Alpha Triplets Claim

Chapter Thirty-eight : Echos Of The Past Whispers Of The Future

Phera POV:

I woke up to the shrill sound of my phone ringing on the nightstand next to the infirmary bed. My body ached as I reached for it, wincing at the residual pain from the wolfsbane-soaked dagger. The display read "Josh," and a complicated set of emotions unfurled within me.

"Hello?" I answered, my voice raspy from sleep and exhaustion.

"Phera, hey. I heard about the attack. Are you alright"NôvelDrama.Org content.

It was Josh, my ex-boyfriend and a complex piece in the jigsaw of my life. He had his issues but had been my best friend before we crossed that line-a line we had both agreed to step back from. The concern in his voice was genuine, but something was off, a subtle change in his tone that I couldn't ignore.

“I’ve been better, Josh. How did you hear about the attack?”

“Word travels fast, even between packs. Is it true? The wolfsbane?”

"Yes,it’s true. My body is doing its best to heal. They say I be back on my feet by tonight,” I replied cautiously.

“That’s good to hear. I was worried, Phera.”

“I appreciate the concern, really,” paused, letting the words hang in the air before I continued. “But you didn’t just call to check on my health, did you?”

He hesitated, and the silence seemed to stretch between us like a taut string. Finally, he broke it.

“How are things with the triplets?

The shift in his tone was more noticeable now, edged with something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

“What’s it to you, Josh?”

"I'm your friend, aren’t I? I have a right to be concerned.”

“Friends don’t pry, Josh. Friends trust.”

“Fine, fine. But answer me this, are you happy with them?”

“Happy is a big word, but I’m getting there. We’re taking baby steps. And before you ask, yes, I’m considering accepting the mate bond fully,” I said, laying my cards on the table.

There was another long pause on the other end of the line.

“Well, as long as you’re sure they’re the ones who can give you the life you deserve.”

“Why does it sound like you doubt that?” I pressed, growing increasingly irritated.

"I don’t doubt it. I just want you to be cautious, that’s all. I still care about you, Phera. Always will.”

“And I appreciate that, Josh, I really do. But my relationship with Damon, Axel, and Zane is my business. We’re figuring things out, in our own time, in our own way.”

“Fair enough,” he replied, but there was a heaviness to his words, a weighted silence that loomed over us.

“Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?” I asked, sensing that he was holding something back.

“No,” he sighed, “just take care of yourself, Phera.”

Despite the distance and time that had separated us and despite my newfound resolve with the triplets, talking to Josh had stirred old emotions and questions-questions that had no easy answers. But for now, I had more immediate matters to deal with.

As I lay back down, staring at the ceiling, I couldn’t shake the feeling that both my past and future were colliding in ways I couldn’t yet understand. And as comforting as it was to know people cared about me, I realized that ultimately, the decisions about my life and love rested squarely on my shoulders.

“Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?” I asked, sensing that he was holding something back.

For a moment, there was silence, making the atmosphere on the line thick with unsaid words. Then, Josh cleared his throat.

“Actually, yes,” he finally spoke, the tone of his voice changing yet again, becoming softer, more tentative. “I was thinking of visiting, of coming to see you.”

My heart skipped a beat.

"Visit? Why now?"

"Just to catch up, you know? It's been a while, Phera, and I've missed our friendship."

"Is it just the friendship you've missed, Josh?" I couldn't keep the skepticism out of my voice.

"Isn't that allowed?" He replied, a trace of defensiveness creeping in.

"It is," I said cautiously, "but a visit would complicate things, Josh. Especially now, with everything going on- the attack, the triplets."

"Ah, yes, the triplets," he murmured, the words tinged with something unreadable. "How do they feel about me visiting?"

"They don't know, and I'm not sure how they would feel about it."

"So you're not going to tell them?"

"I didn't say that. If you visit, I'll tell them. Full transparency, remember?"

He chuckled, but it sounded hollow.

"I guess some things never change."

"And some things do," I countered. "We changed, Josh."

"Yeah," he sighed, the heaviness back in his voice. "We did.

"Does it bother you? Me being with them?"

"Should it?"

"That's not an answer."

"No, it doesn't... not in the way you think. I just don't want you hurt again."