The Royal Triumvirate

Chapter Eighteen: Alex

Upon arriving at the coffee shop Reina immediately led them to a back-corner booth away from prying ears. Alex took the seat facing the door while Reina and Dana sat across from her. A waitress walked up and greeted them.

"Hey, Reina and Dana long time no see," she smiled. Alex could smell that she belonged to the Royal Pack as well. "Who's your new friend?"

"This is Alex. She just moved here," Dana replied.

The waitress sniffed and frowned distastefully but managed to maintain a professional façade, "what can we get started for you?"

"I'll have a black coffee and Dana wants a bubble tea, coconut with strawberry bubbles," Reina said, glancing at her girlfriend for confirmation. At Dana's affirmative nod, the waitress glanced at Alex.

"I'll have a white hot chocolate," she said.

"K. I'll be right back with those."

After the waitress left the three mates looked at each other. Reina broke the silence first speaking softly, "look Alex, it's obvious you weren't expecting to have mates. You maybe even..." she hesitated before choking out the next words, "don't want us. But all we asked is that you give us a chance. We'll take this at your pace."

Alex thought deeply for a moment. Before sighing running an agitated hand through her short hair, "this all is...unexpected. I never really thought I would have a mate. Much less two of them. I think I am just going to need to time...to process."

"And that's fine!" Dana smiled. "Take all the time you need. We never want you to feel uncomfortable." Dana reached out hand to touched Alex's arm, but the rogue pulled back and placed her arms on her lap. Dana just smiled sadly and sat back.

"What about your pack? Aren't they going to want this," Alex gestured between them, "resolved as soon as possible? From what I've heard the Royal Pack isn't exactly patient." Alex had a note of annoyance in her voice during the last line. Reina and Dana exchanged a look.

"Until you're comfortable with the mate bond. No one else needs to know," Reina said.

"Yeah, this," Dana mimicked Alex's gesture, "is between the three of us. No one else."

Alex sighed softly in relief. She was nervous about having to deal with a pack in order to be with her mates but if they were being honest... then she could deal the headache of the Royal Pack later.

"So, what's your favorite color?" Dana asked abruptly. Alex stared at her sudden segue and let out a shocked laugh.

"What?"

"What," Dana shrugged. "it's an ice breaker." Alex glanced confusedly at Reina who just shrugged at their mate's quirkiness.

"So, what is it?" She asked.

"Uh, blue. Its, uh, calming," Alex stammered then after an awkward pause. "What's, uh, your guys'?"

Dana beamed, "I love blue as well! And Green. And Violet! And Purple! Oh! And Red..." Alex had a feeling that she would've continued ad nauseum if their drinks hadn't arrived at that moment. Once the drinks had been set down and they assured the waitress they didn't need anything else. Reina spoke as soon as the server was out of ear shot.

"I love the light blue-green of Dana's eyes but now they share first place with another color," Reina smiled at Alex staring deep into her eyes and leaned forward. "Your eyes are such a light grey. Any lighter and they would be white. Yet they have such depth to them. I fear that I could get lost in them forever."

Alex blushed deeply. How could these to have such a big effect on her. She's supposed to be the cold closed off loner rogue but within in a few days these two girls have her feeling like 12-year-old with her first major crush. To shake off the uncomfortable feeling, Alex took a deep chug of drink. Forgetting for moment that she ordered hot chocolate.

She gasped and coughed at the heat burning her tongue. Reina flirty demeanor dropped instantly and growled angrily. She made to stand up and looked like she was about to start yelling at the staff of the coffee house. Dana grabbed her arm and yanked her down.

"Calm down," she murmured. "It was an accident." Dana ran her hand along Reina's arm, letting out her soothing aura. The waitress noticed Reina's sudden movement and came over.

"Is everything ok, your...?" she asked nervously

"Fine," Reina cut her off with a growl. "We just need a glass of cold water."

The waitress hurried off and Alex looked surprised, "I'm fine. I just drank a little too quickly. Why are you upset?"

Reina took a calming breath before speaking. "I always knew that I would have two mates and that I would find them on my sixteenth birthday. So, when my birthday came and went, and I couldn't find my third mate... I was devastated."

"We both were," Dana interjected softly.

"I couldn't find you and you were injured," Reina continued. For the first time, Alex could feel them staring at the scar on her face. She ran a couple fingers along the scar before sighing softly. Gripping her drink tightly and staring into its depths like it held the key to life, she spoke softly.

"There's nothing you could've done anyway. I got this scar after my first shift when I was thirteen. You see I didn't know I was a werewolf growing up. I grew up bouncing around human foster homes. At the time of my first shift I was living on the streets, having run away from my previous foster home. Anyway, for previous last year or so, I had heard this voice in my head. I know now that it was my wolf. But at the time? I thought I was going crazy," Alex paused when the waitress returned with the water. After she left, Alex continued, "So, anyways, one night the voice was urging me to go into the woods and I did. Then suddenly, this horrible pain erupted all over my body and I started shifting. The voice managed to keep me calm and so I shifted for the first time." Alex sighed, "So, my wolf was running through the woods when suddenly we came upon this man. He started laughing and ranting about finding a werewolf, and how he was going to pass his initiation. Then he pulled out a knife. My wolf tried to flee but the man grabbed us and cut our face," Alex indicated her scar. "After some more struggling, we managed to escape and find sanctuary. Though that," another bitter sigh, "is another story."

"It sounds like you came across a corrupt Hunter," Reina growled. "They call themselves Templar Hunter's and want to eradicate all supernatural beings. And he must have been using a silver knife. Only silver weapons leave a lasting scar on both the human and the wolf."

Dana placed a calming hand on both of her mates' arms. This time Alex didn't immediately pull away. She allowed the touch to last for a minute before gently removing her arm from under Dana's hand. The next hour was spent with them just talking about their favorite things. Alex gradually relaxing. However, their evening was interrupted by an angry phone call from one of Reina's mothers. Reminding her and Dana that had guests over for dinner and that they needed to be home five minutes ago.

Exiting the coffee shop, Alex begrudgingly allowed each of her mates to hug her goodbye. They drove off after Alex gave them her number and assured them that she would be all right getting home on her own.