Olivia’s POV
The hall fell into complete silence as my words sank in. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to glance at the triplets seated across from me. All three of them stared back. There was no expression on their faces—their features blank—but through the bond, I felt it. Their pain. It was suffocatingly painful.
Elder Grant cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
"Lady Olivia, may you please explain why you wish to reject your mates? Remember, the mate bond is sacred—something we do not take lightly. If your reasons are not valid, we will have no choice but to deny your request..." He paused, his words hanging heavy in the air. "But if they are... we will dissolve the bond."
The hall went silent as all eyes were fixed on me, even the triplets. For a moment, the words refused to come. My throat tightened. Where do I even begin?
"Lady Olivia, you don’t have to be scared... go on, speak." The only female in their midst encouraged.
I nodded, bracing myself. For a moment, I forgot the triplets were even in the room.
"A mate is supposed to love and protect their mate," I said, my voice louder now, clearer. "But that wasn’t the case with the triplets."
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remember everything—to let it out.
"These men didn’t just hurt me physically... they broke me mentally, emotionally. Where do I even start? Which pain should I speak of first? Which should I leave unsaid?"
My voice cracked, but I didn’t stop. I kept my gaze on the council of elders. I remembered what Alpha Damien told me—do not show hesitation.
"Go on, Lady Olivia," the only female elder encouraged gently.
I nodded.
"On my wedding night..." I swallowed hard, trying to steady my voice, "They didn’t just ignore me—they humiliated me. They brought their mistress into their chambers... and made me watch as they made love to her."
Gasps filled the hall, but I didn’t stop.
"They locked the door... forced me to watch as they touched her, kissed her, slept with her—while I stood there, helpless. Shattered. I begged them to stop. I cried until my body gave out. And when I fainted from the pain, they had their guards throw me out."
I closed my eyes for a second, then opened them again. My voice was trembling now, but I forced each word out.
"They hated me. They said I was a mistake the Moon Goddess made. That I wasn’t worth the bond."
I glanced at the triplets. Their heads were bowed. But I didn’t care. I needed to say it.
"Alpha Lennox once struck me physically," I said firmly.
I turned to look at him, and for a moment, our eyes met. There were tears in his. But I looked away. I wasn’t done.
"I bled for them. I cried for them. I begged them to see me. To accept me. But they chose cruelty over compassion. They chose another woman—over and over again—while I suffered quietly."
My eyes burned, but I held the tears back.
"I can’t be with these men anymore. Every time I look at them, I don’t see love. I see pain. I see the nights I curled up crying. I see my broken soul."
I turned to the council again. My voice shook, but it was strong.
"And besides, their concubine is pregnant with their pups... and the pregnancy is complicated. The children might die if they don’t mark her," I added.
I didn’t say this because Anita pleaded... no... I used this as an advantage...
My eyes met with Alpha Damien, and he gave me an approving nod like he was happy I brought that up.
I drew in a breath and finished. "Please... I want to be free. Free of the men who destroyed me. I want distance. Freedom. I refuse to be their mate any longer."
The room was silent.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Fated To Not Just One But Three