Three Alphas, Fated To One, Played By One, But Mated To One

Valerie’s POV

Karl’s words lingered in the air long after he said them.

"You can come back with me to my pack."

The invitation was simple and tempting. Leaving this place filled with bad memories and pain would probably do me some good.

But I doubted everything would go so smoothly in my life.

I tilted my head slightly, watching him carefully as I unwrapped another piece of chocolate and placed it in my mouth. The sweetness melted on my tongue, but it didn’t quite reach the bitterness sitting in my chest.

"I don’t want to leave the tiger’s den to enter a wolf’s pack."

Karl chuckled softly, leaning back against the sofa like my words amused him.

"You really don’t trust anyone, do you?"

"No," I replied honestly. "I just don’t trust easily."

That was the truth.

And after everything I had been through...

It would be strange if I did.

Karl studied me for a moment, his gaze lingering a little longer than usual.

"You’ve changed," he said.

I raised a brow slightly.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No," he replied quickly. "It’s just... unexpected."

A faint smile tugged at my lips.

"People change when they have to."

"Or when they finally stop holding themselves back," he added.

That made me pause.

Because there was something deeper in his tone.

Something I couldn’t quite place.

But I didn’t dwell on it.

Not when I had more important things to think about.

I leaned back slightly, letting out a silent breath.

"Your offer sounds nice," I said slowly. "But it’s not that simple."

"It can be," Karl said, sitting forward again. "You’re overthinking it."

"No," I replied. "I’m thinking just enough."

His lips curved slightly.

"Fair enough."

Silence settled between us for a moment.

This was something I didn’t realize I had missed. The days when Karl would take me to the roof to watch the stars after I was punished for some trivial matter or when I was so tired I was on the verge of collapse.

We haven’t had a conversation for so long. After I found out about his bet with Mike, I began avoiding him, because it felt like I had been betrayed by the one person I trusted.

Honestly, me finding out was a good thing because now even though I was really considering his offer to leave Night claw pack together, I wouldn’t leave blindly.

I knew for sure that Karl wasn’t just simply inviting me to leave my pack.

Nothing was ever that simple.

Karl had his own reasons for wanting that.

I wasn’t naïve.

Not anymore.

"So," I said, breaking the silence, "what do you really want, Karl?"

His brows lifted slightly.

"That’s a loaded question."

"Answer it anyway."

He held my gaze.

"I want you to be somewhere you’re valued."

The answer came easily.

Too easily.

I tilted my head slightly.

"And that place is your pack?"

"It could be," he said.

If I hadn’t heard that conversation between him and Mike, I would have believed him.

But too bad, I knew better.

However, I wasn’t going to expose the fact that I know. I would continue to play dumb.

If he could use me, so could I.

Especially with the council breathing down on my neck and me being unable to expose Lizzie. I must think about other options other than being the Luna of Night claw pack.

Mike didn’t want me anyway.

"And what do you gain from that?" I asked calmly.

A flicker of something passed through his eyes.

Gone just as quickly.

"Do I need to gain something?" he countered.

"Yes," I replied without hesitation. "People always do."

He smiled at my statement.

"You really have changed Val. But I can’t blame you for that. You have been through too much and if you don’t trust me anymore, I understand."

"I like that about you," he said. "You don’t pretend."

"There’s no point."

"No," he agreed. "There isn’t."

He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Alright," he said. "You want honesty?"

"I always do."

"I want you," he said simply.

His simple statement almost made me choke on air and die.

My mouth opened wide in shock and my eyes almost bulged out.

"Karl, are you trying to shock me to death so that you can inherit my beauty?" I asked in surprise, causing Karl to laugh.

I hadn’t heard his laugh for so long I had almost forgotten how it sounded.

It used to comfort me. Now, I don’t feel much, but its presence still made me feel better.

"I am serious." Karl answered me.

I couldn’t believe he would say it out loud.

I just... looked at him.

"You say that you want me. In what way?" I asked finally.

His lips curved slightly.

"You already know."

"I want to hear you say it."

Because assumptions weren’t enough.

His gaze darkened slightly.

"I want you to come with me," he said. "Not as a guest. Not as someone temporary."

"And what happens when Mike objects?" I asked.

Karl shrugged slightly.

"He won’t stop you."

"That’s not what I asked."

His expression shifted slightly.

More serious now.

"He might object," he admitted. "But he doesn’t want you. He made that very clear tonight."

My chest tightened at that statement.

Why did it still hurt so much to hear that Mike didn’t want me?

It’s not like I wanted him either.

I didn’t let the hurt show on my face. I couldn’t show weakness anymore. Not to someone I couldn’t trust anymore.

"Wanting me and letting me go are two different things," I said.

Karl’s jaw tightened.

"He doesn’t deserve you."

"That’s not your decision to make."

"It’s a fact."

"No," I said calmly. "It’s your opinion. Otherwise, the moon goddess wouldn’t have paired us."

"And what about you?" he asked. "What do you want?"

The question hit me like a ton of bricks.

Yes, what do I want?

This was a question I have been avoiding. But I know that I want freedom, independence, control over my life, and above all, to find the truth behind my father’s death.

However, I couldn’t say the last one. That would be too reckless of me.