The Royal Triumvirate

Chapter Forty-Nine: Alex

Alex woke slowly keeping her eyes closed. She could feel weight on each of her sides and recognized the breathing of her sleeping mates. Dana whined softly and snuggled deeper into her side. Her smaller mate often did that whenever she began to wake up.

"Are they waking up?" She recognized the voice of her foster mom, Emma.

"I believe so," another voice answered which Alex knew belonged Queen Maria.

On her left side, Alex heard Reina groan before speaking, "Did it work?" Reina placed a hand on her mate's shoulder and whispered softly, "Alex, are you awake?"

Alex opened her eyes, "yeah, I'm awake."

"Excellent," Maria said. "Perhaps you would care to explain who that witch was and what she wanted with you."

Alex tried to sit up, but pain shot through her back and upper arms. The wounds felt as fresh as the day she got them. Reina and Dana both growled softly, each of them feeling the residual pain as well.

"Ma, can you guys give us some time and space. I think we need to talk as mates. We'll debrief later." Reina said softly. Maria frowned but nodded and led the others out. Grace and Emma hesitated.

"You can always talk to us as well," Grace said softly then they quietly left the room. Celestine was the last to leave, she paused at the door but hesitantly turning to Alex and speaking.

"I am sorry that I couldn't counteract her spell sooner."

"It's not your fault," Alex assured her. "Daisy is a pretty powerful witch with a capital 'B'." She smiled weakly at her joke. Celestine gave a small smile exiting, closing the door behind her. Leaving Alex and her mates alone together.

Biting back a groan, Alex sat up and moved to the edge of the bed. Standing up, she rubbed her upper arm and sighed softly.

"Maybe you should take it easy. You're still in pain," Dana said worriedly. Alex waved her hand in a weak dismissive gesture.

"I'll be fine. The pain will fade soon enough. It's a side effect of that spell."

"This isn't the first time you've been under that spell?" Reina asked her voice was dark and low.

Alex sighed. "No, Daisy used to use it whenever I didn't do what she wanted. Though it was just the memory of when I got the scar on my face," she explained gesturing the injury in question. "This was the first time, I've....I've been trapped in that memory."

"Can I ask? What happened after you got back to Daisy?" Dana asked softly.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Well as it turned out, Lei and Daisy were mates. Once I fully physically recovered from my injures. Daisy began to not-so-subtly imply that I move out so that she could live alone with her mate. The final straw came when I was running an errand with her and we got ambushed by vampires" Alex placed a hand on her stomach. "...and she ditched me to deal with the vamps."

Reina growled, "how dare she then just show up out the blue?"

Alex frowned, "I'm not sure what she was thinking. Lei was actually a good influence on her."

"Daisy said, 'he had her' when you asked where Lei was," Dana said remembering.

Alex's eyes widened, "somehow the Royal Blood Pack must've captured her."

Reina growled, "we'll rescue her and get rid of this false pack. Markus Storm will pay for everything that he has done."

Alex rubbed her thumb in her palm, "I am sorry. This...this isn't how I want you guys to find out. I know you guys must think horribly of me. I-I..." A tear appeared in the corner of her eye. Dana scrambled out bed and wrapped her arms around her mate.

"We could never think that you're horrible," she said assuring.

Alex sniffed softly, "you don't have to lie. I'm sure you guys would want a less broken mate."

Reina stood and approached her mates. Grabbing Alex by the chin she tilted her mate's head until they were making eye contact. "You are not broken. You are the strongest person I have ever met. You've been through so much and yet you still care about others. In your place I don't think I could've had even a fraction of your strength. That's what I admire most about you."

"You don't have..." Alex started but Reina wasn't finished.

"It's also why I love you."

"Me too," Dana chimed in softly, holding tight to Alex. Alex stood frozen staring at her mates. Despite everything, this was the first time that they had dropped the 'L-bomb.' Her brain was slowly rebooting and the only response it could come up with was...

"You guys love me?"

"Of course," Reina laughed softly.

"How could we not?" Dana agreed.

"I-I love you too," Alex stuttered shyly blushing. Reina just smiled and kissed her softly.