Lennox growled, stepping toward Anita, his fingers digging into her arms. His eyes blazed gold, barely containing his rage. “You’re lying,” he snarled. “You can’t be pregnant…”

“I am!” Anita cried, shrinking from his glare. “I swear—I am! You can call the healer to confirm it!”

Louis cursed, pacing furiously. Levi turned away, running a hand through his hair, his shoulders heaving as if struggling to breathe. None of them looked at me. Not once. They were too focused on her, on the chaos she'd unleashed.

“I never wanted children with you,” Lennox spat, his voice trembling. “Not now. Not ever.”

Anita flinched but stood firm. “It’s not about what you want anymore, Lennox. What’s done is done. I’m still carrying your pups!”

“No—no fucking way—” Levi snapped. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. We were careful. We didn’t want—”

“You didn’t want me,” Anita cut in softly. “But you wanted my body. And now you’ll have to live with the consequences.”

A sharp pain pierced my chest, but I remained silent, swallowing the agony. How much more could I bear? My once-best friend was pregnant with my husbands’ children.

The doors burst open, and the triplets’ parents entered.

“What’s going on in here?” Lady Fiona asked, her sharp gaze sweeping the room. Her eyes landed on me, and her face lit up. “Olivia?” she whispered, a hand flying to her chest. “Oh, goddess… is that truly you?”

Tears welled in her eyes as she approached. I opened my mouth, but only a nod escaped.

Sir Damon froze, his calculating eyes fixed on Damien. “Brother?” he said, stunned. “Damien…? What the hell are you doing here?”

“I came with her,” Damien answered simply, nodding toward me.

A tense silence hung between the brothers, heavy with unspoken words. Then Sir Damon nodded slowly, looking at all of us.

Lady Fiona pulled me into a hug, her voice trembling. “You’re alive… you’re really alive…”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I still found it hard to connect with her.

Suddenly, Anita’s voice rang out, proud and unbothered. “Well,” she said with a smug smile, “now that everyone’s here… I guess it’s a good time to share the news.”

Everyone turned to her. “I’m pregnant,” she declared. “With the triplets’ pups. You’ll be a grandmother soon, Lady Fiona.”

The room fell silent. Lady Fiona stared, stunned. Sir Damon’s face darkened with disappointment. Lennox growled, a deep, primal sound, his body trembling, his eyes glowing brighter with each ragged breath. Louis bared his teeth, his wolf barely contained. Levi looked like he was about to explode, his jaw clenched so tightly it seemed it might shatter. Their wolves were restless, angry.

Pacing just beneath the surface, snarling to be released.

“Pregnant or not,” Levi hissed, his voice laced with anger, “you will be locked up in that dungeon and will pay for what you did.”

“You know that’s not possible… I’m carrying your children.”

“Shut. Up.” Lennox’s voice was thick with a growl, claws unsheathing. “Don’t push us, Anita.”

Louis lunged, but Levi caught his arm. That’s how close they were to losing control. Their wolves howled, fighting to break free.

Suddenly, Alpha Damien stepped forward, his voice cutting through the chaos. “I’m done with this nonsense,” he said firmly. “This mess? It’s your problem,” he added, looking hard at the triplets. “You caused it. I didn’t come here for drama. I came for business.”

His tone was cold and serious. But then he looked at me, and something in his face shifted. He walked closer, and I froze. His hand gently touched my neck, his fingers brushing against the metal collar I’d worn for hours.

The choker. The one from the night they took me. “You’ve worn this long enough,” he said, frowning.

He twisted it with a key. A small click, then clink. The collar dropped. I stepped back, touching my neck. I could feel my skin, my wolf again. For the first time in hours, I could breathe.

“Are you okay?” I communicated with my wolf.

She growled. “Yes, I am.”

A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I massaged my neck. My eyes met the triplets’, filled with pain and regret. Levi spoke first. “Liv… we are so sorry… we didn’t know we were fooled… please…”

Louis stepped forward. “We’ll find that bastard who forged the letter… Liv…” He paused, speechless.

Lennox swallowed hard, trying to approach, but Alpha Damien pulled me to his side. His grip was firm—protective, or possessive? I wasn’t sure.

The room fell silent again. “What are you doing?” Levi asked, his voice sharp with warning.

Damien didn’t flinch. He looked at them calmly, then said, “She’s mine now.”

The words hit me hard. Mine?

Louis snarled. “What the hell do you mean?” he growled, stepping forward.

Damien’s expression remained unchanged. “I bought her.”

The words landed like a slap. “What?” Lennox blinked, stunned.

“I paid a million dollars,” Damien continued coldly. “That’s what they asked for her. And I paid it. She belongs to me now. I bought her freedom. And by their own rules… she’s mine.”

I stared at the floor. Grateful? Angry?

“No!” Lennox roared. “You can’t just say that! She’s our mate! Uncle!”

Damien scoffed, glaring at his nephews. "She was your mate… but not anymore, nephews… she belongs to me now. Until I sell her or give her away, she is mine.”

His grip tightened. I didn’t know whether to lean in or pull away.

Louis stepped forward, fists clenched. “Then we’ll pay you back! Right now. Double—triple the amount if we have to!”

Damien raised an eyebrow. “You think this is about money?”

“We’ll give you whatever you want!” Levi said, his voice cracking. “Just give her back to us. She’s our mate. She belongs with us.”

“She did,” Damien said simply. “But not anymore.”

He looked down at me, his hand still around my waist. “She is mine now.”