Sacrificed To The Triplet Alpha Kings

Chapter 137: The Moon Goddess Is Truly Cruel

The morning light filtered through the tall windows of Garrett’s office, casting long shadows across the wooden desk.

It was the fifth day of the Yearly Alphas Summit.

Garrett had been awake since before dawn, his mind already churning through the countless details that needed attending to. Today marked the arrival of the Supreme Council of Elders, a significant event that required meticulous planning and flawless execution. The Council’s presence elevated the importance of the Summit considerably. Their arrival meant increased security, formal protocols, and arrangements that went far beyond the standard hosting requirements.

He’d been reviewing documents when Elder Theodore arrived at his office door.

Elder Theodore was one of Shadowmere’s most respected elders. He was an older man, perhaps sixty years of age, with the kind of bearing that came from decades of wisdom and careful observation. His silver hair was swept back from his face, and his dark eyes held the clarity of someone who’d seen much and understood even more. He wore the traditional elder’s robes, deep blue fabric with silver embroidery marking his status within the pack.

"Alpha Garrett," Theodore said, entering the office with the respectful deference that younger alphas showed to those with more experience. "I’ve come to discuss the arrangements for the Council’s arrival."

Garrett gestured for him to sit, and for the next hour, they discussed logistics.

The arrival time of the elders from the Supreme Council. The security arrangements needed for their protection. The formal welcome ceremony that would take place in the main hall. Housing arrangements for the Council members and their entourages. The ceremonial dinner planned for this evening where formal introductions would be made.

Theodore was thorough in his assessment of what needed to be done.

"You’re handling this exceptionally well, Alpha," Theodore said as their discussion began to wind down. "The Summit is running smoothly. The visiting delegations are well-managed. The formal events have been executed flawlessly. The Council will be impressed."

Garrett nodded, accepting the compliment, though there was a weariness in his expression that Theodore immediately recognized.

"You have something on your mind," Theodore observed, standing to leave. "Something beyond the logistics of the Summit."

It wasn’t a question.

Garrett looked up at his elder, and for a moment, he considered letting Theodore leave without saying anything. But there was something about Elder Theodore’s presence that made honesty seem necessary. The man had a way of seeing through pretense.

"Elder Theodore, please," Garrett said quietly. "Sit down. There’s something I need to discuss with you about Lilith."

Theodore settled back into the chair with the unhurried grace of someone accustomed to important conversations. He folded his hands in his lap and waited.

"What happened to her?" he asked simply.

The question was direct because Theodore already sensed something had happened with Lilith.

Garrett took a breath, gathering his thoughts, deciding how to phrase what he needed to say.

"The Blackwood alphas are in Shadowmere because of Lilith," Garrett said finally.

For a long moment, Theodore said nothing. But something shifted in his expression, a tightening of his features, a deepening of understanding in his dark eyes.

"I guessed so," Theodore said slowly, leaning back slightly in his chair. "The moment I saw their letter requesting attendance at the Summit, something in my gut told me they weren’t coming for the formal proceedings."

He paused, his eyes never leaving Garrett’s face.

"They were coming because of her," Theodore continued quietly. "Something about the way the letter was worded. Something about the timing. It felt personal in a way that political delegations never do."

Garrett watched the elder, understanding that Theodore was more perceptive than most he had gave him credit for.

"What did the say about her?" Theodore asked, shifting forward slightly. "What did Alpha Nicholas tell you?"

Garrett looked directly at Elder Theodore, and he took a moment before speaking.

"They’ve identified her as their mate," Garrett said quietly.

Theodore’s eyes widened perceptibly. It was the only outward sign of his surprise, but it was enough.

"What?" Theodore’s voice carried genuine shock. "She is their mate? All three of them claim her as their mate?"

"Yes," Garrett confirmed. "All three of them. I was shocked when Alpha Nicholas told me as well. I could barely process it initially."

Theodore leaned back in his chair, his expression becoming contemplative. The weight of that revelation seemed to settle on his shoulders.

"And they’re in Shadowmere to do what, exactly?" Theodore asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.

"To take her with them," Garrett said. "When the Summit ends, she leaves with them."

Theodore closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, his gaze was heavy with something that looked almost like grief.

"And what about the fact that her father is responsible for the death of their father?" Theodore asked, his voice carrying the weight of that crucial detail. "Have they forgotten that part? How do you expect them to treat the daughter of the man who murdered their father?"

Garrett had asked himself the same question many times since his confrontation with Nicholas.

"I don’t know," Garrett admitted. "But Nicholas assured me they won’t harm her. He said she would be protected and cared for."

Theodore shook his head slowly, a look of profound sadness crossing his weathered features.

"The Moon Goddess is truly cruel," he said quietly, almost as if speaking to himself. "To have paired her with those ruthless men. The Blackwoods are known throughout the realm for their power and their strategic brilliance. They are not gentle. They are not forgiving. They are not kind in the way that some alphas are kind."

He looked at Garrett, and there was understanding in his gaze.

"Because even though she never told us what happened during those sixteen days," Theodore continued, "anyone with sense could have guessed what was done to her. Any elder who’s lived long enough knows that a blood debt paid with an omega’s body is paid in the most intimate and brutal ways. And now they’re back. Now they want to take her with them. Now she becomes bound to the very men who used her as payment for her father’s crime."

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with implication.

"So what did you tell him?" Theodore asked, looking directly at Garrett. "What did you tell Alpha Nicholas?"