Mated to the Triplet Alphas-Chapter 63: Consequences

I slowly blinked my eyes open, squinting against the light streaming through the windows.

A gentle scratching sound caught my attention. Turning my head, I spotted Matilda sitting in a chair next to the bed, scribbling something on a clipboard. She wore her usual pristine white coat, her graying brown hair pulled back in a tight bun.

“Matilda?” My voice came out raspy. My throat felt raw—probably from all the screaming I’d done last night. Heat rushed to my cheeks at the memory.

She looked up, her experienced eyes quickly assessing me. “Good afternoon, Hazel. How are you feeling?”

Afternoon? I glanced toward the windows again, noticing the angle of the sunlight. I must have slept for hours.

“I’m okay,” I answered, taking mental inventory of my body. “A little sore. Tired.”

I realized I was wearing a clean t-shirt and shorts. My hair was no longer sticky with sweat, and my skin felt fresh. Someone had cleaned me up while I slept. Looking around, I noticed the room was empty except for Matilda and me.

“Where are the triplets?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral despite the flutter of anxiety in my chest.

“They’ve been taking turns watching over you,” Matilda explained, noting something on her clipboard. “Lucas and Liam stepped out a couple of hours ago. Levi was here until he went to get something to eat. He should be back soon.”

I nodded, sinking back into the pillows. “How bad was it? The heat inducer?”

Matilda’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Quite severe, I’m afraid. Your temperature spiked dangerously high, and you were severely dehydrated after all that vomiting. Surprisingly, despite regurgitating some of it out earlier, the drug’s effect was still abnormally high.”

She set her clipboard aside and reached into her medical bag, pulling out a small bottle of pills.

“I’m prescribing these supplements to help your body recover. Take one with each meal for the next week.” She placed the bottle on the nightstand. “You need to drink plenty of water and rest for at least another day. No strenuous activities.”

I couldn’t help but blush again, thinking about just how strenuous my activities had been last night.

“Will there be any... lasting effects?” I asked hesitantly.

“The heat inducer should be completely out of your system by now,” Matilda assured me. “But we’ll need to monitor you for a few days to make sure there’s no relapse. If you feel even slightly feverish or notice any unusual symptoms, tell one of the triplets immediately.”

She stood up, tucking her clipboard under her arm. “I’ll check on you again tomorrow. For now, just rest and hydrate.”

As Matilda headed for the door, it swung open to reveal Levi. His hair was damp, like he’d just showered, and he carried a tray with a glass of water and what looked like soup.

“How’s our patient?” he asked Matilda, his eyes immediately finding mine over her shoulder.

“She’s recovering well,” Matilda replied professionally. “But she needs rest and constant monitoring. The heat inducer dose she received was dangerously high. If she hadn’t purged some of it and received... attention when she did, it could have been fatal.”

Levi’s expression darkened, his jaw clenching. “How high are we talking?”

“Enough to kill a wolf with a weaker constitution,” Matilda said bluntly. “Someone wanted to make absolutely sure she’d be incapacitated. I’ve never seen such a high dosage used outside of medical emergencies.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. Someone had tried to kill me? Or at least hadn’t cared if I died?

“Thank you for everything, Matilda,” Levi said, his voice tight with controlled anger. “We appreciate your discretion in this matter.”

Matilda nodded. “Of course. Call me if there’s any change in her condition.” With that, she slipped out the door, leaving me alone with Levi.

He placed the tray on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed, his hand immediately finding mine. “Hey there, beautiful. How are you feeling?”

“Better,” I said, squeezing his hand. “Where are Lucas and Liam?”

A shadow passed over Levi’s face, his green eyes hardening. “They’re taking care of some pack business.”

“Pack business?” I asked, not buying his vague explanation. “Or are they hunting down whoever did this to me?”

Levi’s lips curved into a small, dangerous smile. “Let’s just say they’re making sure justice is served.”

Something in his tone sent a chill down my spine. “What are they going to do?”

“What needs to be done,” he replied simply, then changed the subject. “You need to eat something. I made you chicken soup—well, I asked Clara to make it, but I carried it all the way up here without spilling a drop.”

His attempt at lightening the mood worked, and I found myself smiling slightly. “That’s very impressive. I didn’t know you were so coordinated.”

“I have many skills,” Levi winked, helping me sit up against the pillows. “Some of which you experienced thoroughly last night.”

My cheeks burned. “Levi!”

He laughed, the sound warming me from the inside. “Sorry, couldn’t resist. Here, eat your soup before it gets cold.”

As I took the bowl, my mind drifted to Lucas and Liam, wondering exactly what kind of justice they were delivering.

+++

Third POV

The Silver Pines Mall buzzed with weekend shoppers, music drifting from the stores that lined the wide corridors. Annie and Mia strolled arm in arm, shopping bags swinging at their sides, giggling over their latest purchases.

“I can’t believe you bought those shoes,” Mia said, rolling her eyes. “They’re practically identical to the ones you got last month.”

“They are not!” Annie protested. “These are blush pink, not rose pink. Totally different.”

They were so absorbed in their conversation that they didn’t notice the two tall figures approaching until they blocked their path.

Annie looked up, her expression morphing instantly from annoyance to delight when she recognized Liam and Lucas Sullivan standing before them. Her eyes immediately locked on Liam, a coy smile spreading across her face.

“Liam!” she exclaimed, brushing her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “What a surprise running into you here.”

Mia nudged her friend, her eyes darting nervously between the two brothers. Unlike Annie, she seemed to notice the cold fury in their expressions.

“Annie,” Liam said, his voice eerily calm. “Just the person we were looking for.”

Hope flared in Annie’s eyes. Ever since Liam had broken up with her, she’d been desperate to win him back. Finding out he was mated to that nobody Hazel had been devastating. But now he was seeking her out? Maybe he’d come to his senses after all.

“Really?” she purred, stepping forward and placing a manicured hand on his chest. “Did you miss me?”

Before she could blink, Liam’s hand shot up, striking her across the face with enough force to send her staggering backward. The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the mall corridor, drawing shocked gasps from nearby shoppers.