Claimed by the Lycan Triplets

Broken Dreams

Chapter 6

Annalise

A week. Just one week, and everything in my life spun wildly out of control. My sanctuary—the one place where I could be myself—was invaded by none other than my step-sister. My step-sister, who had somehow managed to charm everyone, including Lucien. Lucien. The boy who was my first crush, my first love, now tangled with her. And as if that wasn’t enough, the three scourges of my existence had decided to grace this school with their royal presence.

Now, the whole school—no, the entire kingdom—was buzzing with their arrival. The three heirs to the Kingdom of Lucarius. The Alphas. The future leaders of this wretched realm. Their Highnesses had arrived.

I wanted to puke.

I watched from the shadows as they made their grand entrance. It was a spectacle, of course. Flowers rained down in showers of gold and crimson. Magical fireworks painted the sky in dazzling arcs. Red carpets stretched endlessly before them. And if that weren’t enough, dragon shifters performed fiery aerial displays, all for them. To top it off, a grand celebration had been organized in their honor. People danced and drank as if it were the end of the world.

And what was I doing during this ostentatious display? Hiding. Hiding from them. Hiding from the gut-wrenching sight of Lucien and my step-sister spinning across the dance floor, her laugh echoing above the music, his gaze soft and devoted.

From my vantage point, I spotted them standing on the balcony overlooking the hall. Sylus, Cassian, and Dane. Even now, surrounded by a sea of admirers, they looked bored. Their expressions were blank, their posture languid, as if none of this grandeur impressed them. It should. This entire event was orchestrated for them. For their celebration.

But I knew better. Their eyes weren’t dull from disinterest. They were searching. Scanning the crowd like predators.

I knew who they were looking for.

Not me. Not tonight, I prayed silently.

I had been careful, slipping from shadow to shadow since the party began. If I could just stay hidden long enough, they would lose interest. After all, they now had a whole school full of new toys to play with. Surely, their sick fascination with me would wane. They could prey on anyone they wanted now.

But deep down, I wasn’t sure. I’d spent four years as their favorite target, enduring their so-called “games.” They loved the chase, but they loved winning even more. And that’s why I never let them win. Not once. If they caught me, I feared what would happen. Would they cross the line? Their threats—those dark, whispered promises—haunted me. They acted like monsters cloaked in human beauty, and I’d seen enough of their cruelty to believe they were capable of anything.

Still, a part of me wondered if there was a way to end this. Maybe if I let them win, just once, their obsession would fade. The thought made me sick to my stomach. Giving up would shatter my pride, my dignity. But if it meant they would finally leave me alone… would it be worth it?

Times have changed, and so must I. Instead of running, instead of hiding, I need to stand my ground and end this twisted game with the triplets. Once and for all. Let them have their precious win, if that's what it takes to break their obsession. They’ll tire of me once the thrill is gone. At least, that’s what I hope.

From my hiding spot, I watched my step-sister, Willow, dancing with Lucien. They looked so happy, so captivated by each other. The sight twisted a knife in my chest. I had always thought Lucien and I were meant to be. That invisible connection we shared—how could it have been one-sided? I was so certain that when we turned eighteen, the bond would reveal itself. That he would be my mate.

I was delusional.

Now, reality has struck, shattering every hope I once held. Lucien is not mine. He’s hers. And I’m left to pick up the broken pieces of a dream that was never real.

But there are bigger things at stake than my heartbreak. I need to win the competition. Not just for the glory or the power, but for a single, desperate wish. To end Petunia’s curse. To bring my mother back.

That cursed or haunts me. Suffocates me. End the curse, or revive my mother. A choice I can barely live with. But there’s hope—a glimmer of possibility that I cling to. Maybe there’s a loophole. A way to wish for my father’s true love to return, for his mate to come back and break my father’s curse. The king said the wish couldn’t be impossible, but he didn’t say it had to be simple. My wish is clear: bring back the one who can fix everything. It’s all I want. A chance at happiness for my family. For me.

I refuse to believe it’s beyond my reach. I’ve always held onto hope, even in my darkest moments.

And then the air shifted.

The dance was over. I looked up at the balcony where the triplets had been, only to find their seats empty. My pulse quickened. Where did they go? I scanned the dance floor, expecting to see them blending into the crowd, perhaps charming some poor souls with their devilish smirks. But they were gone.

And yet, they weren’t. I felt them. Their presence lingered, like a storm waiting to strike. The air grew heavy, oppressive. They were nearby. Hiding. Stalking. A new strategy to catch me off guard. A game within the game.

I cursed silently. My head throbbed, a reminder of the mounting stress since I arrived at the party. I hadn’t even wanted to come, but my father had insisted. At least he’d taken me shopping for the occasion, buying me a dress so beautiful that even Willow and Petunia couldn’t snatch it from me.

I had dreamed, foolishly, that wearing it would make Lucien notice me. That maybe, for a fleeting moment, his gaze would linger on me instead of her. But no. His eyes stayed locked on Willow, their connection unbreakable. The two hadn’t separated once tonight.

I was lost in my spiraling thoughts when the sound of Cassian’s voice sent shivers down my spine.

“I can feel your presence, Flower,” he called, his tone mocking and playful, a predator toying with his prey. “I know you’re here somewhere, and tonight, I might just catch you.”

Goosebumps raced across my skin. I didn’t dare move, didn’t dare breathe. But then Dane appeared, stepping into the dim light. His smirk was a dagger, sharp and knowing.

“What are you doing here?” Dane asked Cassian, his voice calm but laced with something sinister.

Cassian’s grin widened. “Can’t I have a moment with her alone? Just once?”

Dane’s laugh was soft, dangerous. “She’s not only yours to play with.”

“I saw her first,” Cassian snapped, his voice taut with frustration.

“And I caught her attention first,” Dane countered smoothly, his smirk deepening.

I rolled my eyes as I shifted my weight slightly on the Late Queen Luna Charlotte’s statue. It was the largest statue in the entire kingdom, a monumental tribute to the revered royal matriarch. It was also strictly forbidden to touch it, let alone climb it. But here I was, perched on her stony hand like a rebellious bird defying every law of the land. The risk of being caught was real, but it was worth it. The curve of her fingers shielded me from view, a perfectly concealed hiding spot.

From my vantage point, I peered down at the triplets. To my misfortune, they were standing right at the base of the statue, their imposing forms glowing in the moonlight.

“And I will be the one to find her first,” Sylus declared, his voice dripping with confidence as he stepped into view. He was dressed in royal splendor, his presence as commanding as ever.

The three of them were impeccable in their attire. Cassian wore a richly embroidered black tunic trimmed in gold, paired with a high-collared crimson cloak that flowed behind him like liquid fire. Dane’s deep emerald doublet shimmered subtly under the starlight, its fabric woven with threads of silver, complementing the intricate silver embroidery along his cuffs. Sylus, the most imposing of the three, wore midnight blue adorned with onyx stones that glinted like stars, his sharp jawline accentuated by the high neck of his cloak. They looked as if they had stepped out of a fairy tale, the kind of beauty that could steal breath and stir chaos.

It was no wonder the hall below was in an uproar over them. Gasps, whispers, even a few fainting women—it was all justified. They weren’t just royalty; they were otherworldly. Their allure was both captivating and terrifying.

But what I couldn’t understand was why they were here. So close to where I was hiding. This had never happened before.

“If the three of us are here,” Dane murmured, his voice low and sharp, “then she must be somewhere close, too.”

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.

“She doesn’t have a scent,” Cassian said, his tone thoughtful. “But you feel it too, don’t you? Her aura.”

I froze. My heartbeat thundered in my ears as all three of them tilted their heads upward at the exact same moment. Their eyes scanned the towering statue, and for a horrifying instant, it felt as if their gaze locked on mine.

No!

Panic clawed at me, but I forced myself to stay still. Perhaps this was it. The moment they would finally catch me. End their sick obsession with chasing me. But what would happen if they did? Would they laugh? Mock me? Bask in their victory, their egos inflated by the thrill of the hunt?

Or would they find new, more twisted ways to torment me?

I couldn’t keep running forever, especially now that they’d decided to arrive at the academy a whole month earlier than expected. Maybe it was time to let them find me. Face whatever came next.

So, I stayed. I didn’t move. Didn’t hide.

But they never climbed up to meet me.

When I glanced down again, they were gone. My pulse raced as I scanned the ballroom below, only to find them reappearing in the center of the crowd. Sylus held up a jeweled goblet, and the crowd erupted into cheers as the brothers drank deeply from it.

Then they turned, and their eyes—those haunting, predatory eyes—shifted. Amber. Glowing.

And they looked up. Directly at me.

Or so it seemed.

I held my breath, my pulse a thunderous drumbeat in my ears. But they didn’t make a move toward me. Instead, they smiled—cold, knowing smiles—before turning away to bask in the adoration of the crowd.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned, haunted by a single question: Did they see me?



And if they did, why didn’t they catch me?