Jade’s POV

The night dragged on for hours and hours.

Every second stretched itself thin, like it wanted to torture me deliberately.

I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, my body still, my eyes burning, my chest tight like someone had wrapped iron bands around it and kept pulling. Sleep refused to come no matter how many times I closed my eyes and begged for darkness.

My wolf was restless, pacing, snarling, whining inside me.

They are not here, she kept saying.

Our mates are not here.

They are with her.

“Shut up,” I whispered hoarsely into the empty room.

But she wouldn’t.

The mate bond pulsed like an open wound. It tugged. It throbbed. It burned. Each pull felt like fingers digging into my ribs, dragging my heart toward a place I did not want to imagine.

And yet, I imagined it anyway.

I saw Linda in my mind without meaning to.

Her soft laughter.

Her familiar closeness.

The way she always touched them like she belonged there.

I imagined her lying between them.

Imagined Ronan’s arms around her and his lips on her neck.

Imagined Ryder’s hands on her boobs carresing and tugging her nipples.

Imagined Renzo’s hand on her was as he steadied her so he could fuck her hard.

The images kept coming uninvited, vivid and cruel.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my nails biting into my palms.

Stop. Stop. Stop.

But my body betrayed me. The bond hummed, reacted, responded as if it knew something I didn’t, something it wanted.

They are ours, my wolf protested desperately.

She is stealing them.

A bitter laugh clawed its way out of my throat.

“She doesn’t need to steal them,” I whispered. “They go to her willingly.”

That hurt more than anything else.

The hours crawled by. It was midnight. Then the quiet gray edge of dawn pressed against the windows. I must have dozed off at some point, it was not real sleep, just exhaustion dragging me under for a few broken moments.

That was when I felt it.

A tap.

Soft. Insistent.

I startled awake, heart racing, breath sharp in my chest. The room was brighter now, morning light spilling in through the curtains.

I turned my head.

A line of servants stood before my bed.

My stomach dropped.

They were the same ones.

The same women who used to sneer when I passed. The same mouths that whispered behind my back. The same eyes that watched my mother scrub floors like she didn’t exist.

Now they stood in a neat line, holding my school uniform, shoes, bag, hair accessories, a folded blazer.

“Good morning,” one of them said, her tone polite but curt.

Another leaned toward the third, whispering just loud enough.

“She is so shameless,” she muttered.

“Forcing herself into the triplets’ lives like that.”

“And still spending her wedding night alone.”

My chest tightened.

I swung my legs off the bed, my hands shaking.

“They admitted it themselves,” another whispered. “They don’t care about her.”

“Imagine,” a soft laugh. “Married and unwanted.”

My wolf snarled, slamming against my ribs.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw something. I wanted them gone.

But I didn’t want a scene.

So I swallowed.

“Just... do what you came to do,” I said quietly.

They did.

They helped me with my bath and then dressed me like I was a doll, but that didn’t stop them from still gossiping.

Every whispered insult felt like a blade sliding between my ribs. I told myself to endure it. Just endure. Its your first day in the Alpha’s mansion. You are not supposed to cause a scene. Hold yourself back.

But their whispers didn’t stop.

“Linda is perfect for them.”

“She’s always been.”

“This one? She’s just temporary.”

“A pity marriage.”

My vision blurred.

“Stop,” I said sharply.

They fell silent, for a few seconds.

Then it started again.

That was when something in me snapped.

“Get out!!!”

The scream tore out of me raw and shaking.

The servants froze.

And then....

The door opened.

Alpha Ashford stepped in.

His presence sucked all the air out of the room.

“Already asserting power over the servants because of your new position?” he asked coolly.

My heart slammed.

“No,” I said quickly. “That’s not....”

He raised his hand.

I went silent instantly.

“Get ready,” he said. “Join us downstairs for breakfast. Don’t be late.”

Then he turned and left like nothing had happened. And the servants left with him.

My hands trembled as I finished dressing myself.

When I finally went downstairs, my backpack slung over my shoulder, my chest felt hollow.

They were already seated.

Alpha Ashford at the head.

Then Renzo.

Linda beside him.

Then Ryder and Ronan.

And then there was me. Alone. Abandoned.

I was guided to a seat opposite Ryder and Ronan.

Not one of them looked at me.

Not even once.

Their faces were blank, controlled, distant, unreadable.

It felt wrong.

Like I was the intruder.

Like Linda was the one who belonged there.

She noticed me immediately.

“Oh,” she said sweetly. “The bride is here.”

Her eyes flicked over me slowly. Mockingly.

“I hope you had a good night.”

I didn’t answer.

I couldn’t.

She turned to Alpha Ashford with a smile. “Thank you so much for letting me stay the night. I was just too tired to return back home last night.

Alpha Ashford nodded. “You did a lot for the wedding. If not for you, my sons wouldn’t even be married to their mate.”

Gratitude.

For her.

Something inside my chest cracked.

Linda clasped her hands together. “If it’s alright, I’d love to stay a few more days. Just to help Jade.... adapt, you know I care too much about her to just leave her alone here this soon.”

Alpha Ashford didn’t even look at me.

“Of course,” he said immediately.

Then he tapped the table.

Servants entered with food.

And among them....

My mother.

My breath caught painfully.

She looked exhausted. Her clothes were worn. Her shoulders slumped. Her head bowed low like she didn’t exist at all.

She didn’t look at me.

She wasn’t allowed to.

When she reached Linda with a bowl of hot soup...

Linda tipped it.

The soup poured down my mother’s arm.

My scream shattered the room.

“Mum!”