Offered to the Triplet Alphas

[Asher]

Raven finally accepted his dragon blessing.

He might act all strong and unbreakable, but I always saw right through him. Even now, when I look at him, I see a shattered boy trying to build walls so high that no one, not even his own pain, could reach him again. Our father had scarred him in ways I couldn't even fathom, but his pain, his guilt, was no different from Xanthea's.

Deep down, he had always known the actual value of the dragon claw. Yet, the thought of believing in himself - believing he was worthy of such a blessing - was a battle he had never dared to fight. Until now.

Even so, the way he had kept the claw safe all these years was the proof that beneath the debris of our father's words that haunted him and the shards of his fractured self, there was still a part of him that refused to give up on himself. All he needed was a push in the right direction and now I knew there was nothing that could stop him, not even himself.

For the next two days, Raven buried himself in incessant research, poring over ancient texts and consulting with other healers. Planning, testing, and preparation consumed him every second.

And finally, the moment of truth had arrived - a pivotal moment that could either restore my brothers or shatter them beyond repair.

***

I stood outside the operating theatre, my eyes fixed on Ezra through the observation window.

His body, wrapped in layers of jinxed black bandages, hovered weightlessly in the air, encapsulated within a circular mana bubble.

Ezra's powers pulsed against the shimmering walls of the bubble, straining to break free.

Yet, the intricate red magic circles carved into the floor beneath and the ceiling above him suppressed his feral powers.

Inside the theatre, Raven, flanked by six other healers, stood a short distance from Ezra. In his palms, he held the levitating dragon claw, its faint glow reflecting the warmth of moonlight.

Threads of green mana swirled around the claw, coaxing out its dormant powers.

Raven glanced at me through the glass. I gave him a small nod, and he stepped closer to Ezra, taking a deep breath.

He released the claw, allowing it to drift right above Ezra's healing bubble. Instantly, a crackling web of green lightning zapped from the claw. The currents thundered through the air before striking gently on the mana bubble around Ezra. The healing bubble absorbed the power seamlessly, glowing brighter as the dragon claw electrified it with its raw, ancient energy. The room filled with a low, resonating hum. The silence rang louder by every second until...

"Vitals?" Raven's voice was steady and authoritative. His eyes remained locked on the dragon claw as he studied its energy minutely.

"Stable, Alpha. Heart rate is normal. Mana levels within acceptable range," reported one of the senior healers as they examined Ezra's live diagnostics on the holographic display.

"Good. Proceed with the infusion," Raven ordered, nodding once.

One healer, wearing sterile gloves, carefully approached the intravenous line connected to Ezra's arm. Drawing the healing potion into a syringe, he began the infusion.

The other healers monitored the infusion closely, their eyes darting between the monitors and Ezra.

Raven scanned the readings projected on the floating display beside him.

Everyone in the operation theatre, both inside and outside, held their breath for what felt like an eternity. For over ten minutes, the only sound heard was of the beeping of the monitors and the hum of the mana.

Raven's eyes never wavered from the claw and Ezra's readings. He took a tight gulp, waiting for something to change in the reports.

I stepped closer to the observation glass, narrowing my eyes.

"It's working!" a healer said, their voice filled with bewilderment and relief.

Raven quickly scanned the live reports, his hands trembling slightly.

"Alpha Ezra's body is responding to the potion..."

"It's slow, but at least... the healing process has begun." Another healer added.

A collective surge of relief rippled through Raven's team. Several healers exchanged looks of disbelief before embracing each other, overwhelmed by the success of the procedure. One young healer, barely holding back tears, wiped her eyes as she caught her breath.

Raven stood motionless; his expression unreadable as he processed the moment. He let out a slow exhale, his first sign of relief ever since Ezra's relapse.

His gaze met mine through the glass. I gave him a small smile.

He probably smiled back, though it was concealed behind the surgical mask.

"Alpha..." a healer called, snapping Raven's attention back to the reports as he resumed his focused analysis of Ezra's condition.

***

"Waaaah!" Cedric, standing beside me, let out the loudest sigh. "I literally thought Ez bro was gonna die. That's a relief."

Nesryn, standing on my other side, squinted her eyes at him. "Why are you relieved? Aren't you the one trying to kill your brothers all the time?"

"That's the thing, Nes! I want to kill him. He can't die before I assassinate him. In fact, none of my brothers can die before I kill them or it would ruin everything. I have OCD, you know? Obsessive-Compulsive Desire to be the one who takes them down - no one can outdo me, not even death."

"Hmm. Makes sense," Nesryn said with a shrug.

"But my victims are getting stronger," Cedric grumbled. "Rav bro is a dragon-blessed demon now! A dragon-blessed! Demon! I don't even know what that means! Is he going to turn into a scaly reptilian? Can he breathe fire out of his mouth?" "We don't know much about the dragon-blessed because they're all hidden in the higher packs of the Celestial realm, keeping to themselves and rarely interacting with their own people," Nesryn said. "But from what I know, a dragon-blessed can access a dragon's powers through the bond."

"BoOond?" Cedric sang as he snarled, glaring at Raven. "What the hell is this bond-shit now?"

"That's something Raven will have to figure out with time," I said, looking at Cedric. "Don't you have a training session with Gamma Kyrell?"

He groaned, scratching his head with a pout.

but he's boring. All he talks about is the army. Army this. Army that. Right now, I am more interested in brother Raven and his dragon. "A Thunder dragon," I said.

"How do you know?" Nesryn asked.

"When Raven drew out its powers from the claw, it came out as lightning," I said. "So I am assuming it's a tier six dragon." "But elemental dragons are tier five, right? The dragons who rule all the fifteen elements of the universe?" Nesryn asked. "True. But this is a dead dragon, which means he is old enough to reach the rank of an elder dragon, so a tier six," I said. "Woah!!! Tier six dragons are almost as powerful as gods!" Cedric slammed his palms and face on the glass, staring at the claw. "You won't be able to steal the claw from Raven, so don't waste your time," I said.

"Why not?" Cedric mumbled, looking at me, the side of his face still pressed against the glass.

of dragon has bonded with him?"

"Because you aren't the chosen one, Raven is. So if you even try to touch the claw, you will gain the dragon's wrath, not its blessing. Be mindful and keep this a secret. I don't want the celestial to know that Raven's dragon-blessed or they'll start targeting him." I said.

"So, it's a family secret?" Cedric said.

"But what about all these other healers?" Nesryn asked.

"Raven made them sign a contract at the very beginning," I continued, my eyes skimming across the healers. "Every detail of everything that happens in this bunker is confidential. If they speak a word to outsiders, they will lose their souls." "Cool! But I'll still overthrow you and claim your throne as mine. Ha!" Cedric burst into laughter, which was cut short by an 'OUCH!' when Nesryn smacked his head.

"Keep your voice low, moron! This is a hospital. You saw Ezra, didn't you? Now go back to your training," she snapped.

"Don't hit my head so much, Nes. I might just fall head over heels for you," Cedric winked as he mounted his skate. "And honestly? I don't mind sprinkling a little scandalous incest into my life - ehahaha!"

He skated out of the room, leaving Nesryn burning in rage and disgust.

"It should be illegal for this boy to open his mouth!" she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.

She let out a frustrated sigh before turning her gaze to Ezra.

After a few seconds of calming herself, she asked, "why isn't Ezra waking up? The operation was a success, right? So... why didn't he regain consciousness?"

"The healing process has just begun," I said. "But that doesn't mean Ezra is out of danger. Raven has just overcome the resistance from the curse. There's still a long way to go in this treatment."

And Raven knew it better than any of us. The potion wasn't as effective as Raven had expected. If the healing went on at this speed, it would take Ezra months to regain consciousness.

The tension on Raven's face said that there were several other complications in the treatment that only a healer could understand.

Raven wouldn't be able to do it alone. He'd need help. But the one person who could truly help us right now wasn't even in a condition to help herself.

But there was someone else who could help speed up Ezra's healing.

"How is everyone in the castle?" I asked Nesryn.

"Honestly... I don't know," she sighed heavily. "The mothers are still in shock. The High Lady hasn't eaten or slept since everything happened. She keeps insisting on coming here to see Ezra. Can't you let her visit? Just once?" Nesryn contemplated me. For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Just because we ignored the tension in our family didn't mean it wasn't there.

We knew our mother hadn't had it any easier than any of us. But my brothers and I had been by ourselves for so long that the concept of "mother" felt foreign.

So we didn't know how to respond to her actions. Or how to interpret her attempts to mend everything when all they seemed to do was reopen old wounds. All we had ever known was that being close to her only brought more pain. So, right now, I didn't want her anywhere near my brothers.

"How are the kids?" I asked, deliberately deflecting Nesryn's plea.

Nesryn understood my silence and didn't push it. Dropping her gaze, She took a deep breath.

"The kids were terrified," Nesryn began, her voice softening. "But the castle has become their playground. They're constantly playing hide-and-seek with the security and trying to escape every chance they get. It's chaos, but... it's kept the High Lady occupied."

"That's a good thing," I said.

"By the way, when you asked me to bring the High lady to Xanthea's room... you knew Ezra would relapse, right?"

"It was inevitable," I said.

Nesryn tensed up.

"But how did you know the High lady would take care of the kids in Xanthea's absence?"

I exhaled slowly, my gaze dropping to the floor.

"I didn't know. I just hoped she would."

"Why?"

"Because Mother has her own regrets to heal from," I murmured, my voice quieter than I intended.

Nesryn studied me for a moment, then asked cautiously.

"So... what now? What are we going to do with the kids? Will you punish Lana for attacking Raven? Will you send Zosha to prison? And most importantly, will you hand over the boy to his family?" "The fate of the boy is Ezra's to decide," I replied. "Since Xanthea invoked Ezra's protection on him, we'll honor that."

"And Lana? She attacked Raven and has attempted to help Zosha and the boy escape multiple times in the past five days. Her abilities are causing quite a bit of trouble for the royal gardeners." "She's Xanthea's healing partner and Raven's choice," I said after a moment. "What happens to her will be up to Raven."

"And Zosha? She's calm and cooperative most of the time, but becomes fiercely protective of the boy when she feels he's in danger."

"Zosha is important to Xanthea. So she falls directly under my protection. Effective immediately, I, Alpha Asher, clear Zosha of all criminal charges."

As I mindlinked the higher authorities to make my declaration official, Nesryn's expression softened into a faint smile.

"Really!?" she chuckled happily. "The kids and the High lady will be ecstatic to hear this."

"What about Zosha's powers? How is she managing them?" I asked.

"They're under control," she said. "At least until she feels threatened."

I gave a slight nod, pausing before I spoke again.

"Let mother handle the children for now. Xanthea has claimed them as her own, so they will stay in the castle for now."

"Wait a minute!" Nesryn's pulse quickened with excitement, her eyes widening. "Does this mean... you're adopting these kids?"

"No. This just means the kids are safe until... Raven and Ezra make any further changes in this arrangement."

"Got it..." Nesryn's voice dropped.

I knew the royal family was getting attached to the kids, but maybe that's what they needed at the time to keep them busy and distracted.

"And... what about... Xanthea?" Nesryn asked cautiously.

"What about her?"

"The way she went against the demon lords, and then Ezra relapsed... I know her actions won't go unpunished. But... she was unconscious for three days straight. She woke up only two days ago. Asher, she's mortal. She can't survive long without food or water. I understand why you isolated her, but-"

"Let her be," I interrupted, my tone impassive.

"Asher-"

"If she's thirsty or hungry, she can help herself," I said coldly. "It's not like I've chained her down."

"What?" Nesryn frowned. "Can't you see she's in no condition to take care of herself? She's not just disturbed, Asher. She looks... hollow. Like she's already given up on herself."

"So what?" I replied, my voice calm, but sharp.

Nesryn gave me an incredulous look.

"Asher, she's blaming herself for what happened to Ezra. But that's not true. She needs care and companionship. She needs someone to stand by her side, to understand her. Let me see her just once. I'll talk to her, tell her it's not her fault-" "Xanthea is not a child. She can take care of herself and if she can't, then that's not my problem or yours." I looked at Nesryn, my tone firm and final.

"At least let me tell her about Ezra. That he's recovering, that he'll be fine. She knows I've been watching her, and she keeps asking about him. You've locked her in your penthouse like some kind of prisoner. This is silent torture. One moment, she's desperately trying to break free and get to Ezra, and the next she's as dead as a corpse."

"Xanthea will remain in complete isolation until she directs her emotions in the right direction," I declared.

"But-"

"Don't interfere with Xanthea's isolation, Nesryn." My voice darkened with warning.

Her lips parted in protest, but my words shut her down before she could speak.

"I know you're worried about her, but you will keep your spy network out of my penthouse. Unless, of course, you'd prefer I interfere with your company? Or your marriage, perhaps?" "What?" Nesryn frowned.

"I've been receiving some promising marriage proposals from other Infernal alphas. A union with one, or perhaps all of them, would strengthen our pack."

Nesryn clenched her jaws and then averted her gaze, breathing angrily.

"I get it," she mumbled, glaring at me with eyes blazing in defiance.

"Good." I slid my hands into my pockets. "Any news on the mouse who created a hole in my omniscient sight?"

"Still working on it," she gritted.

Nesryn's gaze lingered on the glass pane separating us from Ezra before she turned to face me again.

"You know what? I really thought you cared about her. But maybe I forgot she was just another disposable mortal for you," she said, before storming out of the room.

I clenched my fists, forcing Icifer back as he stirred within me. The moment I let him take control, he'd rush to Xanthea - a temptation I couldn't afford to give in to. Not yet.

I let out a ragged sigh, dragging my fingers through my hair.

Every time I shut my eyes, all I saw were the untouched meals I had prepared for her while she was asleep, left to grow cold and forgotten, and the withering flowers.

All I heard were the faint sounds of her footsteps pacing restlessly around the penthouse, her muffled sobs and whispered apologies with Ezra's name echoing through the empty halls.

And sometimes, during her breakdowns, her agonizing screams cut through the silence, reminding me of the torment I had trapped her in - herself.

My resolve to stay away while she was awake dwindled every second, but she needed to go through this.

With the kind of guilt that plagued Xanthea right now, words would be useless. I could tell her a thousand times that none of this was her fault - that she doesn't deserve my hatred, my punishments, or her guilt - but it wouldn't matter, not until she believed it herself.

However, this isolation wasn't a punishment. It was a necessity.

Xanthea didn't need companionship right now. She needed silence - space to figure out how to breathe again.

Or maybe it was me who needed the space... to prepare myself for what I had to do. To hurt her. To hate her.