Offered to the Triplet Alphas

Chapter-23. Burning memories

[Xanthea]

Raven stopped the car outside the narrow street. That was as far as a car could go. The alleys leading to my home weren't broad enough to accommodate a car. We had arrived in the Virgo pack in the Earthly realm.

My head was still giddy because of the realm jump that Raven's car made. A few seconds ago, he was racing his car on the roads of the Infernal realm. In the air, I saw a flash of light and it seemed as though we were sucked into a whirlpool. I felt as though my guts had been turned upside down.

The demon lords were about to get down from the car when...

"Alpha!" I called out, and the three of them looked at me. Ezra narrowed his eyes while his brows were raised in annoyance.

"What?" Raven asked coldly.

I lowered my gaze, nibbling my lower lips.

"Umm. Can you please wait in the car? I-I can bring everything you need to you if you just give me some time," I said, and they exchanged glances at one another.

"Very smart! But I don't want to go through the wasteful trouble of trying to hunt you down if you try to run away," Ezra said, opening the door.

"I won't run!" I blurted. "I promise. I know there is nowhere in any realm where I can run and hide from you."

Ezra scoffed.

"So why do you wanna go home alone? Oooooh~ Got a lover? Going to give him a final goodbye kiss, huh? How romantic." "No... I lived alone."

"Of course, you did. Your lover could be your neighbor, dumbo!" Ezra grunted, trying to get out of the car.

"Please! I promise I'll just go back to my house, get the books and diaries, and come back. Nothing else. I promise," I insisted.

"Xanthea, why don't you want us to come to your home?" Asher asked. "If it's just about getting the books then, you can do that with us, right? We could even help you carry them."

I felt my eyes turn misty as I lowered them, fidgeting with my fingers.

"It's... it's just... the place..."

"Are you embarrassed to show us you lived?" Raven said and my body tensed up.

"What? Had your undies scattered on the floor, or did you not clean up after your last sex in this realm? Oh wait, you were a virgin when we married you, so I suppose it isn't the second one," Ezra mocked. "You don't have to be embarrassed about anything. There's nothing about you we haven't already seen."

"No... that's not-"

Before I could say a word more, the three of them got down from the car.

Ezra squinted at the narrow, dimly lit, empty alley.

Taking a deep breath, I got down from the car. The ill feeling in my stomach grew with every step I took closer to my home, with the three of them silently walking behind me.

Ezra took out his handkerchief and covered his mouth and nose.

Although my mother's house wasn't in the slums, it was quite close to it. It was nighttime so most people were sleeping in their patched up houses. Even the ground we walked on was uneven.

several times, so Asher walked beside

eyes, but right now, I really wanted

call this place home?" Ezra's voice was muffled behind his handkerchief. "Forget about anyone. You're a fucking princess, aren't you? Or has the alpha of this pack tricked us? No wonder you were trying to hide this from us! You're not a princess, are you? You're just some omega living in slums. Were you a maid in that palace? Did they replace you with the

check himself. We can make mistakes,

but look at the abomination! H-how can someone even live here? I can't

enough! Go back if this place

she didn't want us

sorry,"

apologize," Asher said,

loud voice in my chest asking me to hold his hand back, but I stopped myself from curling my

we have to walk?"

could feel the chills of embarrassment brush

creak. I held it open as the

my stomach as I led them to my

was still stuck under the bottom of the pot. But when I tried the key, I found the

heads to pass through the door and

in the air,

hard as the apprehension building in my chest grew more

into my bedroom, which was

took in the horrifying scene. The air froze in my lungs as a startled gasp, unable to grasp if I

covered my mouth with my hand, a

dashed towards the bookshelves, hoping

My fingers ran from one charred book to

"Mamma..."

My broken breaths remained stagnant in my lungs as I flipped through its blackened pages just for them to crumble

the full experience.

chest clawed its way up my throat. A suffocating weight pressed down on me as panic set in. I hastily checked all the other books and all of them had the same fate. Breathing through my mouth, my knees

burned to ashes.

scream tore through my throat, transitioning into violent

to draw in a breath. The air seemed to

into my skin as I tried hard to breathe, but couldn't. The more I gasped for air, the more I choked on it. It felt like I was trapped in my own body that hurt and ached in ways I couldn't fathom. Each

to cope with my hyperventilation or panic attack or I didn't even know what it was. But whatever it was, I could bet

I bumped into as I

stopped only when I had reached the backyard where I had created a small garden. Most of the plants in it

myself, cleaning my upper arms with my icy fingers as I took in deep breaths. "Mom is here. She is here. She is still with me. She has not gone." I placed my hand on my heart and repeated those words until they were forced to turn into a

come to life within me through her books and diaries, through the passion she shared with me and a dream she made me see. And now they are gone. For

But that wasn't true.

with my thoughts, and inhaling the aromatic scent of jasmines. Jasmines were my mother's second favorite flower. Every time I imagined my mother, I

lot in

the comfort I looked for in every corner of myself.

did it? Who could

the answer. Luna Meesa and

I heard the familiar voice of the old lady who was

the fence between our houses that were a little more than my knee height. She was the only neighbor who talked to me. She even took care of my flowers when I couldn't. She had been selflessly caring towards me ever since I moved

maybe they returned," she said in her shaky

My voice

in the open. Why don't you come to this side? Let's sit in my house over a cup of tea and talk,"