Billionaire Quadruplet Alphas

Sunday 27th September, 2020

Harper

I ran to the courtyard at werewolf speed, searching for Helena. She should be difficult to miss but she was nowhere to be found. I immediately looked up, scanning the skyline. The whoosh of displaced air made me look in that direction. I could see her flying around the tallest tower of the castle. What was she doing?

“HELENA!” I yelled.

She spotted me and dove towards me, landing so quickly she left grooves in the courtyard.

“What’s going on?” I asked, worried.

She did not look hurt. I ran my fingers along the scales of her snout. Our eyes met and I knew instantly what was wrong. Holly was in trouble.

Holly

“What good would it do to kill me now?” I asked, trying to delay the imposter.

“You should keep me alive to use as a bargaining chip with the Prince,” I suggested.

“I don’t intend to bargain with the Prince,” spat the man. “I intend to kill him also. The whole family has to go. Brother, Sister, Father,” cackled the man.

“And Mother?” I asked, intrigued.

He narrowed his eyes at me.

“She is as good as dead,” he said vaguely.

My heart leapt a little. I had not been entirely certain if Harper’s mother was alive. The imposter had confirmed my suspicions based on my grandfather’s writings.

“May I at least know the name of my killer?” I asked.

The man tossed his head back, cackling madly, practically howling with laughter.

“As if you don’t know already! Holly, don’t jest,” he said.

“I am quite serious,” I said, edging a little closer to the door.

“If you move an inch more, I’ll kill you where you stand,” barked the imposter.

I froze on the spot.

“Understood,” I said.

I was willing to behave and to keep him talking. He seemed the type who could not resist a good brag.

“How have you managed to evade discovery all of these years? You must be a fantastic sorcerer!” I said, pretending to marvel at him.

“Oh, Holly, flattery…save that for your lover, Harper. I have no use for it,” he said, scowling.

My cheeks were tinged with pink at the word “lover.” Flattery would not get him talking. Perhaps, feigning ignorance was not the way either. He stalked towards me, his eyes darkening. He bared his teeth and I watched his canines lengthen, their sharp points gleaming.

“Holden! Please! Just answer one thing!” I pleaded.

He stopped at the mention of his name. He grinned wickedly.

“That is Alpha Holden to you,” he said mockingly.

I took a deep breath. I had never seen him before but it had to be him if my grandfather’s writings were to be believed. Holden, the son of Hagan. Hagan was the younger brother of Alpha Otto, the last Alpha of Ice Moon before the “Queen” usurped the throne. Holden was supposed to wed his own first cousin, Hesper, to claim the Alpha position and keep the Alpha lineage within the family. Hesper ran away though, with Heath of course, her true mate. I did not blame her. I had a plethora of questions, most of which I doubted he would answer. There was one though that I believed would strike a cord with him.

“Why didn’t you kill Hesper? You said she is as good as dead. Why isn’t she actually dead? Surely, you have no plans of ruling alongside her anymore? What purpose would it serve to keep her alive all these years?” I asked, already guessing the reason.

When motives did not make sense logically, they tended to involve matters of the heart. Holden sighed. His black eyes lightened momentarily at the mention of Hesper. His face softened a little.

“I wanted to be Alpha at any cost,” he said with a dry humourless laugh. “But I also wanted Hesper.”

“You genuinely wanted to marry her?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes,” he said roughly. “But she rebuffed me. She wanted that commoner,” said Holden.

“Heath was her mate,” I said with a shrug.

He roared in anger at this, startling me.

“Very well then,” I said, trying to sound calm but my voice shook.

“He did not deserve her! He was…a mere pack warrior, without a title. He had nothing to offer besides his brawn. She ran off with him, acting like a common w***e!” Growled Holden.

I was seething at the sheer audacity of this fiend but I had to remain in control of my emotions. Holden finally seemed willing to talk.

“She ran off with that mangy warrior. She pretended to have one boy!” He spat, holding up one finger. “Stillborn,” said Holden, sighing. “She returned to me after that lowlife had wreaked havoc…killing so many of my finest warriors,” snarled Holden, storming away from me and sitting at the vanity.

“I believed her without question,” said Holden. “I believed her. I could have never dreamed that there had been two living babies. Harper, the spitting image of his arrogant father smuggled away to another pack to be raised by a friend of his father’s. And Hannah, bundled up. Hesper pretended that bundle was the afterbirth. I was so stupid at that age. So very stupid,” commented Holden.

“How so? Hesper’s plan was just clever. You are not foolish,” I tried, still stalling.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“The doctor,” said Holden, with a wave of his hand.

My heart began to race at the mention of my grandfather but Holden did not seem to notice. I doubted that he knew I was related to the doctor.

“When she came back and pretended she had come back to be with me, I summoned a doctor to help her pass the after-birth as she falsely labeled it. The doctor had it bundled up in rags. He was scurrying away with it,” said Holden, his eyes faraway, remembering that fateful day.

“I asked him what he was doing. Why was he taking it with him? He went on and on about the benefits of the placenta and what people use it for. Something told me to look at it. The so-called placenta. But I didn’t bother. I was anxious to check on Hesper. She had been through an arduous labour and as far as I knew she had lost the baby. I was rushing to her side, to comfort her,” said Holden, laughing hysterically. He sighed. “I rushed to comfort her. Poor sweet Hesper. Not deceitful spiteful Hesper,” he spat.

“So how did you end up ruling like this?” I asked, gesturing to the Queen’s gown laid out on the bed.

Holden laughed.

“I couldn’t get Hesper to love me, no matter what I did!” He hissed.

“She kept trying to escape! I had a messenger deliver some fake news to her, that Heath was dead to break her spirit. If she was vulnerable enough, she would want me or so I thought,” said Holden, sighing.

“The b***h still tried to escape even after Heath’s alleged “death”,” roared Holden, slamming his fist down on the vanity counter.

I jumped, startled.

Holden laughed madly at my reaction. He had a laugh like a hyena. It was disconcerting. He seemed deranged.

“I should have known then that she had something to fight for…other than her mate,” said Holden.

“Harper and Hannah,” I said, nodding.

“Exactly!” Hissed Holden.

“You found out about them?” I asked.

“Not at that time. I questioned her. She stuck to her story about the stillborn boy. I sent men to tail Heath. I knew he was alive and in another pack. My men stalked him. He was aware of them. He did boring, basic things everyday. He never led us to any child, any son,” said Holden. “And we still had no idea about Hannah. My assumption was that the stillbirth was a lie and there was one live son somewhere, threatening my position here. One night, I caught Hesper trying to escape again. I had always been a talented practicer of the craft,” said Holden, grinning.

“Unusual for a werewolf,” I said.

“My mother wasn’t a wolf,” said Holden. “She was a witch.”

I was shocked.

“Your family was willing to marry you off to your own cousin. They do not seem the type of family to be fine with a half-wizard child,” I said.

It did not make sense.

“Yeah, well, my father had an affair,” revealed Holden. “With some witch barmaid at a tavern. She got pregnant and he and his mate raised me as their own because his mate was barren so she was more accepting of the infidelity. She really wanted a child.”

“Oh,” I said.

I slid down against the wall until I was sitting.

“Giving up already?” He asked incredulously.

I wanted to keep him talking so I figured I would act comfortable.

“But who taught you magic?” I asked.

“It came easily to me,” he said with a shrug. “And I found my birth mother as a teenager. My parents were ok with me spending time with her in secret. I saw my…lack of pedigree as a strength. Clearly!” He exclaimed, gesturing to his surroundings.

“This is a waste of your magical talent,” I said. “Why not try to rule as yourself?”

He rolled his eyes.

“The challenges for the throne would be endless. When Hesper tried to escape that last time, I…stopped her. I put her somewhere safe, alive, because I could not bear to kill her back then. I think I could bear it now,” he said with an evil grin.

“I pretended she had committed suicide by throwing herself into the sea so there wouldn’t be a body. Trust me, everyone searched. Her grandmother, the Winter Fae Queen,” he said motioning with his hands as though he were worshipping someone.

“Her Highness blessed us with her presence. She killed my father,” he said, glaring at me.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“She got rid of many involved in Hesper’s alleged downfall. When it came time to dispose of me, she didn’t bank on me having magical abilities. I was a surprise,” he said with a grandiose wave of his arms. “I did not kill her either. I kept her alive as a perennial source of magic for me. A generator,” he said, cackling. “And I took her place. She did come to take this throne in Hesper’s name. That’s true. But she never sat on it. I intercepted her. Pretending to be her was inspired. No one dared to challenge the grieving Winter Fae Queen all these years. Until your mate decided to come home!” Roared Holden, swiping his arm along the vanity counter so that all the vials went crashing to the ground, leaving broken glass everywhere.

He covered his face in his hands.

“I have no choice,” he mumbled. “All of you have to go now.”

He turned swiftly and I felt his magical energy crackle in the air like lightning getting ready to strike. I readied myself to block it. He was about to lash out when the door opened.

“Sorry to barge in Your High-,” began Heath.

Holden turned to him. Hatred marred his features.

“No! Heath! Run!” I screamed.

It was too late.

“You,” was all Heath said, in disbelief, before Holden sent a whip-like coil of black energy his way.

The spell struck Heath square in the chest. He fell to his knees and then collapsed in a heap, face-down.

“NO!” I screamed, rushing to Heath but Holden waved his hand and I felt my stomach lurch as I was transported into some impenetrable darkness.