​Scarlett’s POV

​When I finally blinked my eyes open, the heavy, suffocating warmth of Leo’s arms wasn’t wrapped around me anymore. I frowned, staring at the empty space beside me on the mattress, and realized the room had gone dim. It was already evening, and the sky outside the large windows was turning a deep, bruised purple, though the sun hadn’t completely set into the night yet.

​Then, my eyes caught a small piece of ripped paper resting on the pillow where his head had been.

​I picked it up, squinting slightly in the dim light. It was a note from Leo, his messy, masculine handwriting scrawled across the white surface: Am at the study with my brothers. I’ll be back soon.

​I let out a massive yawn, stretching my limbs as I sat up against the headboard. God, I felt completely drained. Every single muscle in my body was aching, and my thighs felt like absolute jelly. Leo had literally fucked the life out of me. Not that I was complaining, obviously—the man was built like a god and handled me like a feral beast—but right now, the intense workout had left me so fucking hungry I could eat an entire deer.

​Inside my mind, my wolf gave a long, satisfied purr, stretching herself out. Well... she teased, her voice dripping with dynamic satisfaction. That was certainly one way to handle an assassin recovery.

​I felt a sudden, hot blush creep up my neck. Shut up, I snapped back at her mentally, burying my face in my hands.

​She just laughed, a low, rumbling sound, before curling back up to rest.

​Shaking my head, I looked down at my left arm to check the damage. The faint pink scar from earlier was barely visible now, just a tiny, thin line against my skin. The golden Healer magic had done its job perfectly while I slept. I let out a soft sigh of relief, throwing the heavy duvet off my body and stepping onto the cool floor completely naked.

​Instead of walking over to the closet to find something of my own, my eyes landed on Leo’s dark button-up shirt thrown carelessly over the back of the chair. A wicked little smirk tugged at my lips. I pulled on my shorts, then reached for his shirt, sliding my arms into the massive sleeves and letting the fabric hang halfway down my thighs.

​Fuck, his scent was absolutely intoxicating. The rich, heavy smell of cedar, leather, and pure Alpha energy enveloped me instantly, making my inner wolf hum with contentment.

​I unlocked the bedroom door and swung it open, only to freeze on the threshold.

​Four massive, heavily armed pack guards were standing perfectly at attention in the hallway, blocking the path. I didn’t even have to ask to know the triplets had put them there. After the garden attack, they were probably ready to put me in a literal vault.

​I mean, can you blame them? If an assassin managed to slip into the pack’s private grounds, the Alphas were bound to go into total lockdown. But having four giant men watch me like a criminal was a little much.

​"I’m going down to the kitchen to get something to eat," I informed them, keeping my voice firm.

​The guards immediately bowed their heads in deep respect.

​"And don’t follow me," I added sharply, crossing my arms.

​They hesitated for a second before nodding again, stepping back to let me pass.

​I turned down the hallway, my bare feet making no sound on the polished floor. But as I reached the grand staircase, I changed my mind. Instead of heading straight to the kitchen for food, my feet guided me toward the west wing where the study was located. I needed to check on the brothers. Knowing their explosive tempers, I wanted to make absolutely sure they weren’t at each other’s throats after the massive blowout with Sir Lennox.

​As I approached the mahogany doors of the study, I slowed my steps. Thanks to my sensitive werewolf hearing, the low, tense murmurs from inside carried straight to my ears.

​"Since it’s not our parents, then who the hell could it be?" Liam’s voice boomed through the wood, sounding completely frustrated and exhausted. "Who else has the resources to send an assassin directly into Full Moon territory just to kill Scarlett?"

​The room inside went completely silent for a long moment. Then, Leonard’s deep rumble broke the quiet. "Maybe we should invite a Seer. Get someone to read the lines."

​"A Seer?!" Leo barked back, a dark, bitter laugh tearing from his throat. "I don’t believe in Seers anymore. They are all fucking liars. Did you forget that six different Seers from six different countries all lied directly to our faces, telling us that Scarlett was dead?! No way. No fucking way am I paying another Seer to tell me absolute garbage."

​Inside the room, the voices suddenly paused.

​I held my breath, realizing a second too late that they had definitely sensed my presence. That was the thing about being fated mates with a trio of dominant Alphas—the bond was so strong they could probably smell my arrival from a mile away.

​"Scar," Leo’s voice called out from the other side of the door, his tone instantly softening from the harsh bark it had been a second ago. "You know you can come in, right?"

​I rolled my eyes at the ceiling, twisting the brass handle and pushing the door open.

​All three brothers were standing around a massive wooden desk covered in maps and old pack records. Liam and Leonard were fully dressed, looking every bit the serious leaders they were. Then there was Leo. He was standing in the center with dark trousers on, but his torso was completely bare—mostly because his shirt was currently hanging off my shoulders.

​The moment his dark eyes landed on me, his gaze swept down to the oversized fabric, and a heavy, slow smirk spread across his handsome face. "Fuck, that shirt looks a hell of a lot better on you than it does on me."

​I smiled, a genuine, soft look, and walked straight into the room toward them. Leo didn’t waste a second. He reached out, wrapping his hand around my waist and pulling my hips flush against his bare abdomen, leaning down to press a deep, possessive kiss against my lips. I kissed him back, letting my hands rest on his shoulders before gently pulling away.

​As I stepped back, my eyes flicked over to Liam and Leonard. Both of them were standing a few feet away, their expressions tight, their eyes full of a quiet, lingering longing as they watched Leo hold me.

​Let’s be real—sharing yourself among three possessive, territorial Alphas is a literal tightrope walk.

If you give one too much attention, the other two start looking like neglected wolves ready to tear the house down. It’s a lot of work keeping the peace in a fated mate bond this intense, but someone has to do it.

​Without even thinking about it, I stepped out of Leo’s grip and walked straight over to Liam. I hooked my fingers into his collar and pulled his head down, capturing his lips in a sharp, deep kiss. Liam stiffened in absolute shock, his green eyes widening before he instantly melted into me, his large hands gripping my waist like he was starving.

​I pulled away with a soft wink, leaving him completely breathless, and turned right to Leonard. Before he could even process what was happening, I cupped his jaw and kissed him just as hard, letting my tongue trace his lips. Leonard let out a low, rough growl of satisfaction, holding me tightly against his chest until I finally stepped back.

​I mean, can you blame me for the sudden charity work? The sheer joy that lit up both of their faces the moment I let them go was entirely worth it. The dark, heavy tension that had been suffocating the room just seconds ago completely vanished, replaced by a warm, protective pack energy.

​I glanced back at Leo to see his reaction, but he didn’t look angry at all. A lazy, amused smile played on his lips as he watched his brothers recover. Good. He shouldn’t be mad—he already got his prize earlier.

​I walked over to the large leather couch in the corner, sliding onto the cushions and folding my legs up under Leo’s shirt. I looked up at the three of them, my expression turning serious. "Alright. Tell me what is happening."

​Leo cleared his throat, leaning his bare hip against the edge of the heavy desk as his brothers stepped up beside him. "We’re trying to draw up a list," Leo said, his dark eyes locking onto mine. "We need to find out exactly who wants you dead."