Trap of the King Alpha Triplet

Emily.

I woke up to the sound of muffled laughter and hushed voices outside my door. Groaning, I rolled over and squinted at my phone. 7:30 AM. On a Saturday. What fresh hell was this? "Rise and shine, little witch!" Luca's cheerful voice called through the door. "We've got a surprise for you!"

I groaned again, burying my face in my pillow. "If your surprise involves me being awake before noon on a weekend, I don't want it!"

The door creaked open, and I felt the bed dip as someone sat down. A warm hand gently shook my shoulder. "Come on, Em," Leo's deep voice rumbled. "We promise it'll be worth it."

I peeked out from under my pillow, immediately regretting it when I saw all three triplets grinning down at me like overgrown puppies. "What are you three up to?" I asked suspiciously.

Logan's eyes twinkled with mischief. "It's a surprise, remember? Now come on, get dressed. We've got a big day ahead of us."

Thirty minutes and one very large cup of coffee later, I found myself being herded into their ridiculously oversized SUV. The boys were practically vibrating with excitement, exchanging grins and knowing looks that did nothing to ease my suspicion.

"Seriously, where are we going?" I asked as we pulled out of the driveway. "And why did I need to bring a change of clothes?"

"Patience, grasshopper," Luca said sagely from the passenger seat. "All will be revealed in due time."

I rolled my eyes, settling back into my seat. "You guys are ridiculous, you know that?"

"You love it," Logan quipped from beside me, throwing an arm around my shoulders.

I snorted, but didn't shrug him off. The casual affection the triplets had been showing lately still caught me off guard sometimes, but I was slowly getting used to it. Maybe even starting to enjoy it, not that I'd ever admit that out loud. As we drove, the boys kept up a steady stream of chatter, filling me in on pack gossip and debating the merits of various pizza toppings. It was... nice. Comfortable, even. A far cry from the tension-filled silences that used to dominate our interactions.

Finally, after about twenty minutes of driving, we pulled into a parking lot. My eyes widened as I took in the massive building before us.

"Is this... an ice rink?" I asked, a mix of excitement and trepidation bubbling up in my chest.

Leo grinned, killing the engine. "Sure is. Welcome to our home away from home."

We piled out of the car, the crisp morning air nipping at my cheeks. As the boys unloaded gear from the trunk, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness. I'd never been ice skating before, and the thought of making a fool of myself in front of the triplets was less than appealing.

"Um, guys?" I said hesitantly. "Maybe it would be better if I just watched from the stands today. You know, get a feel for how it all works first."

The triplets exchanged glances before turning to me with identical determined expressions.

"No way," Logan said firmly.

"Not happening," Luca added.

"You're joining us on the ice," Leo finished, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I sighed, knowing I was fighting a losing battle. "Fine. But you guys promise not to let me fall?"

They nodded solemnly, though I could see the amusement dancing in their eyes.

"And you won't hit the puck at my head?" I pressed.

"Absolutely not," they chorused.

"Alright," I conceded. "I guess I'll change into these skates then."

Leo stepped forward, placing a helmet on my head with surprising gentleness. "And your helmet and knee pads," he said, his fingers lingering for a moment as he adjusted the strap.

I felt a flutter in my stomach at his proximity, his scent - pine and musk and something uniquely Leo - enveloping me. Clearing my throat, I stepped back. "Right. I'll just... go change then."

As I made my way to the women's locker room, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. Every day since moving in with the triplets had been... unexpected, to say the least. But this? This was a whole new level of surreal.

I changed quickly, the excitement slowly overtaking my nervousness. As I laced up the skates, I noticed it was brand new and perfectly my size.

When I stepped out of the locker room, I nearly tripped over my own feet. The triplets were on the ice, warming up, and holy moon goddess they looked good. Their hockey jerseys clung to their broad shoulders, emphasizing every ripple of muscle as they moved. Even with their helmets on, I could see their eyes flashing.

"Ready to join us, little witch?" Leo called out, gliding to a stop at the edge of the rink.

I gulped, suddenly very aware of my own coltish legs and complete lack of grace. "Maybe I should get used to the feel of the skates first," I suggested. "You guys go ahead and warm up."

They nodded, immediately falling into what looked like a well-practiced routine. I watched in awe as they moved across the ice, their movements fluid and powerful.

Leo was like a force of nature, barreling down the ice with a single-minded focus that was both terrifying and exhilarating. He'd lower his shoulder, powering through imaginary defenders with a strength that made me pity anyone who actually had to face him on the ice.

Logan was all finesse and quick thinking. He'd weave between his brothers, changing direction on a dime with a grace that seemed to defy physics. More than once, he managed to redirect the puck at the last possible second, sending it sailing into the goal with pinpoint accuracy.

And Luca? Luca was pure speed. He'd streak across the ice so fast he was almost a blur, his agility allowing him to duck and dodge around obstacles that weren't even there.

Together, they were a seamless unit. They anticipated each other's moves perfectly, passing the puck between them in a dizzying display of teamwork. It was like watching a perfectly choreographed dance, but with more violence and testosterone.

As they finished their warm-up - though if you asked me, it looked more intense than most actual games I'd seen on TV - they skated over to where I was clutching the rink wall for dear life. "Enjoying the show?" Luca asked with a wink.

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the way my heart was racing. Whether from nerves about getting on the ice or from watching them in action, I wasn't quite sure. "You guys aren't half bad," I said with feigned nonchalance. "For a bunch of overgrown puppies on skates."

Logan clutched his chest in mock offense. "Overgrown puppies? I'll have you know we're the reigning champions of the Shapeshifter Hockey League!" "Ooh, impressive," I deadpanned. "Do you get a special bowl for that, or just extra treats?"

The boys laughed, the sound echoing through the empty rink. "Alright, smartass," Leo said, holding out his hand. "Your turn. Let's see what you've got." I eyed his hand warily. "I'm starting to think I'm not cut out for sports. Maybe I should stick to what I'm good at."

"And what's that?" Luca asked.

I grinned wickedly. "Turning you three into pigs!"

They groaned in unison, but I could see the amusement in their eyes. "Come on, Em," Logan coaxed. "We promised we wouldn't let you fall, remember?" Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "Okay. But if I break something, I'm blaming all of you."

Slowly, carefully, I stepped onto the ice. Immediately, I felt my legs start to wobble. The triplets were there in an instant, surrounding me with steady hands and encouraging words.

"That's it," Leo murmured, his hand warm on my lower back. "Just relax. Let your body find its balance."

"Keep your knees slightly bent," Logan added, holding onto my right arm.

"And don't look down," Luca chimed in, supporting my left side. "Look straight ahead, where you want to go."

I tried to follow their instructions, but my body felt stiff and uncooperative. Every little movement sent me wobbling, and I found myself clutching onto their arms for dear life.

"I changed my mind," I said through gritted teeth. "This was a terrible idea. I'm going back to the - whoa!"

My skate caught on a rough patch of ice, sending me pitching forward. I braced myself for impact, but instead of the cold, hard ice, I found myself cushioned by three very warm, very solid bodies.

We went down in a tangle of limbs, the boys somehow managing to position themselves so that I landed on top of them instead of the ice. For a moment, we just lay there, a mess of tangled limbs and rapid breaths.

I became acutely aware of every point of contact between us. Leo's chest rising and falling beneath me, Logan's arm wrapped protectively around my waist, Luca's breath warm against my neck. Their hearts were pounding in sync with mine, a rhythm that seemed to echo through my entire body.

"Are you okay?" Leo asked, his voice rough with concern.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. This close, I could see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes, the sharp line of his jaw beneath his helmet.

"See?" Luca said, a hint of smugness in his voice. "Told you we wouldn't let you fall."

A laugh bubbled up in my chest, equal parts relief and absurdity. Soon, we were all laughing, the sound bouncing off the empty rink's walls.

As our laughter died down, I became aware of the charged atmosphere between us. The boys were looking at me with an intensity that made my breath catch in my throat. For a wild moment, I thought they might kiss me right there on the ice.

But then Logan cleared his throat, breaking the spell. "Maybe we should try again?" he suggested. "This time with a little less falling?"

I nodded, grateful for the distraction. As we untangled ourselves and got back to our feet, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between us. The air felt charged with possibility, with unspoken words and unfulfilled desires. As we spent the next hour slowly making our way around the rink, the boys patiently guiding me and offering encouragement, I found myself relaxing. There was still tension, yes, but it was a different kind now. Less adversarial, more... anticipatory.

By the time we called it quits, my legs were shaky and my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. As we made our way off the ice, I felt a sense of accomplishment I hadn't expected.

"Not bad for your first time, little witch," Leo said, ruffling my hair affectionately.

I swatted his hand away, but I was grinning. "Yeah, well, don't expect me to be joining your team anytime soon."

"Aw, come on," Luca teased. "You'd look cute in a jersey."

I rolled my eyes, but I could feel a blush creeping up my cheeks. "In your dreams, wolf boy."