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 beside me, holding my hand in

looking into their eyes, but right now, I

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

Asher did her background check himself. We

but look at the abomination! H-how can someone even live

place

we know why she didn't want us to come," Raven

am sorry," I

don't have to apologize," Asher said, holding

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

we have to walk?" Ezra

said hastily. I could feel the chills of embarrassment brush up my

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

felt a knot tighten in my stomach as I led them to

still stuck under the bottom of the pot. But when I tried the key, I found the door was already unlocked. I clearly remembered locking it. Breathing cautiously, I opened

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

the air, and black footsteps were all

apprehension building

which was also my library, where I kept my mother's books on the built-in

eyes widened as my unsteady vision took in the horrifying scene. The air froze in my lungs as a startled gasp, unable to grasp if I had walked into a nightmare or

my hand, a shaky breath

I dashed towards the bookshelves, hoping it to be just

breaths quickened, becoming shallow and erratic. My fingers ran from

"Mamma..."

mother's diaries. My broken breaths remained stagnant in my lungs as I flipped through its blackened pages just for them to

to visit 5s.org for the full experience. You won't find the next chapter anywhere else. Happy

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 hit the floor as I hopefully and dreadfully looked under my burned down bed, in the drawers of the

burned to ashes. Mom was burned to

tore through my throat, transitioning

seemed to have disappeared,

choked on it. It felt like I was trapped in my own body that hurt and ached in ways I couldn't fathom. Each

hyperventilation or panic attack or I didn't even know what it was. But whatever it was, I could bet that dying would have

who I bumped into as I ran out and

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 amidst them, I hugged

pass..." I mumbled to 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

shared 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.

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

lot in control

that gave the comfort I looked for in every corner of myself. No one could burn her memories away from

did it? Who

knew the

voice of the old lady who was

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

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

My voice

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 voice came