Desired By Three Alphas; Fated To One

Hailee's POV

My whole body was on fire… no, not just in fire—it was burning from the inside out. Callum had fucked me like a beast in heat, and I honestly wondered if I would even be able to walk home.

"Hailee," he called my name gently, but I shook my head and slowly pulled away from his arms.

"I have to go, Callum… my mother is calling me," I whispered wearily. Slowly, I pulled myself away from his warm embrace and tried standing to my feet, but my vision blurred, and Callum quickly held me from falling.

"Please stay a little… you can't go home like this." He sounded genuinely worried.

I frowned and gently took his hand away from me as I forced myself to stand on my own. With everything in me, I forced myself to stand steady while ignoring the burning ache between my thighs. I picked up my clothes scattered on the floor and began to put them on. I dressed as fast as I could, though my trembling hands made the simple task feel impossible. My fingers fumbled with the buttons. My legs still shook, my body still quivered from the aftershocks, but I refused to let him see me fall apart any more than I already had.

"Hailee…" his voice was softer now, almost pleading. I could feel his eyes on me—heavy, watching every movement, every breath. "Don't walk away from this. From me."

I froze, my back still turned to him, my shirt half-buttoned. His words got to me, but I clenched my jaw and forced myself to keep moving. I slipped into my jeans, tugged them up, ignoring how my body ached at the motion.

Finally, I turned to him. He looked wrecked—hair messy, chest rising and falling hard, eyes burning like wildfire. The intensity there made my heart stutter, but I shoved the feeling down. I couldn't let it sway me.

"I have to go; I'll call you when I get home," I lied. I was never calling him. In fact, this might be the last time we would see each other. He stood then, taking one step toward me, and I instinctively moved back. The space between us felt too small, the air too thick.

His jaw tightened, and I saw the struggle in him—the beast inside fighting to drag me back, to keep me there. But he didn't. He just stared at me, his pain evident in his eyes.

I swallowed and closed the distance, wrapping my arms around him in one last stolen moment. I buried my face against him, inhaling his scent like I could trap it inside me forever. His sigh was heavy as he pulled me tighter, holding me as though I could slip away at any moment. I shut my eyes, fighting the tears that threatened to give me away.

"Hailee," Callum breathed against my ear, "I love you. So, so much."

I swallowed hard but said nothing.

"And I don't care if you don't love me. My love is enough for both of us." he whispered, squeezing me tighter into his embrace.

I forced myself to pull back, though his arms resisted. My throat burned with words I couldn't say, with feelings I didn't dare confess. If I did, I'd never leave.

So instead, I gave him the smallest smile I could muster, then turned for the door.

Every step away from him felt like tearing pieces of myself apart, and though I didn't look back, I knew his eyes were on me. Watching. Burning into me.

And as the door clicked shut behind me, I finally let the tears fall.

The walk home felt endless. Every step I took sent sparks of pain and discomfort racing between my thighs, a raw reminder of what Callum and I had just done. The fire he left in me burned deeper than my body—it scorched my chest, my heart, my mind. His words echoed with each step. I love you so, so much.

I bit down on my lip hard enough to taste blood, forcing myself not to crumble right there on the road. The early morning air was cool against my skin, but it did nothing to soothe the fever still raging inside me.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

Mother: Pack up, Hailee. I'm on my way to the packhouse to drop my resignation and finalize things.

My stomach twisted. This was really happening.

By the time I reached the house, my legs felt like they were carrying someone else's weight. I pushed the door open quietly, the silence inside making my chest ache. Home… but not for long.

Dragging myself up the stairs, I collapsed into my room. The scent of familiarity wrapped around me—my bed, my things, my little world. It was supposed to comfort me, but instead, it just reminded me of what I was about to lose.

I stripped slowly, every muscle protesting, every joint heavy. My body was a mess of aches and bruised pleasure, but Callum's touch still lingered on my skin, and the memory of him was everywhere.

I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water beat down on me. The steam rose thick around me, but even then, I couldn't wash him away. My hands slid over my body, and I flinched, the soreness stark, raw. My eyes stung with tears I refused to let fall.

I leaned my forehead against the tiles, breathing heavily, whispering to myself like a mantra: You can do this. You have to.

When I finally stepped out, my limbs felt weaker than before. I wrapped a towel around myself and padded back into my room, my wet hair dripping down my back. I had barely tugged on a clean shirt when a sudden bell echoed from downstairs.

My heart jumped.

I froze, every muscle tense. Who could that be? Mother wouldn't ring…

Moving cautiously, I descended the stairs, my bare feet light against the wood. When I reached the hallway, I stopped at the corner, my breath caught in my throat.

Through the glass of the front door, I saw him.

Dane.

Standing there, shoulders tense, his expression unreadable, but his presence radiated something heavy and tense.

I gripped the railing tighter, my pulse hammering. My chest tightened as a thousand possibilities raced through me. Why was he here? How much did he know?

Slowly, almost unwillingly, I stepped toward the door.