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.

so Asher walked beside me, holding my hand

tried to avoid looking into their eyes,

wonder you were trying to hide this from us! You're

did her background check himself. We can make mistakes, but not Asher," Raven

the abomination! H-how can someone

enough! Go back if this place bothers you

know why she

am sorry," I

Asher said, holding my

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

have to walk?" Ezra

little further," I said hastily. I could feel

outside the corroding metal gate that opened with an ugly creak. I held it open as the three of them walked in and closed

my stomach as I led them to my apartment through the

the key, I found the door was already unlocked. I clearly remembered locking it. Breathing cautiously,

them had to lower their heads to pass through the door and enter my small living

charcoal hung in the air, and black footsteps were

building in my chest

into my bedroom, which was also my library, where I kept my mother's books

widened as my unsteady vision took in the horrifying scene. The air froze in

my mouth with my hand, a shaky breath escaping in small,

mamma..." I mumbled as I dashed towards the bookshelves, hoping it to be just a

ran from one charred book to the other on the

"Mamma..."

of my mother's diaries. My broken breaths remained stagnant in my lungs as I flipped through its

forget to visit 5s.org for the full experience. You won't find the

them had the same fate. Breathing through my mouth, my knees hit the floor as I hopefully and dreadfully looked

burned to ashes. Mom was

tore through my throat, transitioning

struggled to draw in a breath. The air seemed to have disappeared, and my heart raced wildly, each beat echoing in my

air, the more I choked on it. It felt like I was trapped in

didn't even know what it was. But whatever it was, I could

or who I bumped into

when I had reached the backyard where I had created a small garden. Most of the plants in it were forget-me-nots that I grew for my mother. Squatting

with my icy fingers as I took in deep breaths. "Mom is here. She is here. She is still

with me and a dream she made me see. And now they are gone. For the first time in my life, I felt as though I had

But that wasn't true.

of jasmines. Jasmines were my mother's

but a lot in control

always revisit her diaries and books. And that gave the comfort I looked for in every

who did it?

knew the answer. Luna Meesa

the familiar voice of the old

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

gate open and thought maybe they returned," she said in

My voice came

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