Bonded to Her Triple Alphas

35

Kaya’s POV.

I’m eating like a wild animal, running everything into my mouth as if the food is running away. Aiden keeps watching me, and now he is fiddling with his fingers as he is adjusting himself on the bed.

Then, when I finishwith the food, I blink up to see him. He is staring back at me with a smile that doesn’t reach his face.

I glance away before I glance back at him. This situation is awkward.

“I’m sorry…”

“No, please, take your time.” He spreads his hands out at me while he fakes a smile again.

This situation is indeed awkward.

“Did I do something?”

“Well,” he scratches a side of his head, “you agreed to talk about your situation, but it’s been twenty minutes and you’re still eating.”

“I…”

“I understand. It’s not like I expected the trauma to just disappear. I mean, just a few hours ago, you tried to take your own life. Wait, is that insensitive? I am sorry.” He narrows his eyes at me, and I smile.

Is he not sweet?

“What do you want to know?” I shift the plate to one side, making certain that my eyes are in contact with his. He doesn’t waver either.

“Well, everything. I’d like to know all the struggles you’ve faced. Trust me, I’ve had mine too, but if we are to be close or anything, I think it’d be better to be able to trust each other.”

I nodded my head in response with an agreeing hum. It takes a couple of seconds to clear my throat, and I stare into the sheets, if possible.

“Everything was peaceful until the triplets killed my family. They took everything from me, and not just everything, but everything I could ever hold dear to myself that I could ever call a possession, including my body, my soul, and my life.” I pause there and lower my gaze to my fingers, which are intertwined and placed on my thighs.

“I’m sorry. And while you may not believe this, I might just be that one person in the kingdom, in this area, who knows and understands all you’ve faced.” The corners of his eyes wrinkle from a deep smile, which makes me go into a thought for a second.

“And how are you assured of that?”

When I ask, he sighs and tilts his head to the side. It takes him a few minutes, and still he doesn’t speak. He just stares into the wall ahead of us, his eyes zoning into a distance, to which I am left bewildered.

I wonder if, truly, his situation is as hard as mine. Perhaps that’s why he doesn’t know how to discuss them, having had no choice but to bottle everything inside all the while since there’s no one else that he can trust. Now that I am here, since he’s saved my life and I wish to know him for all honesty, if he’s someone I can ever try placing my trust in again, I should tell him more about my situation.

To be honest, after all that Melissa did, I don’t think I can trust anyone else just like that.

Aiden is still staring into the wall when I begin, “I never knew the triplets hatred for witches could ever be so deep. I’ve lost myself in their quest to find out about me; at least that’s what they say. I don’t know why they are so invested in me. One funny thing, yes?” I turn my eyes to Aiden, who’s now locked his eyes with mine.

I could see the comprehension in his sight. He nods his head, urging me to continue.

“The Alpha of Crestwood wanted to kill me, but you know what the triplets did? Well, they attacked him. And now, they’ve gone to war to take over his pack. Sometimes, I wonder if I am an experiment, as they claim. If they really see me as a toy or maybe as a sex slave, their actions feel deeper than that, in contrast. It’s as though there’s some sort of connection.” My brows are furrowing.

It has been a long time since I’ve ever been this puzzled about an event, especially one that involves the triplets. Now that I am thinking of it, I’ve never really wondered much about their intentions, but now that I talk about them, their actions go way beyond what a master would do to his slave or toy.

They could or should have killed me, but they chose not to. There are far more reasons than me just being a witch that they must do an experiment on.

Could there be a bond between the triplets and me?

Aiden halts my thinking with him clearing his throat: “You seem lost in your thoughts. You’ve zoned out.” Then, his grip on my hands causes me to frown even deeper. He says with a serious tone, “do not be fooled by anything. It’s all a trick. You think there’s a connection, yet they pushed you to the brink of wanting nothing but death? Have you thought of that?”

When he says that, I nod my head. “you’re right. I’ve watched a friend die in the hands of the brothers. They claim they own me, like I am some property, like I am nothing, but I’m not. I’m a powerful being, a being meant to restore balance to this world if lost.” I sigh for a second, pausing, “a being meant to maintain the balance if remained, but here I am, being tainted by another being.” I finish and turn my face away, tears threatening to slide down my face.

I use my hands to pat under my eyelids, then my cheeks.

“I understand your frustration. I should tell you my experience, too.” Aiden says as he rubs his fingers on the back of my palms, his eyes boring into mine when he calls back my attention.

“Well, aren’t you being so sweet?” I smile and pat him on the cheek. “You are like the brother that I lost in the hands of these uncultured bastards. I’d be glad if you filled his position in my heart; at least that way I can be happy that he’s forever living in a spot up here.” My hands clutch my chest lightly when I say that, and Aiden, on the other hand, raises one of his brows before he clears his throat and turns his eyes away.

His following intent rubs awkwardness at me, to which I am left a bit confused. Could I have said something wrong?

“Did I say anything wrong?” I ask him my thoughts, but he only shakes his head.

“No, don’t stress it. I’d love to be in your heart anyway. I mean, we’ve got to hold each other dear.”

I wanted to talk about Melissa or even tell him how my parents and brother died, but I don’t know if that’s the best thing to do right now. I am still too weak mentally to have such sensitive discussions. They would only lead me to more suicidal thoughts and wants, which, well, wouldn’t end well for this new-found friendship of Aiden’s and mine.

I think it will be better if he finds out more about me over time, perhaps in a future conversation.

“I’d like you to ask about something, though.” I ask him, to which he hums right away in affirmation.

“What’s that?”

“I want you to be very honest with me.” He nods his head, which makes me smile briefly, just for a split second. “Are you really here with me for genuine reasons? I mean, you’re not here for more than just genuinely saving me because it was a coincidence; perhaps something that would break my heart in the future…”

He scoffs lightly. “I don’t know if someone had broken your heart before,” he pauses, having started with a lightened tone, his voice sounding completely ethereal in my ears, then he shifts his face in the opposite direction, where there’s the entrance door.

“Did you not lock it? Is someone coming?” I ask out of panic. Aiden places his index finger on his lips, ushering me into a state of muteness, and I nod my head, holding my lips together.

My senses have heightened, hoping that it’s not that we’ve been caught. My chest is starting to beat faster as well.

He walks close to the door and opens it slightly so he can peek at the outside. Behind him, I had followed without his knowledge. From his back, I peek as well, and then my eyes widen partly at the sight of guards marching in one direction.

Then, I gasp, jumping up as though my soul had run out of me when the sound of the large bell quake into every instinct of the palace.

“Whatever is happening?” Asking Aiden, he shrugs and gives me an “I have no idea too” face.

He clears his throat, then whispers, “I guess we have to go and check.”

I agree with him on that.