The Triplet Alphas' Secret Mate-Chapter 28: Saying Goodbye

Scarlett’s POV

I stood at the very edge of the crowd, partially hidden beneath the shade of a large oak tree. My face throbbed where Silas had struck me, and my head still felt heavy from the impact against the wall. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the sight unfolding before me.

The triplets stood at the altar like three immovable pillars.

From this distance, they looked perfect—the future of the pack, composed and commanding. But I could see the truth. I could see the way Liam’s hands were balled into fists. I could see Leo’s jaw working, his eyes dark and restless as they scanned the crowd. And Leon... Leon looked haunted, his usual cold mask slipping just enough to show the grief that hadn’t healed in two years.

​They were in so much pain. And even after everything they had done to me, a part of my soul—the part tied to them by a cruel fate—ached for them.

​Near them stood Lana, Jameson, and Jane. They, too, were dressed in white. They looked somber for the crowd, but I remembered the birthday cake and the smiles in Lana’s room just an hour ago.

​I noticed Lyra’s absence immediately. She hadn’t even bothered to come back from the Crimson Pack for her own mother’s memorial. Perhaps she couldn’t face the ghost of the woman she lost, or perhaps her new life with her mate was simply too intoxicating to leave.

​As the priest began the eulogy, speaking of Luna Olivia’s kindness and her tragic end, my thoughts drifted to my own parents. They had died that same day. They had been branded traitors, accused of working with the rogues who killed the Luna.

​"I’m sorry," I whispered in my heart, looking up at the clear blue sky. "I’m sorry I couldn’t prove your innocence. I’m sorry I’m leaving without clearing your names."

​A single tear escaped and rolled down my bruised cheek. I felt like I was betraying them by running away, but I knew if I stayed, there wouldn’t be anything left of me to fight for them.

​The priest called for a moment of silence. The only sound was the rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of birds.

I looked at the triplets one last time.

In a few hours, they would search for me.

But by then...

I would already be gone.

​When the memorial ended, the mourners slowly began approaching the family, offering condolences.

Suddenly, my eyes met Alpha Lennox’s.

Panic shot through me, but instead of anger, he simply gave me a subtle look—one that clearly told me to go and prepare.

I nodded quickly and slipped away from the crowd, my heart pounding painfully in my chest.

​When I reached my room, I stood silently in the middle of the nearly empty space.

The cracked mirror.

The thin mattress.

The worn-out shoes.

This was everything my life had been here.

Suddenly, the tears came.

I didn’t even understand why.

I should have been happy.

I was about to be free.

I was going somewhere far away—somewhere I wouldn’t be known as the traitor’s daughter. Somewhere the name Scarlett wouldn’t be followed by curses and disgust.

But the reality of leaving hit me like a physical blow.

Before I could gather myself, the door to my room suddenly swung open.

I jumped, quickly wiping my tears as Liam stepped inside.

He stopped dead, his eyes sweeping over my disheveled state. He frowned, his scent of warm spice filling the tiny room and making my wolf stir from her grief.

​"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, his voice rough. "You should be at the memorial. The staff is expected to stay until the final prayer."

​"I... I don’t feel fine," I lied, my voice trembling as another tear slid down my cheek. I looked away, trying to hide the bruise that was now a deep, angry purple.

​Liam’s brow furrowed. I didn’t know if it was worry or suspicion, but I saw a flicker of something intense in his eyes. He moved closer, and I instinctively flinched, expecting him to yell at me or bark a command for my excuse. But he didn’t.

​Instead, he reached out and gently placed the back of his palm against my forehead. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through my entire body. Our mate bond sparked, a searing heat that made my breath hitch. He froze for a second, his fingers lingering against my skin as if he, too, felt the pull he had tried so hard to deny.

​He frowned deeply, his voice losing its sharpness. "Your temperature is high," he muttered quietly. "You’re burning up, Scarlett. What’s wrong with you?"

​He sounded... worried.

This was the first time in years I was seeing Liam look at me with something other than coldness or hate. It was like a glimpse of the boy he used to be, the one who used to protect me.

​More tears slid down my cheeks. I couldn’t explain the pain in my chest, and I couldn’t tell him I was leaving. The grief, the rejection, and the fear all converged at once. I lost my strength. I couldn’t respond with words, so I simply leaned forward, placing my head against his chest and wrapping my arms around his waist.

​I felt him go rigid. For a heartbeat, he didn’t move. I expected him to shove me away, to tell me I was disgusting for touching him. But instead, I felt his heartbeat thundering against my ear—wild and erratic.

​"Scarlett..." he whispered, his hands hovering over my back, trembling as he fought the instinct to hold me back. "What is wrong?"

​I didn’t respond; I just held him tighter, burying my face in his shirt. This was my last goodbye, even if he didn’t know it.

I was hugging the man I was supposed to love... the man who had shattered my heart... one last time before disappearing forever.

​He didn’t wrap his arms around me, but he didn’t push me away either. We just remained there, suspended in a moment that felt like it belonged to a different lifetime.

I breathed in his scent—that warm spice that used to mean safety—and let it anchor me until the violent shaking in my shoulders subsided.

​When I finally managed to get a hold of my emotions, I pulled away, my face flushed and my eyes swollen. Liam stared down at me, his brow furrowed as if he were trying to solve a puzzle.

​"You miss your parents," he suddenly spoke. It wasn’t a question; it was an observation, his voice low and devoid of the usual harshness.

​I nodded slowly, looking down at my trembling hands. "Yes, I do."

​It was the truth, but it wasn’t the whole truth. I missed them, I missed the girl I was before that day, and I already missed the brothers who stood before me now as strangers.

​"Take a few moments for yourself," he said, his expression hardening back into that familiar, unreadable mask. "And then be back out there. The Alphas expects everyone to be present for the closing libation."

​He turned toward the door.

But before he could leave, I stopped him.

​"Liam!" I called out.

​He stopped, his hand on the doorframe, but he didn’t turn around. His shoulders were tense, his entire posture screaming that he wanted to be anywhere but this small, suffocating room.

​"What?" he snapped, though the bite in his voice lacked its usual harshness.

​I opened my mouth to tell him. I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t coming back out. I wanted to tell him that in a few minutes I would be beyond the pack borders. I wanted to tell him that I forgave him, even if he didn’t deserve it.

​But I couldn’t.

​"Thank you," I whispered instead. "For checking on me. Just... thank you."

​He stood frozen for a long second, his head bowing slightly. I thought he might say something, spat perhaps, or even another cruel reminder of my place—but he simply let out a sharp exhale and walked out, slamming the door shut behind him.

​