Chapter 17: Chapter 17

JASMINE

I woke up, not sure how long I’d been asleep. A strange calm washed over me, almost hopeful. Maybe this could work.

Aaron and Erik were next to me, their steady breathing a comforting soundtrack in the silent room. We were stronger together. Maybe even strong enough.

I got up and headed straight for Sebastian’s room. Aaron and Erik were with me every step of the way. They brought me food and urged me to rest, but I couldn’t.

Seeing Sebastian so weak, still unconscious, consumed my thoughts. A knock at the door made me jump. I thought it was Aaron and Erik coming back, but the smells were different.

The door opened to reveal Philip and Tabatha, along with three strangers: two men and a woman. The first man was tall and intimidating, with blond hair and piercing blue eyes that screamed alpha.

The second man, equally tall but with light-brown hair and softer eyes, radiated a quieter strength. The woman had fiery red hair and intense blue eyes, her gaze sharp and authoritative.

Philip motioned toward the bed, his voice thick with emotion. “This is my son, Sebastian. I wish we could introduce him to you under better circumstances, but…this is our reality.”

I squared my shoulders, fighting off the fatigue. “I’m Jasmine,” I said, my voice steady. “Sebastian’s mate.”

The blond man stepped forward, his gaze steady but respectful. “I’m Alpha Anthony Byron Hender. This is my sister and beta, Caroline Coyt, and her husband—also my cousin and beta—Kevin Coyt. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Philip continued, his tone grave. “Jasmine risked everything to save Sebastian. The witches’ magic was brutal. Without her intervention, we would’ve lost him—and almost lost her in the process.”

Memories of the ordeal flooded back, and I tightened my grip on Sebastian’s hand.

“Saving him required a powerful spell,” Tabatha said softly. “A collaboration of our strongest wizards. Even so, Sebastian hasn’t fully recovered. Magic can heal, but it has its limits.”

“I’m sorry you’ve gone through this,” Anthony said, sincerity in every word. “For both of you.”

I nodded, my attention returning to Sebastian. The world beyond him barely existed to me at that moment—until Aaron and Erik entered the room.

“There’s something else you should know about Jasmine.” Philip broke the silence.

Anthony’s brow furrowed. “What is it?”

“She’s not just Sebastian’s mate,” Philip said, his words deliberate. “She’s also the mate of Erik and Aaron.”

“I’m sorry—what?” Anthony’s confusion was palpable.

Tabatha stepped in, her tone calm but serious. “Erik Bellator and Aaron Scire. Heirs to two of our region’s alpha bloodlines. All three share a bond with Jasmine.”

Anthony’s gaze flickered between us, as though trying to piece it all together. “Is that…common here?”

“No,” Philip admitted. “It’s rare. Unheard of, even. We’re still learning to navigate this reality, but the bond is undeniable.”

Erik stepped forward, offering a handshake. “I’m Erik Bellator.”

“And I’m Aaron Scire,” Aaron added. “It’s good to meet you.”

Anthony nodded, still processing the information. “I’m Alpha Anthony Hender. We’ve come from the Hender Pack—far to the east. We were attacked by witches. We need answers.”

Aaron’s expression softened, his voice low. “If you’ve faced witches, we may have more in common than you think.”

“Are attacks from witches common there?” Erik asked, his brow furrowed.

Anthony shook his head. “Not at all. We haven’t seen witches in centuries.”

Aaron exchanged a glance with Erik before replying. “Neither have we. Until now.”

Philip shook his head, his expression dark. “Witches haven’t dared step into our lands for generations. Whatever they’re planning, it’s something new—and we need to understand it before it’s too late.”

He gestured toward the hall. “You’re welcome to stay here in Wolfheart for as long as you need. If it’s answers you’re after, we’ll share what we know.”

Relief washed over Anthony. “Thank you, Alpha Philip. That means more than I can say.”

Philip smiled, but his expression remained serious. “While we have magic, there’s another pack known for its knowledge—the Scire Pack.”

Aaron straightened up a bit. “That’s my crew,” he said, a small grin playing on his lips. “If you’re on the hunt for info about witches or anything else, we might have some answers for you.”

Philip chimed in with a nod. “If we can’t help you out, Aaron’s crew should be your next stop. The connection between magic and knowledge has always been our secret weapon.”

The room fell into a brief silence until I shattered it with a question that had been nagging at me. “The Hender Pack—is it close to the Troffenholl Pack?”

Anthony’s eyebrow shot up, clearly taken aback. “Yes, our territories touch.”

A soft smile tugged at my lips. “That figures. Clair Troffenholl’s rule… It gave me hope. It let female alphas lead their packs if there was no male heir. I used to think I’d use that rule if my mate wasn’t an alpha.”

I chuckled lightly. “But instead, I ended up with three alpha mates.”

Caroline moved closer, her face full of understanding. “That must have been tough for you.”

“It was,” I confessed, glancing at Aaron, Erik, and Sebastian. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Caroline’s smile was warm. “My mate situation wasn’t exactly smooth sailing either,” she admitted, a soft laugh escaping her lips. “I’m older than Kevin, and we were brought up as cousins. So when he turned out to be my mate, Scarlett—my mom—had a meltdown.”

The room burst into laughter, the tension evaporating. Even Anthony’s smirk made a comeback.

“That’s not even the weirdest mate story in this room,” he declared.

Aaron’s eyebrow arched. “Oh, do share.”

Anthony’s grin widened. “Aurora—my mate—is the daughter of Scarlett’s first mate, who cheated on her. Christopher, my dad, is Scarlett’s second-chance mate. So…yeah. Things were a bit awkward at first.”

The laughter grew louder, and for the first time in days, the room felt a little less heavy.

As the door shut behind Anthony, Caroline, and Kevin, I let out a shaky sigh. The room was quieter, but the weight of our conversation hung in the air. I looked down at Sebastian, still out cold, and gently ran a hand over his blanket.

“You need to sit down,” Erik said, his voice gentle but firm.

I looked up at him, surprised. “I’m okay,” I replied, though even I could hear the tiredness in my voice.

“No, you’re not,” Aaron countered from his spot against the wall. He crossed his arms, his hazel eyes sharp as they studied me. “You’ve been running on empty all day, Jasmine. You haven’t eaten, you haven’t rested, and—” he moved closer, nodding at my hand—“you’re shaking.”

I looked down at my hand, betraying me with its slight, involuntary tremor. Quickly, I hid it in my lap.

“I’m okay,” I insisted again, but my words sounded less convincing this time.

Erik knelt in front of me, his hands gently enclosing mine. His touch was warm, grounding.

“Jasmine, you’ve done everything you can for Sebastian right now. But if you keep this up, you’re going to crash. And then where will we be?”

“I can’t just leave him,” I protested, trying to pull my hands back, but he held on.

“You’re not leaving him,” Aaron said, stepping up beside Erik. “But you’re not doing him—or us—any good by pushing yourself to the limit. You need to rest, and we’re not letting this slide.”

“I—” My protest died on my lips as Erik suddenly scooped me up into his arms.

“Erik!” I gasped, startled and a bit embarrassed.

His mouth twitched into a smirk. “You’ve been stubborn all day, Jasmine. But this time, you’re not winning.”

I glared at him, though it was half-hearted at best. “Put me down! I’m not a kid.”

“No,” Aaron chimed in, walking beside us as Erik carried me toward the bedroom. “You’re not. You’re our mate. And that means we take care of you, whether you like it or not.”

I huffed, crossing my arms as Erik nudged the bedroom door open with his foot. “I don’t need—”

“You do,” Aaron cut me off, his voice softer now but just as determined.

Before I could argue again, Erik set me down on the bed with a gentleness that made my heart ache. Aaron was already pulling the blanket over me, his touch gentle as he smoothed it out.

“Jasmine,” he began, perched on the edge of the bed, gently sweeping a loose hair from my face. “We saw how much Sebastian means to you. It’s evident in everything you do. But he needs you to be strong. We all do.”

Erik was crouched next to the bed, his hand resting lightly on my knee. “The battle isn’t over,” he said, his voice deep and steady, a comforting presence. “When the time comes, we’ll confront it as a team. But for now, you need to rest.”

I could feel my determination wavering, the fatigue finally catching up. I let out a sigh, nodding with reluctance.

“All right. But you have to promise to wake me if anything changes with Sebastian.”

Aaron bent down, planting a soft kiss on my forehead. “We promise.”

Erik gave my knee a gentle squeeze, his eyes radiating warmth and silent resolve. “We’re not leaving. Just rest.”

I closed my eyes, letting their comforting presence wash over me. But as the silence deepened, a longing stirred within me—a need I couldn’t ignore.

“Stay with me,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. I opened my eyes, locking onto their gazes. “Please. Just…stay.”

Aaron’s brows knitted together briefly before his face softened. Erik glanced at him, then back at me, a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

“Always,” Erik said, his voice filled with sincerity.

Aaron stood up, pulling off his shirt and tossing it aside before sliding into bed next to me. Erik did the same, climbing in on my other side.

As their warmth enveloped me, I let out a long, contented sigh. Aaron’s arm slipped around my waist, pulling me close, while Erik’s hand found mine, his fingers intertwining with mine under the blanket.

Safe in their embrace, my eyes slowly closed. For the first time all day, I felt a sense of true peace. Whatever tomorrow had in store, we’d face it together.