300 Days With The Alpha Beta Triplets

Bella:

Runestone! There was only one person who called me that name. Fae.

"Fae?" I asked at once, and I watched Mabel's face curve into a smile.

"You are so slow, Runestone, but you were right about one thing. I am a terrible person, but you fell right into my trap."

When she said this, I tried hard to believe I was sleeping, and that this was just a terrible dream, but with each pinch I applied to my skin, I felt it terribly. Fae was standing in front of me, in flesh and blood. She was Mabel. As I stared at her, remembering all the times I had consoled her and she consoled me too, my stomach twisted in knots.

"You must have been delighted watching Ryder and me fight," I said, and she chuckled darkly, clutching her belly with both hands.

"You sick monster!" I growled, and she stopped laughing, focusing her gaze on me.

"I might be sick, but you all turned me into this," she began. "My life was supposed to go smoothly and easily. Ryder and I were a perfect match, and I would have been Luna in the future, but you came from nowhere and knocked down my plans. Worse? I found out you had a stupid destiny to fulfill, and you know what?" she screamed. "No one is more important than Fae!"

Hearing her say this made me realize how much of a psycho she was. My stomach knotted in disgust, knowing I had been with her as a friend. I had shared my secrets, and I hoped I hadn't over shared.

"The people you work for will kill you, Fae. Enzo will not hesitate to cut you down. This isn't Howlstone, and-"

"Look who is trying to advise me. Skip the act, Runestone. I know exactly what the hell I am doing, so do not come here to act like you are some savior who knows better than me or my father."

Her father. That made my eyes widen in surprise.

"Oh, do not be surprised. You all marginalized us. The throne of the Frost Pack was supposed to be his, and most of the structures you see raised belong to my family, but what did your family do after the vampires left? They decided that the Ashcrofts were a better fit than my family, sending all our investments to waste!"

"And you? You got every single thing. You are the original werewolf princess. When I knew you were in Howlstone, I felt my world slip even before you took it. You didn't even think of how I would feel. You could have had the twins; I wasn't complaining. I just wanted Ryder, but you refused," she said. Then I watched her lips curve into a smile. "But when I went back home, my father consoled me properly. He promised me I would get what I wanted in due time, and he told me exactly what to do to get it. The vampires needed help, and he didn't hesitate because they always came through for his family in the past."

Everything she said sounded like her father was manipulating her, and it made me realize why she turned out the way she was. Her parents had been the problem all along because they kept feeding her mind with pack politics, and she could no longer tell which was true or not.

"It looks like your father has been manipulating you, Fae, and to be honest, it is not too late. I think you can step up right now. Step away and back down. Go back to the pack and turn yourself in. The werewolves will protect you from what is about to happen."

She scoffed as I said this.

"Oh, Runestone, you will never change. I love how you think everyone you meet is in trouble, and your urge to always save them. I love how much you take your duties as alpha princess so seriously, but not everyone needs saving, and I do not!" she yelled. Then I took a deep breath.

Arguing with her was useless, and I couldn't even tell where the hell I was.

"It was so easy to outsmart you, and you have fallen right into our trap. Every single thing you have done has been according to our plan. It was so easy," she said, and I raised a brow.

"What do you mean? My gang and I are way ahead of you."

"In capturing wolves, so you could turn them into hybrids and help Radolf Clawmark come back to stop Enzo?" I felt my stomach tighten as she spilled our plan to me.

"How-"

"How did I know?" she asked. "I told you, Runestone, I am one step ahead." She chuckled darkly. Then she gave me a very violent push, and I started falling into free space.

After a few seconds, I landed on the rocky and chilly ground of Hazel's hideout. My heart skipped a beat at once as I looked around to see the cave had been decorated with blood, and the bodies of the forty-five wolves we had gotten were piled up. Fumbling for my phone, I put a call across to Hazel.

"Bella, where are you? I have been trying to contact you!" Her voice sounded frantic. "You need to run wherever you are. Enzo has discovered our plans, and I do not know how. The triplets and Riley were attacked, and in the den, they tried to kill me. They are out for us!"

My heart thudded in my chest, causing me to rush out of the cave at once. As I ran, all I could think about was how much of a failure I was. I couldn't believe this was happening. I had failed the entire world, and there was no going back. The vampires should be rounding up their needs by now, and in no time, Enzo would have what he wanted while I remained with nothing. It hurt so badly that I couldn't hear Hazel still asking for my whereabouts so she could come to get me.

"Bella!"

"Bella!"

Time seemed to slow as I stood there, and I felt my heart cracking until I could no longer take it anymore. All that hard work for nothing. I had failed, and there was nothing I could do.

"What are you doing here, child?" Halle's voice cut through my head, and I looked up to see her standing in front of me. "Come with me before they find you," she said, and I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't.

Tears rushed down my face, but she didn't seem to care. She only grabbed my hand, opening a portal. We walked through it, and I hoped to make it to the Dusk Pack or her house, but to our greatest surprise, we walked out in the vampire's den.

"Wait, something is wrong!" Halle's panicked voice came out.

She was still trying to fix whatever when I rushed down the hall. I didn't know what I had aimed to do, but I needed

to confront Enzo at that moment. I had done almost everything that he asked me to do, and now he had taken away my one moment from me.

"Enzo!" My voice rang through the hallway.

"Bella!" Halle came after me, but I wouldn't stop.

I increased my pace, running as fast as I could until I got to the door that led to his throne room. Then I pushed it open at once. There he sat on his throne, unbothered, with that bored look on his face. Everything about him irritated me at that moment. I was tired of pretending. I wanted to plunge a stake into his stupid heart and end his life because that was what he deserved.

"What do you want, traitor?" he asked, rolling his eyes, and I stood there feeling my blood boil in my chest. For a moment, I found myself mute, unable to say the words in my chest. They were a lot.

"You thought I wouldn't find out about your little ploy to get rid of me?" he asked. Then he sat up. "No one outsmarts me, hybrid, and you thought you could play me and get away with it. Well, I am here to tell you it is practically impossible. You are useful to me, and that is why I haven't killed you, because I wouldn't even hesitate." My heart skipped a beat when he said this, and it was as though hearing him say he would kill me made me realize who exactly he was for a moment. But it was just for a moment, and the anger in my chest surfaced again.

"Go get yourself busy before I lose my mind, and also, your little forty-five friends tasted nice. As you can see, my eternal youth's glow looks better. Even though I would have loved to taste one of your mates."