Howlstone Academy 300 Days With The Alpha Beta Triplets: Read Chapters 1-5

Bella’s POV:

“Please do not abandon me, Dad!” My mother dragged me out of the house, and I cried out, attempting to reach my father. “I thought you loved me, and you promised I would not leave with her; please give me another chance.”

“I am sorry, Bella, but I can’t. I love you so much, but that doesn’t change the fact that you are a murderer.”

My father’s last words lingered in my mind for hours as Alpha Fredrick, the leader of the Frost Pack and my stepfather, drove my mother and me through the hills to their territory in the southern region of Moonfire.

I never would have guessed that I would end my best friend’s life for a boy. But she betrayed me with the person I cared deeply about. Alpha Princesses and Beta’s in my pack found mates at sixteen, and I had turned sixteen a few months before and still had no mate. This is because I am a hybrid, half vampire, and half werewolf.

My boyfriend, Sebastine, promised to mate with me when I turned seventeen without a mate, but my best friend, Bonnie, stole what belonged to me when they realized they were mates.

“We are here,” my mother announced, interrupting my thoughts, which consisted of Bonnie’s lifeless body, pale from my vampire bite.

I raised my eyes to see the grandeur before us. A sprawling compound adorned with vibrant flora and surrounded by castle-like structures. Students in crisp uniforms were moving around, rushing to their classrooms.

“Why... are we here?” I stuttered, fully aware that this was the school Ryder Ashcroft, my stepbrother and the Alpha prince of the Frost pack, attended.

My mother was also the principal, and all she intended to do was keep me caged.

We had never been on good terms, and every time I visited my mother, he reminded me I was not welcome. He bullied the hell out of me, along with his best friends, the Lycanthal twins and the Frost Pack’s Beta’s sons. They were referred to as the Alpha-Beta triplets because they were born on the same day and time. Rumor has it they will share a mate, so they have become inseparable.

“Bella, your mother, and I decided it would be safer if you sought refuge in the academy. Here, you will be taught to channel your energy into your wolf's side, and we will counteract your vampire strength.”

When Alpha Fredrick mentioned this, I shook my head.

“No, you cannot do this to me. You are not my father, and you have no right to decide for me!” I yelled, attempting to open the doors, but they were jammed shut as the car rolled to the front of the school building.

“You have no choice, Bella. Your father and I agreed to this, and it is the only way to keep you away from the Rune pack. When they discover you are a hybrid, they will drive a dagger through your chest.”

I cried out as she spoke, clutching my aching chest.

“Stop pretending you fucking care! You are the reason I am like this, and you ruined my life!”

This was true because she abandoned me for death when a war broke out, and before my father could reach me, I had already received the vampire bite, which was not fatal because I was still a baby without a wolf.

“I will not have this argument with you, Bella.” My mother said in a subtle tone, burying her head in her palm while I cried louder.

This woman despised me so much that she never came back until I was ten. She sought refuge from her high school lover, the Alpha of the Frost Pack, Alpha Fredrick. We were never close, and I often wondered if she was my mother because she expected the worst from me.

“You can cry all you want, Bella, but the decision is made. You will share a room with Ryder and the twins, who will keep an eye on you until we find a way to stop your insatiable desire for blood.”

As the car came to a stop, I looked at her with tear-stained eyes.

“Wipe those sorry excuses for tears and get out of the car; Mrs.Gray awaits us.”

While I was still trying to wipe my tears, she opened the door and pulled me out of the car.

“Evelyn, please take it easy on her,” Alpha Fredrick said, making my mother scoff.

“Do not tell me how to raise my daughter!” She yelled, yanked my hand, and led me to the front of the finely built brick building, where a woman with long gray hair dressed in an ash suit stood smiling.

“There is not much to say here, Mrs. Gray. She needs all the corrective therapy, and I am confident she will come around.” My mother said, dropping me off in front of the porter with my luggage. “I need to prepare for classes today,” she said.

She spun around and got into the car, instructing Alpha Fredrick to step on the gas.

“Here, this scroll will guide you to your dorm room.”

This was the only thing Mrs. Gray said to me before she disappeared.

**

Using the scroll provided to me, I entered the dorm building, which sent shivers down my spine due to how cold it was.

As I walked down the long corridor, my mind was filled with a variety of thoughts, ranging from the gory image of my best friend’s lifeless body to the corridor that led to the triplets’ dorm room. It had magnificent oil paintings of past pack leaders. There were statues everywhere, and I did not need anyone to tell me this was the dorm’s elite section.

After a while, I came across a large door labeled “206,” which corresponded to the number on my key.

My heart thumped loudly as I slid the key in, expecting to be greeted by Ryder and his friends, but when I opened it, it was empty. I heaved a sigh, wheeling my luggage in.

The room was a two-bedroom suite with a luxurious kitchen and living area. Each bedroom had two beds that were meticulously laid. I entered the room with an empty bed, and as I came to a halt in front of it, dumping my luggage on the floor, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled my nostrils. This scent caused every muscle in my body to tighten because of the rush of excitement.

My heart raced as I rushed to the front door, mixed emotions in my chest. My wolf purred and rolled around in delight because she had found her mate, but my happiness was cut short when Ryder and his friends opened the front door. When I locked eyes with them, the word “Mate.” rang in my ears.

It dawned on me that I wasn't mateless, but in the wrong pack.

I lost my footing for a moment, my eyes fluttering as I stared at the three, six feet plus boys who appeared to have fallen out of a romance novel with their godlike physiques. My wolf died with excitement, but my heart broke; this was a curse.

“It looks like our plaything arrived safely; we have been waiting for you.” Ryder smirked and inched closer to me.

I took a step until my back collided with the door to my room. The door opened, almost causing me to slip, but I found balance. I slipped out of my thoughts and dashed to my bed to sit down. When I sat on the bed, a balloon of water burst, and the bed crashed to the ground.

“It looks like someone peed her pants.” Ryder chuckled and high-fived the twins as they mocked me.

“Remember, Runestone, you are not welcome in this pack, and your time here will be hell.”

What could be worse than your bullies being your mates who couldn’t recognize you as theirs?

Bella:

Ryder despised me and claimed that my mother was the reason his mother left, but that was none of my business. He never reacted negatively to my mother.

“I am not afraid of you, Ryder,” I said, trying to stand my ground and ignoring my wolf, who could not stay in one place.

“Looks like someone grew some balls over the years, and it is good to see that we can now play equally.” He said, glancing at the twins, who both smirked at me.

My pussy muscles tightened as I stared into their gorgeous brown eyes. It was the mate effect, which made me feel both disgusted and horny.

Kai and Finn circled around me,scrutinizing my attire. Finn grabbed my waist and pulled me to his chest, whispering in my ear.

“Did you dress up for us?” I chuckled, slapping his hands away from my waist, and he pushed me toward Kai, who yanked away my daylight necklace from my neck.

“Give it back!” I yelled, and he gave off a dark chuckle.

“Make me,” he said, throwing it to Ryder, the tallest of them.

Ryder did nothing but raise his hands as I attempted to reach it.

“Midget,” Finn said to me, and they gave off their usual mocking laughter.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I attempted to reach the neckpiece, the only thing that reminded me of my father that I had left home with.

“What is going on here?” Alpha Fredrick asked, and we all turned to look at him standing by the door with his brows wrinkled.

Ryder let go of the necklace, which I caught before it fell to the ground, staring at the Alpha through tear-stained eyes.

His gaze darted around the room before he walked towards the broken bed.

“Ryder?” Alpha Fredrick raised an eyebrow with his arms crossed.

“Bella broke it. It is not my fault she got so fat over the summer,” he said, and the twins laughed.

I wasn’t fat, but he loved to make jokes about it to make me feel bad.

But the alpha’s eyes bore no trace of happiness.

“Finn, Kai, get out!” He growled, and the laughter stopped.

The twins bolted, leaving Ryder, Alpha Fredrick, and me in the room.

“Bella has been placed under your care, not for your childish schemes. I am going to let this go while you make amends.”

His words were comforting, something my mother wouldn’t do.

“For tonight, she will share a bed with you while I work on fixing her bed. Bella will stay here to settle in, and you will get her food from the dining room,” he said, and my eyes widened.

“You are unbelievable. If you will excuse me, I have to get to training!” Ryder said in a raised tone before leaving.

I arranged my belongings as the Alpha had instructed, and soon it was nighttime. My stomach rumbled badly because I had not eaten all day. The triplets had left for training and possibly dinner, so I sat in the living room with a book in hand, trying to distract myself.

I knew they were back when their scent filled the air, which reminded me of freshly brewed coffee. The door to the room opened, and the trio walked in.

Ryder approached me with the perfectly packaged meal in hand.

“I am sorry for what happened earlier, and here is your dinner,” he apologized, but I did not mind because I assumed his apology wasn’t from his heart but his father’s doing.

I jumped up from the couch, rushing to grab the takeaway from him, but when I got close enough, he dropped it to the ground.

As I watched the entire contents of the plate spill onto the floor, he stepped on it and then stood close to me. I was foolish to think he would actually apologize. He was a monster, and changing him would be like putting a camel through a needle.

“My mistake,” he said, and I looked at him to see the smirk on his face. “It looks like someone is eating from the floor, like the dog that she is.” He said it, and I tried hard not to cry.

“Clean up this mess, or you will be sleeping on the floor tonight. Unfortunately, my father is far away in his castle and will not be able to help you until tomorrow. A weakling like you will not understand why we are known as the frost pack until you freeze to death while sleeping on the cold tiles, so what will it be?” Ryder inquired, grabbing a mop from the corner of the room.

Finn averted my gaze as he knocked a glass from the island table.

“I am so clumsy,” he said, and everyone laughed.

“Get cleaning!” Ryder threw the mop stick from a distance, causing the mop head to come into contact with my open mouth, allowing some of the mop to touch my tongue.

I spat and slapped my tongue, rushing to the washbasin to wash off the sand from the mop stick. But they did not care.

“Get to cleaning. The choice is yours: eat off the floor like the filthy animal you are, or clean it up!”

With no choice left, I grabbed the mop from him while he and the Lycanthal twins returned to their rooms.

***

“Everything about you is beautiful,” Ryder said, pulling my waist to his chest.

He parted my hair, exposing my neck, which he attacked with gentle kisses that sent a rush of emotions through me. I tried to stop him, but he spun me around and kissed my lips. My hands rummaged around his muscular chest before he lifted me up, wrapping my legs around his waist.

He gently placed me on the bed, undoing my dress to reveal my bare breasts. My face flushed at once, and I tried to hide it, but he grabbed my hands.

“Don’t cover up for me.” he whispered.

“Yes, Bella, you should not cover up for us. We want every inch of you.”

The Lycanthal twins said, and I peered behind Ryder to see them in nothing but briefs, their prints clearly visible, which made me even more horny.

“Tell us what you want, and we will gladly satisfy you,” they said, getting into bed.

My entire body warmed up, and I pressed my lips against Ryder’s, while Kai played with my breasts and Finn slid his hands into my panties. The feeling of having all three of them make please me was overwhelming.

“Faster, Finn,” I demanded, as his fingers moved in and out of me.

“Ryder, fuck!” I groaned, trying to kiss Ryder, but then he pushed my face away.

“What the fuck? Get off me, weirdo!” He yelled, and then he fell down with a large thud.

This caused me to jerk up, opening my eyes to see myself on the bed with a blonde girl in uniform with her hair packed in a ponytail assisting Ryder, who had fallen off from the bed.

I had been dreaming, and it was an embarrassing one, which made me wish I could get swallowed by the bed, so I do not live the aftermath of the shame.

“Are you fine, boo?” she asked, rubbing his head. I felt a surge of rage in me, and my wolf growled, urging me to intervene and separate them.

“And who is this?” she asked, assessing me.

“No one important,” Ryder replied, drawing her closer to him, her breasts grazing his chest as he kissed her lips, sending a jabbing pain through my chest.

Bella:

It was the first day of school, and I tried not to let Ryder or the Lycanthal twins bother me. When I put on my uniform, I stood in front of the mirror to check myself. The skirt was a little tight, highlighting my curves.

“Where are you going, dressed like that?” Ryder asked, and I looked in the mirror to see him standing behind me, his brow wrinkled.

“School?” I raised an eyebrow. “What is the big deal?” “You are not my mother.”

“Yes, babe, what is the big deal?” The blonde girl asked, grabbing his collar, but he drew her hands away.

“You have been placed in my care, and you will not leave this dorm in something so short!” He stormed away angrily, leaving the blonde staring at me with squinted eyes.

After that brief encounter with Ryder, I ignored him and wore my skirt out of the room to the dining hall, using the scroll as a guide.

As I walked down the hall, people looked at me, murmured, and pointed to their screens. Some made hand job gestures with their hands, while others spat in my direction.

At first, I thought it was my skirt, so I ignored them and went to the dining hall. Things did not get better because the students stared at me, making me wish I could disappear. I made my order and rushed to an empty table at a corner to eat my fresh breakfast of oats, fruit, and pancakes, but before I could take a bite, someone dumped a whole cup of yoghurt down my hair.

“That will teach you to stay away,” she said.

Before I could protest, my head was pushed down into my tray of food, and the entire dining hall burst into laughter. I looked up and saw Ryder, Finn, and Kai in a corner with the blonde girl and two other girls. The girls were on their phones while everyone laughed at me.

Shame enveloped me, prompting me to stand up. I dashed out of the dining room as everyone laughed and pointed fingers, heading straight to the restroom in the class area. This was because I could not risk returning to my room, because the classroom doors would close before I finished cleaning up.

I tried to hold back my tears in the mirror, but they just flowed freely. I paused for a moment when I heard the door open and turned to see a brunette wearing glasses.

“Are you here to make fun of me, or something?” I asked, tightening my fists.

“No, I am here to help. My name is Hazel, and I apologize for what happened to you; I witnessed everything. I have been a victim countless times, so I know how it feels,” she explained.

I relaxed my fist, allowing her to assist me in cleaning up while she explained how Ryder was the hottest guy in school, and the fact the girls thought I wanted him prompted them to pursue me.

“What makes them believe I do?” I asked, wondering if anyone had noticed the mate bond, which was impossible because the triplets didn’t even know we were mates.

“You haven’t seen the blast on Fangtastic Diaries?” she asked and I stared at her wide eyed.

“What’s that?”

“A blog that documents everyone’s mishaps as they happen,” she said, showing me a video of me moaning to the triplets’ names and attempting to kiss Ryder. Knowing who did it made my brows wrinkle immediately.

“The blonde with a ponytail!” I exclaimed.

“Fae Stormclaw? Oh, you do not want to mess with her. She is Ryder’s girlfriend, and her fairies will come for you.” Hazel said, but I could not care less.

I stormed out of the bathroom.

My prayers were answered when I collided with her.

“Watch where you are going, Ms. Sluttiness,” she said, and the girls behind her burst into laughter.

I grabbed her by the collar right away, but before I could do anything, my mother called out to me.

“My office, Ms. Runestone!”

I released my grip on the Fae’s clothes and followed my mother to her office. She slammed the door hard when I got in, resting her back on the table.

“I am tired of your nonsense, Bella, and it has to stop now. It hasn’t even been up to twenty-four hours, and you are already acting up. Are you out to disgrace me?” Mum yelled out.

I looked this woman in the eye, a tear escaping my eyes. I had found my mates and I couldn’t even share the news with my mum because she was unbelievable. There was a rumor making rounds, and she couldn’t come to my rescue.

“And this news of you being a slut that I hear?”

“Mum, it is fake.” I cried out.

“Are you sure? Ryder is going to find his mate at the ball this weekend, and I advise you to avoid him, because I will not let you ruin anything. You are too young for all this.”

I scoffed as she said this.

“You lost everything because of a boy, and you want to do it again here. Bella, you are young, and I understand that your feelings of attachment are all over the place, but please…”

“Enough, Mum; the fact you think I am a slut is enough for me. That is all I wanted to hear, and I won’t have this conversation again,” I said, grabbing the door handle.

“I do not intend to have this conversation either, and let me tell you something: as the principal of Howlstone, it is my responsibility to protect the students. You are a vampire, and even the slightest slip will cause the entire school to drive a stake through your heart, and I won’t object. So keep your guard up, Bella.”

“I am doing it perfectly, thank you, ’mum’.” I opened and slammed the door with my heart in my throat.

My mother just threatened to kill me.

I walked into the hallway, trying to hold back my tears, but I ended up on the floor, with the entire hall laughing.

Then I noticed a banana peel near me.

The bell for classes went off at once, but students didn’t stop filming.

“To your classes!” Mother yelled at the students.

Tears welled up in my eyes as my mother tried to assist me, but I slapped her hands away, limping away as quickly as possible.

This school was a nightmare, but I guess I was paying for murdering my best friend in cold blood..

Bella:

The day of the mating ball had arrived, and the school was abuzz with a mix of nerves and excitement. I lay sprawled on my bed, music blasting through my headphones to drown out the rest of the world—particularly Ryder and Fae’s incessant make-out sessions on his bed.

I wasn’t just battling the heartache of my mate being with someone else; I was also swamped with school work, having transferred mid-semester. To top it all off, the entire school despised me, so the ball was the last thing on my mind.

When my aching heart stopped, I knew they had finished, so I took off my earpiece and got to my feet.

I needed to get away to breathe, so I went to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water, and Fae appeared, smug as ever.

“You might want to start looking for another place,” she sneered. “After tonight, Ryder will officially be mine, and as the future Luna, I cannot have you around.”

Her words stung, but I held back my response. “Thanks for not gracing the ball with your presence,” she added, her taunts relentless.

Before I could respond, a knock interrupted us.

A porter stood at the door, holding a large box. “Delivery for Ms. Bella Runestone,” she announced.

Inside was a dress from Alpha Fredrick, along with a note to meet him. Fae’s eyes narrowed with envy, but I didn’t waste time.

I didn’t waste a moment meeting the alpha.

There in the reception, Alpha Fredrick was waiting with a necklace in hand.

“This will help you blend in tonight,” he said, handing it over to me. “It will suppress your vampire side.” he added, and I forced a smile on my face.

“Thank you,” I muttered, returning to the room to unbox my dress.

The dress was a golden masterpiece, and for the first time, I felt a flicker of excitement about the ball. I texted Hazel, and she told me exactly where to find her, so I hurriedly dressed up and headed to the ballroom.

**

The ballroom was a whirlwind of colors and sounds. I spotted Fae, her dress shimmering obnoxiously.

She floated over, her words dripping with fake sweetness.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said. “Your dress is… surprising. Almost better than mine,” she said, and I scoffed with an eye roll.

I ignored her, scanning the room for Hazel, and the moment I saw her, I bolted towards her. But I didn’t go too far when the spotlight hit me, and the room fell silent.

My dress, under the harsh lights, was revealing, and my hello kitty underwear was everywhere with phones flickering in my face. My heart raced as I wondered why Alph Fredrick would want to humiliate me in the presence of the entire school.

Then I looked up to see the triplets, standing with Fae and her minions, holding the missing lining of my dress, their grins wide and malicious.

“I think you dropped this,” she said, tossing it in my face.

Kai blocked Hazel’s concerned face, and I felt the rage building inside me.

My fangs threatened to show. In a swift motion, I clasped the necklace around my neck, and the laughter from the triplets ceased, replaced by a possessive growl.

“Mate!” They echoed, and I paused briefly to see the glow in their eyes.

I didn’t wait for Fae’s reaction. I pushed through the crowd, the necklace’s weight a reminder of who I was and what I had to hide. Outside, I ripped it off, my vampire fighting its way to the surface.

Alpha Fredrick arrived just in time, and I saw my mother get out of his car with him.

I glanced at them with a subtle glow in my eyes.

“Bella,” my mother called out.

But I was already gone, scaling the building with ease, leaving them—and their betrayal far behind

“Where is Bella?” Ryder’s voice was frantic.

“Will someone tell me what the hell is going on here?” Alpha Fredrick asked. “What did you do, Ryder?”

“This isn’t the time to push blame, because Bella is my mate and I need to find her!”

“Our mate!” the twins growled.

As the tension in the air thickened, I stood atop the building. The triplets below were a mix of confusion and concern, their scents mingling with the cool breeze.

My heart raced from the betrayal as my mind replayed the evening’s humiliations, the laughter of her peers, and the sting of the spotlight.

My wolf fought hard to regain control, creating turmoil in my mind. I was lost in thought that I didn’t notice Fae approaching from behind. Before I could tell, she pushed me, but my vampire reflexes were fast, causing me to grab the railing on the roof.

“That won’t save you, Bella. You think you can waltz into this school, and steal what is mine? I see the way Ryder has been over you since you arrived, and now, this.” She shook her head.

"Please, Fae, you do not want to do this. You can have Ryder, and I will reject him if you want, please.”

“Like that will happen under the alphas watch. It ends tonight, and right now,” she said, stepping on my fingers, causing me to slip off the railing.

In the twinkle of an eye, I was falling freely from the tip of the roof. Time seemed to have slowed but in reality, I was falling very fast.

I could save myself. I knew that, but that would be in exchange of everyone finding out my secret. Mother’s words rang in my ears, and as I thought of the fact, I would be staked to death, I bit myself quickly, storing part of my vamp blood in my mouth before switching to my wolf.

The triplet sensed something wrong, and they turned in my direction at once.

“Bella!” They echoed, rushing to my aid, but they were too late.

I allowed myself to fall to the hard, rocky ground in human form. I felt the air being knocked out of my lungs and a hundred bones in my body breaking. I shut my vampire side.

“Ouch!” The triplets exclaimed at once.

Panic surged in as I heard my mom calling for an ambulance while my vision began to blurred, and I slowly lost consciousness.

“Bella, please don’t die. We promise never to mistreat you again,” Ryder said, holding my hands, but my body paled out and I slowly lost consciousness.

Seeing the triplets plead didn’t make me feel better. It increased my drive for revenge, because it took almost dying for them to recognize my worth.

The moment I was wheeled into an ambulance, I swallowed my blood, which healed me while I feigned being passed out, thinking of the best way to make the triplets pay for their sins.

The first thing on my mind was rejection, and now that I had the power to make them suffer, I was determined not to hold back.

Third person pov:

“I can not believe the moon goddess would do this to us,” Ryder said, breaking the silence between himself and the twins.

It had been hours since Bella fell from the roof, and they still had not gotten over it, let alone the fact that she was their mate.

“I do not know how to feel or how to control my emotions. What if she dies, and we have to go our entire lives without a mate?” Kai said, pacing around the room, as Ryder and Finn looked at him. “We are horrible people, and we will live without mates. How will we carry out our duties if...?”

“Kai, you are overreacting!” Ryder stated, and Kai paused to stare at him.

“Overreacting?” He inquired in a raised tone. “Says the person who signed us up for this. It was your idea to bully her, and Finn and I agreed because we were supposed to be best friends; however, if she dies, we will throw away everything we have worked for, and...”

“No one is dying, Kai,” Finn, who had been sitting calmly on a couch in the Alphas’ living room, interjected.

“Says who,”

“Me.”

They all turned when they heard Alpha Fredrick’s voice. He stood by the door, arms crossed, and his brow furrowed.

“I hope you boys understand the consequences of your actions. It is all fun and games until someone gets hurt,” he said, referring solely to Ryder.

“Why are you looking at me like that, Dad?” Ryder scoffed, furrowing his brows.

“Because none of this would have happened without you,” Kai explained.

“Push the blame on me one more time, and you will taste the steel of my fists, pussy!” Ryder screamed, rushing towards Kai.

He grabbed him by the collar, and Finn jumped up immediately.

“Both of you, knock it out!” Finn demanded, standing between them.

Alpha Fredrick looked at the three of them, shaking his head. A part of him did not want to believe these were the people who would rule the pack in a few years, while another part wanted to believe they were still children.

“Bella is in the hospital and is doing well. She has awoken, and if you are finished fighting, you can take the basket of fruits in the lobby to her. I am sure she is dying to hear an apology from all three of you.”

The triplets stepped away from the impending fight and stared at Alpha Fredrick.

“Apology to her face? I would rather choke on wolfsbane,” Ryder said, folding his arm and frowning.

“Then I hope you do it quickly because this pack will need a better Alpha, and Bella may be better off ruling as Luna,” he said, and Ryder sighed.

Alpha Fredrick walked toward the stairs.

“You understand what to do and know where she is. I’m surprised you aren’t even at the hospital. So much for having a mate,” he sighed, walking up the stairs.

After the Alpha left, there was a minute of awkward silence among the triplets.

“Ryder, you heard your old man. Let us get going,” Finn said, leaving the living room, followed by the others with heavy hearts.

They all piled in the car.

As they drove to the hospital, their thoughts were racing. Ryder could not believe someone he despised was supposed to be a part of him. Kai felt sorry for her and hoped she would forgive him. Finn, who was driving, appeared unconcerned about what was going on. He didn’t care about being mated to Bella, but he was open to whatever she wanted from the relationship.

“We are here,” Finn said, interrupting the others’ thoughts.

They both groaned, and Ryder, who was in front of Finn, opened the door immediately.

“Let us get this over with, shall we?” He asked, then he walked to the trunk to get the basket of fruits.

He looked at the twins before handing the basket to Kai.

“You should present it to her,” Ryder suggested, and Kai frowned.

“Why? Are you too afraid to face your mate, whom you have hurt so much?”

Finn, who noticed an impending fight, intervened.

“Give it to me!” He grabbed Kai’s basket and walked towards the hospital’s front door.

“You two should cut it out. What are you? Princesses from kindergarten who can not find their tutus?” He questioned as he walked through the hospital’s sliding doors.

Ryder and Kai sighed as they walked behind him. They walked steadily until they reached the room where Bella was hospitalized. Finn gave the door a gentle tap before he opened it.

The triplets were taken aback when they noticed Bella lying on the bed, her eyes tightly shut and her skin pale.

“I thought your dad said she was awake,” Kai said in a whisper, and Ryder, still lost in thought about how he could despise someone and still feel hurt seeing them helpless, remained silent.

Finn dropped the fruit basket on the table.

“Maybe we should wait around to see if she wakes up so that we can apologize to her,” Finn said, as Ryder remained silent and stared at her.

The twins kept weighing their options until they realized Ryder was not paying attention.

“Ryder?” They called out in a low tone at once.

“I.. I.. think we should go,” Ryder said, turning away.

He could not understand the sudden ache in his heart, and he needed reasons to justify his hatred, and the fact Bella was the reason his mother had left sounded ridiculous.

“Yes, we should leave, and...”

“I can hear you all, and I am awake,” Bella said, and they turned to face her, jaws set on the floor.