Avenging The Triplet Alphas
Chapter 50

Arielle's POV

It's been a week since I returned and time couldn't have moved any faster. My arrival back to my parent pack had generated quite a lot of noise and fanfare amongst everyone, I still couldn't believe that the same people that hadn't hesitated to bully me or toss me out when I had been banished were the same ones excited over my return.

I didn't want to read much into the act of being welcomed back with open arms but it was quite difficult given how hostile I had once been treated within this same territory.

The most exciting part about my return was when I finally got to meet Jana again after over a year apart. She was immobile for a few seconds, her eyes wide open and unblinking as she saw me. I had undergone several physical changes over the past year but she had recognized me in a split of a second. I wasted no time in making my way over to where she stood, unable to move as I wrapped her hands around her and she immediately broke into tears.

"Is this you, miss?" She managed to speak softly through the tears.

"Yes," I smiled at her, my eyes misty with unshed tears. "I'm back."

"I've missed you a lot. I spent months worrying about and praying you would be safe wherever you might be and it looked like the Moon Goddess heard my players, you look like a different person in comparison to the woman you were before. Dare I say we were holding you back?"

I couldn't help but burst into laughter. She hadn't lost her witty sense of humor over time.

"Who's the little man you have with you?" Jana asked me, her eyes fixed on little Ethan who was sleeping soundly in his cradle after a long journey.

I held back my smile. She hadn't known I was pregnant before I was banished, I had planned to tell her after my crowning as Luna had become successful but tragedy struck.

"There's something I should've told you back then," I began, struggling to keep a straight face. Jana was still staring at me in confusion, trying to process the entire situation. "Before I was banished over a year ago, I found out I was pregnant but I kept it from you and the Van Tyson brothers."

The silence was deafening as I waited for Jana to register my words. Slowly, her eyes widened in shock for the second time in a matter of minutes that I couldn't help but wonder how her heart was holding up.

"Why?" Jana eventually managed to force it out, her eyes still fixed on Ethan.

He was supposed to be my wedding gift to the Van Tyson's and my surprise to you as well but my whole plan had gone up in smoke."

"I don't-"

Jana opened her mouth to speak but I quickly cut her short, eager to satisfy my curiosity.

"We can talk about that later, Jana," I assured her. "I'll be here for the time being but right now, I need your help on several pressing issues."

"Sure, by all means. Whatever you need, miss."

"Come, let's get away from prying eyes before we can talk."

Two hours later, I now understood why they had returned to me. It wasn't because they cared about our son or because they wanted me back, just like Loki had pointed out on our way back. I hadn't even been their first choice right from the beginning but Jana had overheard a lot of gossip from snooping on them talking and she found out that my return had something to do with the throne. I knew this from earlier but I didn't understand it like I did now. Their father had threatened to pass the throne down to his Beta if they failed to produce a Luna and it had sent them into a frenzy for months until they were eventually able to succeed by passing the tasks for the Book of Impossible Tasks and bringing me back home. My heart still aches whenever thoughts of Ethan came to mind and I couldn't help but wonder how he was feeling at that moment.

I wasn't going to give up on him yet. When I had succeeded in completing my mission here, I would go back to him and this time, I wouldn't return under any circumstances.

This incident had happened a week ago and suddenly, I was starting to hear rumors of the Van Tyson triplets being crowned as successors, and at the same time, I was going to be officially crowned Luna of the Van Tyson pack, the same crown I was denied earlier. I couldn't bring myself to describe the emotion I felt just yet. Everything still seemed so overwhelming to me and I was still struggling to break it down properly into bits. But from the looks of things, I wasn't going to be afforded the luxury of being able to do that. My little discussion with Jana earlier had revealed a lot of things to me, so the speed at which the Van Tysons were proceeding with everything didn't surprise me, it had been expected but I had no control over the way I felt after that.

It hadn't been so long since I was preparing for my life and married the man who cherished me above anything else. I was finally going to get the dream wedding I always longed for but this time, I wouldn't be Ethan standing on the altar and waiting for me to walk up to him where we would be pronounced husband and wife, Alpha and Luna, it would be the Van Tyson brothers.

I was back to where it all started.

"It won't be long before we have our ceremony," Loki began as they sat down on the balcony one afternoon. "Preparations are being made and the best date would soon be picked and everything would be closed and sealed without any further delays." "Is there any need as to why you're in a haste to get this done with?" I asked, feigning innocence and hoping they would tell me about the threat from their father about handing everything over to his Beta.

"Securing the throne is our first and major priority. That's why we came for you and when we're done with that, we can take our foot off the gas and have a little breather to ourselves for a job well done but until then, we can't afford to waste even a second." The hunger in Loki's voice made me shiver. I had never seen a man so desperate to get what he wanted before and I didn't need to ask either Jonathan or Loki to know that they shared the same views as he did.

"Where's our son?" Jonathan asked this time, a small scowl on his face.

"He's with Jana," I replied in a heartbeat. "He's quite happy where he is."

They had tried repeatedly to get me to introduce them to our son but each time they asked, I made sure to stall. I wasn't particularly thrilled at the prospect of being a family with any of them yet.

"How long are you going to punish us for?" It was Elijah this time talking. "We know we made a mistake sending you away in such a manner but it's all in the past now. There's no use crying over spilt milk and it would be better for the four of us if we can get over this obstacle in front of us."

"You want my forgiveness?" I scoffed, glaring at the three of them. "It doesn't come cheap and I don't need any more assurances from any of you. I had a ton of them, more than I could care to count and I ended up being discarded like a piece of trash with no value. I managed to pick myself out of the dirt you left me in to die and now, you want me to forgive you so easily?"

I was already starting to lose it. I couldn't believe his audacity but again, it was something that had always been associated with the Van Tyson's.

"You can't keep a grudge against us forever," Loki began. "At some point, you're going to have to let go of whatever this is so we can become present fathers in our child's life."

"You have no right to call him your son. He doesn't even know who you are."

"I've been trying so hard to get you to be more open with us explaining when it has to do with matters concerning our son but you wouldn't let us see him."

"I know I can't keep him away from the three of you forever, he would have to meet you someday but not right now. You don't get to barge into my life and demand something that's quite sensitive on my part." I finished. "You don't play fair."

Loki was right, I nodded. The time of being a sweet girl was over. This was my moment and I was going to make them pay for everything."