Fated to the Alpha–And His Triplet Brothers
Chapter 45: Core of the Monster

Chapter 45: Core of the Monster

~Hazel’s POV~

It felt like my mind had been swallowed whole, yanked from my body like a soul stripped from flesh. Silence pressed on every side of me, heavy and strange. I was floating—or falling—into a space that didn’t feel real.

Where... am I?

Everything around me was dark, but then... like velvet curtains pulling apart, I saw sunlight bloom ahead. Warm, golden, nostalgic. I stepped forward, drawn to it. The moment I did, I heard a voice.

"Cyrius, stop! Mum said we shouldn’t throw balls at each other!"

That voice... soft, young, familiar. It was Caspian.

No. A younger version of him.

And then I saw them—three little boys running through a field. My breath caught. They were adorable, all with raven-black hair but eyes that burned with different colors: fiery red, piercing blue, and warm amber-gold.

Two ran in front, one trailing behind and tossing balls at them like they were toys. The ones in front—Cayden and Caspian. Definitely. But the one in the back...

Cyrius.

My chest tightened. I knew it. I felt it in my bones.

Then it happened.

Little Cayden paused, turned, and faced Cyrius. His red eyes began to glow, and slowly... his hand raised.

The energy in the air changed.

Cyrius screamed.

His body lifted off the ground, suspended by invisible hands as if something—someone—was choking him. And Cayden—little, innocent Cayden—was surrounded by shadows. Dark smoke veined with glowing black tendrils crawled over his small frame.

"Cayden, what are you doing?! Let him go!" little Caspian yelled in horror.

But Cayden didn’t move.

Cyrius fell hard. Caspian rushed to him, shaking him, crying his name. "Cyrius? CYRIUS?!"

But Cyrius didn’t respond. Instead, he launched toward Cayden—but didn’t reach him. and he too dropped to the ground, choking, twitching.

The door burst open. Their mother ran in. The look on her face it was pure terror.

Her eyes darted between her fallen sons and the one still standing, covered in dark magic. Her hand flew to her mouth.

"No..." she gasped. "She said there weren’t consequences. What... what is this?"

"Mum, what’s wrong with me?" Cayden cried. "I’m a monster!"

He ran to her, but she backed away screaming.

"No! Don’t kill me too. Stay away!" she shrieked, trembling. "That bastard witch that cursed us—she’s dead! How do we fix this now?"

And then my eyes flew to a shadow.....A shadow standing in the background.

Same height as me. Same build. Same curly hair cascading from beneath a wide-brimmed hat that shielded her face.

I tried to reach her.

"Wait—"

She turned slightly, just enough to let a sliver of her face peek through her hat. But before I could recognize her, the world blurred. The vision shattered.

I gasped my body coming back to me...My eyes snapped open.

The real world slammed back into me—and what I saw made my blood run cold.

Cayden was on Caspian, pinning him to the floor with terrifying strength. His face was twisted in rage, a mirror of the same fury I saw in the vision.

I launched up, panic driving me. "STOP!"

I shoved Cayden off with everything in me, rushing to shield Caspian. My breath was ragged, my limbs trembling. "Just stay away from us... you monster!"

Cayden froze.

His red eyes dimmed. His lips parted, stunned.

Caspian grabbed me protectively, pulling me back against his chest. "Hazel, what happened? What did you see?"

"I... I saw everything," I whispered, my voice barely holding itself together. "I saw what he did. As a child. What he was. What he is."

"You’re shaking—Hazel—"

"I can’t raise my child around him," I cried, voice cracking. "I can’t believe he’s the father of my child. Caspian, I’m carrying an abomination. And I’ve married another one.

Cayden’s expression broke. Like a wall shattered in slow motion. He took one step forward—his mouth opened—but nothing came out.

Caspian stood, guiding me to the bed gently. "Hazel, you need to breathe. Just breathe, okay?"

Cayden stood there... still as a statue. His gaze dropped to the floor. Something about his face—it looked familiar. The same void expression from the vision. The same crushed, broken look when his mother rejected him. Correct content is on NovelFire

But he deserved it. Every bit of it. He tried to kill his brothers.

Twice.

"Hazel," Caspian pleaded, "please tell me what you saw."

"He needs to leave first."

That’s when Cayden snapped.

His voice exploded like thunder. "What the hell is going on?! How do you know about Cyrius?! Same with O’Brien... Did you know he’s planning to send you away from us?"

He turned to Caspian, rage spiraling. "You told them, didn’t you? You’re both planning something. First you guys tried to run away, now this? What, are you calling me a monster?! Is that what I am to you?!"

"Haven’t you always been?" Caspian growled. "You’re just upset the truth’s out...You monstrous Alpha"

"I’m not a monster!" Cayden roared.

"Then PROVE it!" I snapped.

His hands clenched into fists. His eyes shimmered, torn between fury and grief. He stepped back, hesitated... then turned toward the door and—

CRASH!

The door cracked and flew off its hinges as his arm hit it. It crunched into dust and his stormed off.

I flinched.

Caspian rushed to me. "It’s okay. You’re safe. Hazel, talk to me. What happened in your mind?"

He grabbed his wrist. "It started when you touched my head and you suddenly blanked out."

"it was like I saw a memory. Your memory."

"My... what?"

"Caspian, when you were around ten. You and Cyrius were playing, and Cayden—he did something. He choked both of you. Without touching you. Dark veins all over his skin, just like Aurora’s."

His brows furrowed. "Hazel... I don’t remember anything like that. Not me and Cyrius... both?"

I nodded. "Your mom ran in. She pushed him away. She screamed. Called him a monster. It was real. I saw it. I felt it."

Caspian looked shaken. "I have... no memory of this. None. You saw Cyrius? Are you sure?"

"Yes. I think... I think it was a core memory. Something locked deep inside."

He pulled me up gently. "We need answers. We need to speak to my mother."

"No!" I trembled. "I don’t want to see Cayden. Caspian... I know why the witches want my child."

His grip on me tightened protectively.

"I’m giving birth to a monster," I whispered.

Tears spilled down my cheeks. My entire body was shaking.

But Caspian held me close. "No. You’re giving birth to our child. Hazel, listen to me. I don’t care what anyone says—our baby is not a monster. And whatever Cayden is, whatever he was... we’ll get answers. And we’ll protect our child. Together."