Mated to the Triplet Alphas Chapter 138: Ready to Begin

“If you’re going to be such a coward about it, I’ll just say it,” Leo declared, shattering the heavy silence that had descended upon us.

Callum sighed, his shoulders drooping with resignation as he offered no response.

I shifted my gaze between them, my bewilderment mounting. “Say what, exactly?”

Leo rolled his eyes with theatrical flair. “There have been reports of a certain blonde vampire prowling near the Emberfang territory.” His tone was laced with contempt. “I thought you should be aware, especially since it’s your wedding day.”

A chill ran down my spine as the implication became clear. “Cassandra?”

Over the past month, Lucas, Liam, and Levi had dispatched search parties to hunt down the remaining members of the Vox Solis. Leo had been instrumental in their identification. Yet, Cassandra was nowhere to be found among those apprehended, dead or alive.

I looked at Callum, a knot of worry tightening in my chest, and scanned his face for confirmation.

He gave a grim nod, failing to meet my gaze. “And to answer your question, I believe Kendra is also on her way.”

“You *believe*?” Leo scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. “She’s your mate. How can you merely ‘believe’ she’s coming and not know for certain?”

Callum ran a hand through his hair, disturbing the meticulous styling he had prepared for the ceremony. “I’ve been avoiding her for the past month, alright? While I try to sort things out.”

“Sort what out?” I inquired gently. “I thought you had come to terms with the fact that Cassandra wasn’t truly your mate?”

“We never marked each other,” Callum admitted, a flicker of regret in his eyes. “But I still have lingering feelings for her. It’s not as straightforward as mere attraction due to a fated—” he winced, “artificial bond.”

Leo emitted a sound of disgust. “Be a man and face the situation head-on. You need to make a choice between the fake-blonde vampire and your actual mate. If you have no intention of making Kendra your mate, then reject her properly. Don’t keep her in limbo.”

“I will handle it,” Callum retorted curtly. “I just require a little more time.”

“Callum,” I said softly, taking care not to disturb my wedding dress as I reached for his hand. “Leo has a point on one thing. You ought to reach a decision soon. It’s commendable that Kendra is understanding, but it’s hardly fair for her to be left waiting like this.”

Callum’s shoulders sagged. “I know.”

The door suddenly swung open, revealing Sophia, radiant in her bridesmaid attire. “The wedding ceremony commences in ten minutes!” she announced with effervescent cheer, before her gaze sharpened at the palpable tension in the air. “What did I miss?”

“Nothing at all,” Leo replied smoothly. “Callum and I need to go to our designated positions. Groomsmen duties, you know how it is.”

Callum nodded, clearly grateful for the reprieve. “We shall see you out there, Hazel.”

Leo gave my hand a quick squeeze before following Callum out, leaving me in the company of Sophia.

“What was that all about?” she inquired, meticulously adjusting my veil.

“Just a bit of minor drama,” I responded, opting not to delve into Callum’s complicated romantic entanglements right before my own wedding. “Nothing that cannot be postponed.”

Sophia’s brow furrowed, but she refrained from pressing further. Instead, she focused on smoothing out the folds of my gown. “You look absolutely stunning. The triplets will be utterly captivated when they lay eyes on you.”

A smile touched my lips as I observed my reflection. The pristine white gown clung elegantly to my figure before cascading into a beautiful expanse of delicate lace. My blonde hair was intricately styled with small pearl pins, and the veil imparted a soft, almost ethereal aura.

“And Leo too, naturally,” Sophia added with a playful wink. “Though I still find it hard to believe you’re destined to be mated to all four of them.”

“Sometimes, I can hardly believe it myself,” I confessed with a light laugh. “But it feels undeniably right.”

The preceding month had been a whirlwind of wedding preparations. Orchestrating a wedding with three alphas was precisely as chaotically demanding as it sounded. Lucas had overseen every minute detail with meticulous precision, Liam had charmed every single vendor with his charisma, and Levi had consistently proposed increasingly extravagant additions to the ceremony.

Even Leo, who feigned indifference, secretly ensured that everything was flawless. Despite his role as a mere groomsman today, he had unobtrusively assisted the triplets with the wedding preparations whenever they weren’t looking. I had caught him on several occasions, darting about discreetly and overseeing the decorative arrangements.

It filled my heart with warmth to see that despite their relationship initially being stiff and awkward, Leo had integrated remarkably well into the family dynamic.

“Are you ready?” Sophia asked, extending my bouquet, a beautiful arrangement of white roses and baby’s breath.

I drew a deep, steadying breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Together, we stepped out of the bridal suite and into the expansive hallway of the grand cathedral. At the far end of the corridor stood my grandfather, impeccably distinguished in a perfectly tailored suit.

“Hazel,” he greeted me, his eyes softening considerably as they met mine. “You bear a striking resemblance to your mother on her wedding day.”

Tears welled up, threatening to fall, but I blinked them back resolutely. “Thank you for being here, Grandpa.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He offered me his arm. “Though I must comment, you are only marrying three of them today. When is the fourth ceremony scheduled?” A playful glint sparkled in his eyes.

I let out a soft laugh. “One step at a time, Grandpa.”

Sophia gave my hand a final, reassuring squeeze. “I’m going to take my place now. I’ll see you inside!”

She hurried inside, the soft strains of music audible even from behind the closed cathedral doors. My heart began to pound.

“Feeling a bit nervous?” Percival inquired.

“A little,” I confessed, “but mostly, I'm excited.”

He gave a knowing nod. “Marriage is a profound commitment, particularly for our kind. Yet, I’ve witnessed the way those boys gaze at you. Any one of the four would lay down their life for you in an instant.”

“I know,” I murmured, recalling our shared journey. The battles, the anxieties, the moments of unexpected gentleness that had painstakingly mended my trust in the triplets who once subjected me to torment. And Leo, who transformed from adversary to guardian, and then into something infinitely more.

The melody shifted, indicating the ceremony was imminent. The wedding march was about to commence.

“Are you prepared, my dear?” Percival asked, his tone tender. “Your new existence commences the moment those doors swing open.”

My thoughts turned to all that awaited me beyond the threshold. From a nameless orphan to the mates of several alphas. The Moon Goddess truly possessed a peculiar sense of humor.

“Yes,” I affirmed with resolve, clutching my grandfather’s arm more tightly. “I am ready.”

As if summoned, the grand cathedral doors commenced their slow, deliberate opening.