Claimed By My Three Alphas
Bonus Chapter 3

Amery

It's been a while since I've been in the human realm.

Naturally, I had no idea what being the Queen of an entire realm would entail, so of course I never put much thought to how busy I would be.

And even though I feel super torn up about it, Mom keeps taking it in stride.

I made a promise that I wouldn't miss Thanksgiving though, and I kept to it. So now I'm elbow- deep in a bowl of bread dough, trying to knead it up for Moms dinner special.

"You're truly full of it, dear. Why don't I give you a hand?" Emelda comes up beside me, shooing me away and taking over with the kneading. Watching her get into it makes me want to work on my arm strength even more.

I invited her over to spend the celebration with us. Well, technically, Mom did. She and Emelda hit it off right from the get-go, and Mom is always adamant that I bring her over to this realm whenever I can. Emelda never objects, and I've got to say, my heart warms up every time. I love the relationship they've built with one another, and it's good for them too, having someone after everything they've both lost.

Thanksgiving has always been just Mom, Dad and I, but this year, things have switched up quite a bit.

Now sitting at her table are three full-grown werewolf males, who gobble up loads of food faster than a Cheetah chases its prey, the birth mother of the child she's raised and adopted, and said child who now has an appetite that can't possibly be quenched with a healthy diet. Shes feeding animals, literally. And right now, Mama Hunter's feeling the heat.

Darting from one corner to the next, trying to get things in order. We showed up way earlier than she expected, and so Emelda and I are trying to help in the kitchen as best as we can to level out her stress, while the boys put up the Christmas decorations she couldn't get around to herself.

It's... wholesome.

I've been unable to get the grin off my face since the moment we walked through the front door.

"Amery, sweetie," Mom calls from the dining area.

I excuse myself from the kitchen, walking over to her and peering over her shoulder at the table shes staring at.

"Problem?" | ask.

She spins around to face me, wiping her hands on the front of her apron, "Okay, so I've got beef, chicken, pork, duck," her voice drops to a whisper, she cups a hand over her mouth, leaning into me, "Rabbit."

My eyes widen, "Mom!" I can't help the laugh that bubbles out of me,

"What do you think we are, dogs?" My face straightens at the realization of what I just said, "Well, I mean, whatever. Where the hell did you even get a rabbit?"

She waves a hand in front of her face, as if to say, forget about it.

I shake my head, a smile still tilting the corners of my lips, " You didn't have to do all this, Mom. I appreciate it, I really do, but you didn't have to go all out. A simple dinner would have been just fine."

Her brows pull together as she yanks my hands toward her, her voice lowered into a hush once again, "They're royalty!"

"Mom!" I cry, "So am I, but you don't see me any different do you? They're just people."

"You married into royalty. They've always been royalty."

"What's your point, Mom?"

"My home can't lack!"

Gosh, she's hilarious. The boys would never care about these sorts of things. Hell, they upped and walked away from all the lavishes of their royalty to follow me back to human realm as high school students. All this? They really don't care about it. But telling her all this is irrelevant, she has an image she wants to uphold and I'll be damned if I try to get in her way.

"So?" She asks, eyebrows raised, "How did I do?"

"You did wonderful, Mom," I tell her, clasping her hand in mine, "I'm sure the boys will love it."

An hour later, were all seated at the table.

Mom holds her hand out to me, the other to Emelda at her side. Emelda stares at her outstretched palm, curious, but sliding her hand into Mom's either way. thold my other hand out to Levi. He looks down at it, brows furrowed.

"We're saying grace"" I Whisper.

"Grace?" Quincy's voice is loud, carrying through the small room.

"Yes, grace," I say.

"What's that?" He asks, tossing a piece of garlic bread into his mouth and reaching for another. Emelda smacks the back of his hand, and he winces, dropping the pastry back into the tray. She holds her palm up to him, and he grumbles under his breath before reaching for her hand.

"It's a prayer." Mom says, "Do... do you have someone you worship, someone you give thanks and prayers to?"

"Oh," Levi says, sliding his hand into mine, "Our Moon Goddess."

Mom smiles, "The Moon Goddess. A female deity, how wonderful."

Asher holds onto Levi and Quincy, and Mom bows her head for a quick prayer. When shes done, Quincy immediately reaches for another piece of garlic bread

I bite back a smile.

Dinner goes on without a hitch, we eat and chat, like a regular family sharing a wonderful

meal.

"The food was amazing, Miss Hunter." Asher thanks Mom at the end of dinner, tossing down his table cloth. "You really went all out."

Mom tosses me a coy smile, getting to her feet to clear the table. She and Emelda protestwhen we try to help, ushering us into the living room instead

"We should go for a run"" Quincy drops to the couch beside me, tossing an arm behind my head, "Make any unfortunate human going hiking in the woods piss their pants at the sight of us. Might even howl a little."

I elbow him in the ribs. How the hell does he even come up with stuff like that?

"I'm joking, hell." He says with a laugh, rubbing his side," Would be fun though."

"It would."

I narrow my eyes at Levi, "Don't give into your brother's idiocy, please. It's bad enough that I have to deal with one of you like this."

"Not the last part," he says, shooting Quincy a look, "But a run would be nice, It's a full moon

after all."

True.

I've come to realize my wolf enjoys her runs the most when it's nighttime, the full moon reflecting off her silver coat. I'm leaning more and more into the idea.

"I'm not against it," Asher says, "My wolf could use the stretch."

And so a couple of minutes later, were stripping down to nothing on the back porch. I notice the kitchen curtain fluttering open, Mom's head coming into view. She takes in the sight of us, stripping down and almost fully naked. A flush creeps up her entire face, and she drops the

curtain just as fast, ducking away.

This day can't get any more hilarious.

"Alright, Princess," Asher comes up behind me, "Look alive."

He always does this, whenever were going for a run together. It's almost like he gets off on watching me shift. I don't hesitate though, getting right down to it. The process comes naturally now, almost completely painless.

Once I'm on all fours, I shake my rump at the boys, stretching on my hind legs and tossing my

ass up in the air.

Quincy howls, goofily in his skin, before jumping to a shift and landing next to me on all fours.

He circles my wolf, and she crouches down, matching him step for step as he moves around her. His ears are pulled back, pressed flat against the side of his head, his teeth bared

He lunges, and my wolf darts right, dodging his playful attack.

'Slowpoke. I say.

'I'm gonna make you regret that.'

Levis wolf moves up behind me, I didn't even see him shift.

His wolf sniffs my behind, and I jump away. He follows me like I didn't just dart away from him.

I press a paw to his muzzle, shoving him away.

He huffs, baring his teeth at me.

Big bad Alpha King doesn't take too well to disrespect, huh?

I nip at his front paw, darting off past the backyard and into the forest. I feel them, hot at my heels. They could easily catch up to me, easily pin me down and put their words to value. But

they don't.

They let me lead. They let me charge ahead, sprinting in front of them and enjoying the chase.

God, I live for this. I live for these stolen moments of enjoyment with them. Moments where it's

just us, living, existing, basking in the presence of one another.

I come to a stop, tossing my head back and letting out a howl.

'f**k yes!' Quincy calls into the mate bond, throwing his head back in a howl of his own.

'There's no way I'm doing that shit. Asher grumbles.

I crouch down in front of him, readying my wolf for a lunge.

He doesn't budge, his wolf's emerald eyes narrowing slightly, as if to say, don't you dare.

I was never one to listen to warnings anyway. I take the lunge, and he dashes away. My wolf races after him, hot on his heels as he indulges me.

We tumble around in the empty woods, my wolf teasing and annoying the lot of theirs: They take it in stride, they're used to it. I don't think I'll ever get used to this. But I'll spend every day

of the rest of my life grateful for what I have.

Grateful for the life I've been given.

Grateful for our second chance.

We run for a little over an hour, and as much as I enjoy the activity, I'm breathless before I

know it. The boys could go on for hours, but I'm nowhere near the level of stamina they*

possess.

It's a beautiful night though, I'm not eager to go back inside. The moon reflects off the body of water we came across, illuminating the dark blue surface like rippling glass. The sky is a blanket of stars, and all of a sudden, I just want to pause right here and take it all in.

At my request, we do.

I'm lying on my back, sprawled out on the soft grass, my head tucked into the crook of Asher's

shoulder.

Were the rulers of the werewolf kingdom, yet here we are, camped out on bare grass, buck a*s

naked and stargazing.

I was wrong, the day could get more hilarious.

A tiny beam cuts through the darkened sky, making a beeline through the atmosphere. It's so

small, that I almost don't notice it at first.

"A shooting star," I breathe. Moving into a sitting position, I clap my hands together, "Everyone

make a wish, quick." My eyes squeeze shut.

When I peel them open after a moment, I see Asher staring up at me through his lashes.

"What?" I smile, shoving at his chest, "What did you wish for?"

The smile pulling at the sides of his mouth only grows further, he doesn't offer up a response

though.

"Quincy," I turn to his brother, "Did you make a wish?"

"You don't seem to understand," Levi says, moving to cup the back of his head underneath him

with both hands, his eyes sliding shut.

"Understand what?"

"There's nothing else we could possibly wish for," Quincy says, "We've got everything we could

ever need."

I scoff, "That has to be inaccurate."

"Perhaps, Asher says, rising to a sitting position just like me, "But we have you."

Oh.

Oh.

My chest warms. I feel my lips quiver as I fight the incoming tears.

"I love you, you know"d say, squeezing Asher's hand, "I love all of you, so damn much."

Asher's thumb caresses my cheek, before he leans down, capturing my lips in a sweet kiss. It's

soft and short, he's pulling away before I want it to be over.

"Bet you enjoyed that one, huh?" Quincy teases.

Asher moves to his back, flicking his middle finger at Quincy as he goes.

I move in beside him, snuggling into his side once again,"

Wanna know what I wished for?"

"Shoot," Quincy says. "This." I tell them, "All of this, all of us. Forever."

Asher's fingers stroke the top of my hair, "Now that's one hell of a wish, Princess."

It's quiet after that, no one says a word.

I get it. At the moment, despite the silence, understanding passed through each of us.

Forever.

It was us against the world, standing defiant in the face of whatever odds may come our way. Mine was a tale that would echo through the ages-the odd, nearly-human queen and the trio of kings who ruled the Seven Kingdoms yet claimed only me. Always visit FindNovel.net for more

novels and updates.

It wasn't the stuff of fairy tales, but it was undeniably, irrevocably ours.

And that was all that truly mattered.