunters, who runs up to me and takes a deep inhale of my scent just to fall back on his ass, horrified. “How bad is it?” Dane cells to the scared man. 

“That’s not normal magic, Dane, he’s playing dirty. He did something very dangerous, gave up something so precious, the gift he got in return can and will end us.”  

Gasps fill the silence. I smirk and lift my hands, grinning at the bunch. “Hey, hey, stop, I’m not causing trouble, am I? Remember, I came here to make a deal. I need Ashley back, and I need her now. If you help me find her, I’ll make sure you’re well rewarded.”

Dane laughs, but there’s no humor in the sound. The twisted amusement sends chills down my spine, even though I can see the fear hiding in his eyes. “And if we don’t? What happens then?”

“Then I burn this camp to the ground,” I say without hesitation. “I don’t care how many of you I have to kill to get what I want. I’d rather have your help than your corpses, but it’s up to you to choose.”

The smile fades from Dane’s face. “You’re serious,” he says finally, his voice low and almost impressed. “You’re willing to go that far?”

“I’ll go as far as I have to,” I say and shrug like it’s no big deal. But it’s the truth. At this point, I have nothing and everything to lose, so stopping isn’t an option. Clearing my throat, I focus on Dane and ask, “are you with me or against me?” 

He’s silent for a long moment, his eyes scan my face for any doubt. I can see he’s considering his options, and for a moment I think he’s going to refuse. But then he nods. “Alright,” he says, sliding the knife back into its sheath. “We’ll help you find your girl. This time, the terms are different. We’re not your lackeys. We’re your partners. And you better not forget that.”

“Partners,” I repeat, the word leaves a bitter aftertaste in my throat. I force myself to nod, agreeing to the ridiculous proposition. “Fine. We’re partners. But if you betray me again-”

“Yeah, yeah,” he cuts me off with a wave of his hand. “If I betray you, you’ll destroy us all. I get it. Just keep in mind that whatever you have gotten yourself over there, shit like that comes with a price. You might think that you’re in control, but you’re not. Even our own freak of nature is fighting his weird power every day, and that dude, he didn’t buy his, he was born with it.” 

I smile at his words, ignoring the warnings. “Just find her.”