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.

the heels I almost tripped several times, so Asher walked beside me, holding my

eyes, but

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

Asher did her background check himself. We can make mistakes,

know but look at the abomination! H-how can someone

enough! Go back if this place bothers you

she didn't want us to

sorry,"

have to apologize," Asher said, holding my hand

hold his hand back, but I stopped myself from curling

do we have to

a little further," I said hastily. I could feel the chills of embarrassment

ugly creak. I held it open

as I led

the bottom of the pot. But when I tried the key, I found the door

three of them had to lower their heads to pass through the door

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

hard as the apprehension building in my chest

I rushed into my bedroom, which was also my library,

soon as I stepped into my room, I quickly stepped back out, barely able to catch my breath. My 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

with my hand, a shaky

mamma... mamma..." I mumbled as I dashed towards the bookshelves, hoping it

becoming shallow and erratic. My fingers ran from one charred book to the other on the

"Mamma..."

remained stagnant in my lungs as I flipped through its blackened

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them had the same fate. Breathing through my mouth, my knees hit the floor as

burned to ashes.

A scream tore through my throat, transitioning

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

on it. It felt like I was trapped in my own body that hurt and ached in

hands over my mouth and nose, trying to cope with my hyperventilation or panic attack or I didn't even know what it was. But whatever

and I had no idea when I got to my shaking legs, or who I bumped into as I ran out and down the stairs in

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

is here. She is still with me. She has not gone." I placed

shared with me and a dream she made me see. And now they are gone. For the first

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 imagined her to smell

lot in control than

her diaries and books. And that gave the comfort I looked for in every corner of myself. No one could burn

who did it? Who could

already knew the

I heard the familiar voice of the old lady who was

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

thought maybe they returned," she said in her

My voice came

it 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 voice came from