A Mate To Three Alpha Heirs Chapter 128: Narrow Escape

{Regina}

~**^**~

For a heartbeat, I thought Kaelis would finally let it go because of the way her smile softened. But a second later, her eyes sharpened like a blade sliding free of its sheath.

"Proof," she said, her voice lilting but deadly. "Show us."

The words fell into the room like thunder.

My stomach lurched. "Excuse ?" I managed, though the edges of my voice felt brittle.

Kaelis leaned back in her chair, her curls bouncing as she tilted her head. "You say Zenon is your mate. That your bond works because you trust him, because you give him space. Fine."

Her smile widened, venomous and taunting. "Then show us your mark."

The silence that followed was more suffocating than the previous ones. And believe , I felt that I had reached my dead-end.

Soraya’s eyes glead, eager, almost hungry. Thorne chuckled low, as if he had been waiting for this. Caleb smirked lazily, but his gaze was sharp with interest. Even Nyra, who rarely spoke, turned her attention fully on .

Every gaze pinned in place, burning through my skin.

My pulse raced in my throat, hamring so loud I thought the chandelier above would rattle.

I curled my fingers into my skirt beneath the table. ’Stay calm, Regina. Stay calm. You can get through this.’

"I don’t have to prove anything to you," I said smoothly, though I could hear the faint tremor beneath my words. "Our bond is private. Not sothing to be paraded around like a trophy."

Kaelis’s laughter rang sharp and lodic, slicing through my composure. "So private," she mused, "and yet Zenon publicly ddles in Council business over a little Oga."

Her eyes glittered like shards of ice. "Strange, isn’t it? Almost as though the bond you claim doesn’t exist."

The words hit like a strike to the chest.

Soraya leaned forward with her lips curved. "Maybe he shields her because she’s more than she seems. More to him."

The room buzzed with low murmurs, mocking and speculative, and I felt my stomach coil into knots.

These people are trying to force into giving up the truth. But hell would have to break lose first before they can get a denial from .

So, I forced out a sharp derisive laugh. "You’re all grasping at shadows. Zenon and I haven’t... completed the bond yet. Our families agreed on a special mating ceremony—one that requires both bloodlines present."

Then I lifted my chin, letting my words drip with cool confidence. "Until then, there will be no mark. But that doesn’t an the bond isn’t there."

A thin silence stretched, skeptical, weighing my words.

Then Kaelis leaned forward again, her smile as radiant as it was poisonous. "How romantic. But forgive , Regina, your words are like wind. Surely, if you are what you say you are, you must have so proof."

"Proof? What other proof?" I echoed, my throat tightening.

"A photograph, perhaps?" Kaelis suggested sweetly. "A ssage? A token? Anything to show that Zenon acknowledges you as his mate. Surely you’ve got sothing."

The weight of their gazes pressed like stone against my chest.

I swallowed, hard, then forced my lips into a thin smile. "Fine. If words don’t satisfy you, I will give you more."

My hand slipped into my skirt pocket, trembling slightly as I pulled out my phone. "I will call my mother right now. You can hear it from her yourself."

For the first ti, the room stilled, the amusent dimming into wary curiosity.

I pressed the screen with a steadier hand than I felt. Inside, my pulse thundered like a storm. ’Mother, please do not fail no otherwise, this will be my end.’

I listened to the ringing tone go on and finally on the third ring, my mother’s poised voice drifted through the speaker. "Regina, darling. What a surprise, calling during school hours."

I drew in a breath, glancing at Kaelis, then I hit the speaker button. "Mother, I’m with the mbers of the Student Council. They wished for confirmation regarding my mate bond with Zenon. I even told them regarding the special mating ceremony, but they don’t seem to believe it."

The silence that followed was no more than a heartbeat long, but to , it felt like a century had passed.

Then, like velvet dipped in honey, My mother’s laughter chid through the line.

"Oh, is that all? My, what a waste of my precious ti. Yes, of course, Regina and Zenon are bonded. Our families arranged everything long ago, but because our pack’s traditions are sacred. The full ceremony hasn’t taken place yet."

Her tone wrapped around the room like silk, sounding unhurried, confident and untouchable.

"It’s not uncommon in noble houses to delay the sealing of a bond until after the formal rites. Surely, you’ve heard of such customs, Princess Kaelis?"

Kaelis’s silver eyes narrowed, but her lips quirked upward faintly. "I have."

"And until then," Mother continued smoothly, "Zenon and Regina have agreed to keep their relationship more private. It’s a matter of dignity, not secrecy. Anyone suggesting otherwise is simply misinford."

The line was quiet except for the soft hum of her voice. Even the razor-tongued Soraya sat back in silence with her arms crossed.

My pulse began to steady. My mother had woven the lie so flawlessly like we had secretly planned together so ti ago, and even I almost believed it.

"Does that satisfy your curiosity?" My mother’s voice lifted again, airy but with a touch of steel. "Or shall I arrange for both families to deliver the formal docunts directly to the Council chamber?"

For the first ti, Kaelis’s smile faltered. She leaned back in her chair, tilting her head. "That won’t be necessary."

"Good," Mother said briskly. "Now, unless there’s so other trivial matter you would like to clear up, I have sothing important to return to."

Since no one had anything otherwise to say, I quickly said, "Thank you, Mother. Have a good day."

"Good bye my Gina." And with a final click, the call ended.

I lowered my phone slowly, eting the council’s gazes with as much calm as I could muster. Inside, my organs were quaking, but outwardly, I held Mother’s sa air of poise.

Kaelis’s fingers drumd against her chair arm. Then, with a casual shrug, she turned away. "Well, that clears the air. For now."

The tension bled from the air, though suspicion still flickered faintly in a few eyes.

I almost let out a scoff, but held myself back. Maybe, everything played out today so I would be careful of my attitude, and learn to play my role as Zenon’s mate well, so the cracks on the walls would never be revealed.

---

{Elira}

~**^**~

I quickly swiped to answer, holding the phone close. "Tamryn? What’s—"

But it wasn’t Tamryn’s voice that ca through. It was Nari’s breathless and urgent voice.

"Elira! Co back to the hostel quickly."

My pulse skipped. "What’s wrong—?" I tried to inquire, but at that mont, the line went dead.

I stared at the phone, my stomach sinking. A chill threaded down my spine. Sothing had happened.

"Elira." Rennon’s steady voice anchored . His eyes, calm yet sharp, searched my face. "What is it?"

I wet my lips, trying to steady my breathing. "That was Nari. She said I should co back to the hostel quickly, but she cut the call before saying anything else."

Beside , Lennon straightened, his easy smile wiped clean. "Sothing’s wrong then," he said flatly.

Zenon’s deep voice cut in, firm and absolute. "Go." His gaze locked on mine, unreadable but weighted. "And if sothing has happened, reach us imdiately."

The knot in my chest tightened, but his words steadied . I nodded. "I will."

Closing the yearbook gently, I set it back on the table with careful hands. Then, slipping my backpack over my shoulder, I rose to my feet.

"Goodbye," I said softly, forcing myself to et each of their gazes, Zenon’s unwavering, Rennon’s kind, and Lennon’s burning with barely concealed worry.

Then I turned, heart thudding fast, and stepped out of the office, the heavy door clicking shut behind .

My footsteps echoed down the hallway, quicker than usual. A hundred questions clawed at , but none louder than one:

What on earth could have happened back at the hostel?

---

By the ti I reached the dorm building, my legs were moving so fast it felt like my heart was dragging along.

I shoved the strap of my bag higher on my shoulder and quickly entered the elevator, the call replaying again and again in my head.

What if soone was hurt? What if Tamryn—

As soon as the elevator reached the third floor, I pushed open our dorm door without knocking. "Nari? Tamryn? What happened?"

The room was warm and quiet, steam still clinging faintly to the air from the bathroom. I blinked once, taking in the sound of water running behind the closed door.

Only Nari sat on her bunk bed, cross-legged, grinning like a fox caught mid-mischief. She looked up at , a phone still in her hand.