Chapter 43

I sat on in my comfy chair in the corner of the library, when I heard her come in. I was sure she’d been seeking me out, just to torment me. I watched as Amy approached me with a malevolent grin.

"Oh, Beryl, dear, looks like your precious papa bear is away again. How convenient for me," she sneered, her eyes locking onto mine with malicious intent. “What’s the worthless piece of trash doing hiding in here today?”

"Leave me alone, Amy. I've done nothing to you," I pleaded, my voice trembling with exhaustion and frustration. This had been going on all week, or maybe longer, the days were running together.

“No, you horrible thing, you haven’t done anything to me because you’re stupid and useless, and have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.” She was talking about mine and the triplets attempts to tell Armand that she was working with his brother to over throw Armand.

Each day Armand would leave and Amy would find me, no matter where I hid. Amy seemed to feed off my anguish, taking pleasure in tormenting me whenever Armand was away, which seemed to be increasingly often.

I had tried everything I could imagine to stay away from her, but she seemed to always know where I was. The pact my mates had made to remain by my side always, had needed to be put on hold as they had to go away with their father more times than not.

This gave Amy the time she wanted to torment and torture me. She had to have someone telling her where I was at all times. The guard that the triplet had set up for me, were quiet and gave me space, but were always there.

Amy was carrying Armand's child, and the knowledge of this only served to escalate the tension between the two of us. She used this information as a tool to hang over my head. She made it clear that she had Armand’s ear, and that mouthing we said would change that.

Amy saw me as a threat to her hold on Armand, since she knew that I knew her secrets, so Amy relished every opportunity to assert her dominance over me. Little did she know that we were still working in the background to thwart her plans, whatever they may be.

Nicholas, Cheney, and Brian, did their best to protect me from Amy's malevolence. I could tell that they loved me deeply and couldn't bear to see me suffer. Nicholas, maybe because he would one day be alpha king, seemed to feel a particular responsibility to shield me from harm.

“Amy, back off. Don’t you have anything else to do besides bother Beryl?” Brian, the most timid of my three mates, tried to get Amy to leave me alone one afternoon. The question seemed to delight her though.

“Oh, dear sweet Brian. You think you can stop me? Your daddy loves me and this new baby. I could do whatever I wanted to your worthless mate and there’s nothing he would say. Don’t you realize that?” She was laughing now.

Another evening, Nicholas tried a less timid approach. After a barrage of insults, he had had enough, “Amy! Shut the fuck up!” He roared in her face, reaching as though to grab her by the throat.

He caught himself just before he hurt her physically, but we could both see Amy pale slightly. Her eyes narrowed and she grinned a bit. “Go ahead, Nicholas. Do it. See what your dear dad does when you’ve hurt his mate.”

Nicholas took a small step back and said through gritted teeth. “You’re not his mate. You’re just a temporary play thing.” This seemed to hits its mark and Amy flushed, turned, and fled the room.

One evening, as the sun set and painted the sky with hues of orange and pink, the triplets gathered around me, their faces etched with concern. "Beryl, this has to stop. You can't keep enduring Amy's torment. It's not fair to you or our future family," Cheney said, his voice tinged with sadness.

I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes. "I know, but I don't know what else to do. I can't confront her, and I can't ask Armand to choose between us, not until we have definite proof of what her and Bob’s plans are.” I admitted, my heart heavy with the weight of this predicament.

Nicholas sighed, "I have an idea. Why don't we move? We can find a place where Amy won't be able to bother you anymore. Somewhere away from the palace and its politics."

My eyes lit up with hope at the prospect of escaping Amy's clutches. "But where will we go? I don't have a home of my own," my mind was racing to find a solution.

Cheney interjected, "Actually, you do. Remember your old family home? After your father passed away, Armand inherited it, and now it belongs to him."

My spirits fell. "Yes, but Amy wants to sell it. She sees it as a way to torment me further," I said, my voice filled with frustration.

The brothers exchanged a knowing look before Nicholas spoke up, "Then let's talk to Armand. He can't possibly want to see you suffer like this. We'll beg and plead on your behalf."

The next day, I found myself standing before Armand, my heart pounding in my chest. I recounted to him the continuous torment I’d endured from Amy and pleaded with him to let me move away from it.

The triplets joined in, emphasizing how important it was for me well-being to move away from the mansion. They told him that they would be close enough to the mansion that they could be there if he needed them in a few moments.

Armand looked conflicted, torn between his responsibilities as the alpha king, to the woman he’d chosen to carry a child for him, and his love for me. After a moment of contemplation, he finally spoke, "If moving away will bring you peace, then I cannot deny you that. You may have the house."

My eyes welled with tears of relief as I embraced Armand gratefully. "Thank you, Armand. You don't know what this means to me," my voice choked with emotion.

However, our moment of joy was short-lived as Amy stormed into the room, her face contorted with anger. "You can't be serious, Armand! Giving her that house is like rewarding her for being worthless, and no use to anyone around here."

Armand held up his hand, silencing Amy. "Enough, Amy. The decision is final. Beryl will have the house, and that's the end of it," he said firmly, leaving no room for argument.

As the days passed, the triplets and I moved into the old family home, leaving behind the shadows of the mansion. The house became a sanctuary where we could build our own lives away from the drama and turmoil.

In the safety of our new home, my bond with the triplets grew stronger, and I found comfort in their love and support. The specter of Amy still loomed in the background, and we knew we still had to stop her from overthrowing Armand, but I knew I had found my place, and with my mates by my side, I was ready to face whatever the future held.