Maria.

A few days had already slipped by, each one moving faster than the last, and with every passing moment, my wedding day drew closer.

The thought alone was enough to make my cheeks warm.

I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection as a soft blush spread across my face. My fingers hovered slightly over my lips, as if I could still feel the ghost of Noah’s kisses lingering there. My heart fluttered in my chest, uneven and restless, as my mind wandered.

What would I look like on that day?

What kind of bride would I be?

I tilted my head slightly, imagining the gown, the ceremony, the way Noah would look at me. And then...what would happen after? What would life truly feel like once everything became real?

A quiet, unfamiliar happiness settled in my chest, fragile but beautiful.

Unable to contain the growing emotions, I tore my gaze away from the mirror and turned toward the window. The soft light filtering through it bathed the room in a calm glow. My eyes drifted outside instinctively, and I didn’t need to think twice before knowing exactly where he would be. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The river.

Noah always found his way there, like it called to him in ways I couldn’t fully understand.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

Without wasting another second, I moved quickly, changing into something lighter, more comfortable. My hands worked faster than my thoughts, my excitement pushing me forward. I wanted to see him. I needed to see him.

But the moment I stepped out of my room...

I froze.

My entire body went rigid, my breath catching sharply in my throat.

For a second, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me.

No... this couldn’t be real.

Almost instinctively, I pinched myself, hard enough to sting. The sharp pain snapped through me instantly, grounding me in reality.

And just like that, the color drained completely from my face.

They were real.

The Quadruplets.

All four of them stood right in front of me, solid, unmoving, and very much present. Their presence alone seemed to fill the entire space, suffocating and overwhelming all at once.

My stomach twisted.

"What are you doing here?" I asked immediately, my voice laced with irritation as I rolled my eyes, unable to hide the disgust creeping into my expression.

"To bring you home, Mate."

Adrien’s voice came out almost playfully, his tone filled with an excitement that made my skin crawl. The way he said it, so casually, so confidently, made something inside me snap.

I scoffed, folding my arms tightly across my chest as I glared at them.

"I really don’t know the home you are talking about," I replied coldly. "But I already have a place here."

The words felt right leaving my lips, firm, certain, final.

"No, you can’t really have a place here, Maria."

Davian’s voice cut in, deeper, more serious. His eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my chest tighten involuntarily.

"And why is that?" I shot back instantly, raising my brows as impatience surged through me. I was already tired of this, tired of them, tired of everything they brought with them.

"Because we aren’t there," Davian answered without hesitation. "You can’t have a home without us."

For a moment, everything inside me stilled. Then anger rushed in, sharp and uncontrollable.

My fists clenched tightly at my sides, nails digging into my palms as a wave of emotions crashed over me. Paranoia, frustration, disbelief, they all tangled together until I could barely separate one from the other.

After everything.

After all the humiliation, the pain, the rejection... he had the audacity to say that?

Wasn’t he the one who doubted me the most? The one who looked at me like I was nothing?

And now...Now he was standing there, claiming I couldn’t have a home without him... without them?

A bitter laugh almost escaped me, but I swallowed it down, my expression turning colder instead.

To hell with such a home.

"If there is nothing important left to say, I would like to take my leave," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the storm raging inside me. Every word felt deliberate, controlled, as I tried to keep my anger from spilling over. "I have somewhere really important to go."

I didn’t look at any of them for long, afraid that if I did, the emotions clawing at my chest would show too clearly on my face.

"Maria," Damien began, his tone softer than I expected, yet still carrying that familiar firmness. "I knew from the start that it wouldn’t be that easy to take you home, but we won’t give up until you give in."

For a brief second, I simply stared at him.

Then, a short, humorless sound escaped me.

Funny.

That was the only word that came to mind. Funny, how they suddenly sounded so determined. Funny, how they spoke as if I was something to be won over, something to be claimed again after everything they had done.

I slowly brought my hands together, fingers interlocking tightly as if that alone could keep me grounded. My gaze hardened as I lifted my eyes to meet his with disgust clear and unfiltered.

"Are you finished?" I asked, my voice flat, void of any warmth.

There was a pause, brief, but heavy.

Then, as if rehearsed, as if they had all come to some silent agreement, they spoke.

"We are sorry, Maria. We never meant to hurt you. Come back to us."

Their voices blended together, echoing in unison.

The words hung in the air, thick and suffocating.

Sorry.

The apology I had once longed for. The words I had waited to hear when the pain was still fresh, when my heart was still willing to forgive.

But now?

Now they felt empty.

Too late.

Far too late.

Because the truth was, the part of me that could have accepted those words... no longer existed.

Instead, something colder had taken its place.

The only thing I wanted now was for them to face the weight of everything they had done to me.

"Maria, I also want you to know that Vanessa is not pregnant." Aidan’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I turned to look at him slowly.

There was something in his expression, something almost... proud.

As if he had just delivered good news.

As if this was something that should matter to me.

For a moment, I simply stared at him, trying to understand what he expected from me.

Relief?

Gratitude?

Happiness?

"What do I do with that information, Alpha Aidan?" I asked calmly, my tone sharp enough to slice through whatever expectation he held.

The reaction was immediate.

He faltered, just slightly but enough for me to notice. His expression shifted, caught off guard, as if he hadn’t prepared himself for that response.

"Maria..." Damien tried again, his voice lower this time, almost cautious.

But I didn’t let him continue.

"Honestly, I have no idea why you all came here," I cut in, my patience finally thinning. "But I hope you won’t cause any further trouble or damage in my life."

Each word was deliberate, firm, leaving no room for misinterpretation.

I didn’t wait for a response.

I turned, intending to walk past them, to leave this suffocating encounter behind and move forward, away from them, away from everything they represented.

But just as I took a step...

A hand shot out.

Adrien moved quickly, blocking my path before I could get any further.

I stopped abruptly, my body going still as my gaze slowly lifted to meet his.

"What’s wrong with you, Maria?" Adrien asked, his voice laced with frustration as he stared at me, searching my face as if trying to find something familiar in it. "We are all trying to make things work, but your attitude is discouraging."

I let out a soft breath, tilting my head slightly as I looked at him...really looked at him...and for a moment, I almost pitied him.

Almost.

"Really?" I replied calmly, a faint, unreadable smile forming on my lips. "I think I like it this way... because there is no need to make anything work."

The silence that followed was heavy, almost suffocating.

"No, don’t say that," Damien cut in quickly, his voice firmer, more desperate. "You are still our mate." He paused briefly before adding, "I know your engagement with Noah is fake."

That did it.

A laugh slipped out of me, soft at first, then a little louder, laced with disbelief. I shook my head slowly, as though his words were the most ridiculous thing I had heard.

"You are wrong, Damien," I said, my voice steady as my gaze locked onto his. "It isn’t fake."

The change in his expression was immediate. His face paled, the confidence he held moments ago slipping away so easily.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice dropping slightly, almost uncertain.

"I am getting married to Noah in a few days," I said, the smile on my lips widening just a little. "You can ask around... to confirm my words."

For a moment, none of them spoke.

"No... that’s not possible!" they echoed almost at the same time, disbelief written all over their faces.

I raised a brow slightly, unimpressed.

"I guess Noah didn’t see you all fit enough to receive an invitation letter," I added smoothly. "But since you are here already, there is no need to leave."

I paused deliberately, letting my gaze sweep across each of them, taking in every flicker of shock, every crack in their composure.

"Stay," I continued, my smile turning sharper, almost victorious. "And witness my wedding to Noah."

Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked away, my chin lifted high, my steps steady and confident.

Behind me, I could feel it...the weight of their stares, the silence thick with disbelief.

And for the first time... I let myself enjoy the misery written so clearly across their faces.