300 Days With The Alpha Beta Triplets

Bella:

The lights remained off for a while, drawing the triplets' full attention to me, something I had missed during the past two days.

"What was that thing you said about our parents?" Ryder asked, reminding me of my unfinished investigation into my mother's teenage years.

"I snooped around and found out that picture," I pointed towards the fireplace, and Kai directed his flashlight there. "It completes one of my mother's cherished pictures, and your father wasn't in high school, so the story I was told about them being high school sweethearts doesn't add up."

"Yeah, my dad was in his last year of college," Ryder said, and I looked at him trying to hide the fact his words caught me off guard. The last year of college wasn't anywhere near high school.

"So, did he ever mention anything about my mother or how he met your-" I stopped, unsure if I should finish.

"It's fine, Bella." He gave a small, reassuring smile. "My dad only told me he met my mom after college when he was ready to take a wife to be his Luna. He said he fell in love with her, they got married, and that was it. He never said anything about her being pregnant by another man. I always assumed he sent her away because of your mother, but I was wrong."

I let out a heavy sigh.

"A part of me wants to know exactly what happened in the past, but another part of me dreads it. I love my father so much, and I still hold him in high regard, no matter what he did. He was a leader, and I believe he was protecting me. But deep down, I have this feeling that if I find out the truth, I might end up hating him. My mother and I never had much of a bond, and maybe that was because of what happened, but I don't think I'm ready to face it yet. I-"

Finn's hand landed on my thigh.

"You don't have to dive into everything at once, Bella. It's better to take it one step at a time, and we're all here for you. When you're ready to open that chapter of your life, we'll be here to guide you." He glanced at Ryder, who nodded in agreement. "Both of you." Finn added.

"Thank you," I muttered, hugging Finn and Kai, who sat beside me.

"My life keeps getting harder every day. It's like something terrible is always waiting to happen, but I have you guys, and that makes it easier. I love you all."

"We love you too," they said in unison.

We wrapped ourselves in another hug, and just as we were sinking into the warmth of it, the lights flickered back on. We didn't pull away until Kai spoke.

"Hazel."

They released me instantly, and we all turned to see Hazel standing in the hallway. I jumped up and rushed towards her, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"I missed you so much," I said, pressing hard onto her.

At first, her arms were stiff, but after a moment, she hugged me back.

"I can't believe I was roped into doing something so horrible to you. I feel like I don't even know who I am anymore, and I hate myself for it."

I pulled away slightly, taking her hands and squeezing them.

"You don't need to feel bad about what you did. It wasn't intentional, and besides, you helped me learn a lot of things."

Hazel's face remained drawn down, and I glanced over at the boys, who stood silent and still like mannequins. "You sure helped us during that time," Kai said, trying to offer some comfort.

"Bella and I realized our parents have a past full of lies, and that's all thanks to you," Ryder added with a forced smile. I rolled my eyes at his attempt to lighten the mood.

Finn opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Halle walked into the living room. She sniffed the air briefly, then faced me.

"How did your body react to the food?"

"Normal. I didn't throw up," I answered, relieved that the meal had settled fine.

"Good."

Her reply was short, and I turned my attention back to Hazel.

"The only way you can help us now is by telling us exactly what happened with Fae and that witch, Nyx. What are they planning next? Or what's their plan apart from Fae's attempt to impersonate me?"

Hazel ran her hands across her face, taking a deep breath.

"Nyx gave Fae a face swap potion. It only works if she uses it while you're nearby. She's waiting for you to come back to school. She knows I'm here, but not for this, and she wants me to get as much information from you as I can."

Her voice trailed off into a whisper by the end, so I moved closer, gently patting her back.

"You need to stop blaming yourself, love."

"What do we do about the potion, Halle?" Finn asked, and we all turned our attention to the older woman, who had been sitting silently on the couch for some time.

"I don't want to be involved in children's drama. I'm over a century old, and you're all more than capable of handling this," she said, pointing at me. "You're a pure hybrid, stronger than that wannabe." She gestured toward Hazel before continuing. "You're a hybrid too, half witch, half werewolf." Then she turned to the triplets. "And you three-an alpha and betas. Isn't it embarrassing that a mere wolf and a wannabe hybrid have this much control over you? Outsmart them. I know you can. Play their game and win."

With that, she stood up, stretching her back until a cracking sound filled the room.

"These old bones need rest. I don't know which room I was assigned, so I'll be using yours, Bella." Before I could protest, she made her way to the stairs. "The sleeping spell will wear off by five in the morning, so you have about seven hours to decide what to do and get some sleep."

She disappeared up the stairs, leaving us in silence.

"Playing Fae's game is insane. I've been around her long enough to know she's a psychopath. She made me do things I regret, all in the name of love." Ryder broke the silence.

"You heard Halle. We have to play her game," Kai said, though none of us were eager to agree.

An idea hit me suddenly.

"Hazel, I need you to go back to Fae and Sebastian."

"What?" She frowned in confusion, but I took her hands in mine.

"If we're going to outsmart them, we need to make them believe everything's fine. Go back to them. Halle has made you immune to Nyx's spells, so you'll be safe. Find out their plans, and we'll make them think they're winning. But by the end of this semester, I swear Fae will be expelled."