𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅

chapter sixty-two

Emriana

I blinked a couple of times, letting my eyes adjust to the dim light of the chandeliers beaming in the bedroom before looking around me. A faint smile graced my features as I found Zander, Drakkar and Zeke nestled against me.

Their regular breathing echoed quietly in my bedchamber. Drakkar was on my right, his face hidden into the crook of my neck while he kept a shielding arm across my midriff. Dried blood from the lacerations on his cheeks contested the paleness of his features as his dark lashes rested on his battered cheek.

Zander's soft exhale tickled my shoulder blade while his face was buried into my hair, his cheek pressed against my ear. He was lazily latched onto my upper arm, keeping a loose but protective grip on me. Just from his breathing pattern, I could tell he wasn't asleep but just resting his eyes. Zander never slept with other people.

I lifted my head enough to let my eyes travel down to my stomach, where the remaining mop of shaggy brown hair nuzzled into the fabric of my dress. Zeke's muscular upper body engulfed me wholly. He clutched my dress, keeping me snug against him.

Their combined intoxicating scents were addicting, and I couldn't resist the urge to take a long whiff before trying to discern what time it was by gazing into the obscure darkness of the vast window. A sob escaped my lips, my entire shuddering in pure agony at the atrocious, gruesome pain shooting up my wrists when I tried to hoist myself up.

The triplets jerked awake at the sound, but my sole focus was on the unbearable pain grasping my every being. Tears immediately pricked the corner of my eyes while I noticed my wrists wrapped in greyish cloths held by pins. My knuckles were covered in dark dried blood, and I gagged in disgust. A whimper accompanied by a hiss slipped out when I accidentally moved my fingers.

"Little one, don't move. Let me help you," Drakkar was quick to say as he nonchalantly pushed Zeke off my body. Zeke let out a series of profanities as he fell off the bed altogether with a thud. He quickly pushed himself back up, sending a powerful jab into Drakkar's shoulder.

"Fuck off, Drakkar."

Drakkar grabbed me from under the armpits and pulled me to a sitting position. I felt like a helpless doll, unable to do anything as both my hands were out of use.

"Thanks," I said as everything from last night began coming back to me. I began to panic as the person I searched for in the bedroom wasn't there. Akira.

"Akira!" I cried out, pushing myself off the bed using my hands despite the pain. I tried to make it out of their nest of bodies, but Zander caught my shoulder before I could.

"He's fine," he stated, and everything around me froze. It took me a few seconds of repeating the words inside my head to grasp what they meant fully.

"Really?" Tears slid down my cheeks as he gave a curt short nod. I turned to the two others for confirmation, not quite believing it yet. They gave me the same answer he did, and my heart almost jumped out of my chest as a spiral of emotion went through me.

"You're not lying, are you?" I said to Drakkar, and he gave me a nod with a toothy grin. I started ugly crying as I threw myself at him, and he chuckled, wrapping an arm around my midsection.

"Can I see him?" I asked Zander as I turned my head sideways to look at him.

"Yes, later," he replied, and I nodded. I took large breaths, taking in this wonderful news. He was okay. He would be just fine. I closed my eyes briefly as I savored this moment of happiness, squeezing Drakkar harder. I heard him let out an almost inaudible hiss. I pulled away quickly, gazing up at him.