Rejected and Claimed by her Alpha Triplets

Chapter 326 - bleeds first

326

~Fridolf’s POV

I returned to the hut just as the sky began to darken, tired but restless. I still had a few herbs I’d forgotten to pick earlier, so I gathered them quickly, stuffing the dried leaves and roots into a small brown sack. I didn’t sleep much that night. My mind was racing, my heart pounding with the thought of what I would do next.

By dawn, I was already on my feet. The mist was thick, curling low over the path as I made my way back to the palace. The guards didn’t stop me, I was known as a supplier for the healers, and I bowed politely as I passed through the gates.

When I entered the clinic, the scent of herbs, ointments, and burning oil filled my nose. Healers were everywhere, moving fast, mixing potions, grinding leaves, and murmuring spells. The head healer, an old man with gray streaks in his hair, stood at the center of it all, giving orders.

"Brew the Alpha’s herb!" the healer shouted, his voice sharp and commanding. "Quickly! Their conditions are not improving!"

The room burst into movement, apprentices rushing everywhere, crushing leaves, stirring mixtures, lighting small fires beneath pots. The air filled with the smell of boiling herbs and thick smoke. I quietly bent to lift one of the sacks from my back and began offloading the herbs I had brought, placing them carefully on the long wooden table. My hands moved, but my ears... my ears were listening closely.

And that was when I heard it.

The healer sighed softly, almost as if speaking to himself. "I hope the Alphas find their mate soon... and rectify the rejection bond. That’s the only thing that can save them now."

I froze. The small bundle of herbs in my hand slipped, spilling across the table. Rejection bond? The words rang loud in my head.

My heart skipped a beat. Slowly, I straightened up, pretending to adjust the tablecloth, but my mind was racing. Rejection bond... what does she mean?

My eyes narrowed. Could it be Lisa?

A strange feeling ran through me, half shock, half dark amusement. Did Lisa reject them?

If that was true, it explained everything, the strange rush in the clinic, the worried faces, the constant brewing of rare herbs. A rejection bond wasn’t a small thing. It was one of the most painful experiences a wolf could go through. The link between mates wasn’t just love; it was life itself. Breaking it was like tearing a piece of your soul out.

No ordinary medicine could heal that.

The healer turned and walked out, still muttering something under his breath about the Alphas’ condition. The moment he disappeared through the doorway, I slowly looked around. The apprentices were busy, all too focused on their mixing and boiling to notice me.

And then I spotted her, a young girl at the far end of the table. She looked new, unsure of what she was doing, her hands trembling as she ground herbs with a pestle. Her eyes darted nervously between her bowl and the other workers, as if she was afraid to mess up.

Perfect.

I picked up a few stray herbs from the table and walked toward her slowly, keeping my steps quiet. "Need help with that?" I asked in a friendly tone.

She startled, almost dropping her bowl. "Oh! N-no, sir. I’m fine."

I smiled lightly. "You look like you could use a hand. Grinding those herbs takes strength."

She gave a shy laugh. "I’m still learning. It’s only my third day."

"Ah, that explains it," I said softly, leaning on the edge of the table beside her. "You’ll get better. Everyone starts somewhere."

She nodded, looking a bit more at ease. Her hair stuck to her forehead from the heat of the brewing fires. I waited until her shoulders relaxed before speaking again, lowering my voice.

"So... the Alphas. I couldn’t help but overhear the healer earlier." I picked up a leaf and rolled it between my fingers. "He mentioned something about a rejection bond."

The girl’s hands paused mid-grind. Her lips parted slightly, but she didn’t say anything.

I smiled kindly, trying to sound harmless. "I’m not asking out of gossip. I might be able to help. I’ve studied a few rare herbs that could ease the effects of a broken bond. Maybe I can mix something useful."

Her eyes darted toward the door, then back at me. "I... I don’t think I should say anything," she whispered. "The healer doesn’t like us talking about private matters with outsiders."

"I understand," I said quickly, raising a hand as if to calm her. "I’m not an outsider, though. I’ve been delivering herbs here for months. I care about the Alphas too."

She looked unsure. "You... really know something that could help them?"

I nodded slowly, my expression serious. "Yes. But only if I understand what’s truly wrong. Otherwise, I might bring the wrong herbs next time. I wouldn’t want to waste your effort or make things worse for the Alphas."

Her shoulders slumped a little. The nervousness in her eyes softened into worry. "They’re not getting better," she admitted quietly. "We’ve been doing everything the healer said, but nothing works."

I tilted my head, pretending to look thoughtful. "Then maybe you should tell me what’s really happening."

She bit her lip. "I could get in trouble..."

"I won’t tell a soul," I said quickly. "You have my word. And if I find something that helps them, the healer will be grateful. You might even get praised for helping me."

Her hesitation wavered. Finally, she sighed and leaned closer. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "The healer was right. It’s the rejection bond. Alpha Rowan and Alpha Kael... they were rejected by their mate. It broke the link. They’ve been weak ever since."

I felt my breath catch, but I kept my face calm.

She continued sadly. "And it got worse after they were wounded, when their uncle, Fridolf, attacked them. Their bodies can’t heal properly anymore. The bond being broken... it’s killing them."

Those words landed in me like a warm wind. My breath hitched. For a second I was still, the world narrowing to the sound of her voice. Then a slow, wicked smile crept across my face. So they’re weak. Both of them. Perfect.

I kept my face gentle, kind. I put a hand on the girl’s shoulder, soft and reassuring. "You did well telling me," I said, voice low. "Don’t worry. I’ll find herbs that’ll help them. You’ll see."

Relief brightened her features. "Thank you, sir. The Alphas really need it."

I nodded and walked out, keeping my laugh buried under polite footsteps. The corridor felt colder than usual, or maybe I felt colder, warmed only by the thrill coiling in my belly. Their mate had done half my work for me. I have no idea that Lisa would eventually become useful to me. The rejection bond would eat them from the inside. Their strength would leak away day by day. Their wolves would falter. The perfect opening.

I knew exactly how the rejection curse worked. The bond wasn’t just emotional, it was magical. The Moon Goddess tied mates together with an invisible thread that shared energy, power, and soul. When one side cut that bond, it sent a shockwave through both of them, but the one who was more attached, more emotionally invested, suffered the most.cb

Once outside, I let out a low chuckle. "So the mighty Alphas are wounded and weak," I whispered to myself. "And their mate rejected them... how poetic."

I hurried back to the hut, my mind spinning with plans. I threw the herbs onto the table, then went to my chest and pulled out a small bag of weapons, daggers, tiny bottles of poison, and a few enchanted powders.

I packed them neatly, my hands trembling with anticipation. Then I took a few harmless-looking herbs, bundled them up, and smiled.

"I’ll return to the palace," I murmured, my voice low and full of venom. "This time... they won’t know what’s coming."

A wicked grin spread across my face as I fastened the cloak around my shoulders and looked at my reflection in the cracked mirror.

"Let’s see who bleeds first," I whispered before stepping out into the morning light.