300 Days With The Alpha Beta Triplets
AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR

Bella:

The island had been nothing but a fairytale. I had only one week left before the break ended, and being with my mother seemed surreal. Every day with her was like a party, and I had been relaxed for a while. Well, temporarily, and this was because we were having so much fun-or she wanted me to think we were having so much fun. Something felt off about her, and I couldn't tell if it was my intrusive thoughts that abhorred happiness or my gut telling me the truth.

This morning, I woke up to her yelling on the phone with my father.

"And you thought it was okay to tell me this after one week?" When I heard this, I knew what she was talking about. "You say you want to be with her, and you want us to come together as a family, but you continuously expose her to danger. I had to put myself out there just for you to look good, Herald. I forgave you multiple times because I believed in you, and you were not your mother. But let me tell you something, Herald, I was opportune to meet only one of my children because, apparently, the ones your family killed were not worthy to be born, and I will do anything to get this one child on my side!" My heart crumbled as she yelled those words.

"No, sorry for yourself, Herald. You think after this, I would let Bella come to that pack? I had to force her because I thought she needed it, but I was wrong. Now, if you excuse me, I have to plan something fun to wipe away the trauma you must have created."

I took to my feet as she said this, and when I got to my room, I slammed the door, taking a deep breath. I knew I couldn't stay in the house at that moment because I didn't want to get caught up in the heat. She was right; Dad had put my life in danger, but he didn't mean to. I'm not saying she should forgive him right away, but none of them were exactly saints in my story.

Without thinking twice, I rushed to the closet, changed into sweatpants, then threw on my shoes and grabbed my phone, rushing out of my room. Halfway down the hall, my mother's room opened.

"You are going for a run?" I paused at once, mouthing a 'yes' without turning to look at her.

"Wait for me, then. I would love to run too, because there are things I would love to get off my chest," she said, and I turned to face her.

"Please, I would like to go on this one alone." Her face fell as those words left my mouth, making me regret opening it at all.

"Sure. Sure." Her brows crumpled, and I shook my head at once.

"I... I didn't mean it that way. I swear, Mum... you..." I stopped talking at once, then exhaled deeply.

"I'll just wait for you downstairs," I said to her, then I walked away.

When I got to the living room, I threw myself on the couch, shutting my eyes. My phone beeped in my pocket, and I took it out to see a text from Hazel.

"How's fun week going for you?"

They had spent the entire week wishing they had come with me, but they had no clue how unlucky I had gotten. I just wished my parents could magically solve the problem between them, but even I knew how delusional that sounded.

"Great. I am going for a run with my mum."

I didn't want to break the joyful streak now and send them spiraling into panic.

"I am happy to hear that, and I hope to see you by the end of next week. This will be a great semester. Fae is already out of the way, so only good things."

"Only good things," I replied with a straight face, placing my phone on my chest.

"I'm done!"

my

mother announced, and I tilted my head to see her dressed in pink matching sweats. "Great," I muttered, then got up.

**

The run with my mother was awfully quiet. I knew she was troubled, but I was troubled too, so I wasn't ready to clash the rough edges of emotions. We left the beach house and ran around the estate, making a stop in front of a bus stop. Then we sat on the bench together, both of us breathing in a labored manner. I couldn't tell if the air was thinning because I had been running for a long time or because of the events surrounding my family. I wished I only had to worry about the vampires, and to be honest, how I was remaining sane at that moment was a mystery to me. "I do not always intend to put myself in your space." My mother broke the silence between us, and I sighed, tilting my head toward her.

"It's just that I cannot forgive myself for being absent all those years. I chose myself and abandoned you. It must have hurt a lot, and I cannot imagine if my mother did that to me. This isn't me trying to make you forgive me instantly, and I know you being here doesn't mean you prefer me to your father. Trust me, the entire drama surrounding our family hurts me a lot too, and sometimes I just wish it could go away."

I watched her break a tear, causing me to sigh. This wasn't what I wanted this morning, but she was my mother, and she deserved someone, too.

"You do not have to blame yourself, Mother." I reached for her hand, clasping mine around it. Seeing her vulnerable had been something I still couldn't believe. Beneath the tough exterior was a teenage girl who lost her life and dreams.

"Being a parent isn't easy, and I think I get you. It is okay to choose yourself, and I am learning to do that too. Prioritizing your peace over that of the person you held at the highest might not be the best, but it is better than killing yourself over something you cannot change." Those words were directed more to me than her because I was trying hard to let go of my unhealthy attachment to my father.

She put her hand across my shoulder, drawing me closer. I leaned in, placing my head on her shoulder, then shut my eyes, trying to focus on the moment I had. Even if my life with my father was falling apart, at least I was repairing the one I had with my mother, and I could meet the both of them somewhere in the middle.

Her phone beeped at that moment. She pulled it out of her pocket and groaned.

"Shoot!" she exclaimed, and I pulled away.

"What?" I asked, waiting to hear only bad news.

"It's nothing. My time is up, and I need to go home now to make breakfast. Also, I have a long list of errands to run- shopping mostly, but..."

"Mum, you do not need to explain to me every time," I cut her short, and she stared at me with her mouth open.

"Go," I said with a smile on my lips, and she smiled back at me, getting to her feet.

"Don't worry, by the time you get home, you'll have a warm meal and everything in between." She jogged off as she said this while I watched until she was out of sight.

I remained on the bench, scrolling endlessly on my phone until the sun was fully out. When I could no longer bear its intensity, I got to my feet, jogging back toward the house. On getting to the porch, I picked up a weird scent that caused my heart to skip a beat.

My legs worked faster, and I rushed to the front door, opening it to be welcomed by something I hadn't expected. I could feel my blood pressure drop as I stared at the living room, which had been turned into a mess. The furniture was broken-the seat I had laid on that morning was split in two. The flat screen on the wall had a cobweb crack.

"Mum!" I yelled as I looked around the house.

At that point, my heart felt like it would fall out of my chest. I raced up the stairs, screaming her name through the halls, refusing to cry. I tried to convince myself that she was okay.

I checked her room upstairs and couldn't replace her.

"Mum, if this is a joke, then fine, you have won! I am not playing anymore!" I yelled as I walked back toward the stairs, my legs wobbling.

When I got to the landing of the stairs, I saw a woman-black jacket, black trousers, and boots. Everything about her was black. She sat on the couch facing the stairs with her legs crossed and her arm placed behind the couch.

"The chosen one!" she exclaimed with a smirk on her lips...