Mated to the Triplet Alphas-Chapter 77: Spring Tensions

After months of heavy snow and crisp cold, winter had finally thawed and gave way to spring. Snow was finally melting, and the days were starting to turn warm.

“Those lanterns need to be higher, Hazel,” Jessie’s bossy voice cut through my moment of peaceful appreciation. “The festival starts tomorrow, and everything needs to be perfect.”

I bit back a sigh and continued hanging the colorful paper lanterns along the forest clearing. The spring festival was one of the biggest events of the year—a three-day celebration shared between Emberfang and Ironhound packs in the neutral forest patch that separated our territories. Tonight’s fireworks would officially kick off the festivities.

“The lanterns are at exactly the right height,” I replied, not bothering to hide my irritation. “Any higher and they’ll get lost in the tree branches.”

Jessie flipped her sleek black hair over her shoulder. “Luna Evelyn specifically said they should be visible from both sides of the clearing.”

“And they will be,” I countered, feeling a throb begin at my temples. This headache had been building all morning, and Jessie’s constant nitpicking was only making it worse. “The triplets approved this layout yesterday.”

Her eyes narrowed at the mention of Lucas, Liam, and Levi. “Luna Evelyn put me in charge of decorations, not you.”

“And the Alphas put me in charge of the entire festival coordination,” I reminded her, standing my ground despite the pounding in my head. “So unless you want to explain to them why you’re undermining their decision...”

I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of satisfaction at Jessie’s scowl. Three months ago, I would have quietly accepted her domineering attitude, desperate to avoid conflict. But things had changed. I had changed.

“You know,” I said, reaching for another lantern, “this reminds me of the triplets’ birthday party. Remember how that turned out?”

Jessie’s face darkened at the reminder. Jessie might have gotten the praise for the decorations back then, but between both of us, we knew who did all of the work.

“Things were different then,” she snapped, aggressively straightening a flower arrangement. “You may have them wrapped around your finger now, but it won’t last.”

I raised an eyebrow, grateful that most of the other pack members were busy setting up at the opposite end of the clearing. “Is that what you think? That this is temporary?”

“Of course it is.” Jessie’s voice dropped to a venomous whisper. “Luna Evelyn will never accept you as the next Luna. Never. You’re just the orphan maid who got lucky.”

Anger flared inside me, but I tamped it down. My head throbbed in protest.

It’s true. Even though everyone knew I was the triplets’ mate now, I still wasn’t officially the Luna. That title was still held by Luna Evelyn.

“Luna or not,” I said calmly, “I’m still their mate. That’s something no amount of scheming can change.”

Jessie abandoned all pretense of working on decorations, turning to face me fully. “You think you’re so special because fate chose you? Fate makes mistakes.”

“Does it?” I challenged, stepping closer. “Or are you just hoping it does because you can’t accept reality?”

“The reality,” she hissed, “is that they deserve someone who understands what it means to lead a pack. Someone from a respectable family. Not some girl whose parents abandoned her because they couldn’t even be bothered to stick around.”

The jab hit its mark. Anger boiled within me as I gritted my teeth. I couldn’t let it show, knowing it would only give her more satisfaction.

“Is that the best you can do, Jessie? Recycling the same insults you’ve been using since we were kids?” I shook my head, wincing slightly at the increased throbbing. “Here’s a reality check for you. No matter how much Luna Evelyn favors you, no matter how many times you bat your eyelashes at the triplets, they will never be yours.”

Her face flushed an angry red. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I? You’ve been trailing after them since we were children, desperately hoping one of them would notice you. Well, they noticed, all right—they just weren’t interested.”

“You little—”

“Face it, Jessie,” I continued, riding a wave of confidence that pushed past my headache. “They’re my mates, not yours. And while we’re at it, these decorations are staying exactly where I put them.”

Jessie’s eyes flashed with fury. “You think you’ve won? Luna Evelyn still has influence. She still has the final say in who becomes the next Luna.”

“Actually, she doesn’t,” I corrected her. “That choice belongs to Lucas, Liam, and Levi. Not to her, and certainly not to you.”

“They’ll get bored of you,” she spat. “Once they’ve had their fun, once the novelty wears off, they’ll see what I’ve always known—that you’re nothing special. Just convenient.”

I stepped forward, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Are you really so delusional that you think you still have a chance with them? After everything that’s happened? After they’ve chosen me again and again?”

“Chosen you?” she scoffed. “They were forced to accept you because of some cosmic mistake. There’s a difference.”

“Is that what you tell yourself at night?” I asked, ignoring the worsening pain in my head. “That the only reason they’re with me is because they have to be? That’s pathetic, even for you.”

Jessie’s hand flew up, and for a moment, I thought she might actually try to slap me. I braced myself, ready to block her.

“I’ve known them my entire life,” Jessie hissed. “I understand their responsibilities, their position. I was bred to be Luna, while you were bred to clean toilets.”

The nearby pack members weren’t even pretending not to listen now. Some had stopped working entirely, watching our confrontation with wide eyes.

“Is that what you tell yourself at night?” I asked, my patience snapping. “That somehow you’ll break a mate bond that’s existed since the beginning of our kind? That the Goddess is wrong?”

Jessie’s face flushed with anger. “Mate bonds can be broken.”

“Not without consequences,” I shot back. “But please, keep living in your fantasy world where the triplets will suddenly wake up one day and decide they want you instead.”

“They deserved better than you,” she hissed.

“And yet, here I am,” I replied with a confidence I never would have had months ago. “Their chosen and fated mate, helping lead their pack, sharing their bed—”

“Enough!”

The sharp voice cut through our argument like a knife. Both Jessie and I turned to find Luna Evelyn standing just a few feet away, her expression thunderous.