Chapter 5

Jade's POV

When I think about the triplets and how close we used to be, I always return to that day in the Alpha’s garden, when the world was nothing but sunlight, giggles, and the smell of lavender drifting in the breeze.

I must have been about eight. Small enough that my legs were too short to run as fast as the boys, but stubborn enough to try anyway.

“Jade! Ready or not, here we come!” Renzo shouted, his voice already deeper than any nine year old’s had the right to be.

I clamped a hand over my mouth, trying not to laugh as I crouched behind the tall rose bushes. The flowers were taller than me back then, thick petals brushing my cheeks while I tried to be perfectly still. The sun filtered through the leaves, golden and warm, painting everything with what felt like magic.

I peeked through the branches.

Young Alpha Dante, Renzo, Ronan, and Ryder’s father, stood near the stone pathway, talking quietly with my father. They looked serious, discussing territory lines or training schedules or whatever adults found more important than hide and seek.

But even from across the garden, my father kept glancing over with that soft smile he always wore when watching me play. I didn’t know it then, but that would become one of my most cherished memories.

Footsteps pounded on the grass.

“I heard something this way!” Ryder yelled.

“No, you idiot, she’s definitely over here!” Ronan countered.

I bit back a laugh. They were all terrible at hiding but excellent at arguing.

The footsteps grew louder, closer....

Then Renzo crashed through the bushes like a wild boar, triumphant.

“Aha! Found...”

I didn’t let him finish. I bolted.

“Hey!!” all three of them shouted at once.

Their voices dissolved into laughter as they chased after me. I ran as fast as I could, my hair bouncing behind me, heart pounding with pure childish joy. My feet slapped against the soft grass until...

“Got you!” Ryder tackled me first, wrapping his arms around my waist. A second later Ronan flopped onto both of us, making me squeal, and Renzo dove in last, determined not to miss the dog pile.

We rolled across the lawn in a tangle of limbs and giggles, none of us caring whose elbow was in whose stomach.

When we finally stopped, all four of us lay sprawled on the warm grass, staring up at the sky, breathless and happy.

It was Ronan who spoke first.

“When we grow up…” he declared, turning his head toward me, “I’m going to marry Jade.”

“No way!” Ryder shoved him lightly. “I’m marrying Jade!”

Renzo sat up, chest puffed out with an Alpha in training’s confidence. “You both are idiots. I sm the eldest here, Jade will marry me. Obviously.”

They all started arguing, loudly, passionately, dramatically, each claiming they liked me more, that they could run fastest with me, that they shared their snacks more, that they were strongest.

I sat up between them, my tiny hands grabbing all three of theirs at once.

“Stop fighting,” I said with the authority of someone who believed life was simple. “I’ll just marry all three of you.”

They froze.

The triplets blinked at me like I’d just solved world peace with a single sentence.

Ryder grinned first. “Yeah! That works!”

Ronan happily nodded. “I’ll be the husband who takes you on adventures.”

“I’ll be the husband who protects you,” Ryder added proudly.

Renzo crossed his arms, trying to act older and more important. “And I’ll be the husband who leads the pack with you by my side.”

They all spoke at once after that, excited, hopeful, promising me everything their little hearts could imagine. And I believed every word. We were four children in a sunlit garden, making promises we didn’t know life would tear to shreds.

Back then….

Back then they loved me.

And I loved them.

Before everything changed.

Before everything broke.

The memory shimmered, then dissolved.

A sharp ache pulsed through my temples.

My chest tightened.

And suddenly....

I gasped.

My eyes jerked open.

The world tilted violently, spinning around me like I’d been dropped back into my body too fast.

The ceiling above me wasn’t mine.

The scent, cedar, smoke, masculine, wasn’t mine.

My head throbbed, and I groaned softly, lifting a hand to my forehead.

I was lying on a bed.

This is the triplets’ room.

And then all the memories came flushing in.

The triplets having sex with Linda, Linda squirting all over me like it was a mistake, the triplets spanking me and then.... nothing.

I tried to sit up and I felt really dizzy. Then the door suddenly opened and Ronan stepped in first, followed by Ryder, then Renzo.

"As expected of a lazy ass like you, you sure took your time to wake up" Ronan stated

"I'm sure she was trying to fake being unconscious so she could get some special treatment from us" Ryder said as he walked over to the couch without sparing me a glance.

"Now that your little drama is over, get your old and tattered dress from the bathroom and get the fuck out of our faces." Renzo stated coldly, his face hardened like steel.

I stared at the three of them for a moment without saying a word.

The memories of our childhood flashed in my head again.

We used to be so close. Just how did we end up like this?

I dragged my feet from the bed and silently made my way to the bathroom.

To my surprise, I met my dress hanged in the bathroom, and someone had helped me dry it.

But who?

Cause I know it's definitely not any of these boys that will jump at any chance to ridicule me.

"Whoever helped me dry my dress, I am super grateful." I muttered as I slipped on the dress.

I took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom.

"I'll take my leave now" I said and none of them even spared me a glance.

Fine, suit yourselves.

I walked towards the door and just before I turned the handle, Renzo spoke.

"Go to the pack's hospital tomorrow and get an MRI scan" he said without even looking at me.

I scoffed silently but I nodded and walked out.

Finally!

I took a deep breath as I walked out of the mansion.

It was already getting dark and I needed to get home before mum returned.

I got home and luckily, I arrived before Mum. I changed my dress and laid on the bed as memories of the day flushed through my head yet again.

The triplets spanked me. I could still feel the pain from the spanks on my ass cheeks.

How cruel those boys were, I hate them, I fucking hate them!

But then again.... they spanked me, and I got wet right in front of them!

What the hell is wrong with you Jade, how could you embarrass yourself like that.

I heaved a sigh in an attempt to calm myself.

Let's forget everything that has happened today.

It's a new day tomorrow and it's my birthday.

But unfortunately, I had to share my special day with that cunning snake Linda.

And as the popular girl of the pack and daughter of the beta, a birthday celebration is being held for her and almost everyone is treating it like it's some kind of national pack celebration.

Thinking about Linda always gets me furious, so furious that I didn't realize when I dozed off.

The next day, I woke up to the sound of a loud bang on the door.

Mum was beside me, asleep, she must have returned late last night, tired and exhausted.

The banging on the door repeated and before I could say anything, the door was broken down with brute force and several royal guards barged in.

Mum sprang up looking confused.

"What is going on?" She asked as the royal guards began to ransack our room throwing everything around.

I sprang up Immediately.

"What is the meaning of this, at least give us an explanation before disrespecting our privacy like this"

Mum immediately held me back from getting too close to them.

"Calm down Jade"

I saw one of the guards go for my school bag pack and he brought out three pieces of shiny rings I didn't even know existed.

"Found it" The guard stated.

Before I could gather my thoughts, one of the guards roughly grabbed my arm and yanked me away from Mum.

"You are under arrest for stealing the princes' diamond rings" he declared and I looked at him wide eyed.

"What?!!!"