Fated to the Triplet Alphas-Chapter 56: Taken

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Chapter 56

~Jade’s POV~

School that day was a mess. My mates could barely hold their own. It was like everyone walked on eggshells around them.

At this rate, there was no way the Principal wouldn’t get wind of what was going on.

Just as I was leaving at the close of school, I walked past the principal’s office when I went to submit the physics lab key to our Professor and overheard her secretary telling Professor Aqua that Principal Vale left school earlier in the day.

I breathed a sigh of relief and continued on my way while keeping my head down. It did not take long to step out of the school building and head towards the entrance.

I had barely taken some steps out of the building when a familiar voice called my name. I lifted my eyes to see Kael walking towards me, his hand tucked in his pocket. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"Kael?"

He smiled the moment our eyes met, and something in my chest eased despite the chaos of the day.

"Jade," he greeted warmly as he closed the distance between us. His hand remained tucked casually in his pocket, but there was nothing casual about the sharpness in his gaze. He looked like a man already in the middle of something.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "I thought you were working late."

"I am," he replied smoothly. "I am meeting the informant today. There is a purchase to be made."

My steps faltered. "A purchase?"

His lips curved slightly at my expression. "It is time to catch them."

My eyes widened. "Catch who exactly?"

He chuckled under his breath and reached out to tap my forehead lightly. "Do not worry your little head about my operation. You focus on school. I will handle the rest."

That did not comfort me as much as he seemed to think it would.

"I mean it," he continued, his tone softening. "Go home. I made something nice for you to eat. Roasted chicken, scrambled eggs, vegetables, and rice. Proper food. Not those biscuits you pretend are dinner."

Despite myself, I smiled. "You cooked?"

"You recall I usually cooked dinner for you and your mum whenever I came by, right?" he asked.

"Huh, that was mum."

"Is that the lie she told you?" he chuckled. "I always cooked. She saw my coming as an escape and a vacation. I can’t believe she took all the glory," he said, mock offence flickering in his eyes.

"I can’t believe so too," I teased.

"Funny. Now go. I will be back late."

"Be careful," I murmured.

"I always am."

I nodded and stepped past him, though something heavy settled in my stomach as I walked away.

Instead of heading toward the Alpha Triplets’ house for training like I usually did, I decided to take a cab straight home. I was not in the mood for whispers from the students either, nor did I want to bump into Isadora or Ziva.

I needed silence.

The ride started normally. The city looked the same as always, traffic steady, vendors calling from the sidewalks, life moving forward as though nothing had shifted.

I rested my head against the seat and closed my eyes briefly, replaying the incident from this morning when I felt the car slow down.

Instinctively, I opened my eyes to see why we had stopped. Ahead of us, orange barricades blocked the road.

"What happened?" I asked the driver.

The driver leaned forward, squinting. "Looks like a roadblock. Maybe construction."

"Odd." There were no workers, no signs or flashlights. So definitely not construction.

He muttered something under his breath and shifted the car into reverse. "I will take another route, Miss. Sit back and relax."

We turned down a smaller road. I exhaled slowly, but the unease did not leave. Barely a minute later, the driver braked sharply.

"What now?" I asked, sitting up.

A large truck sat across the road ahead of us at an angle, as though it had broken down or been in an accident. Its hazard lights were off. No one stood outside.

"This is strange," the driver muttered. I didn’t know why, but soon my pulse began to climb. He put the car in reverse again. "We will just have to go back."

The engine growled as we began backing up. That was when a black jeep turned the corner behind us.

It drove too fast, and then it stopped directly behind our cab, slamming into us. At the same time, the driver slammed on the brakes to stop and avoid a collision, but it was too late.

We jolted from the collision. For a moment everywhere blurred, and the only sound I heard was a sharp ringing in my head, followed by distant shouting.

"Jade? Jade? Jade" Javelin’s panicked voice filled my head, pulling me back.

I looked at the front seat to see the driver coughing with blood stains on the side of his head.

"What’s going on here?"

My fingers curled into the seat.

The jeep doors opened almost in sync as several masked men stepped out, moving in our direction.

"Drive!" I commanded, but fear and panic set in when the men took out their guns. My heart slammed violently against my ribs. "Now!"

"Drive where? There is nowhere to go!" he shot back.

The driver swallowed. "Stay inside," he whispered, though his voice trembled.

One of the men approached the driver’s side. The moment I saw him raise his weapon toward the shattered window, instinct overrode fear. I pushed my door open and stumbled out of the cab.

My shoes hit the asphalt unevenly, and I staggered, nearly losing my balance. Gravel bit into my palms as I caught myself, but I forced myself upright.

The masked man by the driver turned his head sharply when he saw me.

That was all I needed. My feet moved, and I ran. I did not think. I did not plan. I just ran.

"Jade!" Javelin shouted in my head.

Footsteps thundered behind me almost immediately. Four of them broke off and charged in my direction, spreading out as they moved. They were not random thugs. They were coordinated.

Ahead of me, the back of the truck creaked open. My heart plummeted as two more masked men jumped down from it, cutting off the path in front of me.

I swerved to the side, aiming for the narrow space between the truck and a low fence. If I could just get past them—

A hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. I reacted on instinct.

Twisting sharply, I drove my knee upward with every ounce of strength I had. My foot connected solidly with his groin. He grunted and loosened his grip.

I tore free and bolted again.

I barely made two steps before something clamped around my ankle.

I cried out as my leg was yanked from under me.

The ground rushed up violently. My shoulder slammed against the pavement, and pain exploded down my arm. I rolled onto my back, kicking wildly, trying to dislodge the man gripping my leg.

"Let go of me!" I screamed, but he held on.

Within seconds, the others closed in, forming a wall around me. Shadows blocked out the fading daylight.

I tried to scramble backwards, but a heavy hand pressed down on my shoulder. Another hand seized my jaw, and before I knew what was happening. something struck the back of my neck.

Pain flared in my brain. I shook, but the next second, a cloth was forced tightly over my mouth and nose.

A sharp, chemical scent flooded my senses. I thrashed, trying not to inhale, but my lungs burned, and my body betrayed me. My vision blurred at the edges.

The masked faces above me warped and doubled.

"Jade!" Javelin’s voice echoed, distant now as the strength drained from my limbs.

The sky spun, and then the world went dark.