3

Kai’s words echoed in my head long after he left my room.

"You really don’t know, do you? Why you’re really here."

I wanted to chase him down, to demand answers, but I knew I wouldn’t get any. These Alphas weren’t the type to hand over information freely. They were strategists, warriors, rulers. Every move they made was calculated.

And I was just a piece on their board.

The rest of the night passed in restless silence. Sleep refused to come, my mind circling Kai’s cryptic words, the servant girl’s warning, and the undeniable feeling that I was missing something crucial.

By the time morning arrived, I had already bathed and dressed in the simple gray dress left for me. It wasn’t the fine silk I had worn at my old pack’s gatherings, but it was comfortable enough. The fabric hugged my body without constricting, allowing for movement—a small mercy in a place where I needed to be prepared for anything.

A sharp knock at the door interrupted my thoughts.

I tensed. Was it Kai again?

“Enter,” I called, keeping my voice steady.

The door swung open, revealing a tall woman with sharp features and piercing hazel eyes. She looked to be in her late forties, with streaks of silver in her dark hair. Despite the slight wrinkles around her eyes, her posture was rigid, her energy commanding.

She was a Beta. High-ranking. Dangerous.

“Aria Lockhart,” she said, her tone crisp and unimpressed. “Come with me. The Alphas are expecting you.”

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. No point in pushing back—yet.

I followed her through the winding hallways, memorizing the layout as we walked. The Silverclaw mansion was massive, built like a fortress rather than a home. Every turn revealed something new—high stone archways, heavy wooden doors reinforced with iron, and guards stationed at key locations.

This wasn’t just a pack’s estate. This was a stronghold.

We reached a set of double doors. The Beta knocked once before pushing them open, revealing a long dining hall bathed in morning light. The ceilings stretched high, chandeliers casting a soft golden glow over the room. A grand table stood in the center, lined with trays of food—eggs, roasted meats, fresh fruit, and warm bread.

And at the head of the table sat the triplet Alphas.

Sebastian, ever the picture of control, sipped his coffee without looking up. His dark hair was slicked back, his green eyes sharp even in the early morning light. Kai, leaning back lazily in his chair, met my gaze with that same unreadable smirk from the night before. And Dante—calm, analytical, and silent as ever—simply watched.

“Sit,” Sebastian commanded without preamble, gesturing to the empty seat across from them.

I walked forward, keeping my movements smooth and deliberate. I refused to let them see my nerves, even as the weight of their collective dominance pressed against me.

The moment I sat down, the Beta woman—who I now assumed was their second-in-command—moved to stand behind Sebastian.

“She will be briefed today,” she said, her voice clipped. “She needs to understand her role here.”

My role.

A treaty bride. A pawn.

Sebastian set his cup down with a quiet clink, finally turning his full attention to me. “You will abide by this pack’s laws. You will not question my orders. And you will not interfere in pack matters. Understood?”

A test. A challenge. He wanted me to submit—to accept my place without question.

I held his gaze. “And if I refuse?”

Silence. The air thickened. The Beta tensed slightly, though she hid it well.

Sebastian tilted his head slightly, his expression cool. “Then you won’t last long here.”

The threat was unspoken, but clear.

I didn’t flinch. I wouldn’t.

“Noted,” I said, reaching for a piece of fruit on the table. I bit into it slowly, deliberately, as if the conversation bored me. I saw the flicker of something in Kai’s eyes—amusement, curiosity.

Sebastian leaned back in his chair. “Good. Then let’s discuss the terms of this arrangement.”

Dante finally spoke, his voice measured. “Our union is symbolic. Your presence ensures peace between your former pack and ours.”

“And what does that mean for me?” I asked, wiping juice from my lips.

Sebastian’s fingers tapped against the table, his gaze calculating. “You will remain here, under our protection.”

“Protection,” I echoed. “Or surveillance?”

Kai chuckled under his breath. Dante said nothing, but I saw the flicker of agreement in his expression.

Sebastian, however, wasn’t amused. “You’d do well to watch your mouth, Aria.”

“Or what?” I challenged. “You’ll remind me that I’m nothing more than a treaty bride?”

For the first time, true irritation flickered in his eyes.

Kai whistled lowly. “She’s got fire. I like it.”

Sebastian shot him a sharp look before returning his attention to me. “I don’t care whether you like it here or not. But make no mistake—you belong to this pack now. You belong to us.”

A slow shiver ran down my spine, though I masked it well.

“Then I suppose I should get used to it.”

Sebastian exhaled through his nose, clearly done with the conversation. “You’ll be assigned a personal guard. You are not to leave the estate without permission. Your old life is gone, Aria. Accept it.”

I clenched my fists beneath the table.

Accept it?

Never.

But I nodded, knowing it was the only move I could make right now.

The meeting ended shortly after, the triplets leaving me with more questions than answers.

Later That Day

I wandered the outer corridors, taking in every exit, every possible escape route. I wasn’t foolish enough to try now, but I needed to understand this place.

I needed to understand them.

“Thinking of running?”

The voice made me freeze.

I turned, finding Dante leaning casually against the stone archway behind me. Unlike his brothers, his approach was quiet—almost calculated.

I folded my arms. “Would it matter if I was?”

His blue eyes gleamed. “Yes.”

We stared at each other, the weight of something unspoken settling between us.

Then, without warning, Dante reached into his coat pocket and tossed something toward me. I caught it instinctively.

A small, silver key.

My brow furrowed. “What’s this?”

His lips twitched slightly, the closest thing to a smirk I had seen from him. “Consider it an experiment.”

Before I could ask more, he turned and walked away, disappearing down the hall.

I stared at the key, my heart pounding.

An experiment?

Or a test?

Either way, I had just been given my first opening.

And I wasn’t about to waste it.