The moment seemed to stretch like a rubber band ready to snap as I stood in the doorway, tray of ice water in my trembling hands. Despite my best efforts to hide it, my body still ached from yesterday's punishment on the rooftop.
"Bring it here, Omega," Lilith repeated, her voice dripping with false sweetness.
Each step toward the bed felt like walking through quicksand. The room reeked of sex and sweat, a smell that made my stomach turn. I kept my eyes deliberately unfocused, not wanting to see their naked bodies sprawled across the sheets.
My mother's tearful pleas echoed in my head. "Please, Sera, just rest today. Your skin is still so red and raw." I'd promised her I would be careful, but here I was, facing another form of torture.
I placed the tray on the nightstand, my goal to deposit the water and escape as quickly as possible. As I turned to leave, Lilith's voice cut through the room.
"Stay."
It wasn't a request. It was an order.
I froze, my back to them, praying she'd change her mind.
"I said stay," Lilith repeated, more forcefully this time. "Turn around and look at us."
Slowly, I turned, keeping my eyes trained on the floor. I could feel the triplets' gazes on me—Kaelen's piercing stare, Ronan's conflicted glance, Orion's mocking gaze. None of them spoke up to dismiss me.
"Pour the water," Lilith ordered. "And look at me while you do it."
I picked up the pitcher, the ice cubes clinking against the glass as I poured the first glass. Looking up, I met Lilith's triumphant eyes. She was sprawled across the bed, deliberately positioned to display her nakedness to maximum effect. The sheet was strategically draped over her hips, leaving her breasts exposed.
"So, Seraphina," she said conversationally as I handed her the glass, "I was just telling the brothers how excited I am for my upcoming eighteenth birthday."
I said nothing, moving to pour another glass for Kaelen. His green eyes caught mine for a split second before I looked away.
"Do you know why I'm so excited?" Lilith continued, taking a slow sip of her water.
Again, I remained silent.
"Answer me, Omega," she snapped.
"No, I don't know why," I replied flatly.
Her smile widened. "Because that's when I'll officially be mated to my Alphas." She gestured grandly to the three brothers. "We'll have a grand ceremony, and I'll finally be Luna of Silver Crescent Pack." She leaned forward, her voice lowering. "What will you be doing on your eighteenth birthday, Seraphina? Scrubbing toilets?"
The triplets remained silent, neither confirming nor denying her claims. Their silence spoke volumes.
I poured water for Ronan next, my hands steady despite the churning in my gut. He accepted the glass without looking at me, something like discomfort flickering across his handsome face.
"You know," Lilith continued, running her fingers through Kaelen's dark hair possessively, "I feel sorry for you sometimes, Seraphina. Always watching from the outside. Always wanting what you can't have."
"I don't want anything from this room," I said quietly, my voice steadier than I expected.
Lilith laughed, the sound sharp and cruel. "Oh, please. We all know how you used to follow the triplets around like a lost puppy. Before your father revealed his true nature as a thief and traitor, of course."
My hand tightened around the pitcher. The urge to dump its contents over her head was almost overwhelming.
"Don't you dare speak about my father," I warned, momentarily forgetting my place.
Orion's eyes narrowed at my tone. "Watch yourself, Omega."
Lilith smirked, clearly enjoying the moment. She stretched languidly, making sure I saw every inch of her body. Then, without warning, she reached for Kaelen, pulling him into a deep, deliberate kiss.
"Mmm," she moaned against his mouth, eyes open and fixed on me. "Show her what she's missing, Alpha."
To my disgust, Kaelen complied, his hands moving to cup Lilith's breasts as they kissed. The display was clearly for my benefit—or rather, for my humiliation.
I stood rigid, the water pitcher growing heavy in my hands. Pride kept me from looking away, from giving her the satisfaction of seeing me crumble.
When Lilith finally broke the kiss, she immediately turned to Ronan. "Your turn," she purred, pulling him close.
Ronan hesitated briefly before allowing her to claim his mouth. His kiss seemed mechanical, but his hands still wandered over her body in practiced movements.
The whole scene felt like a performance—one designed specifically to break me. I thought of my father, of how he'd taught me to stand tall no matter what others said or did. I held onto that memory like a shield.
After thoroughly kissing Ronan, Lilith turned her predatory attention to Orion. Unlike his brothers, Orion showed no hesitation, gripping her hair and kissing her roughly while staring directly at me, as if challenging me to react.
"Now," Lilith said, breaking away from Orion with a satisfied smile, "be a good little Omega and prepare our bath."
I swallowed hard, setting down the pitcher. "The bathroom is through there?" I asked, pointing to a door on the far side of the room.
"Obviously," Lilith rolled her eyes. "Make it hot with lots of bubbles. And be quick about it."
I escaped into the massive bathroom, grateful for the momentary reprieve. The space was opulent—a massive marble tub big enough for multiple people, gold fixtures, plush towels. I turned on the taps, watching the steaming water fill the tub as I added bath salts and oils.
The door opened behind me. I didn't need to turn to know who it was—the hairs on the back of my neck stood up, recognizing his presence instantly.
"Enjoying the view of what you'll never have?" Orion's voice was low, taunting.
I kept my focus on the filling tub. "I'm just doing what I was told."
He moved closer, his naked body just inches from mine. "You know, I've always wondered if you did it on purpose."
"Did what?" I asked, still not looking at him.
"Got yourself demoted to Omega. So you could serve us. Be close to us." His breath was warm against my ear. "Is that why you never left? Because you can't stand the thought of being away from us?"
I finally turned, looking directly into his cool brown eyes. "I stay for my mother. Nothing else."
"Liar," he whispered, trailing a finger down my cheek. "I see the way you look at us. The longing in your eyes."
I slapped his hand away, anger breaking through my carefully maintained composure. "What I feel when I look at you three is disgust."
His eyes darkened dangerously. "Careful, Omega. Don't forget your place."
"How could I?" I shot back. "You and your brothers never let me forget it for a second."
Orion leaned closer, his naked body nearly pressing against mine. "You think you're so much better than her, don't you? But at least Lilith knows what she wants and goes after it. You just hover in the shadows, waiting for scraps of attention."
"The bath is ready," I said coldly, stepping away from him. "I need to go."
As I moved past him, Orion grabbed my wrist, pulling me back. "You're not dismissed yet."
"Let me go," I hissed, trying to wrench my arm free.
His grip tightened. "Does it hurt, Seraphina? Seeing what you'll never be a part of?"
"I don't want any part of it," I insisted, looking him straight in the eye. "I don't want any part of you."
Something flickered in his gaze—anger, certainly, but something else too. Something that almost looked like pain.
He released me suddenly, as if my skin burned him. "Get out."
I didn't need to be told twice. I rushed from the bathroom, through the bedroom where Lilith was still draped across Kaelen and Ronan, and out the door.
My cheeks burned with humiliation as I hurried down the hallway, but I refused to let the tears fall. They'd taken so much from me already—my father's reputation, my status in the pack, my dignity. But they couldn't take my resolve.
And I will leave. Just after my eighteenth birthday.