The Royal Triumvirate

Chapter Sixteen: Alex

Arriving at school that day, Alex's main plan was just to avoid Reina Alverez. So, when she didn't see the Latina in her first class, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ah, hello. Alex, right?" the teacher greeted her and led her to a table. "I'm going to have sit over here with Celestine and..."

Alex locked eyes with blonde haired girl that she knew as Reina girlfriend. Xandara suddenly spoke.

"Mate!"

Her speaking nearly drowned out Dana's introduction. Leaving Alex to stammer out her name.

The teacher left and the girl sitting across from Dana spoke. She smelt like a witch: herbs and ozone. Alex frowned. She once lived with a witch when she was younger. Xandara growled at the memory.

Once the banter with the witch was over, Alex reluctantly sat next to her other mate. She had two mates! How is that even possible? The little Alex knew of pack life and roles came from the witch that raised her for a couple of years and Alex couldn't remember hearing about multiple mates.

"There is the Triumvirate," Xandara pointed out. "Maybe because of that, its more common for Royal Pack members to have multiple mates."

Suddenly, Alex's brain short-circuited. Dana had laid a hand on her forearm. Sparks and tingles radiated out from that epicenter. Alex couldn't help but stare at the junction. She couldn't remember ever feeling something so good yet so weird. Normally, Alex hated being touched but something about her mate's touch couldn't make her hate it which just confused her even more so.

"Wha-" she murmured. At Dana's prodding she continued, "What's this feeling?" Alex could feel her face heating up.

Dana's breath suddenly tickled her ear, "that's the mate bond, beautiful."

Alex felt her blush deepen. She's never been flirted with before. She needed to get away and so scooted her chair further away from Dana's warmth.

Alex tried to stammer out a weak protest, but it died out before she could finish. She's faced far greater trials that a short curvy blonde girl. And yet she terrified Alex.

The rest of class went by slowly. Alex being keenly aware of every breath that Dana took; however, she didn't try anything again with Alex for the rest of the period.

"Alex," Dana spoke after Mrs. Zee gave them permission to start cleaning up, "Listen, I-I know this is all kinda weird. But please will you let Reina and I talk to you."

Part of Alex was just screaming for her to say no and run away. Before that part could speak, Alex saw the hopeful pleading look in Dana's eyes, and so gave her a hesitant nod.

"Great! Meet us out front after school. We'll go somewhere where it can just be the three of us," Dana beamed happily. Her eyes glinting. Alex knew in that moment that she would never be able to say no her. She couldn't even resist the hug that Dana threw around her. Knowing full well that if anyone else tried that, she would've beaten them up with their own arms.

"Softy," Xandara teased Alex while purring at the feel of Dana's arms around them.

"Shut up," Alex mentally muttered before fleeing her mate's grip and heading toward her next class.