Eventually, I decided to wear a red crop shirt, pairing it with a yellow skirt to avoid unnecessary arguments with my mates. Both men stared at me in admiration after successfully helping me get ready.
Daryl fixed my hair while Leo helped me put on my sandals. The feeling of being cared for by them was exceptional; I loved it.
My cheeks had remained heated ever since the kisses we shared, and my lips were plump from the kiss-but I relished the sensation.
“You look breathtaking, as always.”
I smiled at his words, and we stood in front of a full-length mirror, admiring my look. Daryl wrapped his arms around my waist, his face buried between my head and shoulder. He was literally obsessed.
Finally, we left the room. When we arrived downstairs, the entire family was present-except for Mara. My heart skipped a beat, knowing she must have learned the truth about the boys and me.
I imagined her reaction to this new knowledge; she must be freaking out. Yet she was nowhere to be found as I glanced around.
“Oh my baby, how are you?” My mother exclaimed as she rushed toward me, pulling me into a tight hug, which I gladly returned.
“I’m great, Mom,” I replied, my lips forming a thin line.
“Congratulations on finding your wolf, my child. I am so proud of you.” Her gaze moved to my mates standing behind me. “My only request is that you both love and cherish my daughter always. We’ve been through so much, and she deserves it.”
“We will love her until the day we die,” Daryl confirmed. His assurance brought a wide smile to my lips.
“Congratulations, Aria!” Several voices chimed in unison. I giggled at the sight of the family who had accepted mine into theirs: a Luna who had loved me as her own since day one, Alpha Liam, his Beta Gregory with his mate, my beautiful Aunt Eloise, and of course, Aunty Elaine.
It turned out they all knew about my being mated to the boys-except for me.
Everyone congratulated us on this happy occasion, yet I was still on the lookout for my best friend. Where was Mara?
Just then, I heard a familiar voice from the entrance of the mansion. She was dressed in gym clothes, as if she had just returned from a run.
“Congratulations on this happy occasion, brothers.” Everyone turned to her, and I gulped hard at the sarcasm lacing her voice.
“You finally found your mate… You finally stole her from me. Good job,” she said, clapping her hands mockingly.
“Mara, I can explain…” I began, but Leo interrupted.
“You have nothing to explain, Aria.”
“Why her? Huh? She was the only person I had, but now you’ve stolen her away.” She pointed at her brothers, anger flashing in her eyes.
My heart ached for my best friend. Hearing the pain in her voice broke me, and tears streamed down my cheeks.
“It is not our fault that the Moon Goddess deemed us fit to be Aria’s mates. So I suggest you dry your tears and learn to live with that,” Daryl retorted.
“Sweetheart, you have to understand that the goddess decided on this union,” Luna said gently to her already sobbing daughter.
“You make it sound like we aren’t capable of caring for Aria, sister,” Leo added.
“Yes, I don’t trust Aria with you both. All these years, you’ve teased her and embarrassed her, and now, all of a sudden, you want to care for her simply because of a bond? Tell me, brothers, would you still want to care for Aria if she weren’t your mate?”
My heartbeat quickened, and I feared it might break my ribcage. The tension in the room escalated.
“Do not question the goddess’s decision, child,” Aunt Elaine told Mara.
“We’ll let that slide, Mara, but do not ever question our feelings for Aria.”
“Well, get lost, Leo! You have no right to say that because Aria has always been my friend and sister. You and Daryl were always together, leaving me out. I was so lonely until she came into my life, but now you’ve found a way to take her away from me. I hope you both feel amazing!”
“Watch your words, sister…” Leo growled lowly at Mara, who growled back defiantly.
“Enough, children! I will not condone any fights under my roof,” Alpha Liam yelled, breaking the tension in the room.
Mara and I locked gazes for a moment, but she looked away almost immediately, and her actions hurt me deeply. I feared losing my best friend at the cost of accepting my mates. I loved Mara so much, yet the pull I felt toward the brothers was on another level. At this point, I didn’t want to lose either of them.
“If you’ll excuse me…” Mara said, turning to walk past us and head upstairs.
Immediately, I pursued her, but Daryl held me back, shaking his head.
“Please let me go; I need to speak with her.” My voice broke, desperation rising in my chest.
Warily, he released me, and I ran after my heartbroken friend.
The door creaked open as I pushed through, but she was nowhere in sight, forcing me to venture further into the room. With the help of my wolf, I sensed she was on the balcony, so I moved in her direction.
With her back to me, she stared out at the sky, and I knew she understood it was me.
“Mara, I have no explanation for everything that has happened; it’s a surprise to me too.”
“It already happened. You found your wolf and were lucky enough to find your mates on the same night.”
Mara turned to face me, her eyes red and puffy from crying.
“But why did it have to be you mated to them? It could have been anyone else but you, Aria. Now you’re going to leave me, and I’ll be all alone again.”
“No, no one is leaving. You are my sister, Mara, and you will always be.”
I pulled her into an embrace, hugging her tightly as she cried in my arms. In that moment, we were both a sobbing mess.