Chapter Seven

Ruben's POV

The silence in the grand dining hall was thick enough to choke on.

I kept my chin tucked down, my gaze glued to the intricate Persian rug beneath my boots, but I could feel the sheer, overwhelming weight of three dominant Alpha stares burning into me. The chemical scent-blockers coursing through my veins made my skin feel hot and tight, but despite the poison dulling my wolf, my instincts were screaming.

They were massive. Even without looking them directly in the face, their presence filled every inch of the high-ceilinged room. Sky’s aura was cold, dense, and suffocating,like a avalanche waiting to drop. River’s had a sharp edge that felt like a blade tracing the back of my neck. And Tanner... Tanner radiated raw, unbridled heat, his heavy wolf thrumming just beneath his skin like a live wire.

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat feeling like lead. Don't look up. Keep your shoulders hunched. You are just a Beta. You are invisible.

"Who are you?" Sky’s voice sliced through the room, deep and commanding, carrying the natural authority of a pack leader.

"R-Ruben, my Lord," I stuttered softly, carefully pitching my voice to sound submissive, faint and entirely unthreatening. "Mrs. Gable hired me this morning. As the live-in housekeeper and nanny for Lady Chloe."

River leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking under his weight. I could feel his eyes sweeping over my frame, taking in my oversized uniform and my posture. "A new face. Mrs. Gable didn't waste any time."

"She said... she said you required tea while you discussed pack business," I lied smoothly, forcing my hands to remain steady at my sides. "I apologize if I interrupted."

For five excruciating seconds, nobody moved. The air hummed with tension, the three Alphas silently communicating in that strange, unspoken language shared by powerful pack leaders. Tanner shifted in his seat, his heavy brow furrowing as he stared at me, his nose twitching slightly as if trying to catch a stray thread of a scent that shouldn't be there.

My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. Did the chemical mask slip? Did he smell the Omega underneath?

"That will be all, Ruben," Sky finally cut in, his tone dismissing me without a second thought. "Leave the tray. Return to your duties."

"Yes, my Lord," I whispered.

I bowed my head lower, backed away three slow, measured steps and then turned on my heel to exit the room. The moment the heavy oak doors shut behind me, isolating me in the quiet, carpeted hallway, I let out a long, shuddering breath and collapsed back against the wall. My knees were trembling violently.

That was too close.

I took three deep breaths, forcing my racing pulse to slow down, before hurrying down the service stairs toward the back of the estate.

My feet moved on autopilot, carrying me straight to the narrow servant quarters and into my cold, dim room. I locked the door behind me and immediately crossed over to the hidden pantry. Pulling open the wooden door, the sharp, stinging fumes of bleach, pine cleaner and heavy detergent hit my nose, momentarily making my eyes water.

Inside the makeshift crib, Maya was wide awake.

She had kicked off her soft flannel blanket and was lying on her back, her little legs pumping in the air as she quietly stared at her tiny, chubby hands. She didn't cry, she just cooed softly, swatting at the air with pure, innocent wonder.

A wave of fierce, overwhelming love washed over my grief-stricken chest. I sank to my knees beside the crate, resting my arms on the wooden edge. "Hey, sweet girl," I whispered softly, letting a genuine smile touch my lips for the first time all day. "You're okay. Uncle Ruben's here."

I reached out, letting her tiny fingers wrap around my thumb. Her grip was impossibly tight, a trait of strong wolf blood.

I stared intently down at her small, delicate face, searching every feature, every curve of her nose, every line of her tiny jaw, desperately hunting for a clue.

And then a wave of crushing frustration hit me, heavy and suffocating.

They were triplets.

In my panic and grief over Ruby's death, I had pictured three distinct Alphas with wildly different features. But seeing them in person, sitting side-by-side at that table, made the reality of my nightmare crystal clear. They all shared the same strong, square jawlines. The same high cheekbones. The same striking, brown eyes and dense, dark hair.

Maya’s dark tuft of hair could have come from Sky, River or Tanner. Her rounded button nose and the subtle shape of her brow were an exact match for the Dern Pack royal line,which meant she looked like all three of them.

I let out a low, defeated groan, resting my forehead against the edge of the crate. How am I supposed to figure out who her father is? I couldn't exactly ask for a blood test without exposing her existence and I couldn't risk revealing Ruby's secret to the wrong brother. If I approached the wrong Alpha, he might turn us over to the pack elders or worse, hand us straight back to Alpha Spencer to preserve pack politics.

I reached down, slipping my hands under Maya’s tiny arms to finally lift her up against my chest for a feeding. "We're going to figure this out, Maya," I murmured into her soft hair. "I just need more time. I just need to watch them—"

"RUBEN!"

A sharp, panicked scream echoed down the stone corridor from the upper floors, shattering the quiet of the servants' wing.

My heart shot straight into my throat.

"RUBEN! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

It was Chloe.

I froze, my arms locking around Maya as sheer panic flooded my veins. Maya let out a small, startled squeak at the sudden change in my energy.

Did she find out? Did someone see me?

"RUBEN! GET UP HERE RIGHT NOW!" Chloe’s voice shrieked again, sounding utterly frantic, followed by the muffled, violent wailing of her infant son, Leo.

Realizing I couldn't hesitate for a single second without raising suspicion, I hurriedly laid Maya back down in her crate, tucking the heavy wool blanket over her chest. "Stay quiet, baby. Please stay quiet," I whispered frantically, my hands shaking as I pulled the pantry door shut, leaving it cracked just enough for air while letting the harsh chemical fumes seal her scent inside.

I practically sprinted out of my room, pulling the door shut behind me and took the service stairs three at a time, bracing myself for whatever disaster was waiting above.