The Alpha Triplets And The Rogue

Erica's POV

"Don't come back to the West Pack," she pants. "It isn't safe."

"What do you mean I can't go home?" I yell loudly over the chaos that is coming from the other end of the phone call.

"There has been a bit of a..." I can tell that my mother has stopped running in order to speak with me more clearly. "There has been a misunderstanding, and your father and I have been banished from the pack."

"Banished as in rogue?" I gasp out in fear. Werewolves who are forced to go rogue have been known to lose their minds. Living outside the confines of a pack can cause a werewolf to become more wolf than human. Feral.

"I am sure that it is only temporary," my mother begins to sob. I can hear my father gently trying to coax her to stop crying.

The sound of wolves howling in the distance comes through the phone, and I can hear my father's gentle voice turning into begging for my mother to continue to run. "We only have five minutes to make it to the border," my father says desperately.

Helplessly, I listen as my parents run for their lives. The only sound coming through the phone is my mother panting heavily as she rushes through the forest. The sound of heavy footsteps and rustling leaves blares loudly through the speaker of my phone. I can barely hear my mother's voice as she pants heavily into the phone.

"Promise me that you won't go back," my mother yells out. "It won't be safe for you."

"Where do I go? What should I do?" I ask as panic fills my voice.

"You will go to the North Pack. Arrangements have already been made," my mother explains.

My stomach falls when my mother says I will go to the North Pack alone. "What about you? Surely Alpha Devin would take you in as well," I cannot keep the desperation from my voice.

"The treaty with the West Pack forbids it," my mother says before the line goes dead.

"Mom," I yell into the phone. "Mom!" But there is no response.

Looking down at the phone in my hand, I try to practice my breathing techniques to calm my panic, but there is no amount of breathing that is going to make this situation any better.

Quickly, I scroll through my phone and click on my mother's number, but I reach nothing but a dial tone in response. Scrolling through my phone once more I click on my father's name only to receive the same dial tone.

Tears fill my eyes, and I curse the treaty between the North Pack and the West Pack.

There are four Packs that make up North America. The North, South, East and West Packs. The North Pack is the largest of the four and only has a treaty with the West Pack. It has been in place for hundreds of years. It is said that the treaty is bound by witchcraft, and a curse would befall whoever broke the treaty. None of the Alphas would dare test the validity of the treaty, not even Alpha Devin of the North Pack.

If only my parents would have explained the situation to me before they were forced to run. I could have met them at the border. We could have lived among the humans until whatever this misunderstanding is clears up. Surely, my parents didn't do whatever they are accused of. They are high ranking wolves within the West Pack. My father has been the Beta of the West Pack since before I was born. Why would he risk his title?

I think about what my mother said about me going to the North Pack to stay with Alpha Devin, Luna Alice, and the triplets alone. I cannot help but groan inwardly. I think that I would rather be a rogue.

The last time I visited the North Pack was two summers ago. The summers in the West Pack are blistering hot, so every summer, my father would drag us to the North Pack to stay with his best friend, Alpha Devin. We had been visiting the North Pack every summer for as long as I could remember, and for as long as I could remember, the Alpha's triplets, Ace, Bryce, and Chris, tortured me.

At first, it started as harmless teasing, but as they got older, they became more creative with their tricks.

It was that summer, two years ago, that I decided that I had enough and wouldn't be returning to the North Pack for any reason. Now, it looks like I will be eating my words. My mind fills with painful memories of everything that the triplets made me endure.

I don't understand why I just can't find a job and stay on campus for the summer. I only have one more year of school left. There is no reason why I couldn't just stay here for the summer.

Slowly, I pack my bags and look around my small dorm room, which has been my home for the past three years. For some reason, it feels like I won't be coming back. I shake my head and try not to think about the thought of not finishing college.

I want more than just to be someone's mate.

Once what little of my things are packed, I lay on my bare bed, look up at the ceiling, and wonder what my father and mother have been hiding from me all of these years. Somehow, this doesn't feel like a situation that is going to be easily diffused.

My phone digs loudly beside me, and I jump up hoping that it is my mother messaging me back. I look at the message that is flashing across my screen, and I cannot help but groan. It is from Ace.

Ace: We will be at the airport to pick you up tomorrow.

I stare at the phone in disbelief. Tomorrow? It doesn't give me any time to say any goodbyes.

Me: What time is my flight?

Ace: 9:20 am. Tickets will be waiting for you at the counter.

Me: Thanks

Ace: Looking forward to seeing you again, Fox.

Ugh. I had forgotten about the stupid nickname the triplets gave me several years ago.

Goddess, I hate them.

Erica's POV

***

I have been hiding from the triplets all day. Their relentless taunting is driving me insane, but for some reason, I seek them out. This summer is different from the rest. I can't manage to stay out of their path. Even hiding under the bed in the next room feels too far away. I strain my ears to hear what they are saying, but their voices are too low.

Then, the clomping of feet on the hard floor stops outside the room I am hiding in. Sucking in a sharp breath, I hold it. I don't dare to breathe. They promised to do awful things to me if they found me.

"I think she went in here," Chris says.

"I can't smell her," Ace scoffs as if he knows everything.

"You don't have your wolf yet, Genuis," Bryce snorts with laughter. "You couldn't smell her if you wanted to."

"How do you know I don't have my wolf?" Ace grumbles.

"Because we are barely sixteen," Chris groans in return. "Stop pretending you are better than us."

"Shut up," Ace spits. "This is stupid. I am tired of hunting for her. She isn't worth our time."

The sound of his footsteps fading away is like a danger to my heart. I should be relieved Ace is finally giving up on hunting me down. It is what I have always wanted, but then why does it hurt so damn bad.

"Ace is right," Bryce continues. "This is stupid."

Tears prickle at the corners of my eyes, threatening to fall down my cheeks, but I don't let them. I will not cry over the loss of their torment. That would be stupid.

The door creaks open, and Chris walks inside. He settles on the floor beside the bed. "You can come out now. They are gone."

His hand reaches under the bed, and my fingertips graze his palm. A weird bolt of lightning pulses between us, and I jerk my hand away. My body begins to shake. I am terrified of what it might mean. Not him. Anyone but him.

***

THUMP!

My head bounces against the cool window of the airplane, causing my eyes to fly open. The dream that I just had echoes in the recesses of my mind. It is just a reminder of what I have tried to suppress for years. I haven't seen the triplets since that day. We packed up and left the next morning, but they were not there to say goodbye. It was just another danger in my heart.

A lump forms in the back of my throat. I know that the triplets will be waiting for me at baggage claim, and they are the last people on earth I want to see right now when my life is in shambles.

As I exit the plane and grab my luggage, I look around and try to see the triplets. I don't see them or their massive bodies anywhere I look.

"Great," I mumble to myself as I wander around the baggage claim, looking for any sign of the triplets. Finally, I drag my luggage out of the airport. "They fucking forgot me."

I stand on the edge of the sidewalk and try to hail a taxi. I can feel hot tears begin to form in the corners of my eyes. I cannot believe that they forgot me. Actually, that's not true. They probably forgot me on purpose. I raise my hand, trying to wave down a taxi, but each one of them drives by me without even slowing down. My hand falls to my side, and I can feel a rush of tears running down my face.

"I told you she would cry," a deep voice comes from behind me.

I turn around and bump into a massive chest and I know instantly that it is one of the triplets. I take a step back from the body that is standing in my way so I can look up to see which triplet's ass I need to kick.

The three brothers are standing side by side, and I can no longer tell them apart. Three pairs of identical blue eyes are staring at me with an amused smirk on all of their faces. Over the years, they used to dress differently or cut their hair differently, so it was easier to tell them apart. Looking from one brother to the other, I can see that they have all decided to wear the same light blue t-shirt, and their dark hair is all cut the same. It is not until they begin to talk that I get an idea of which one they are.

"Now, now, Brother," the one on the left says. "Let's not make the little Fox cry harder."

That one must be Bryce. He was always the one to compliment me in a backhanded kind of way. He slaps a twenty dollar bill in the hand of the one in the middle.

"Can we just get out of here," the one on the right says. "I am tired of being here."

That one must be Ace. He is the one with the most level head of the three.

I wipe the tears that are falling from my cheeks and glare at the three brothers who are standing before me.

I slap the one in the middle, who must be Chris, across the chest somewhat playfully, and I burst into embarrassing sobs. Ace pushes Chris out of the way and wraps his arms around me. "I told you two that now isn't the time for a joke. She has just lost everything."

I sniff as I look up into his icy blue eyes, and I notice that there are small flecks of green mixed in with the blue. "Thanks, Ace," I say as I pull myself out of his arms.

Bryce and Chris groan loudly and slap twenty dollars each into Ace's hand. I stare at them in confusion before Bryce fills in the blanks.

"Ace is the only one that thought you could tell us apart," Bryce shrugs his shoulders. "So we made a bet."

"Wait... wait..." Chris interjects before taking his twenty dollars back out of his brother's hand. "She only recognized Ace. Which one am I?"

I roll my eyes in anger. I don't feel like playing their silly games right now.

"Come on," Chris says playfully. "We won't leave until you tell us."

"Bryce, Chris, and Ace," I say, pointing to each of them as I say their names. "Can we go now?"

"Damnit," Chris says as he slaps his twenty-dollar bill back in Ace's hand. "I thought for sure you wouldn't be able to tell us apart after being gone for two years."

"I cut my hair for nothing," Bryce complains as we head towards the parking deck.

As we walk to their shiny, black SUV, I keep my mouth shut. I don't want to end up in the middle of another one of their pranks. Luckily, the three of them are so busy arguing with one another that they barely notice that I am here.

Ace loads my suitcase in the back of the SUV and slams the door shut. "Goddess, Erica." He acts like he pulled a muscle in his arm. "How long are you planning on staying?"

"Just through the summer, and then I am heading back to school," I murmur as I climb into the back seat.

I wait for a few moments before I realize that Chris and Bryce are flipping a coin. Bryce climbs into the back seat with a smile on his face. "I won," he says simply.

"Won what?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"The chance to sit beside you," he wiggles his eyebrows up and down.

"Your pretty boy moves might work on other females, but they won't work on me," I groan as I plaster myself up against the door, trying to put as much distance between Bryce and me as possible. But it is no use. Bryce just moves to the middle of the back seat. He spreads his legs open wide and leans back in the seat. His leg brushes up against my own, and I feel like I want to puke.

"So you are saying that you think I am pretty," Bryce laughs as he places his hand on my knee.

"Please don't touch me," I say as I squeeze myself closer to the door.

"Leave her alone, Bryce." Ace's voice is sharp as he looks in the rearview mirror at his brother.

Bryce raises his hands and scoots back to his side of the rear seat. I let out a sigh of relief and pry myself away from the door.

The ride back to the North Pack Pack house is loud and obnoxious. The brothers are joking around and hitting one another as Ace races down the highway. I find myself gripping the sides of my seat in fear as Ace weaves in and out of traffic.

Suddenly, I realize that this is my life now. Until whatever issues are resolved in the West Pack with my parents, this is what the next few months of my life will be like. Me alone with the three people that I hate most in this world.

Erica's POV

Ace pulls up to the pack house and puts the car in park. "Rock, paper, scissors to see who has to carry in her stuff?" He says arrogantly.

"Don't bother," I pipe up. "I can carry my own stuff."

I don't want them touching my luggage. The last time they "helped" with my things, I spent a week pulling my bras and panties out of various locations in the pack house. I will not give them the opportunity to do it again.

"I will carry her stuff," Chris says gruffly. Ace looks at him in shock, but Bryce seems perfectly fine with the decision.

I wait as Chris pulls my luggage out of the trunk. A frown tugs at his lips when he lifts it, but he says nothing. Instead, he pushes past me and heads into the pack house.

"You are staying in the guest quarters," he explains as we walk through the door. "Mother's orders."

"Okay."

He shows me to my room, which is on the opposite side of the pack house. It is much smaller than the room I usually stay in, but I don't plan on staying here long.

Chris tosses my luggage onto the floor. "Well. You know what time dinner is."

"Right," I say, laying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

Chris leaves without another word, and I kind of wish he had stayed. I pull out my phone and attempt to call my mother.

Her phone number flashes on the screen, but the phone doesn't ring on the other end. I am only met with a dial tone. I cannot believe that they changed their phone numbers without telling me first. It is like they have disappeared into the abyss, leaving no trace of where they have gone. Someone must know where they have gone.

The clock on my wall chimes, letting me know it is six o'clock. Crap. I should have already made my way down for dinner at this point.

I wipe the tears that have stained my cheeks and check my reflection in the mirror. My eyes are puffy and red, and my blonde hair is a mess on top of my head. I know I should care more since I am having dinner with Alpha and the Luna of the North Pack, but I don't care.

Opening the door to my bedroom, I see Ace standing on the other side of the door with his hand raised as if he were getting ready to knock on my door.

"What do you need?" I ask grumpily.

"I came to get you for dinner," he says gruffly. "There is no need to be rude."

"I was just on my way down," I mumble as I walk out of the door.

Ace mumbles something under his breath about an "ungrateful rogue."

I want to turn around and punch him in the face, but I refrain. I cannot forget that this family is helping me in a time of need. No one else would have taken me in, knowing that my parents were banished from the West Pack.

Ace opens the door to the dining room, and I see that my plate is set beside Bryce's. Bryce pats the seat beside him and motions eagerly for me to come and sit next to him. He seems overly excited to see me at dinner, and I cannot help but wonder what he is up to.

Before I sit down, I inspect my seat carefully, making sure that there aren't any hidden whoopie cushions or that the seat hasn't been tampered with in any way. I can hear Bryce snickering beside me as I finally sit down. "You act like it's a trap," he whispers to me.

My face flushes with embarrassment as I realize how silly I must have looked inspecting the chair. "Sorry," I mumble. "Force of habit."

"It is no problem, Dear," Alpha Devin addresses me kindly. "I know how hard my sons have been on you in the past."

I offer the Alpha a small smile as I place my napkin in my lap and wait patiently to be served. The Omegas bring in the oversized dishes and set them in the middle of the table. After serving the Alpha and the Luna, the Omegas hurriedly fill the plates of the triplets. I sigh when I realize my plate has been left empty as the Omegas rush out of the dining room.

"The Omegas only serve the ranked members of packs," Luna Alice says as she nods to the trays of food in the middle of the table. "I do hope you understand."

A lump forms in the back of my throat. I am no longer a ranked member of any pack now that my parents are rogues. My status within this pack will be questioned at every turn.

"Of course," I say as I place a small piece of meat on my plate and grab a small bowl of salad.

"Oh, Erica," Bryce says slyly. "Would you mind filling my plate again?"

"Me too," Chris says with a smirk on his face.

"Of course," I say again through gritted teeth. Reaching forward, I place more meat and salad on the triplets plates, sit back down, and begin to eat my food.

Suddenly, the door to the dining room swings open, and a girl with bouncing, curly blonde hair bounds into the room. "Sorry I am late," she says in a sing-song voice.

Luna Alice lets out a frustrated sigh as she looks at the girl. "Ashley," Luna begins with a stern look on her face. "You know it is always important to show up when dinner begins."

"Yes, yes, Aunt Alice," Ashley says with a wave of her hand. She flops down in the seat across from me, and suddenly, her eyes fly up and meet my own. "Oh, my Goddess! Is this her? The rogue?"

Rogue? I think to myself, is that how the people of this pack see me?

"Ashley," Alpha Devin hisses at her.

"What?" Ashley says with a weird look on her face. "Am I not supposed to bring up the fact that she is a rogue?"

I place my fork gently on my plate and look down at my hands. Tears are threatening to stream down my cheeks as I keep my eyes focused on my hands. Once I feel composed enough, I decide to take my leave of the dinner table. "Thank you for dinner," I manage to choke out. "But I think I will head back to my room now."

Alpha Devin and Luna Alice share a look, and I know they are speaking to one another through the mind link that all werewolves of the same pack share. The look on Alpha Devin's face shows that he is not pleased with the conversation that is taking place.

"If you will wait," Luna Alice says with a wicked look. "We need to discuss your payment arrangements for staying with us."

"Payment arrangements?" I cock my head to the side in confusion. I don't recall my parents mentioning anything about a payment arrangement.

Bryce's POV

Everyone at the table freezes. My eyes widen as I look at my brothers. Our parents never said anything about any payment arrangements.

"Of course, your parents explained the situation," Mom says in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Erica tilts up her chin and rolls her shoulders back. Her defiance to my mother is sexy. "No, they did not."

"We cannot seem like we are taking in rogues off the street," Mom looks like she just touched something sticky. "So, it will need to appear that you are working here to pay for your... arrangements."

"I see. What exactly will I be doing to work off my debt?" Erica's voice trembles, but she doesn't let herself cry.

"Just some odds and ends here around the pack house," Mom says with a wave of her hand. "You can report to the head Omega first thing in the morning."

Offering my mother nothing but a few short answers, it is clear that she isn't going to let her parents' mistakes bring her down. I had to respect that. As one of the children of the most powerful pack in North America, it is hard not to live in the shadow of my parents' accomplishments and mistakes.

"Thank you for dinner," Erica says before scooting her chair away from the table. She leaves the dining room with her head held high, but I am too focused on the way her hips sway when she walks.

Once Erica is out of the room, I look around the table at my brothers, and I can tell that they are just as conflicted as I am about having Erica work as an Omega in our household as we are, but none of us are willing to speak up against our mother. Not even our father has uttered a word since Erica left the room.

"That's that," Mom says, turning back to her food.

I stare at my mother in disbelief. Does she really expect Erica to work as an Omega in the household? She is the daughter of a former Beta. My eyes flicker between my mother and Erica, who is trying her best to carry herself like the Beta heir that she is.

"If no one else is going to say it, I will," Ashley pipes up. "But that was fucked up."

"Language, Young Lady," our mother hisses at her.

Ashley is the only cousin that we have. She will turn eighteen in about a year and will be able to find her mate. It is suspected that her mate will be high ranking so she is here to learn how to be a 'proper Luna' from my mother. So far, the lessons have been less than helpful to her. Ashley is crass and about as un-lady-like as they come.

"No," Ashley stands up and throws her napkin over her plate. "Are you trying to break that poor girl? Her whole family has been banished from the West Pack, her parents are missing, and now you are forcing her to be an Omega? No, this is a fucked up situation."

It seems that Ashley has said the words that my brothers and I are all thinking because we each have a smile on our face.

"That is enough from you," my mother spits at her. "You are excused from dinner."

"Good," Ashley yells back at her. "If this is what being a Luna is all about, I think I would rather be mated to an Omega."

Without another word to any of us, Ashley storms out of the dining room, slamming the door aggressively behind her.

Mother sits back in her chair with a satisfied look on her face. "Now that she is gone, we can get down to business."

A snarl comes from Chris. "Business?"

Mother bristles at his tone, but she continues. "Did you get her settled into the guest quarters?"

"I put her shit in there if that is what you are asking," Chirs snaps.

"Watch your language, young man. You may be almost eighteen, but that doesn't mean you can use profanity around your mother." She leans forward, resting her elbows on the table.

"Yes, mother," he folds.

"We need to have a discussion," she continues.

"What about," Ace groans.

"I want you three to stay away from that girl," her voice is sour. "We don't need our pack to be associated with the drama that is going on in the West Pack any more than what we already are. Don't be fooled by a pretty face."

My mother stares at me while she talks, and I feel an undeserving sense of pride. Even she knows I would be the first to get Erica to drop her panties.

"What exactly happened at the West Pack," Ace asks curiously.

"That is a matter between Alphas," my mother says shortly.

"But aren't we Alphas," I reply smugly.

"You know what I mean," she snaps at us.

"I mean it. Stay away from that girl."

Mother has never demanded that I stay away from a girl before. Whatever is going on in the West Pack must be serious, or she wouldn't have been so adamant. It will be hard for me to stay away, though. My cock bounced to life as I watched her walk from the dining room. I need to see her naked beneath me. Just once. What my mother doesn't know won't hurt her.

I am imagining what Erica's breasts look like when Ace's voice comes through the mind link.

'Triplet meeting after dinner,' is all he says.

Chris and I nod in return. Dad is eyeing us suspiciously. We have never been able to make plans through the mind link. He can always tell when we are plotting. Only this time, he doesn't call us out. Which I find odd.

Chris and I excuse ourselves from the table, but Ace stays behind.

'Are you coming?' I ask through the link.

'I want to have a word with our parents,' he grumbles.

Chris POV

"I don't like it," I growl. "I mean... I don't like Erica being here, but I don't think we should be treating her poorly."

"Especially now that she is a full grown woman," Bryce adds.

I look at Bryce suspiciously.

"Come on, Bro," he laughs. "You can't tell me that you haven't noticed her. Since we saw her two years ago, she has turned into a fine ass woman."

Of course, I have fucking noticed. I would have to be blind not to see her beauty. When I saw her at the airport, she took my breath away. My brothers and I had agreed that we would pretend like we forgot to pick her up. I bet that it would make her cry, and I was right. But when I saw the tears shining in her hazel eyes, I no longer thought that the twenty bucks was worth the bet.

Her blonde hair was pulled back into a messy bun with a few stray strands that framed her heart shaped face beautifully. She had definitely turned into a woman since the last time that we saw her, almost two years ago. She has filled out in all the right places, and her beautiful hourglass figure made my cock twitch in my pants. She is perfect. Everything that I hoped my mate would be.

If I am being honest, I have always had a bit of a crush on Erica, but like an idiot, my brothers and I spent every summer tormenting her childishly. Now that I look at the full grown woman in front of me, I wish we had been just a little kinder to her.

Now, the thought of Bryce checking her out makes me want to gouge out his eyes. Goddess. What is happening to me? Am I really ready to fight with my brothers over a girl?

Not a girl. A woman.

Instead of killing my brother, I remind him of what our mother said. "We are meant to stay away from her."

Bryce rubs his hands together. "You can stay away from her all you want. But I have other plans."

"What plans are those exactly?" I growl.

"Ever since we picked up Erica from the airport, I have been imagining what she would look like without her clothes on. Just thinking about the way that her ass fits in her jeans is almost too much for me to think about. Not to mention the way her breasts strained against the t-shirt she was wearing to dinner. I plan on finally finding out what she tastes like this summer…"

"Shut up!" I shout.

Bryce explodes with laughter.

"Do your plans take into account that she hates us?" Ace says from his doorway.

"No one can resist me," I say as I wiggle my eyebrows up and down.

"We are all going to stay away from her," Ace says as he walks into his bedroom. "I have just got done speaking with mother and father and her rank within this pack is an Omega. Father seems a little resistant to the fact, but Mother will not be swayed."

"Since when does that matter," Bryce shrugs. "We have all slept with our fair share of Omegas."

"She is off limits," Ace growls. "It is what is best for this pack and our family."

"How so?" I question Ace.

"She is technically a rogue. We cannot be seen with a rogue." Ace points out, and I guess he has a point.

"Fine," Bryce grumbles. "She is off limits."

Ace straightens his shoulders and stands a little taller. "So we are all in agreement. We treat Erica no differently than we have in the past."

I can't help but smile. At least we can still have a little bit of fun. I remember digging through her luggage two years ago and spreading her bras and panties all over the pack house. Was it immature? Probably. But was it incredibly hot going through her personal things and touching her most intimate objects? Hell, yes, it was, and I can't wait to see her running around the pack house without a bra on because she cannot find hers.

"What are you smiling about?" Ace asks me suspiciously.

Bryce interrupts me. "I don't know about you all. I am just thinking about how hot she will be working in the pack house without her bras and panties. Who wants to distract her while I go and find her things?"

"Triplet minds think alike," I smirk. "Let's go."

We find it difficult to hide our laughter as we sneak to the Omega side of the pack house. Mother will kill us if she finds us, so it is very important that we remain quiet. It is also very difficult.

After a complicated game of rock, paper, scissors, it is decided that I will be the one to knock on her door and lure her out. Only when I knock on her door, it opens slowly. I peek into the room and gesture for my brothers to come in.

"She isn't here."

Bryce is the first to shove his way into the room, then Ace, and then me.

"Someone should be the look out," Ace whispers.

"Not me," I grumble. "I have already lost tonight."

"Then stop throwing paper, Dumbass," Bryce laughs as he unzips her luggage.

The scent of lavender swirls around the room, and I have to suppress the moan building in my throat. Why do her things smell so good?

"We don't have much time," Bryce says as he adjusts the front of his pants.

He rifles through her clothes like a raccoon in the trash. Tossing out bras and panties as he finds them. Ace and I pick them up off the floor and stuff them into our pockets.

"I think that's it," he says getting back to his feet. "We should go."