CHAPTER 5: Triple Treats

Raeyan's POV

 

  Aurielle’s scream of my name took me unawares.

 

“Raeyan??!”

 

My head snapped toward her at the same time my brothers’ heads snapped toward me and Kaelen frowned so hard his eyebrows almost touched.

 

“She knows who you are… already?” Kaelen asked.

 

Drystan looked just as annoyed.

 

“Since when do random girls know your name, Raeyan?”

 

I ignored both of them because something else had just clicked in my mind.. something far more shocking.

 

This girl… this chained, angry and wild-eyed princess… I knew her and not just from a vague memory. I knew her scent and I knew her fire.

 

Kaelen grabbed my arm.

 

“Explain. Now.”

 

“Later,” I said quickly. “Where are the other hostages?”

 

“What?” Aurielle blinked at me. “There are no other hostages. It was only me.”

 

Kaelen and Drystan both froze.

 

“…what?” Drystan said slowly.

 

I turned toward them but they were already exchanging looks like two wolves who had just been hit by the same stupid idea.

 

Kaelen muttered, “So all three of us felt the mate pull…”

 

Drystan finished, “…and it was to her?”

 

They both stared at Aurielle and then back at me.

 

Kaelen rubbed his forehead.

 

“The chances of that happening are… actually ridiculous.”

 

“Impossible,” Drystan corrected. “The moon goddess messed up.”

 

Aurielle suddenly cut through their muttering.

 

“Are you three done talking to yourselves? I’m still chained on the ground, in case you forgot.”

 

I moved before my brothers could answer. I kneeled beside her, broke the lock on the chains and pulled them off. She rubbed her wrists and stared up at me like she still couldn’t believe I was real.

 

“What are you doing here?” she asked softly. “Last time I saw you, you just… vanished.”

 

Kaelen crossed his arms.

 

“Last time she saw you?”

 

Drystan glared.

 

“You met her before we did?”

 

I sighed and cursed inside.

 

“I didn’t exactly plan it,” I told them. “I ran into her in Vaeloria once.”

 

Aurielle huffed.

 

“Ran into me? You saved my life.”

 

Both of my brothers’ heads whipped toward me so fast I heard their necks crack.

 

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Drystan snapped. “Our mate has a dramatic story with you already.”

 

Kaelen’s voice was flat.

 

“Very wonderful.”

 

I raised my hands.

 

“Are you two serious right now?”

 

Aurielle frowned at all of us and then pointed at our faces.

 

“You’re triplets.”

 

Drystan rolled his eyes.

 

“What gave it away? The identical faces?”

 

Despite everything, a laugh almost escaped me.. a very small, very doomed laugh.

 

She looked between us again and then at me with a strange mixture of shock and irritation.

 

“When are you taking me back to my father?”

 

Kaelen’s expression turned cold.

 

“We’re not doing that.”

 

Drystan crossed his arms.

 

“Not happening.”

 

Aurielle’s mouth fell open.

 

“What? Why?”

 

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Kaelen said.

 

That tone from him was never good news. She glared at him, then at me amd then at Drystan.

 

“I’ve heard of you three,” she said sharply. “The Veylon Brothers. People say you’re arrogant and that you don’t listen to rules or laws or orders.”

 

Kaelen snorted.

 

“They’re right. We don’t.”

 

“And we especially don’t obey the High Lycan King,” Drystan added casually.

 

Oh great. Just great. This was going perfectly.

 

Aurielle threw her hands up.

 

“I hate all of you!”

 

Kaelen smirked.

 

“You say that now.”

 

She actually growled at him and then she spun around and bolted into the forest.

 

I blinked.

 

“Is she seriously...?”

 

“She’s running,” Drystan said.

 

Kaelen looked at me slowly.

 

“Raeyan.”

 

“What?” I asked, already knowing what.

 

“Your little princess is running away.”

 

I stared at him.

 

“Why does your tone sound jealous?”

 

Drystan growled.

 

“Just go get her!”

 

I groaned loudly.

 

“Fine! Calm down, both of you.”

 

And then I ran.

 

It didn’t take long to catch her. She was fast for a princess... faster than I remembered... but she still wasn’t outrunning an Alpha. Especially not me.

 

I grabbed her around the waist and lifted her clean off the ground and she let out a scream that probably woke up half the forest.

 

“Put me down!”

 

“No,” I said, hauling her back toward the clearing.

 

“I swear I will bite you,” she threatened, kicking wildly.

 

“You can try.”

 

“I will...!”

 

“Yes, yes, I know,” I said. “You hate me. You hate us. You hate the world. Trust me, I got it.”

 

She punched my shoulder with all her strength but it was like being hit by a very angry kitten.

 

“You’re impossible!” she snapped.

 

“And you’re dramatic,” I shot back. “We’re a great match.”

 

“Put me DOWN!”

 

“Not until you stop running.”

 

“I’ll NEVER stop running!”

 

I sighed.

 

“Fantastic.”

 

When I returned to the clearing, Kaelen and Drystan were waiting, both looking like they were two seconds away from slapping my face out of their jealousy.

 

Kaelen raised an eyebrow.

 

“Took you long enough.”

 

“She fights like a squirrel having a tantrum,” I said.

 

Aurielle gasped.

 

“I heard that!”

 

“You were supposed to,” I told her.

 

She made another attempt to escape but I tightened my grip. The suppressor venom still hadn’t worn off. She was helpless and furious and honestly… kind of cute like that.

 

Kaelen stepped forward then with his expression shifting into something hard and sharp.

 

“Put her down,” he said.

 

I gently set her on her feet but kept my hands near in case she tried to bolt again.

 

She glared at all three of us like she wanted to spit fire.

 

Kaelen walked right up to her until she had to tilt her head back to look at him.

 

“Aurielle,” he said quietly. “Listen carefully…”