Riley's POV
I sit on the bed, the letter still clutched in my hands, Diane's words burning in my chest like a fire I can't extinguish. I want to scream, to throw the crumpled paper across the room, but I just stare at the wall, tears slipping down my cheeks, hot and silent, leaving wet trails on my skin. A knock jolts me out of my thoughts, sharp and sudden, and Silas steps into the room, his blue eyes narrowing as he takes in my tear-streaked face. "What's wrong?" he asks, his voice sharp, his brows knitting together in a deep frown, his broad frame filling the doorway.I hold out the letter, my hand trembling, the paper crinkling under my tight grip as I push it toward him. "Diane lied to me," I say, my voice breaking, cracking like dry wood. "My dad was an Alpha. She gave me shots to hide it, to keep me from knowing who I am."
Silas takes the letter, his fingers brushing mine, rough and warm, and reads it fast, his jaw tightening with every line, his lips pressing into a thin line. He looks at me, his eyes searching, a storm brewing behind them. "You didn't know?" he asks, his tone softening now, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"No," I whisper, wiping my eyes with my sleeve, the fabric damp against my skin, my breath hitching. "I thought I was just… messed up or something, broken in some way I couldn't fix."
"You're not messed up," Silas says, his voice firm, cutting through my haze of self-doubt like a blade through fog. He sits beside me on the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight, his warmth close enough to feel through the space between us, steadying me. "You're strong, Riley. Stronger than you think, even if you don't see it yet."
I look at him, his face softer than I've ever seen it, the hard edges smoothed out, and my heart races, a flutter I can't ignore rising in my chest. Caleb and Ethan walk in, their footsteps quiet on the wooden floor, but I feel their presence immediately, like a shift in the air. "What's going on?" Caleb asks, crossing his arms over his chest, his blue eyes flicking between us, his stance protective.
Silas hands him the letter, and Caleb reads it, his expression darkening, a shadow crossing his face, before passing it to Ethan. Ethan lets out a low whistle, running a hand through his black hair, the strands falling back into place. "That's heavy, Riley," he says, sitting on my other side, the bed creaking under him, his voice low and thoughtful. "But it fits. We knew you were a wolf from the start, from the moment we saw you."
"How?" I ask, my voice small, my hands twisting in my lap, the fabric of my jeans bunching under my fingers.
"We can feel it," Caleb says, meeting my eyes, his gaze steady and sure, holding me in place. "You're our mate. We knew the first day we laid eyes on you, back at Blackthorn High."
My face burns, a flush creeping up my neck, and I stand up, pacing the small room, my boots scuffing the wooden floor with each step, my breath quickening. "Stop saying that!" I snap, my voice cracking, raw with frustration. "I don't even know what that means! I don't understand any of this, and I'm tired of feeling like I'm drowning in it!"
"It means you're ours," Silas says, standing too, his height towering over me, his voice deep and unyielding. "And we're yours. It's a bond, Riley, a connection you can't fight, even if you try to push us away."
"I don't want to be anyone's," I say, my voice breaking, tears threatening again, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. "I just want to be me, not some… some wolf mate tied to you three."
They go quiet, their faces blank, the air thick with tension, the silence stretching out like a taut wire. Ethan finally speaks, his voice soft, gentle like he's talking to a scared animal hiding in the shadows. "We get it," he says, his blue eyes warm, his hands resting on his knees. "But you're not safe. Last night's attack, it was because of us. They know about you now, and that makes you a target, whether you like it or not."
"Who?" I ask, my stomach dropping, a cold knot forming, my hands trembling as I wait for the answer.
"Rival packs," Caleb says, his voice steady but grim, his eyes dark with worry. "They want us gone. Triplet Alphas are rare, a threat to their power, and they'll do anything to take us down. If they find out you're our mate, they'll come for you too."
Before I can respond, a loud crash echoes from downstairs, the sound of breaking glass shattering the quiet, followed by shouting, sharp and angry, cutting through the walls. The triplets bolt out the door, their footsteps heavy on the stairs, a blur of motion, and I follow, my heart pounding in my chest, my breath shallow. In the living room, pack members are yelling, their voices overlapping, pointing at a blonde girl in the middle, Lila. Her face is red, her eyes brimming with tears as Daniel grabs her arm, his grip tight, his knuckles white. "It wasn't me!" she cries, her voice desperate, her hands shaking as she tries to pull away.
"What's happening?" Silas demands, stepping forward, his voice cutting through the noise like a whip, his broad shoulders tense.
Daniel turns, his eyes hard, his face set in a scowl, lines etched deep. "Lila told the rogues where we were," he says, his voice low and dangerous, each word deliberate. "She's the reason they attacked last night, the reason we were caught off guard."
Lila shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks, her blonde hair sticking to her face in wet strands. "I didn't! I swear I didn't!" she sobs, her voice breaking, her body trembling under Daniel's hold.
My heart sinks, a heavy weight pressing down on my chest. Lila's been my only friend here, the only one at Blackthorn High who didn't care about my messed-up life with Diane and Carl. She's been kind, always smiling, always there with a quick word or a laugh. But the pack doesn't believe her, their faces hard and accusing, their eyes cold. Sarah steps in, her voice cold as ice, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Take her to the cells," she says, her eyes narrow, her tone final. "We'll deal with her later, when we have time to sort this out."
As Lila's dragged away, her wrists held tight by a pack member, her boots scraping the floor, she looks at me, her eyes pleading, wide and desperate, filled with a silent beg for understanding. "I didn't do it," she mouths, her lips trembling, her face pale. I want to believe her, my heart pulling toward her, but doubt creeps in, cold and sharp, like a blade in my gut. If Lila betrayed us, who else can I trust? I glance at the triplets, their faces set, their jaws tight, and a new fear grips me, twisting around my heart. Have I misjudged them too? The packhouse, once a refuge from Diane and Carl, now feels like a place full of secrets I can't unravel, a trap closing in around me.