Novel23 Chapter 223: The Gossips
Chapter 223: The Gossips
SCARLETT’S POV
I woke up to soft kisses pressed against the top of my head. I smiled slowly, opening my eyes to the bright morning sun streaming through the open window. The dark, wild pleasure of last night felt like a dream, but the ache between my thighs was a very real reminder of exactly how Leonard had claimed me.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty," Leonard murmured, his voice thick and deep with sleep.
I smiled, shifting against his chest. "Good morning, handsome."
He let out a low chuckle, his massive arms tightening around me. "I could get used to this. Waking up with you in my arms every day."
"Me too," I sighed, a bittersweet feeling hitting my chest.
I looked over at the clock on the nightstand and realized it was already 8:00 AM. My eyes widened, and I sat up quickly. "Leonard! You didn’t wake me up!"
"If it were up to me, I never would have," he teased, a lazy smirk on his lips.
I grabbed a pillow and playfully hit him with it. He just laughed, his deep morning voice rumbling through the room.
But as I looked around the quiet bedroom, a sudden thought crossed my mind. Today was Wednesday. It was Leo’s turn. Why hadn’t Leo come to wake me up?
Leonard must have read the sudden worry on my face. "Leo mind-linked me an hour ago," he said, his tone turning a bit more serious.
I frowned. "What did he say?"
"He had to leave early for a neighboring pack to handle an urgent business deal. He said he’ll be back by the afternoon."
I nodded, but a strange uneasiness settled in my stomach. Leo was an Alpha. He didn’t just pick up and leave on his assigned day unless it was absolutely necessary. Was he avoiding me because of the constant fighting with his brothers?
Leonard reached out, pulling me back down toward his chest. "Since he’s gone for the morning, why don’t we spend this extra time together?"
I scoffed, pushing his hands away with a playful roll of my eyes. "Young man, your time expired at midnight. See you on Friday."
He groaned loudly, tossing a blanket over his face as I slid out of the bed. My wet clothes from last night had been moved, and the clean black shirt Leonard had given me was resting on the chair. I slipped it on, grabbed my dry nightwear, and quickly changed.
I walked back to the bed and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek. "See you later."
"Come down for breakfast," Leonard called out, his eyes tracing my body. "Let’s eat together."
"Okay. I’ll go freshen up in my room first."
I left his master suite and walked down the grand corridor toward the stairs. My bedroom was located a floor below his. As I walked down the hallways, I passed a few pack maids and guards.
The moment they saw me, the air turned cold.
They stopped talking, their eyes tracking my every move. It was a dirty, judging look—the kind of look you give a woman you think has no shame. No one said a word to my face, but their whispers followed me like a bad smell. The rumors about me sleeping with the married triplet Alphas were spreading through the packhouse like wildfire.
I clenched my jaw, rolling my eyes as I kept my head high. I had gone through too much hell in my life to care about the gossip of pack servants. Let them talk.
Besides, what did they expect me to do? Cry about it? I was mated to three dominant Alphas, and if the pack staff wanted to waste their breath whispering instead of doing their jobs, as far as I was concerned, that was their business.
Reaching the safety of my room, I closed the door and leaned against it. Do you think Leo is avoiding us? I asked my wolf.
I think the same thing, she replied, her voice worried. Of all days, why would he choose today to leave for a meeting?
Maybe I should mind-link him, I thought. But my stubborn pride quickly kicked in. No. If he wants to leave his own mate on his day, let him.
I walked into the bathroom and turned on the water for a warm bath. As I sank into the tub, a sharp hiss escaped my lips. My center was still throbbing and swollen from how hard and fast Leonard had taken me against the wall last night. I didn’t regret it for a second. It had been amazing. But a small, wicked thought crossed my mind—imagining how heavenly it would be to have all three of them in a bed like that with me.
Can you blame me? Having one triplet Alpha was intense enough, but the sheer power of all three of them focusing entirely on me? It was a dangerous fantasy, but let’s be real—any woman in my shoes would be thinking the exact same thing.
After bathing, I got dressed in a casual black jumpsuit that hugged my curves comfortably. I slipped into a pair of flat sandals, twisted my hair up into a neat bun, and walked out of my room.
I headed down toward the dining hall, but the closer I got, the less hungry I felt. The heavy air in the packhouse was suffocating. Deciding I needed some fresh air, I bypassed the kitchen and walked out into the private gardens behind the mansion.
The morning air was crisp, but as I walked down the stone path, the servants working in the gardens gave me those same judging stares. I ignored them, focusing on the trees ahead.
Suddenly, my wolf perked up, her senses going completely wild.
Scar! Something is wrong! She screamed in my head.
Before I could even ask her what, a cold dread washed over me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. The wind shifted, carrying a scent that didn’t belong here.
TWANG!
The sharp sound of a bowstring cutting through the air echoed from the trees.
Before I could react, a blinding, hot pain exploded through my upper body. I gasped, stumbling backward as a metal arrow tore completely through the flesh of my left arm.
"AHHHHHHH!"
A loud, agonizing scream ripped from my throat. Blood—thick, dark red wolf blood—instantly splattered across the black fabric of my jumpsuit, soaking through the cloth. The pain was white-hot, making my vision go blurry as I clutched my bleeding arm.
Through the tears in my eyes, I forced myself to look up toward the tree line.
A figure dressed completely in black, their face hidden behind a dark mask, stood fifty yards away. The moment our eyes met, the attacker lowered the bow, turned on their heel, and sprinted away into the thick woods.
An assassin? Inside the private pack gardens? You have got to be kidding me. Even the packhouse of the Full Moon wasn’t safe for me.