The Triplet Alphas' Secret Mate-Chapter 47: Acceptance
Scarlett’s POV
I froze. My mind refused to process what I had just heard. My eyes widened as I stared at Alpha Ethan, waiting, expecting him to laugh—to mock my expression or tell everyone he was just testing the triplets.
But he didn’t laugh. The look on his face told me he was fucking serious.
The sharp clatter of silverware hitting the floor echoed through the room like a gunshot. I didn’t need to look to know it was one of them. I could feel it: the raw agony and the possessive rage rolling off the three brothers like a storm about to break.
"To... Scarlett?" Sir Lennox’s voice came out low, strained with disbelief. "You’re marrying the traitor’s daughter? Ethan, have you lost your mind? The council will never—"
"The council will do exactly what I tell them to do," Ethan cut in smoothly. His tone was calm. Too calm. "I thought you’d be pleased with this decision," he added, his voice filled with a quiet challenge.
He didn’t look at anyone else but me. Then his hand moved slowly; he reached across the table and covered mine, his large palm swallowing my trembling fingers. His touch was warm. Possessive. Claiming. And he did it in front of everyone.
"One month," Ethan continued, his thumb brushing lightly over my knuckles. "One month to settle her affairs here... and then she comes home with me." His gaze darkened slightly. "As my Luna."
My breath caught. Inside me, Zoe whimpered. She wanted our fated mates, but she was afraid—afraid of the overwhelming power pouring off Ethan.
Slowly, I turned my head. Leon. Liam. Leo. They looked like they were watching their world collapse in front of them. And for the first time in two years, I saw something different in their eyes. Not hate. Not anger. But desperation. The kind of desperation that comes when a man realizes he’s about to lose everything.
"You are not fucking serious," Liam spat, his voice trembling with rage.
Ethan didn’t seem moved by his outburst. He slowly retracted his hand from mine, but the heat of his touch remained on my skin. "I am very serious, Liam. Is there a reason you are challenging me on the choice of my own Luna?"
The room went deathly quiet. I looked at them, my heart hammering against my ribs. This was it. This was the moment I had waited for. All they had to do was say the words. All they had to do was stand up and tell everyone that I was their mate. If they said it now, Ethan would have to step back. The bond was sacred.
I looked at Leon, who was staring at his hands. I looked at Liam, who was vibrating with rage. Finally, Leo spoke up, his voice tight and full of desperation.
"This is against her will," Leo said, his eyes darting toward his father before landing on me. "We won’t allow this. You won’t marry her against her will."
My heart broke. That was it? That was all he could say? Not that I was his. Not that our souls were tied. Just that it was against my will. It was a weak, cowardly defense that still kept our secret safe.
Alpha Ethan turned to me, his gray eyes piercing and unreadable. "Scarlett? Is this against your will? If you do not wish to marry me, then I won’t go on with it. The choice is yours."
The triplets stared at me, their faces filled with a sudden, arrogant confidence. They were sure I would say it was against my will. They were sure I would choose to stay here, even as their secret, rather than leave with a man I barely knew. They thought they had me trapped in their silence forever.
I looked at Leon’s hopeful face, then at Ethan’s composed gaze. A cold, hollow laugh bubbled up in my chest. If they weren’t going to claim me, why should I protect them?
"No," I said, my voice sounding stronger than I felt. I looked Ethan straight in the eyes, ignoring the collective gasp that traveled around the table. "It isn’t against my will. I’d love to be your bride."
The air in the room seemed to vanish the moment the words left my lips. I didn’t look at the triplets. I couldn’t. I kept my eyes locked on Ethan, watching as a slow, triumphant smirk spread across his face.
He didn’t just nod. He reached out, took my hand again, and lifted it to his lips. He pressed a deep, lingering kiss against my skin, his eyes never leaving mine. My heart raced, and my eyes widened at the boldness of it.
The sound of a chair screeching violently against the stone floor made me jump.
Liam was the first to snap. He didn’t say a word; he just turned and stormed out of the dining hall, the heavy doors slamming behind him with a force that shook the paintings on the walls. Leo followed a second later, his head down, looking like he’d been physically gutted.
Leon stayed the longest, his eyes searching mine for any sign of a lie, any sign that I was joking. When I didn’t flinch, he let out a ragged breath and walked away, his shoulders slumped in defeat.
Sir Lennox stood up last. He looked at Ethan with a mixture of fear and fury, his face pale. He didn’t even glance at me as he followed his sons, leaving the room in a heavy, suffocating silence.
Only Ethan remained. He didn’t look bothered. He didn’t look like he’d just destroyed a family. He casually picked up his fork and continued eating his breakfast as if nothing had happened.
I stared at him, my hands still shaking under the table. The reality of what I had just done started to sink in. I had just agreed to marry a man I barely knew to escape the cowards I was fated to.
"Are you really serious?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "About the marriage? About the one month? About... everything?"
Ethan smirked and simply said, "That is left for you to find out."
