Chapter 13

HANNAH POV

I stood at the top of the grand staircase, fingers smoothing over the fabric of my dress for the tenth time. The material hugged my waist, and the slit showed how sexy and pretty my legs are. I looked so elegant and sexy in the dress.. My hair fell over my shoulders in loose waves, and for once, I didn’t look like someone who has been locked up. I looked like the carefree, secy, elegant and adorable me.

My heart wouldn’t stop racing.

“Get a grip,” I muttered to myself under my breath.

Then I stepped forward.

The soft click of my heels echoed down the staircase as I descended slowly, one hand grazing the polished railing. The chandelier above cast a golden glow, and for a brief second, I forgot to breathe.

They were already waiting at the bottom.

All three of them.

And the moment they looked up, They froze.

Kael’s posture straightened almost imperceptibly, his usual composed expression slipping just enough to reveal surprise. Riven’s lips parted slightly, his confident smirk nowhere to be found. Lucien simply stared, like he’d forgotten how to blink.

The silence stretched.

Heat crept up my neck and my cheek.

“Say something,” I wanted to snap, but my own breath had gone uneven.

Because they looked so breathtaking and dazzling. .

Sharp black tuxedos tailored perfectly to their frames. Broad shoulders. Clean lines. Dark hair styled just enough to look effortless. Kael looked powerful. Riven looked dangerous. Lucien looked devastatingly quiet.

And all three of them looked at me like I was the one stealing the air from the room.

I swallowed.

“Is it too much?” I asked, trying to mask my sudden nerves with a small smile.

Riven recovered first, stepping slightly forward. “Too much?” he repeated softly. “You look…”

“Stunning,” Lucien finished, voice low.

Kael’s gaze hadn’t left me. “You look like the queen you’re meant to be.

The words did something to me.

My heart raced. .

For a second, I forgot every fear, every warning, every wall I had built. I forgot the ritual, the contract, the tension.

All I could feel was the weight of their attention.

Riven offered his hand dramatically. “Careful,” he said lightly. “If you look like that in public, we’re going to have problems.”

I rolled my eyes, but I placed my hand in his anyway.

“Jealous already?” I teased.

Lucien stepped closer, his voice quieter now. “Not jealous.”

Kael’s jaw tightened slightly. “Protective.”

The word lingered between us.

My heart betrayed me completely.

As we reached the bottom of the stairs, Kael adjusted the sleeve of his jacket, then extended his arm toward the door. “Shall we?”

I nodded, trying to ignore the way my stomach fluttered.

They guided me outside, the cool evening air brushing against my skin. The palace doors opened, and the car waited at the entrance, sleek and polished under the moonlight.

Riven opened the door for me first, bowing slightly in exaggerated politeness. “After you.”

I laughed softly as I slid into the seat, the fabric of my dress whispering against the leather.

Before closing the door, Lucien leaned down slightly, his eyes holding mine.

“You really do look beautiful,” he said, softer this time. More personal.

My breath caught.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

The door shut gently, but the tension stayed.

As the engine started and the palace gates slowly opened, I glanced at them, at the way their shoulders brushed in the seat opposite me, at the way their eyes kept drifting back.

And I realized something dangerous.

They weren’t the only ones losing control. I was already losing control and my heart was already softening for them.

The city lights blurred past the car window as we drove, reflections dancing across the glass. I hadn’t realized how much I missed the outside world. The noise, the movement, the reminder that there was a world outside palace walls.

Riven caught me staring.

“You look like you’ve never seen buildings before,” he said lightly.

“I haven’t,” I replied. “Not in weeks.”

Kael’s jaw tightened slightly at that. Lucien’s eyes softened.

The restaurant they chose wasn’t overly extravagant, but it was elegant, warm lighting, soft music, low conversations blending into something almost intimate. For once, no one bowed, No one starred in fear.

They were just men, and I was just a girl on a date.

That thought made my heart race, and I fe the blush creeping up my cheeks. .

Dinner started casually. Small talks, teasing remarks, the occasional brush of hands that sent heat up my spine. I kept telling myself not to read into it. Not to let my guard down too much.

But somewhere between the main course and dessert, I did.

“You’ve never really told us about your life before,” Lucien said quietly.

Before.

Before the ritual, Before the palace, Before them.

I hesitated, and decided to feign ignorance

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Your life before you came here Hannah. And I’m very sure someone or something must have triggered you into getting involved with the ritual.” Kael said.

Then I spoke.

I told them about my mother. About hospital bills stacked on our kitchen table. About the fear that followed me everywhere, the kind that sat in your chest and refused to leave. I told them how helpless I felt watching her get weaker while I could do nothing.

“That’s why I signed up,” I admitted. “It wasn’t bravery. It wasn’t ambition. It was desperation. I couldn’t leave her to die, and I had no other choice.”

The table was silent.

They didn’t judge me, rather they listened.

Riven’s fingers tightened slightly around his glass. Kael leaned back, studying me with something deeper than curiosity. Lucien didn’t look away once.

“And Elias?” Kael asked carefully.

The name left a bitter taste in my mouth.

“How did you know about Elias?” I asked, extremely surprised he asked about him.

“We have ears and eyes Hannah.” Riven replied with a smirk .

“He’s from before,” I said. “We dated, but It ended badly. Now he won’t stop calling or texting. New numbers every time I block him.”

The air shifted.

Riven went still. Kael’s expression darkened almost instantly. Lucien’s calm cracked just enough to reveal something lethal underneath.

“Give me his address or his full name and we’ll just pay him a visit ,” Riven said quietly, the anger in his eyes was so strong and noticeable.

“No.”

All three of them looked at me.

“I don’t want him hurt,” I continued firmly. “I don’t want anyone killed because of me. I’ve had enough guilt in my life.”

Kael exhaled slowly through his nose. “He’s harassing you.”

“I can handle it.”

Lucien’s eyes searched mine. “You shouldn’t have to.”

“Maybe,” I whispered. “But I don’t want blood tied to my name.”

The tension didn’t disappear. It coiled tighter instead. But they let it go for me.

That realization did something dangerous to my heart.

They could have decided to still go ahead and kill him, but they chose my happiness instead.

When we stood to leave, I felt lighter, seen and also heard . I felt closer to them than I’d ever intended to be.

The waiter that served us approached us, he looked harmless enough. He also looked young and polite, his nervousness was so obvious.

“Excuse me,” he said, smiling at me. “I don’t usually do this, but… could I get your number?”

The temperature at the table dropped instantly.

Riven’s chair scraped against the floor first.

Kael stood slowly, controlled but radiating something dark.

Lucien didn’t move , but the look he gave the waiter made the boy visibly pale.

“She’s not interested,” Kael said, voice calm in a way that was far more threatening than shouting.

The waiter swallowed. “I just—”

Riven stepped closer. “You just what?”

I stood quickly. “It’s fine. Really. He didn’t know.”

But it wasn’t fine.

Because the possessiveness rolling off them wasn’t subtle, neither was it polite. It wasn’t normal. They were being extra territorial.

Lucien’s hand found my waist , not rough, but firm enough to make a point. “We’re leaving.”

They didn’t give the waiter another glance.

The walk to the car was tense and heavy .Inside, silence thickened the air.

“He shouldn’t have looked at you like that,” Riven muttered.

“It was just a number,” I said softly.

“It was a claim,” Kael corrected.

My breath caught.

“You guys are just exaggerating the situation. I’m sure he didn’t mean it how you guys are saying the whole shit.”

They all looked at me, and I just realized I had pressed their button, and the last bit of calmness had vanished.

“Don’t make us punish you Hannah.” Kael said his eyes had already darkened with an expression I didn’t understand.

I laughed mockingly, “lol so you’re going to spank me or what.”

But the look on their face didn’t look like they understood my sarcasm.

Before I could understand what was happening, Riven was already by my side.

“You know what we do to bad girls like you, we punish them and show them who’s in charge.” Riven said, and before I knew it my panties were already on the floor.

“Riven… what are you doing?” I asked, fear already creeping up to my body.

“I’m going to show you what would happen if another guy walks up to you.”

And before I knew what was happening, Riven had already shoved his middle finger into my pussy.

The shock got me by surprise, and I couldn’t help but scream.

“Scream as much as you want, no one will save you.” Kael said, already by my side

He brought his hands to my neck, and started choking me, it wasn’t hard enough for me to faint, but wasn’t soft either. He kissed me, and at the same time he was kissing me, Riven had already slipped a second finger into my pussy. I was a moaning mess, and I couldn’t control myself. The pleasure I was feeling now was unbearable. Riven fingers kept going in and out of my pussy very fast, and whenever I felt like cumming, he would go slow putting me on edge.

“Riven please.” I whispered, unable to bear the edging.

“Bad girls like you don’t get to cum.”

I closed my eyes, unable to hide the pain and pleasure I was experiencing.

I felt a hand on my breast, and I opened my eyes immediately and saw Lucien standing in front of me.

He tore the dress from my body, and I gasped at the sight of it. Kael started kissing me again, and I couldn’t scream out loud again without it coming out as a moan.

Lucien's mouth was already on my right nipple, his hands fumbled with my left nipple, not leaving any of them out.

I was a moaning mess, and the pleasure I felt was undeniable.

“Riven… mhmm… please.. ughh fuckkk… I can’t… mhmm… Riven… please… I… need.. to… cum… Fuckk.” I couldn’t even form a sentence with Kael kissing me, and the pleasure I get from Lucien's mouth on my tits, and my pussy in a pleasurable pain.

“Call us daddy. Whenever you’re in this position or situation, you call us daddy.” Riven said, and with that he pushed a third finger in. I couldn’t hold my scream again.

“Please daddy.” I begged. Not able to control myself.

“You can come now.”

And with that, I came. The orgasm lasted for a whole 3 minutes, and I couldn’t feel myself. I was still high on the best orgasm I had felt. They all looked at me with hunger written in their eyes.

Once I came back to my senses, I realized what had happened, and I couldn’t be more angry. Not at them, but at myself for enjoying it and even showing them I enjoyed it.

I didn’t bother talking to them throughout the car ride, I picked up the remaining of my clothes and covered myself.

When we reached the palace, the tension hadn’t eased. If anything, it sharpened.

Their eyes on me felt different now. Darker. Hungrier.

I swallowed.

“Not tonight,” I said quietly before things could shift into something else.

Lucien studied me.

Then he nodded once.

But the look in their eyes told me this conversation wasn’t over.

Not even close.