LOGINHours LaterMelina lay in Alaric's bed staring at the ceiling.He was beside her. Not touching. Just there.She'd spent the last four hours processing. Pacing. Demanding more answers. Getting some. Not believing most of them.Mates. Fated bonds. Supernatural curses.It sounded like a fantasy novel. Like something made up.Except she'd seen the symptoms. Had watched all three of them get progressively worse over the last four days. Had seen the fever. The pain. The exhaustion.That was real. Whatever was happening to them was real."I still don't understand," she said into the darkness. "How can three people share one mate? How does that even work?""It's rare," Alaric said quietly. "But not unheard of. Triplets especially. We share everything else. Why not this?""That's not an answer.""It's the only answer I have." He turned on his side. Looked at her. "I don't know why the universe decided you belong to all three of us. I just know that you do. We felt it. All of us. The moment we
Melina's POV"Nine years ago, my brothers and I were cursed."Alaric's voice was steady. Calm. Like he was reciting facts instead of revealing something that had clearly shaped their entire lives.Melina sat on the couch. Hands folded in her lap. Aiden beside her. Archer across from her. Alaric standing like he was giving a presentation."We were eighteen," Alaric continued. "The Alpha ceremony, the ritual that would officially make us the Alpha Kings of our pack went wrong. Someone tampered with it. We don't know who. We've been searching for nine years and still don't know.""What kind of curse?" Melina asked quietly."A deterioration curse. Tied to the lunar cycle. Every month, on the night of the full moon, our bodies break down. Fever. Pain. Weakness. We collapse at midnight exactly. And for the next twelve hours, we're completely incapacitated."She looked at him. At the way his jaw was tight. The way his hands were clenched at his sides."Every month," she repeated. "For nine y
Day Three - Aiden's POVTwo days.The symptoms were getting worse. Fever climbing. Body aching. The specific bone-deep exhaustion that came from the curse preparing to break him.He was in his office. Working. Trying to distract himself.Melina was at the corner desk. She'd stopped fighting the constant supervision. Just accepted it now.She looked up. Caught him rubbing his neck."You too," she said quietly."What?""You're in pain too. Like Archer yesterday. Like Alaric this morning." She stood up. Came to his desk. "All three of you are showing symptoms. Fatigue. Fever. Pain. All three of you are getting worse.""Observant.""What's wrong with you?" Her voice was worried now. Actually worried. "Is it a disease? An illness? Something contagious?""No. Nothing like that." Aiden leaned back in his chair. "It's just... something we deal with. Every month. For the last nine years.""Nine years?" She looked shocked. "You've been sick like this every month for nine years?""Yes.""That's.
Day One - Melina's POVFour days.She didn't know what was happening in four days. Just knew that something was.The brothers were different. Tense. Watching each other. Watching her more carefully.She woke up in Aiden's bed. He was already awake. Sitting at his desk. Working.But he kept glancing at her. Like he was checking. Making sure she was still there."What's happening in four days?" she asked.He looked up. "What?""I heard you talking. Last night. Through the door. You said something about the full moon. About five days. It's been one day since then. So four days left. What's happening?"Aiden was quiet for a long moment. Then: "You'll find out when we're ready to tell you.""I'm tired of that answer.""Then you're going to be tired for four more days." He stood up. Came to sit on the edge of the bed. "Until then, stop asking. Stop listening at doors. Stop trying to figure out things you're not ready to know.""Let me decide what I'm ready for.""No." His voice was firm. "T
"You mean not while I still hate you.""That too." He touched her face gently. "We want her to see you settled. Happy. Or at least content. Not like this.""I'll never be happy here.""You might surprise yourself." His thumb traced her cheekbone. "People adapt. Even to cages. Especially when the cage keeps them safe."She pulled away from his touch. "I'm not adapting. I'm surviving.""Same thing." He stood up. "Come on. It's almost dinner. All three of us tonight.""Again?""Every night now. Until you stop trying to run." He held out his hand. "It's easier if you just cooperate."She didn't take his hand. But she stood up. Followed him.Because she didn't have a choice.***Day SevenAlaric's Office -All three brothers were there. Melina was asleep in Alaric's bed. Exhausted from a week of constant supervision."She's breaking," Aiden said quietly. "Slowly. But she's breaking.""Good," Alaric said. He didn't sound happy about it. Just factual. "Broken is easier than fighting.""Broke
Melina's POV - Day One of RestrictionsTrue to his word, Alaric didn't let her out of his sight.She woke up in his bed. He was already awake. Watching her."Good morning," he said quietly.She didn't respond. Just got up. Went to the bathroom.He followed. Stood outside the door while she showered. She could see his shadow under the door.When she came out, he was there. Waiting."Breakfast," he said. Guided her to his private dining room.Aiden and Archer were already there."How's the first day going?" Aiden asked Alaric. Like she wasn't sitting right there."Fine. She's adjusting.""I'm not adjusting," Melina said. "I'm enduring.""Same thing," Archer said. He was watching her with those black eyes. "You'll see."Breakfast was tense. Silent except for the sound of silverware on plates.After, Alaric brought her back to his office. Sat her at the corner desk."Work," he said. Handed her a tablet. "Council meeting research. I need a comprehensive brief on each attending family. Hist
POV: ArcherShe appeared in the courtyard thirty minutes after she left the office.Archer saw her first because he was already at the window.....had moved there the moment the door clicked shut behind her and had been waiting to see if she would come out.She came out through the east wing side do
POV: MelinaThe north approach had a problem.She'd found it at eight this morning and she'd been staring at it since. Not a security problem...she'd mapped the sentinels down to the second and the gap was there, exactly where she'd calculated it. The problem was the wall.Twelve feet. Stone. No fo
POV: HaroldThe physician left at nine.Same report as always. Harold had stood in the corridor and listened and nodded and thanked her and watched her walk away with her bag and her careful professional face and then he'd gone back into the family sitting room and stood at the window.Waiting.Tha
That was the thought she held onto. Not the window she'd missed or the time she'd lost or the particular warm heaviness still sitting in her body that she was absolutely not thinking about. Just....she needed another plan. She had time. Not much but some. She would build another plan.She reached d







