Desired By Three Alphas; Fated To One

Hailee's POV

We were led into one of the guest rooms. I muttered a weak thank you to the maid and closed the door before turning to my sons, all three of them raising their brows at me.

"A domestic maid?" Ozzy asked, a deep frown etched on his face.

"Is this payback for buying you?" Oscar followed quickly.

"How long will you be working here?" Oliver added, his tone sharp.

I stared at my sons and didn't know what to say or where to begin, so instead, I guided them toward the bed, made them sit close together, and squatted down in front of them.

"Listen, my sons… you have to trust me on this, alright?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "Everything will be fine. Soon, we'll leave this place. But you need to give me a little time." I searched their faces desperately. The way they looked back at me told me they hated what was happening, but I forced myself to go on. "In here, you trust only me. No one else, do you understand? I mean no one. If anyone asks you questions, you don't answer them."

Oscar's brow furrowed. "And can you tell us why?"

I sucked in a deep breath and fabricated another lie. "Listen, I lived here once, and I had a lot of enemies… and they might come for you. That's why you have to be careful. Don't answer any questions thrown at you, and you need to be vigilant."

God—once again I was lying. When will this end? Lies upon lies. I was starting to hate myself… not starting — I actually hate myself now.

My boys exchanged worried glances, then finally nodded in unison.

"Alright, Mom… we'll help you however we can."

I smiled bitterly, despising myself for the kind of mother I'd become.

The door suddenly opened, and I froze. I thought it might be a maid. Or maybe Nathan. But no — nothing could have prepared me for who walked in.

Clara.

She walked in like she owned the place, her perfume sharp in the air. Her eyes landed on me, then on my boys, and a cold smile spread across her face.

"Well, well," she said. "Look who's back. The whore herself."

My chest tightened. The boys stiffened around me.

"Don't!" Oscar shouted, jumping to his feet. His green eyes burned like fire. "Don't call my mama that!"

Clara's smile grew sharper. "Oh, so brave," she mocked. "And you even brought your bastards with you. What a family."

Her words angered me, but I controlled myself, staring at her, my hands curling into fists. "It's been ten years, Clara," I said, my voice low. "And you're still the same pathetic bully you've always been."

Her face twisted. She raised her hand, ready to slap me. But I caught her wrist in midair, holding it tight.

"Not this time," I said, my voice shaking with anger. "The Hailee you could humiliate is dead. This Hailee is a mother."

Her eyes narrowed as she tried to yank her hand back. "Let go, you bitch!"

I held her a moment longer before shoving her hand aside. Oliver glared at her with hate as he asked, "Mama, who is she?"

Clara sneered down at him. "Someone who knows all the dirty little truths your mother hides." Then she pushed past us and stopped at the door. Her eyes swept over my boys like she was picking something from a store shelf.

"Enjoy your stay, Hailee," she said. "You'll see soon enough what happens to women like you."

The door clicked shut behind her. The room was quiet. My boys looked angry; I knew they were on the verge of attacking her. I smiled at my little protective men.

"It's okay," I whispered.

Oscar's eyes burned as he looked at me. "I'm already hating this place." Oliver nodded. "Maybe we should just contact Father Frederick… he will pay Alpha Nathan, and we can leave," Oliver suggested.

I swallowed hard, staring at Oliver, my heart aching at his words.

"Listen, sons," I said softly, pulling them closer. "No one is contacting Frederick. Not now. We'll get through this. I need you to trust me, even when it's hard. Please… just trust me."

Their faces were tense, angry, but slowly they nodded. Oscar crossed his arms, his jaw set. Oliver muttered under his breath, but he didn't argue again. Ozzy just watched me with those sharp brown eyes, quiet, but I knew he was thinking a lot more than he was saying.

"Rest," I whispered, smoothing their hair like I used to when they were small. "We'll need our strength."

They lay down on the bed, still tense, still upset. But soon their breathing grew steady, one by one drifting into sleep. I sat for a long time watching them, guilt weighing heavy on my chest. Lies. Fear. Secrets. And now this.

The next morning, a sharp knock sounded on the door. I quickly rose, careful not to wake the boys. When I opened it, a young maid stood there, a friendly smile plastered on her face.

"It's time," she said simply. "You must begin your duties."

I turned back to the bed, my sons shifting slightly under the blankets. "Stay here," I whispered to them. "Don't leave this room. I'll bring food for you when I can."

Oscar's eyes opened halfway, suspicious. "Be careful, Mama."

My throat tightened, but I managed a small nod. "Always."

The maid gestured for me to follow. I did, my heart pounding as we walked through the long, polished halls of the pack house. Every corner smelled like memories I wished I could forget. She led me to the kitchen, where the smell of bread and roasted meat filled the air. I barely had time to take it in before she turned to me.

"Your first task," she said, almost with pity in her eyes, "is to prepare coffee for Alpha Nathan and take it to his room."

My breath caught. His room.

I pressed my lips together, my hands tightening at my sides. "Coffee," I repeated, nodding slowly.

"Yes." She looked at me carefully. "And don't be late. He doesn't like waiting."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay calm. Now I would face him as a maid. Not as the woman who once loved him.

Goddess help me… I didn't know if I was ready for this life.