“Hi guys!”. The new girl greeted cheerfully, her bright smile illuminating the space as she extended a hand in greeting. “You must be Lyra. I’m Maya, nice to meet you!”. She giggled excitedly.
I stared at the triplet before taking her hand. “Nice to finally meet you Maya”. I murmured.
As I shook Maya’s hand, her grip was firm and warm, but her eyes seemed to hold a hint of something else, a spark of curiosity or even mischief. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it made me feel uneasy.
“Likewise, Lyra,” Maya said, her voice still bubbly and enthusiastic. “I’ve heard so much about you from the triplets. They’ve told me all about your… interesting history.”
My eyes narrowed slightly, my mind racing with questions. What exactly had the triplets told her? And why was she so interested in me? Whatever it is I don’t really care, she’s their girlfriend anyways.
Silas, Ezra, and Zayn watched the exchange with an intensity that made my skin crawl. Their eyes seemed to bore into me, as if they were waiting for something to happen. Maya, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the tension, her smile still shining bright.
I mean why would you even be full of smiles on a Wednesday morning? What’s so bright and happy about today?.
“So, Maya, what do you think of our little school?”. Michelle asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Isn’t it just the best?”
“Oh, I just love it here!” she exclaimed.
“That’s good, would you like me to show you around?”.
Michelle offered. To be honest, if she wasn’t talking this situation would be totally awkward with the way the triplet is just staring at me like they wanna devour me whole… like they did last night.
Maya’s grin faltered for a moment, and I thought I saw a flicker of something else in her eyes, something that looked almost like… calculation. But it was quickly replaced by her bright, bubbly smile.
Or am I just overreacting?
“Oh no, thank you. Silas, Ezra and zayn had offered to show me around”. She giggled, intertwining her arm around Silas as she stared at me.
Great, just great. One person isn’t enough to show her around, she has to take the three.
I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my annoyance. “Well, Michelle and I would be in the library. Have fun, maya”. I said, pulling Michelle along with me.
“Lyra, I need to….”. Silas made to speak
“Show Maya around”. I said and paused, looking up to meet his gaze.
“Please”. I added.
I turned to leave, but not before catching Maya’s gaze lingering on me, she flashed me a gorgeous smile before pulling him away.
“I will be in the library”. I said to Michelle, hurriedly towards the library before she starts ranting again.
*******?*
I flip through the pages of the book I was holding, hardly getting anything from it. I should have been in class but I wasn’t.
Having to look at the triplets with Maya or Emily giggling all around them was frustrating.
I could still feel their touches on my body, their fingers tracing patterns on my skin.
They were driving me crazy.
“Can’t focus?”. I looked up to see Ezra, looking at me casually, his hand in his pocket.
I didn’t say anything, I only glared at him. He took a seat beside me, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Shouldn’t you be in class?”. I asked, my eyes glued on the book I was holding.
“With your girlfriend”. I wanted to add.
“I could say the same for you”. He responded, moving even closer causing me to move back.
“Hey, no need to scoot away, Lyra,” Ezra said with a chuckle, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “I’m not going to bite… unless you want me to, that is.”
“Ha, very funny, Ezra.” My voice dripped with sarcasm.
“You know I used to love your eyes so much, don’t get me wrong, I still love them, but now… they look really dead to me. There isn’t that spark or brightness in them anymore.”
Ezra’s expression turned serious, his voice barely above a whisper. “It was like the older you get, the more you fade.” His words sent a shiver down my spine.
I looked at him in surprise, my heart racing with emotion. “Really? I had no idea my eyes had sparkles.” I teased, trying to hide my vulnerability.
But Ezra wasn’t having it. “Come on, let’s go to class,” he said, standing up and pulling me with him. “So I can watch you three giggle around with Maya?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.
Ezra’s smirk was satisfying, his eyes gleaming with triumph. “Like I knew you were jealous,” he said, his voice laced with amusement.
I rolled my eyes, trying to play it cool despite the storm brewing inside me. “I’m not jealous, Ezra. I just don’t want to be a part of your little love fest with Maya. She’s your girlfriend, after all.”
Ezra’s expression turned serious, his eyes flashing with intensity. “She’s not. We told you we…” His voice trailed off, his eyes fixed on mine.
“Yeah, whatever,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“And why are you all covered up? Are you ashamed of us?”. He asked, a deep frown on his face.
“What do you mean?”,
“Those marks? You are hiding them?”.
“So?”. I asked, raising an eyebrow In challenge.
Ezra’s frown deepened, his eyes narrowing. “So, you’re just going to pretend like nothing’s wrong? Like you don’t see the marks on my arms, my neck… my skin?”
I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “I see them, Ezra. But I don’t know what you want me to say”.
“Did my parents say something to you?”. He suddenly asked.
“No”. I bit my lips.
“Don’t lie to me Lyra”.
“You’re making this difficult for me please”. I begged, finally raising my head up to meet his gaze.
My father already hates me, my mother died because of me. And the only people who even cared for me as a family were Luna and alpha. I don’t want them hating me now.
“I am your next in line beta, when y’all become an alpha, I will be your beta. So whatever you three or whatever feeling you’re having isn’t possible. If they find out y’all will lose your title as an alpha”.
“We don’t fucking care about any title, we will gladly lose any title if we get to have you”. He groaned angrily.
“I’m leaving”. I announced, getting up from my seat.
Ezra grabbed my hand, pinning me against the wall. “Our birthday is in eight days, won’t you give us a gift?” he whispered, his eyes fixed on mine.
I felt a flutter in my chest as I looked at him, his gaze burning with intensity. “I will,” I managed to speak.
“Don’t, because we don’t want any gift from you,” Ezra said, his voice laced with a hint of frustration.
“What do you want then?”. I asked, my eyes fixed on his.
“From now, till our coming of age ceremony. You will belong only to us. You won’t listen to anyone or think about any nonsense anyone tells you”.
I felt a shiver run down my spine as Ezra’s words washed over me, his gaze burning with intensity. “Belong to you?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Yes, Lyra,” Ezra said, his voice low and husky. “You’ll be ours, completely. No more doubts, no more fears. Just us.”