Shattered and Seen

Laughter exploded across the auditorium. I could see everyone laughing and giggling around us.

My whole body went cold.

Peyton stepped forward. “Ezra, please. It’s just acting. Chloe has had a huge crush on you since high school. The other day I heard her moaning your name as she dreamed about kissing you.”

I wanted the ground to swallow me whole.

Ezra Kane. My long time crush had just rejected me as his co-lead. He didn't even want to kiss me.

This had to be some kind of nightmare.

Walking up to me, Ezra's face was twisted in a smirk that oozed arrogance. His voice cut through the laughter like a blade.

“Seriously, Chloe?” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “You actually thought I’d kiss you? On stage or off? God, you’ve been following me around like some lovesick puppy since freshman year. It’s embarrassing.”

“ Oh my god.” Peyton said mockingly as she covered her mouth.

The room went even quieter, the laughter turning into whispers. I felt every pair of eyes looking at me. My chest tightened, the air growing thinner by the second. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.

He took a step closer, his voice dropping but still sharp. “Let me make it crystal clear, Chloe. I don’t like you. I don’t want to kiss you. And I sure as hell don’t want to pretend to. You're fat and ugly.” Ezra said staring at me with disgust.

I turned around running as fast as I could to the supply room. I closed the door slamming it as hard as I could. I sat there on the cold floor, my back against the door, knees pulled to my chest. My tears wouldn’t stop, no matter how hard I wiped them away with the sleeve of my hoodie. Everything hurt. My chest, my throat, my head, all of it. I just wanted to disappear.

Ezra’s words kept ringing in my ears.

Fat and ugly. Fat and ugly.

It felt like his words had been burned into me, deep and sharp. I shut my eyes tight, hoping I could shut out everything. The laughter, the whispers, the stares from my classmates. I just wanted it all to stop. I wanted to disappear forever.

That’s when my eyes caught on a rope lying in the corner of the supply room. It looked like one they’d use for tug of war. My gaze drifted to a chair nearby. A heavy, hollow feeling sank in my chest. No one would care if the fat, ugly girl was gone. I got the chair and stood on top of it fixing the rope so I could finally end this miserable life of mine.

No one would care if I was gone.

My legs wobbled as I kicked the chair and slowly I started to lose air as I accepted my fate.

“What are you doing?” A voice asked catching my attention.

My eyes darted to the voice.

There they were. The three hottest and most powerful hybrid triplets around. Kael, Talon, and Jett. Each of them had something different that made them stand out. Kael was half werewolf, half dragon, with a fiery edge that showed in everything he did. Talon was part witch, part werewolf, calm but intense, like he was always one step ahead. And Jett, half vampire, half werewolf had that dark, dangerous vibe that made it hard to look away.

And they were captains of three sports teams. Football, basketball, and hockey.

“ What the hell?” Kael shouted as he rushed over while Talon and Jett immediately reached for the chair.

Kael gripped the rope with both hands, his claws halfway extended in panic as he tore it from the ceiling hook like it was paper. Jett had already wrapped his arms around me, his cold touch firm and grounding as he pulled me off the chair and held me tightly.

“Breathe, Chloe. Just breathe,” Talon said, kneeling beside me. His voice was steady, his hands glowing faintly with a soft blue light as he pressed them to my back. “You're safe now.”

I gasped for air, coughing as I collapsed into Jett’s embrace. The chair clattered to the side, forgotten. My whole body trembled uncontrollably.

Kael crouched in front of me, eyes blazing with fury. “Who did this to you?” he growled. “Tell me.”

My lips trembled, but no sound came out. The words were trapped behind the lump in my throat.

“Was it Ezra Kane?” Jett asked, his voice low and full of danger.

I nodded, barely.

“I’ll kill him,” Kael snapped turning around to leave.

“No,” I croaked out, finally finding my voice. “Don’t... just forget it.”

“Forget it?” Talon’s calm cracked as his eyes flashed silver. “You were just about to kill yourself. We’re not forgetting anything.”

Jett’s arms tightened around me protectively. “No one should make you feel like that. Especially not some pathetic, arrogant little wolf who thinks he's untouchable.”

I looked up at them, my tears still falling, but now for a different reason. Why did they care? Why were they here?

“Why... why are you even here?” I whispered.

Kael’s eyes suddenly softened immediately as he looked back at Talon and Jett. I could tell they were hiding something but I couldn't place my hand on it. Groaning, I stood up as the bell rang.

“I have to go. Thank you.” I said as I rushed out of the room feeling embarrassed.

Being saved by the three hottest boys was one thing. I just hoped I didn't have to see them again.

******************************

I returned back home a few hours later once the sun was down. My hoodie was still damp from crying, my eyes sore and swollen. I didn’t even care what Jessa or Peyton might say about the way I looked. I just wanted to go upstairs to my room and cry.

The sound of laughter floated in from the living room as I walked in. Not cruel laughter like at school, but flirtatious, syrupy sweet.

That could only mean one thing.

Peyton. She was home.

I barely made it two steps inside when Peyton’s voice rang out like nails on a chalkboard. “Well, well, look who finally decided to come home. Try not to scare the guests with that face, Chloe.”

I didn’t reply.

Just then, Jessa walked in. Her hair was straightened out and done as if she had gone to the salon. Last week, she said we had no money.

“ Chloe, we need to talk. Your father, he left us with a lot of debts before he died. I tried.” She started, trying to sound convincing. “I tried to pay some of them off but the men your father are owing have come.”

I blinked, confused. “What are you talking about?”

I narrowed my eyes and stepped into the living room and immediately froze as my eyes hit them.

Sitting on our couch looking totally out of place in our cheap, cramped house were the three boys who had saved my life earlier.

Kael. Talon. Jett.

I stumbled backward, hitting the wall behind me. “W-What are you doing here?”

Kael stood up, arms crossed, his jaw tight. “We need to talk.”

Peyton smirked. “Didn't you hear what mother told you?”

I looked at them, then back at her. “Is this some kind of joke?”

Talon spoke, his voice smooth but serious. “It’s not a joke, Chloe. We’re here because of your father.”

“My… dad?” I barely whispered. “You’re the ones he owes?”

Jett nodded. “Yeah. He owes our family a blood debt.”

“A blood debt?” I swallowed hard.

Kael looked at me softer now. “Years ago, your dad made a deal. To save his life, he promised you to us. Now, we are here to collect his promise.”