No.
I wouldn’t agree to that. I’d rather face whatever danger is waiting for me out there than stay trapped here.
TWO DAYS LATER!!
Nothing unusual had happened since Alpha Damien’s birthday. Even Alpha Damien hadn’t brought up what happened that night. He’d been busy, and aside from his short daily visits to check on me, we hadn’t really spoken.
I hadn’t left my room much since that night, but today-I had no choice.
Today was the hearing with the Council of Elders.
I stood by the open window, the morning air brushing against my face. Still, it did little to calm the nerves coiling in my stomach. Something felt… off. Maybe it was the weight of what I was about to do. Maybe it was just the silence before the storm.
I was going to stand before the Council and declare my intent to reject the triplets.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, pressing my palm to my chest as if I could hold my heart in place.
“I can do this,” I whispered, though my voice barely sounded convincing.
A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
“Olivia?” Damien’s voice came from the other side. “It’s time, we have to leave.”
I opened the door slowly. He was dressed formally, his expression unreadable. But when he looked at me, something flickered behind his eyes-concern, maybe. Or doubt.
“Are you ready?” he asked gently.
“No,” I said honestly. “But I’m going anyway.”
Alpha Damien stepped in and closed the door. “Are you having second thoughts about this?” he asked.
I swallowed hard and turned away, staring at the floor. How could I explain to him-or anyone-that these men I was about to reject were the same ones I once adored? The boys I grew up loving. And now… I was going to sever that bond forever.
I closed my eyes and shook my head.
I can’t think about that. I can’t let myself hesitate.
I forced my heart to remember the pain. The betrayal. All the terrible things they’d done. One by one, the memories replayed in my mind, washing away every shred of doubt. These men… these men didn’t deserve me. Not after everything they put me through.
I turned around to find Alpha Damien silently waiting for me.
I took a deep, steadying breath. “Let’s go. I’m ready.”
Damien nodded. “Make sure you look confident… if the elders see any sign of hesitation, they will adjourn the hearing.”
I nodded.
Alpha Damien stepped aside, and I followed him out of the room. We walked through the hallways of the pack house, the silence between us thick and heavy.
Each step toward the pack hall felt like I was walking deeper into something I couldn’t undo.
When we finally reached the doors, Damien paused and gave me a look. “Remember what I said,” he reminded me. “Confidence. No matter what happens.”
I nodded wordlessly.
He opened the doors, and together we stepped inside.
Six aged council members sat behind a long, wooden table. The room was large and cold, the pale morning light filtering through high windows, casting shadows across the stone floor.. Among the elders sat Elder Grant, his sharp gaze flicking straight to me as soon as I entered.
I swallowed and walked forward, trying to steady my breathing. My hands trembled slightly, but I folded them in front of me and kept my head high. Damien led me to a seat and motioned for me to sit. I did, trying to keep my shoulders straight.
Moments later, the heavy double doors behind us creaked open again.
They walked in.
The triplets.
Lennox. Louis. Levi.
I hadn’t seen them since Damien’s party. They had been avoiding me since that night. But now… the change in them was painfully clear.
They looked thinner. Worn down. Shadows sat beneath their eyes, their usual confidence nowhere to be seen. Even the way they moved seemed off. Like the weight of something heavy rested on their backs.
I managed to look Levi in the face.
He looked pale.
As if he hadn’t slept in days.
His eyes met mine, and I saw pain there. Regret. Confusion. Maybe even fear.
But I didn’t look away. I couldn’t.
They all took their seats across from me, facing the Council. None of them spoke. None of them even looked at each other. The silence between them said more than words ever could.
My heart ached, but I took another deep breath and braced myself.
One of the elders, a female, motioned for me to come forward.
I took a shaky step, then another, until I was standing before them.
“Olivia Parker,” she began, “you’ve requested this meeting. Please state your intention before the Council.”
I met her gaze, then looked briefly at the others seated around the table. But I didn’t dare look at the triplets… if I did, I wouldn’t be able to say what I wanted to say. Then finally, I spoke:
“I… I want to reject the bond with the triplets,” I said, my voice trembling despite how hard I tried to make it steady. “I no longer wish to be their mate.”
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Olivia’s POV
The hall fell into complete silence as my words sank in. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to glance at the triplets seated across from me. All three of them stared back. There was no expression on their faces-their features blank-but through the bond, I felt it. Their pain. It was suffocatingly painful.
Elder Grant cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
“Lady Olivia, may you please explain why you wish to reject your mates? Remember, the mate bond is sacred-something we do not take lightly. If your reasons are not valid, we will have no choice but to deny your request…” He paused, his words hanging heavy in the air. “But if they are… we will dissolve the bond.”
The hall went silent as all eyes were fixed on me, even the triplets. For a moment, the words refused to come. My throat tightened. Where do I even begin?
“Lady Olivia, you don’t have to be scared… go on, speak.” The only female in their midst encouraged.
I nodded, bracing myself. For a moment, I forgot the triplets were even in the room. “A mate is supposed to love and protect their mate,” I said, my voice louder now, clearer. “But that wasn’t the case with the triplets.”
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remember everything-to let it out.
“These men didn’t just hurt me physically… they broke me mentally, emotionally. Where do I even start? Which pain should I speak of first? Which should I leave unsaid?”
My voice cracked, but I didn’t stop. I kept my gaze on the council of elders. I remembered what Alpha Damien told me-do not show hesitation.
“Go on, Lady Olivia,” the only female elder encouraged gently.
I nodded.
“On my wedding night…” I/swallowed hard, trying to steady my voice, “They didn’t just ignore me-they humiliated me. They brought their mistress into their chambers… and made me watch as they made love to her.
Gasps filled the hall, but I didn’t stop.
“They locked the door… forced me to watch as they touched her, kissed her, slept with her-while I stood there, helpless. Shattered. I begged them to stop. I cried until my body gave out. And when I fainted from the pain, they had their guards throw me out
I closed my eyes for a second, then opened them again. My voice was trembling now, but I forced each word out.
“They hated me. They said I was a mistake the Moon Goddess made. That I wasn’t worth the bond.”
I glanced at the triplets. Their heads were bowed. But I didn’t care. I needed to say it.
“Alpha Lennox once struck me physically,” I said firmly.
I turned to look at him, and for a moment, our eyes met. There were tears in his. But I looked away. I wasn’t done.
“I bled for them. I cried for them. I begged them to see me. To accept me. But they chose cruelty over compassion. They chose another woman-over and over again- while I suffered quietly.”
My eyes burned, but I held the tears back,
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.