Resisting the Alpha Triplets by Cara Anderson

Ch. 21 Promise Me

Mallory’s POV

I woke the next morning to a banging sound. Bolting upright in bed at the jarring noise, it took me a minute to get my bearings. Then, just as it registered with me that someone was at the door, strong arms wrapped around me and pulled me back down.

“Just ignore it. They’ll go away.” Cary’s gruff morning voice was muffled by his face burrowing into my hair until his lips reached the back of my neck.

My mind raced as I tried to make sense of what was happening. Between Cary trailing kisses along the back of my neck and the persistent banging outside, I couldn’t think straight. Why was Cary in my bed?

I’d slept so soundly, I felt like I was waking from a coma after years of being unconscious. But gradually, the events of the night prior filtered into my brain. Cary had climbed in through my window. I had cried in his arms. Then he held me until I fell asleep. And apparently spent the entire night with me. That about summed it up.

Cary scooted in closer to my back, his morning wood poking my backside. His hand drifted to my waist, squeezing my hip then trailing his fingers lightly over my skin. Whether from the remnants of sleep I was still trying to shake off or Cary’s kisses and teasing touches, my mind was in a fog. I knew I should say something to him, probably something that led to him leaving my bed, but the words wouldn’t come to me. Then all that changed in an instant.

“Mallory!” My visitor yelled as he continued to knock on the front door. ” Come on, Mal! It’s sweltering out here!”

“Fuck! Nathan!” I swore, shoving Cary off and sitting up again. “You have to leave. Now!”

I flinched slightly at the hurt that passed over Cary’s face. He’d been so kind to me last night, comforting me with no games and no pretense for once. That, coupled with the wounded look he was giving me was almost enough to convince me he really did feel something for me. But that would have to be examined at a later time.

“Thank you for staying with me last night. It was honestly the best night’s sleep I’ve had in longer than I can remember.” I told him, hoping to soften the blow.

“That’s because we belong together, darling.” Cary flashed me his best sexy smirk as he spoke. “Just let me stay, Mal. He’ll get the message loud and clear that it’s over between you and I’ll be here to protect you if he gets angry.”

“I can’t do that, Cary. He deserves better than that. I need to speak with Nathan alone.” I said, imploring him with my eyes to understand and accept my choice.

“Fine. I’ll sneak out the back like a dirty little secret this one time. But next time, and there will be a next time, I’ll be leaving through the front door.” He moved to the window and was already halfway through it when he turned back to me. “You have fifteen minutes to settle things with him, then I’m coming back. If he’s still here, I will handle him myself. And you damn well better not smell like him!”

I barely had time to blink, let alone respond, before he disappeared from view. I shook my head to clear it of Cary’s last words then headed down the stairs. I knew I had to tell Nathan the truth and set him free from my labile behavior, at least for now, but I hadn’t planned to do it on the spur of the moment like this. I had no clue what I was going to say to him.

“What are you doing here so early?” Was my brilliant opening line as I flung the door open with more force than I intended.

“Well, good morning to you too. What took you so long to answer the door?” He asked, stepping inside.

I had just opened my mouth to respond when his forehead creased into a frown and he took a deep breath, sniffing the air around me. A deep growl rumbled in his chest and his eyes turned pitch black. Unfortunately, I knew what he was smelling and I knew this wouldn’t end well for me.

“Nathan, I swear it’s not what you think!” He was stalking towards me and I was backing up with every step he took.

“Oh really? So one of the triplets didn’t rub his body all over yours to the point your scents are combined like they would be if he fucked you? You’re telling me you didn’t fuck one of them?” He practically spit the venom- laced words at me.

“Yes! I mean no! Shit!” Goddess damn my still half asleep brain. “Yes, that’s what I’m telling you. No, I didn’t sleep with him. Well, I did sleep with him but there was no sex involved. Fuck!”

Why couldn’t I just shut up while I was ahead? Nathan growled even louder at my botched explanation. He raised his hand and I flinched, though I knew he’d never hit me.

“Fuck, Mallory! Do you really think I’d ever lay a hand on you, no matter how pissed off I am?” He bit out accusingly.

“No! Of course I know you wouldn’t.” I rushed to assure him. He just scrubbed his hand over his face in frustration.

“I really didn’t expect this of you.” He shook his head, sinking into the sagging cushions of our old sofa. “After the day we spent together yesterday, I couldn’t wait to see you again. I raced here this morning, blowing off training and all my meetings because I couldn’t wait to see your beautiful face again. What a fucking fool I was.”

“Please, Nathan! Let me explain.” I begged, my shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

“Go on then. Explain to me why you came to me yesterday, begging me to forgive you and giving me one of the best experiences of my life just to turn around and break my fucking heart.”

Listening to Nathan choke back his emotions was like being stabbed in the chest with a dull knife. I’d started sobbing in earnest at hearing the pain in his voice.

“I-, I loved our day together yesterday. Every minute of it. I was-, I was so happy with you. With us. I still am!” I sputtered out through my tears.

“Then tell me what happened!” He demanded. “How am I supposed to believe you when you just rolled out of bed covered in his scent?”

“They were all waiting for me when I got home last night, the triplets.” I sucked in a few shuddering breaths. ”

They wanted to apologize for, well for everything, I guess. But then Clay, he-, he kissed me. I don’t know what happens when they do that. It’s like my brain gets all muddled.”

“So it’s Clay’s scent you’re covered in.” He assumed.

“N-, no.” I corrected him. “I was upset when they left. Cary came back to check on me. He stayed with me until I fell asleep and ended up falling asleep too. Nothing happened. I swear nothing happened!”

“You kissed one of them and spent the night with another. That’s not nothing Mallory!” His voice was quieter now, like all the fight had left him and it just made me cry even harder.

“I know it’s not. I’m so sorry, Nathan. I never meant for any of this to happen and I know it isn’t fair to you. You’ve been nothing but wonderful to me and you deserve so much better!”

“I want you, Mallory!” He declared, wiping away a stray tear he didn’t want me to see.

I inhaled deeply, steeling myself for what came next. There was no way I could look him in the eye. If I did, I’d never get the words out. So I kept my eyes trained steadfastly on the floor.

“I want you too, Nathan. But even knowing that, I keep making choices that hurt you. I think it’s best if we break up, at least until I can figure out why I keep allowing this to happen. Then, if you still want me, maybe we could try to work things out.’ The words tasted like ash in my mouth but I knew they had to be said.

“No Mallory! I don’t want that!”

Nathan objected, dragging me into his arms and holding me close, burying his face in my hair.

“Nathan, we can’t keep going through this. Right now, I can’t promise you it won’t happen again and I can’t keep up this back and forth, hurting you then apologizing, only to do it all over again.” My voice was pleading, begging him to understand how much this was breaking me.

“You won’t have to. Take as long as you need, just don’t push me away.”

Nathan grasped my shoulders hard, digging his fingers into my flesh almost painfully as he set me at arms length so he could look into my eyes. The pain and devastation I saw there sent a fresh round of sobs coursing through me. “I’m willing to fight for you Mallory. Promise me you’ll give me a chance. Promise me!”

Nathan raised his voice and shook my shoulders as he made his demands, forcing me to gasp through my sobs.

“Time’s up Mallory!” Cary came bursting in at the worst possible moment.” Hey! Get your fucking hands off her!”

He grabbed Nathan by the back of his collar and yanked him away from me, practically tossing him across the room. Then he was back with me, pulling up my sleeve to check for injuries where Nathan had been holding me. His roar shook the whole house when he saw the claw marks in my skin.

“I’m fine, Cary! He didn’t mean to hurt me!” I latched onto his wrist, restraining him from attempting to beat Nathan to a pulp.

“Then explain the bruises on your arms and the blood where his claws cut you!” I could handle the snarling voice of his wolf but flinched away from the murderous look in his eyes.

“Fuck! Mallory, I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize-, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Nathan hung his head in his hands, not even attempting to get up from the floor.

“Well you fucking did!” Cary growled at him. “Stay the fuck away from her!”

Nathan looked at me to gauge my reaction, but there was no anger there. Only guilt and remorse for the pain I’d caused him. Slowly, he pushed himself up to standing, grimacing slightly as he likely had a few broken bones. Then he took a few tentative steps in my direction.

Cary placed himself in front of me like a protective barrier but I stepped around him, stopping at his side. He put his arm out in front of me, preventing me from moving any closer to Nathan. The act was both endearing and annoying at once. I appreciated his desire to keep me safe but there was no need to protect me from Nathan.

“I’m sorry but I can’t do that.” Nathan responded to his command. “I’ll tell you what I told her. I’m going to fight for her until she has someone else’s mark on her neck and there is nothing you or your brothers can do to stop me.”

I could feel the fury rolling off Cary in waves as he clenched and unclenched his fists beside me.

“Then we’re going to have a fucking problem!”