Mated to the triplet alpha princes

RILEY'S POV

"You are a shame to this Pack, Riley Cooper."

Alpha Nate's gruff tone, cold eyes searching my feeble frame made it clear this man didn't want me.

Why humiliate me?

"You don't want me. Why bother?" I dared not talk back to the Alpha of the southern territories, but not when I was on the brink of death.

Stripped and bruised to the floor with nothing but a ripped brown dress and the ache in my soul to be freed from all this.

"Why don't you just kill me?" I spat the blood in my mouth to the floor, pinning my gaze to the floor, not daring to look at Alpha Nate in his beautiful dark eyes.

His commanders looked quite impatient, glancing at their wristwatches now and then with heavy sighs as though waiting for someone to meet them at the Pack borders.

"I still think we should give her at least a last chance..."

"Oh fuck it Lance," Nate snapped at his second in command, "This whore is plainly an impostor. She has no roots whatsoever to the Wyel bloodline..."

He went abruptly silent, tossed his Cuban cigarette to the floor, stepped on it before taking large strides toward me. Nate took a fistful of my pecan hair yanking me to my feet. The pain it caused, inexplicable.

"Did you offer the goddess some sacrifices just to get fated to me?"

What? No!

I fought to say but my body fought to overcome the pain his grasp rendered to me.

"Fifty million dollars is what I'm making off of your goddamn head, you try to act smart then I'm not going to hesitate to send a silver bullet through your fuckin' head."

"What if the Northerners realize we've fooled them?" Beta Lance tried to reason, "We lied she's a listener, it's why they're buying her but this runt has no wolf."

"We didn't lie, Lance, the test results don't lie," a sly grin tugged the edges of Gamma Dane's lips, "The Northerners get to run preliminary tests. They have what they pay for, just that she'll never play the role because she has no wolf."

"She becomes their headache." Nate chuckled amusedly.

The Northern territories were known for their malevolence, cruelty, and barbarism. There certainly was no way the commanders of my Pack were heartless enough to want me off with them.

This had to be another punishment.

Nate hated to think I was fated to him. The hate and resentment I received from HornSide Pack members seemed to double the second they realized their Alpha had rejected me a few months ago.

The moon goddess never missed a beat to be funny. How in the hell did she expect an ugly and unworthy runt to be accepted by this handsome and strong Alpha? And everyone thought the goddess was smart.

The shiny cars zooming towards us at the border brought a sheer sense of accomplishment perceptible in Alpha Nate's bright eyes and broad grin.

The commanders of the HornSide pack took on a more defensive stance, their hands surreptitiously on the concealed Glocks clipped to their waistband, with their jackets over it.

My heart thumped wildly. Unsure of what was going on, with Nate's grip on my hair hardening, threatening to rip off my scalp.

They waited until the two trucks came to a halt before them and three young men, not any older than Nate and his commanders, came out of the car.

The blazing sun highlights blinded my blurry vision making the approaching men appear like a perfect silhouette of three cowboys. Their hats, boots, and scarf gave an air of trouble around them.

My eyes dropped on the duffle bags in their possession as they edged closer, standing right before us.

"Prince Norman wants the girl." The man in the middle announced. His accent is quite sexy.

"You have her," Nate tugged my hair painfully making me fight to break free.

If I could escape this second then my freedom was guaranteed. But who was I kidding?

"The money?" Nate asked, greed heavy in his tone.

The guy with the duffle bags tossed them with great throws and they landed at our feet with a loud thud.

Taking wary steps, Gamma Dane approached the Goyard duffle bags. He leaned slightly over to confirm the contents of the bags.

He nodded to Nate and hoisted the bags with so much money in them one after the other to their car.

The whistle from the man in the middle had Nate shoving me in their direction.

They caught me. Before I could react, silver cuffs and chains to my neck seized and rendered me weak.

"My regards to the Prince."

Was all I heard Nate say before these men bundled me into one of their waiting cars.

Whatever they were going to do me was up to the Goddess to decide. The phone in the car rang and chimed loudly in my ears but none of them cared to answer it.

"Please don't hurt me." I sobbed in the backseat of the car, my heart thrashing erratically.

"Just go to sleep, come morning light, you'll be safe and sound."

Safe and sound?

What the heck did that even mean?

I glanced back to see if Nate and his commanders had a change of heart if they were coming for me.

Every bit of hope in me dissolved as I saw their cars disappear from my vision in the opposite direction. They didn't care.

They had quite a lot of money and they couldn't risk trouble with the Northern territories.

Prince Norman wanted me? Whatever for?

I knew who Prince Norman Edelman, son of the Lycan High King was. A brute and cruel ruler. This deception from Nate and his team was only going to cost me my life.

They absolutely were going to pay back every bit of the money they just got because the Prince wanted a Listener. I came from the Wyel bloodline, a bloodline with extraordinary hearing humanoid ability.

But I was wolfless and giftless but Prince Norman wanted me.

RILEY'S POV

"Is this the Listener?"

The hoarse voice in the dark room asked, just then, the lights went on.

I scooted by the corner of the empty room gazing blankly at the middle-aged man in an immaculately tailored suit as he marched my way, leaned into me, his blue eyes were all I could see before he strengthened.

"Strip her of all filth, we present her to Prince Norman in two hours."

The perfectly coiffed lady in the room doubled over leading me to the connecting room. After a while of bathing, hairdo, and beautiful floral dress, I looked pretty in the mirror.

"Can you tell me what my thoughts are right now?" The tall and imposing man raised his chin in subtle challenge when I met him by the door.

My horror began. I knew nothing of his thoughts. I bit my tongue and tried not to shake my head as he led me through the long and pearly hallway.

I didn't expect it, but they clothed and fed me. It wasn't as terrible as I'd imagined yet, The pancakes tasted better than what I ever had. After breakfast, they led me to the main section of the opulent mansion, my eyes taking in its beauty.

Prince Norman wasn't hard to recognize. His iconic golden hair and brilliant green eyes made me realize the man on the threshold of the main building was the son of King Baldwin Edelman. Handsome as always.

I gulped.

"Chadwick you're late!" He growled, green eyes searching the middle-aged man beside me.

"I'm here. She's here, your Majesty," Chadwick amended, bowing courteously.

"Get her in the truck, we head East." Prince Norman commanded, starting towards the waiting car, he paused in his tracks, glanced over his shoulder at me before he changed his heart, "No, she'll ride with me."

This doubled my anxiety.

Was it safe to be the one to tell them I had no such abilities other than waiting until they found out? Disappointment was never a good emotion. This Prince could kill me if he found out in the face of danger I didn't possess the gift he sought.

Prince Norman reached the car in no time with his hard jaws clenched, his gaze peering impatiently my way.

A nightmare was unfolding before me. Chadwick used his index finger to kick-start me. A jab on my shoulder blade had me moving towards the waiting prince.

It was hard not to gawk at the handsome Prince in the morning sun looking like a god straight out of Greek. His sheened hair glowed in the sun, height was intimidating.

This had to be a dream. Walking to Prince Norman by his car was a dream I never thought could come true.

"What is your name?" He asked when I stood before him, waiting to be granted access to the car.

"Riley Cooper," I mumbled quietly with eyes on my sweaty and trembling fingers.

I was beyond intimidated.

His eyes searched me a little longer than expected, something at the edge of his green eyes that was inexplicable. He nodded, stepped aside, and held the door open for me.

Without an idea of where we were headed, I stepped into the car feeling like my heart would convulse at any moment. Norman settled beside me in his seat, his attention on the phone in his hand as his chauffeur set the car in motion.

His clenched jaws made it seem he constantly was grinding rocks with his teeth. His gaze darkened dangerously as he typed briefly into his phone, an air of warning settled around his hardened features. His eyes, lips, and how intoxicating his woody scent filling the car to plague my nostrils was. This man would certainly kill me for deception.

He cleared his throat and looked away from his phone, eyes falling on mine. I Instantly averted mine, flustering to be caught ogling his way.

"Sorry." I gulped, feeling more embarrassed than ever.

Norman studied me from the dark end of his car, his long legs stretched out in front of him, a frown plastered on his harshly attractive face, fingers in a steeple in front of his curious lips.

How was he real?

"Your first task is pretty simple," his deep accent had an eerie effect on me. He considered me briefly before adding, "You're going to attend a meeting with me. Mr. Chadwick will give you a notepad, I need you to write in it every thought in the room, every single thought including mine. Hand this notepad to me afterward."

All the air left my lungs. My fingers grew instantly numb.

"Is this something you can do, Riley?"

His deceptive mildness was one trick I could never fall for. I heard tales of this man's ruthlessness.

Tell him the truth!

My brain argued. Now was the moment of truth. It was now or never.

His brows furrowed when I took longer than demanded to respond. Lying to the High Prince was punishable but his hardened gaze suggested he wasn't the man to mess around with, my head seemed to have a mind of its own because it nodded convincingly.

I had no idea how long we'd driven for but the sound of gravel crunching, accompanied by a mechanical whirl forced me to peel my gaze from Norman in a suit and tie to the window. The car drove another minute and pulled up in front of a business complex building.

"Can I use the bathroom?" I requested the second my feet touched the ground right after Norman.

If cast deaf ears to my request.

A phalanx of security guards all in black sleekly tailored suits led us towards the front entrance and stepped aside only when we stepped into the elevator.

Mr. Chadwick, Norman's executive assistant, handed me a notepad and whispered into my ears, "Prince Norman's counting on you, don't mess this up."

And if I did?

"You're not breathing, Riley." Mr. Chadwick pointed out.

I nodded regardless and focused more on my breath until we walked into the vast conference room.

Bile rose from the pit of my stomach and threatened to spill. This had me more nervous than I ever could be.

This certainly was the end of me.

RILEY'S POV

Prince Norman took his seat at the head of the long conference table flanked by gruff faces of young and elderly noblemen.

Mr. Chadwick pointed me to a seat in the middle of the table before he exited the conference room. The occupants of the conference room regarded me momentarily before they glued their gazes to the Prince.

This was it.

The meeting began, all I could hear remained what everyone else in the room heard, no matter how hard I listened, stared, and prayed to the goddess to save me this one last time, I heard nothing out of the ordinary.

Thirty minutes into the meeting, the notepad before me was still as blank as my mind, fifteen more minutes before this meeting was over. The goddess chose to ignore me. As always.

My gaze wandered to Prince Norman, his attention too vested in the white-haired man's words to want to pay any glance my way.

In no time, Prince Norman got to his feet. The meeting ended. My breath ceased. The blank notepad was a subtle reminder that my end was now. Handshakes were made, Chadwick plunged into the room to gather Norman's computer and phone. He glanced my way and nodded me to the door.

Time to leave.

My heart pounding loudly in my ears was all I heard now as I followed them to the door, into the elevator, and back to the waiting car.

His security measures left no room for escape.

Prince Norman was on his phone all through the ride from the business complex through the bustling streets and then a stop at the prison. His eyes dropped on me the second his call ended.

"You're going to work with Detective Jones this noon," he paused, only to stretch his large hand towards the notepad I'd hugged to my chest all through the ride.

Sweat broke through my forehead, I shook my head without a word.

"I didn't," I swallowed hard and scanned my brain for a more appealing way to break the news to him, "I'm dyslexic."

The lie left my mouth before I had the chance to think of its consequences.

Norman didn't bear expressive features, exactly what sent me off the edge.

"What the fuck, that's a joke." Mr. Chadwick looked back at me from the front seat where he sat.

Tears brimmed in my eyes. I bucked up, crying wasn't going to solve this.

"What the hell am I thinking girl?" Mr. Chadwick prodded.

"That's enough," Norman muttered, turning his cold eyes on me he continued, "Do you know the depth of what you've just done?"

Did I?

I glanced at Mr. Chadwick as though seeking help to escape the fury burning bright in Prince Norman's eyes.

Mr. Chadwick low-key shook his head. So I shook my head without a word.

"You do remember everyone in that meeting right?" He asked, quite mildly.

Mr. Chadwick nodded. I nodded. He was a kind man.

"Mr Gilbert Sanchez, do you remember his thoughts on the bid?"

Norman's sensuous lips were all I'd focused on all through the meeting, none of those men in the room were of importance to me, not until now.

"The man with the gray hat and tie." Chadwick enlightened me.

I could lie now. I could say he was interested and thought of committing until the long run.

But that would be pouring more fuel into the fire. If Norman made a business mistake then, I'd certainly get punished in a few days.

"His mind was hazy. He bore no thoughts." I spluttered.

"That fuckin' can't be!" Norman's voice rose.

His rage evident in his tone which made me flinch fearfully.

"Pardon your Majesty, the girl's in shock. I feel like she needs a few more days to rest and understand exactly why she's here." Mr. Chadwick came to my rescue.

I nodded desperately, blinking away the tears in my eyes. "I'm scared." I allowed my tears to flow.

Silence dominated the car before Norman broke it with his deep voice.

"Cancel the interrogation with the spies, push it back another week, and reschedule for another meeting. I need to be sure of this deal, Chadwick."

The car started out of the prison gate. It wasn't until then that my lungs were able to function again. For the first time noticing just how beautiful the scenery was as the car drove through the city.

True to the tales, this was a wealthy land. The cars, tall buildings, and roads were nothing compared to the HornSide pack. The car came to a halt outside the opulent mansion.

Chadwick sprang out to hold the door open for Norman. For us.

"Show Miss Cooper to her room."

Her room?

A smile twitched on my lips at the thought of living here. I'd never lived anywhere this grand. I only scrubbed the floors and tended the garden in such buildings.

"Thanks, Norman!" The joy in my soul went beyond what they could suspect.

Norman's peered gaze watched me as though I just made a mistake. Did I?

Mr. Chadwick cleared his throat audibly and clarified, "Prince Norman. She meant to say, 'Prince'!" He cast me a warning glare before he turned to offer Norman a stiff bow.

Mr. Chadwick lectured me on how things went around the mansion as he led me to the other wing of the mansion away from the one Prince Norman had disappeared into.

"Is he always that soft?" I smiled, flattered just to think about how softly he'd spoken to me earlier.

"There are adjectives you don't use while describing the Prince. Be wary of such words in the future." He stopped by the door. "I'm an executive assistant, I don't understand why, His Majesty wants me to babysit you."

"Point me to an escape route and I promise never to come back."

He regarded me as though I had lost my mind and held the door open waiting until I'd gotten inside before he closed the door.

This entirely was my reality from now on. From now until the Prince learned he'd been tricked.