300 Days With The Alpha Beta Triplets
TALE OF A YOUNG GIRL IN LOVE

Third Person Pov:

It was late at night, and Bella had already gone to bed. Evelyn, on the other hand, couldn't sleep. She kept tossing and turning, her mind consumed with thoughts of her daughter, whose condition had flared up again. The first time Bella had experienced this was when Evelyn reappeared in her life when she was ten, shattering Bella's hopes of having a happy family and making it clear that she was now happily married to the Alpha of the Frost Pack.

When she could no longer bear the turmoil, Evelyn reached for her phone on the nightstand, turning on the flashlight. She quietly made her way to Bella's room.

Easing the door open, she stepped inside and saw Bella fast asleep, her breathing steady and calm. Evelyn moved closer to the bed and sat down gently beside her daughter, her gaze softening as she looked down at Bella. Tears shimmered in her eyes, and she hesitated before stretching a hand toward Bella's hair. The moment her fingers brushed against the soft strands, she withdrew quickly, her heart heavy with guilt.

'I hope one day you can forgive me for being a stupid teenager fighting for her life.' she whispered to herself, wiping away the tears that had escaped despite her efforts to hold them back.

Suddenly, Bella let out a small cough, causing Evelyn to jump to her feet in alarm. She grabbed her phone and quickly turned off the flashlight, her heart racing as she made her way to the door, not wanting to be caught by Bella. As soon as she opened the door, she came face to face with Alpha Fred, who was standing in the hallway, leaning casually against the wall. Startled, she shut the door behind her immediately, and Alpha Fred took her hands in his, his eyes filled with concern.

"Oh, Fred," she sobbed, unable to hold back any longer. She threw her arms around him, seeking comfort in his embrace.

He gently patted her back, his touch soothing as he tried to help her regain composure, aware that they couldn't afford to disturb Bella's sleep. Fred led her down to the living area, guiding her to sit on the couch. He sat beside her and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"Let me get you some warm milk," he offered, rising to his feet and heading to the kitchen. He opened the fridge, taking out a bottle of milk, and heated it up slightly before pouring it into a cup. Returning to Evelyn, he handed her the cup, then sat close to her again, patting her hair gently as she sipped the warm milk.

"You're an excellent mother, Evelyn," Fred said softly. "It's okay to feel this way. Ryder grew up hating me, and I couldn't just shock him with the truth. I let him replace out in his own time, and he dealt with it in his own way." Fred paused, taking one of her hands in his. "I know you want to sit Bella down and tell her everything, but you're not ready to revisit that dark place yet. So, let it be for now. You did the right thing, and now we can take care of her while she's sick."

"Everything feels so difficult," she sniffled, looking up into his eyes, her own filled with uncertainty and pain.

"Every good thing is difficult," Fred replied, trying to keep a steady voice. "But you have to be willing to fight for it in silence. Look at us-we were once separated, but we've lived in peace for about fourteen years now." He lifted her hand to his lips, planting a gentle kiss on it.

Evelyn stared into the air, her thoughts drifting back to her painful teenage years.

FLASHBACK:

"Nan, the food is ready, your laundry is done, and I'll be going to the market now," Evelyn said, standing in the doorway of her grandmother's living room. Her grandmother, who was sitting on the couch engrossed in a television program, barely acknowledged her. Evelyn hesitated before adding, "Also, I'll be stopping at Fred's."

At the mention of the Alpha Prince of the Frost Pack, her grandmother frowned, turning off the television and looking up at her.

"Evelyn," her grandmother called out, her tone sharp. Evelyn paused in her tracks, turning to face her. "You turned eighteen a few months ago. Has Fred declared his interest in marrying you?"

The question was the one Evelyn had dreaded, and it was part of the reason she had feared turning eighteen. She had seen how her older sisters were married off, and as the youngest, she had hoped her grandmother would be more patient, especially since she was her primary caretaker.

"Fred is still in school, Nan," Evelyn replied. "Hopefully, I'll join him at the university when the scholarship results are out." Her grandmother scoffed with a hardened face as she rose from the couch, straightening her back.

"He's going to abandon you, I tell you!" she barked, and Evelyn tried not to let an old irritable lady push her to tears. "He's an Alpha Prince, and by the time he's ready to take a wife, you'll be an old maid. He'll look for young blood," her grandmother warned, her voice laced with bitterness.

"Nan, please," Evelyn pleaded, desperation creeping into her voice. "Fred is my fated mate, and what we have is real, and-"

"Shut up!" her grandmother snapped, cutting her off. Evelyn bit back her words, lowering her gaze to the floor. "The new Alpha King of the Rune Pack is still in town. He's having his last meeting with the Alpha King of Frost Pack, and I heard he took a liking to you."

Evelyn's mind flashed back to two days ago, when she had visited Fred. She had met Herald Runestone, the Alpha King of the Rune Pack, who had been the talk of the town. He was young, and he was twenty-four, only a year older than Fred, plus he was done with school.

On top of that, he was now the Alpha King, having recently taken over after his father's death. He was a figure of power and prestige, and girls from all around were vying for his attention. But what struck Evelyn was how Herald, despite the attention he received, had stopped to chat with her. Fred had frowned when he walked out to see them talking in his father's living room.

"Has he called you back since then?" her grandmother pressed, snapping Evelyn out of her thoughts. Evelyn shook her head. "Then you must make him notice you today. He has everything Fred has and more. Most importantly, he's ready to settle down, and his mother wants a wife from our pack since she's a native of-"

"Well, good luck to them," Evelyn interrupted, her voice edged with defiance as she turned to leave.

She didn't care what Herald was; her heart was set on Fred. After she finished her errands at the market, she made a stop at the Alpha's house. When she saw the fleet of cars outside, she decided to sneak in through the back door, hoping to avoid Herald. Once inside, she made her way to Fred's bedroom, and he opened the door for her immediately, pulling her into a warm hug.

"What took you so long?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he held her close. Evelyn sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed, her thoughts racing.

She looked into his eyes for a moment, deciding that she had to tell him everything. They were mates, destined to be together, and if they were to be married one day, he needed to know the truth.

"My grandmother wants me to get married to Herald Runestone," she blurted out, her words tumbling out in a rush. Fred's expression darkened, his face contorting with a mix of anger and worry.

His heart sank, a heavyweight settling in his chest. He knew how much influence Evelyn's grandmother wielded. Evelyn's father had been the former Beta, but after his death, there was no son to succeed him, and the power had shifted away from the Lupin family to the Lycanthal. Even so, the Lupins were still held in high regard, and her grandmother had married off all her grandchildren to wealthy men.

"This is bad, Evelyn," Fred said, his voice low and tense. Evelyn raised an eyebrow.

"You think I don't know that?" she replied, her tone laced with frustration.

"Then why are you so calm? You're too calm for someone who understands the danger we're in," he stated.

Evelyn stood up and moved toward him, intending to kiss him and soothe his worries, but he held her at arm's length, trying to make a swift decision as he feared to lose her.

"We have to do something about this because kissing and cuddling won't solve anything," he added, his voice firm. "Then what do you suggest?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she searched his face for answers.

"We complete the mating bond and the ritual tonight," Fred said, his voice filled with urgency.

"What? I could be beheaded for that! I can't have sex with you unless we're married. It's against the law, and we could be killed," Evelyn protested, her voice rising in panic.

"Then let's run away," Fred proposed, his hands tightening around hers as he searched her eyes, hoping for agreement. But she shook her head, pulling her hands away from his grip.

He was making a hasty decision, and she didn't want to be the one to ruin his life.

"You're crazy, Fred. We both know your father-he'll kill me, and he'll replace a way to save you. I can't," she said, her voice trembling with fear.

"And I won't let that happen," Fred replied, then there was a long pause between them. "So, what will it be? Are you in or out? Let me know, so I'll know if I'm kissing my girlfriend and mate goodbye."

She shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears as she grabbed her bags from where she had placed them close to the bed.

"I'm sorry, Fred. If saying no means it's over, then goodbye," she said, her voice breaking as she turned away, leaving Fred standing there, his heart shattered...