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.

tripped several times, so Asher walked

to avoid looking into their eyes, but right now, I

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 real princess at the last moment? These sly

himself. We can make mistakes, but not

know but look at the abomination! H-how can someone even live here? I

place bothers

know why she didn't

am sorry," I

have to apologize," Asher said, holding my

a loud voice in my chest asking me to hold his hand back,

long do we have to walk?"

further," I said hastily. I could feel the

opened with an ugly creak. I held it open as the three of them

stomach as I led

key. I lifted the drying up flowerpot of forget-me-nots. The spare key was still stuck under the bottom of the pot. But when I tried the key, I found the door was already unlocked. I clearly remembered

lower their heads to pass through the door and enter my

scent of charcoal hung in the air, and black footsteps were

apprehension building

against my ribs as I rushed into my bedroom, which was also my

catch my breath. My eyes widened as my unsteady vision took in the horrifying scene. The air

my mouth with my hand, a shaky breath escaping

dashed towards the bookshelves, hoping it to be just

My fingers ran from

"Mamma..."

My broken breaths remained stagnant in my lungs as I

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

ashes. Mom was burned to

scream tore through my throat, transitioning into

streamed down my eyes incessantly. I struggled to draw in a breath. The air seemed to have disappeared, and my heart raced wildly,

It felt like I was trapped in my own body that hurt

didn't even know what it was. But whatever it was, I could bet that dying would

irregular wheezy breaths filled the silence, and I had no idea when I got to my shaking legs, or who I bumped into as I ran out

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

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

mother had 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 the

But that wasn't true.

aromatic scent of jasmines. Jasmines were my mother's second

was still lightheaded, but a lot

and books. And that gave the comfort I looked for in every corner of myself. No

it? Who

knew the

heard the familiar voice of the old

my tears, I stood up and walked to 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

thought maybe they returned," she said in her

voice

in my house over a cup of tea and talk," she said. "Who is