Mated to the Triplet Alphas-Chapter 65: Father’s Pride

Third POV

“What is going on?!” a familiar voice demanded.

Samuel Williams pushed through the crowd, his expensive suit and commanding presence parting the onlookers like water. His face was flushed with anger, eyes darting between his sobbing daughter and the Sullivan brothers.

“Daddy!” Annie cried out, breaking free from the warrior’s grip to run toward her father. “They’re banishing me! Tell them they can’t do this!”

Samuel pulled his daughter protectively behind him, squaring his shoulders as he faced Lucas and Liam. Despite being in his fifties, he didn’t look haggard or old—the result of decades as one of the pack’s highest-ranking officials.

“Lucas, Liam,” he acknowledged with barely concealed contempt. “Would someone care to explain why my daughter is being manhandled through a public mall?”

Some people in the crowd drew a breath at the lack of formality. Samuel had failed to properly address his Alphas.

Lucas stepped forward, his expression neutral but his eyes hard. “Samuel. Your daughter attempted to poison our mate with illegal heat inducers that could have killed her. She’s being banished, along with her accomplice.”

“This is ridiculous,” Samuel scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. “Girls have spats all the time. I’m sure whatever happened was just a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?” Liam’s voice was dangerously low. “Your daughter purchased illegal substances with the intent to harm our mate. We have evidence.”

Samuel’s expression faltered for just a second before he regained his composure. “Evidence can be misinterpreted. Annie is a good girl from a respectable family. Surely we can handle this internally, without such dramatic measures?”

“The decision has been made,” Lucas stated firmly. “The punishment is lenient, considering the crime.”

“Lenient?” Samuel’s face reddened further. “You’re destroying her life! And over what? That servant girl? Please. I’ve known your father for thirty years, boys. I think we can come to a more reasonable arrangement.”

Annie clung to her father’s arm, tears streaking her face. “Daddy, please don’t let them do this to me. Where will I go? What will I do?”

Samuel patted his daughter’s hand while keeping his eyes fixed on the Sullivan brothers. “Now, as head of pack finances and your father’s trusted advisor, I think I have some say in this matter. You boys are new to leadership. Perhaps you’re letting your emotions cloud your judgment.”

Lucas’s jaw tightened. “Our judgment is perfectly clear. And speaking of your position, Samuel, we’ve been reviewing the pack’s leadership structure.”

An uncomfortable silence fell over the gathering. Even Annie stopped sobbing, sensing the shift in the air.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Samuel asked, narrowing his eyes.

Liam stepped forward, hands casually slipping into his pockets. “It means, perhaps you’re getting old with age and it’s time to enjoy your retirement.”

Samuel’s face paled. “Retirement? I’ve served this pack faithfully for decades! Your father relies on me!”

“Our father is no longer Alpha,” Lucas reminded him coolly. “We are. And we’ve decided the pack would benefit from fresh perspectives in leadership.”

“You can’t do this,” Samuel sputtered, his composure cracking. “I’ve built connections, relationships that benefit Emberfang—”

“Connections that you’ve been using for personal gain,” Liam cut in. “Our financial audit revealed some interesting discrepancies in pack fund allocations.”

Annie looked up at her father with confusion. “Daddy, what are they talking about?”

Samuel ignored her, his nostrils flaring as he stared at the brothers. “You ungrateful pups. I helped build this pack while you were still in diapers. You think you can just waltz in and—”

“We can and we have,” Lucas interrupted. “Your retirement package will be generous, considering your years of service. You’ll remain a respected member of the pack, but your leadership position is terminated, effective immediately.”

The crowd murmured in shock. Samuel Williams had been in pack politics for as long as anyone could remember.

“You’ll regret this,” Samuel hissed, his hands balling into fists at his sides. “When you need my expertise, my connections—”

“We’re done here,” Lucas said with finality. “Warriors, please continue escorting Ms. Williams and Ms. Thompson to the border. Mr. Williams, I suggest you take some time to process this transition.”

As the warriors once again took hold of Annie, she reached desperately for her father. “Daddy! Do something!”

But Samuel stood frozen, rendered speechless. Decades of authority had been stripped away from him in a few short sentences.

The crowd parted once more as Annie and Mia were led away, their sobs echoing through the mall.

+++

Hazel’s POV

“Drink this. It’ll help you feel better.”

I accepted the steaming mug from Levi, wrapping my fingers around its warmth. The herbal aroma was soothing, but it did little to calm my frayed nerves.

“Thanks,” I murmured, taking a small sip. The liquid was sweet with honey, masking the bitter herbs beneath.

Levi sat beside me on the couch, his body radiating heat that seemed to call to me.

“You’re worried,” Levi observed, his fingers brushing against mine as he adjusted my grip on the mug. “I can feel it.”

I sighed. “Wouldn’t you be? I can’t help feeling that something’s wrong.” I felt a faint pulse of anger flicker through me. It wasn’t my own. “Are they okay? Lucas and Liam?”

“They’re handling Annie and her friend,” Levi said, his usual playfulness subdued. “They didn’t want you to have to deal with any of that mess.”

“But I can feel their emotions,” I admitted, setting the mug down.

Levi ran a hand through his dark hair, confliction evident on his face. “They told me to keep you home. You need to rest.”

“When have you ever done what your brothers told you to do?” I challenged, raising an eyebrow.

A slow grin spread across his face, those golden flecks in his green eyes dancing with mischief.

“Fair point, cupcake.” He stood, offering me his hand. “Alright, let’s go see what kind of trouble my brothers are getting into.”

Twenty minutes later, Levi’s sleek black sports car pulled into the Silver Pines Mall parking lot. My stomach knotted with anxiety as we walked through the entrance, following the unmistakable buzz of drama.

“They’re this way,” Levi said, his hand protective at the small of my back as we navigated through curious onlookers.

We rounded the corner just in time to see Lucas and Liam facing off against an older man in an expensive suit. Even from a distance, I could feel the tension radiating from both my mates.

“Who’s that?” I whispered to Levi.

“Samuel Williams, Annie’s father,” Levi replied quietly. “High-ranking pack official, or at least he was. Looks like my brothers are taking care of that too.”

We hung back, watching as the confrontation unfolded. I could barely hear what they were saying over the murmurs of the crowd, but their body language told me everything I needed to know. The triplets were asserting their authority, and Samuel wasn’t taking it well.

When the warriors finally led Annie and her friend away, I felt a wave of relief. Maybe now we could all move forward from this mess.

That’s when I saw her—Annie, being escorted past the crowd, her makeup streaked down her face. Her blue eyes locked with mine, and in an instant, her expression transformed from despair to pure hatred.

“You!” she shrieked, pointing a finger at me. “This is all your fault!”

Before anyone could react, Annie’s body contorted. Bones cracked and reshaped as fur burst through her skin. Where the blonde girl had stood seconds before, a snarling tan wolf now crouched, teeth bared and eyes fixed directly on me.

With a vicious growl that froze my blood, she lunged through the crowd, straight toward me.