All Chapters of Marked, Tamed, Owned by the Triplet Alphas: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

LiraI woke with a heartache that wouldn’t fade. This was day two of the fast, and it still baffled me that my body hadn’t adjusted.Every nerve in me screamed to burst out of the room and run to my mates. The emptiness was unbearable and worse than the loneliness I’d known in the wild while running from my fate. Hunger clawed at my stomach. My tongue felt heavy and dry. The fast forbade food and water, and the dizziness came in waves. Hunger was no stranger to me; I’d lived with it most of my life. Maybe that was the point—to remind me that desire had always been my undoing. Yet it wasn’t food I craved. It was them. Their scent still clung to my memory. My skin remembered what my mind tried to forget.Since locking myself in this room, I couldn’t turn without seeing them. Shadows of the brothers brushed the edges of my vision. I fought the urge to give in. If they ever learned who I really was, this pain would seem merciful. I clung to that thought as if it could keep me sane.My th

Kain"Let's go," I said, not wanting to argue further. My skin crawled. She didn't resist. The look of defeat on her face almost made me pull her into a hug if that would make her believe I’d never hurt her.It was laughable how she didn’t realize the power she carried, how it felt like a second death after three days without her. She backed away, and that alone left a sour taste in my mouth. We headed downstairs and into my truck.I’d barely started the engine before the rain hammered the windshield, the wipers struggling to keep up. Lira sat close to the door, her shoulder brushing the glass. My guards stayed in the back seat, respectful enough to hold their silence."We can’t travel tonight," I said dryly as thunder cracked overhead. The roads would be slick, and I wasn’t risking a crash.Lira gave no sign of acknowledgment. I stole a glance at her profile; she stared out the window, and my chest twisted painfully. We reached a roadside hotel before the storm worsened. It wasn’t lu

ZuriThe music at the masquerade ball had shifted into something slow and haunting by the time Lira came out from one of the inner halls, walking beside Kain.Even from a distance, I could sense her nerves. Kain tried to take her hand, but she pulled away. Everyone else probably thought it was nothing. I knew better.When Kain's hand brushed her lower back, I could feel bile rise in my throat. As much as I hated it, if I were in her place, I would have flaunted that bond to the world.Why hide what was supposed to be divine?Unless it wasn’t real.Unless she was faking it.Then Jax appeared. He came up behind her with a small dish, holding something to her lips. She hesitated, then opened her mouth. He fed her. When he stepped aside, Riven passed by and his hand brushed her hip.Selena let out a low whistle. “What’s this? A family hobby? Are they running a train on her now?”Astoria laughed quietly. “Triplet fetish, maybe?”My jaw tightened. “It’s not a fetish,” I said before I could

LiraMy eyes snapped open. My body scraped against the sheets, and my stomach curled inward, devouring what little strength I had left.I had barely escaped sleep’s fog when a knock rattled the door, and Tova poked her head in.“I don’t know what you did or didn’t do, but Priestess Athena wants to see you.”I shut my tired eyes and swallowed a groan. “Can you tell her I’m asleep or something?”“I could,” she said, “but what would stop her from checking for herself? She says it’s urgent. Besides, the priestess isn’t someone you should avoid. She’s helpful.”Helpful indeed.“Whatever.”She pointed at me. “I owe you your favorite food. Just let me know, and it’ll be done. I’m counting the hours for you.”I smiled. Tova had always been the closest thing to a friend I’d ever had.Priestess Athena swept into the room, her white robe cutting through the dimness from the drawn drapes.“Would you look at that fragile soul? That’s the essence of fasting. It makes you quiet and reminds us there’

Lira Hours later, I woke to Riven asleep beside me. I got out of bed, moving silently—washing my face, brushing my teeth. I was about to change when Jax burst in.“What the hell is he doing here?”Oh, goddess.I rushed to him and pressed a finger to my lips for silence.“Don’t wake him.”“He has no damn right—”I covered his mouth and whispered harshly through gritted teeth. “What did you expect me to do, Jax? Chase him away? You walked in freely,” I said, gesturing to the door.He glared at me, then at the door. “I’ll lock it. I won’t let anyone else have you.”A sardonic smile tugged at my lips. “Let’s focus on leaving. I’m almost ready. Meet me at the van.”He muttered a curse under his breath as he left. I shook my head, half exasperated, half pitying.As I dressed, uncertainty settled in. The crushing sense that this was over before it even began made my eyes sting.I picked up the velvet cloak Jax had bought for me as my eyes grew hot with unshed tears. A dull ache spread throu