Fated to the Triplet Alphas-Chapter 107: The Welcome

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Chapter 107

~Jade’s POV~

"Jade?"

Ziva’s voice was softer now, but the shock hadn’t left her face. Her brows were drawn together, her eyes scanning me as though trying to make sense of what she had just witnessed.

"Are you okay?" she asked, stepping closer.

Isadora wasn’t far behind her, concern and disbelief marring her expression as she looked between me and the direction Drake had disappeared.

"That was..." she started, then paused, clearly unsure how to even finish that sentence.

"Intense?" Ziva supplied, still staring at me. "Because I’m pretty sure I just watched a whole situation unfold that nobody prepared me for."

I exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through my hair as I tried to ground my thoughts.

"I’m fine." It wasn’t entirely true, as my voice came out a little more strained than I intended.

Ziva didn’t look convinced.

"Fine?" she repeated. "He just kissed you in the middle of a store, claimed you as his mate, and then basically declared war on your other mates, and you’re fine?"

I shot her a look. "He didn’t declare war."

"Jade," she deadpanned, "that was absolutely a declaration."

Despite everything, a small, tired laugh slipped out of me.

Isadora stepped closer. "Are you sure you’re okay, though?"

I nodded this time, more firmly. "I just... need time," I admitted quietly. "That’s all."

Ziva folded her arms, still watching me carefully. "You’re handling this way too calmly for someone who just found out she has another mate."

"I didn’t just find out," I muttered under my breath, but both of them heard it.

Ziva’s eyes widened slightly. "Wait... you knew?"

I groaned softly. "Yes, we met once and... Can we not do this right now?"

There was a brief pause. Then Ziva sighed, shaking her head. "You are unbelievable."

"I’ve been told that," I replied dryly.

Silence lingered for a moment longer before I straightened slightly, forcing myself to move past the situation before my thoughts spiralled again.

"Come on," I said, brushing it off as best as I could. "We didn’t come here to stand around and overthink my life."

Ziva raised a brow. "Jade—"

"At the very least," I cut in, glancing between them, "let’s shop."

Isadora hesitated, still studying my face, but eventually nodded. "Okay," she said softly.

Ziva exhaled, clearly not satisfied, but she let it go for now. "Fine," she muttered. "But we are definitely coming back to this conversation."

I gave a small shrug as I turned back toward the racks, my fingers brushing over the fabrics again.

"Sure," I said lightly. "Later."

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~Dean’s POV~

The Vermillion estate was quieter than I expected.

Not the kind of quiet that came with mourning, but something far more controlled—almost deliberate. The air itself felt heavy, as though even sound had to pass through permission before it could exist.

Beside me, Kai walked in silence, his posture straight, his expression blank, but I knew him well enough to recognize when he was on alert.

We were led into the main sitting room shortly after our arrival. Everything about it was pristine, almost too pristine for my liking.

At least it showed there was order in this household, something I was well acquainted with.

The furniture was arranged with exact precision, the décor minimal yet expensive, and not a single thing seemed out of place. It didn’t feel like a home grieving a loss. It felt like a place maintaining an image.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable." The soft voice came before the person, laced with something I couldn’t quite place.

I turned.

She stood at the entrance of the room, her presence immediately commanding attention in a way that felt... intentional.

Her dress clung just enough to outline her figure without being improper; her movements were slow as she stepped closer, her eyes already on us.

"Skye Vermillion," she introduced, though it didn’t feel like an introduction. It felt like a statement.

Kai inclined his head politely. "Student Council Vice President Kai."

"Dean," I added shortly after. "Student Council President."

Her lips curved slightly, not quite a smile, but enough to suggest amusement.

"I know who you are," she articulated, her gaze lingering on me just a second longer than necessary. "It would be strange if I didn’t."

Something about the way she said it made my shoulders stiffen slightly. She gestured toward the seats. "Sit. Artemis will be down shortly."

Kai and I took our seats and waited. But the moment I sat, I knew something wasn’t right.

It wasn’t just the atmosphere, it was her.

She moved around the room with a kind of ease that didn’t match the situation, her fingers brushing lightly against the back of a chair as she passed, her attention never fully leaving us.

Or more specifically... me.

"You came rather late," she said casually, tilting her head as she regarded us. "For a council so concerned with student welfare."

Kai spoke before I could respond. "We only received confirmation this morning."

"Mm." She hummed softly, as though weighing that answer. "Convenient."

My jaw tightened slightly. "We came as soon as we were informed," I explained evenly. "That is what matters."

Her eyes flickered with interest like she had just found something worth entertaining. "Duty," she mused. "It looks good on you."

I didn’t respond. Instead, I used her method on her. I studied her. Two could play this game.

Besides, something about this entire interaction felt off. This was not how someone behaved after losing a parent. There was no grief in her posture.

No strain in her voice, no crack in her composure. If anything, she looked rather... entertained.

And that was what unsettled me. From everything I knew, Artemis Vermillion was nothing like this.

She was cold, controlled and precise. She made for the perfect soldier, not this or whatever Skye was.

"You’re thinking too much," she said suddenly.

My gaze snapped back to hers. She smiled this time. "It shows."

A faint bead of sweat formed at the back of my neck, though I kept my expression neutral.

"I prefer to observe before I conclude," I replied.

"Wise, but sometimes, observation isn’t enough."

The way she said it made something in my chest tighten, before I could respond, footsteps echoed faintly from the staircase.

All three of us turned, and then Artemis appeared. For a brief second, everything else seemed to fade.

Blonde hair falling neatly over her shoulders, green eyes that were so cold yet calm and dressed entirely in white as she descended the stairs. The atmosphere shifted instantly.

Where Skye felt like disruption, Artemis felt like control.

Kai exhaled quietly beside me, and before I could stop him, he spoke. "Why are you dressed in white during a mourning period?"

The question had been asked; now I wondered how Artemis was going to respond, but it wasn’t Artemis who answered.

A soft laugh came from behind us. Skye.

She rose from her seat and moved as she walked toward Artemis, her heels clicking softly against the floor.

"Because," she began as she stopped just behind her sister, "no matter the ceremony, she never breaks protocol."

Her hand lifted slowly, her fingers brushing against Artemis’ cheek in a somewhat affectionate touch, but something about it felt wrong.

"Except your school, of course," Skye continued. "But even then, she finds a way to stay true to her colour code."

I glanced at Artemis. She was right. Even when it came to wearing our school uniform, she was fond of wearing her white sleeveless sweater over our white long-sleeved shirt, rather than wearing the uniform jacket.

Her lips curved as she leaned in slightly. "Isn’t that right, dear sister?"

Her fingers trailed lower a bit too close past her nape and up her throat. And just as they neared Artemis’ lips, Artemis tilted her head slightly.

Her gaze sharp, cold gaze shifted as it landed on Skye.

The change was immediate. The air itself seemed to freeze.

"They are my guests," Artemis stated in a rather dfangerous calm tone. "Not yours."

Skye stilled. For the first time since we arrived.

Artemis’ eyes didn’t soften. If anything, they grew colder.

"Go find your next sorry victim," she added, her tone cutting clean through the room, "and leave my classmates alone."

Skye wasn’t happy hearing that. She snickered, glanced at me, and then added, "I like this one, though. He’ll make a perfect teasing subject."

Artemis spun on her heels to face her, and the room chilled. "Mum just died. For once, behave!"