Mated to the Triplet Alphas

The knock startled us back to reality. Leo's eyes widened slightly before that familiar smirk returned to his face.

"Hazel? Leo? Everything okay in there?" It was Liam's voice, tinged with concern.

"Just a minute!" I called out, my voice embarrassingly high-pitched. I scrambled off the sink, wincing at the slight soreness between my legs.

Leo watched with amusement as I frantically pulled on my underwear and shorts. "Relax, sweetheart. They already know what we were doing."

"That doesn't make it better!" I hissed, yanking my shirt over my head. My cheeks burned hotter than a summer bonfire.

Leo casually adjusted his clothing, looking irritatingly composed while I probably looked like I'd been caught in a tornado. He ran his fingers through his dark hair once, and somehow it fell perfectly into place.

"Your hair," he murmured, reaching out to smooth my wild blonde strands. His touch was surprisingly gentle, a stark contrast to his usual sarcasm.

Another knock, more insistent this time. "Guys? Should we be worried?" This time it was Lucas.

Leo rolled his eyes and moved toward the door. "Ready to face the music, sweetheart?"

I nodded, trying to look more dignified than I felt. Leo swung the door open to reveal all three Sullivan brothers standing in the hallway, each wearing a different expression.

Lucas leaned against the wall with arms crossed, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. Liam stood slightly behind him, cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment, looking everywhere but directly at us. And then there was Levi, eyes wide and hands clutching his hair as if he might rip it out.

"Oh my God," Levi wailed dramatically. "You didn't! In our bathroom? Our sacred bathroom space?"

Leo stepped out, completely unfazed. "It's a bathroom, not a temple, Sullivan."

"But—but—" Levi sputtered, looking genuinely distressed. "We brush our teeth in there!"

Lucas couldn't contain his laughter anymore. "Levi, I'm pretty sure they weren't doing anything on your toothbrush."

"You don't know that!" Levi pointed accusingly at Leo. "He looks like the type who would defile innocent oral hygiene products!"

Liam finally looked up, patting his younger brother's shoulder sympathetically, though I could see the amusement dancing in his eyes. "I think you're overreacting a bit."

I stood frozen in the doorway, mortification rooting me to the spot. This was somehow worse than if they'd just been angry.

"If it helps," Leo said with that infuriating nonchalance, "we were very careful not to make a mess."

"That doesn't help!" Levi cried, dropping to his knees in mock despair. "I'll never be able to pee in peace again!"

Lucas and Liam burst out laughing at their brother's theatrics. Lucas reached down to haul Levi back to his feet. "Come on, drama queen. Let's go finish dinner."

As they turned to head back to the dining room, Leo threw me a quick grin that made my heart flutter stupidly in my chest. In that brief moment, I caught a glimpse of genuine happiness behind his usually guarded expression.

"You coming, sweetheart?" he called over his shoulder.

I hurried after them, my embarrassment gradually fading as I watched the four men banter. Something about the scene—the way they interacted despite their different personalities—made warmth bloom in my chest.

After dinner, I found myself standing at the sink beside Liam, washing dishes while the others cleared the table. Through the kitchen window, I could see Lucas sitting on the porch with his laptop, while Leo and Levi were down by the water's edge, apparently arguing about something.

"Levi's really giving Leo an earful," Liam chuckled, nodding toward the pair.

I smiled, watching as Levi gestured wildly while Leo stood with his hands in his pockets, looking utterly unbothered. "I think Leo enjoys winding him up."

"Probably." Liam handed me a plate to dry. "So… things with Leo seem to be going well."

My cheeks warmed at his knowing tone. "Yeah, they are. He's… not what I expected."

"In a good way?"

I nodded, unable to stop my smile. "In a good way. Everything's been wonderful, actually. Being here with all of you… I never thought my life would turn out like this."

Liam's expression softened. "You deserve it, Hazel. After everything you've been through, you deserve to be happy."

Outside, Levi had now tackled Leo onto the sand, though Leo barely seemed fazed by the assault. Lucas glanced up from his laptop, shaking his head at their antics but making no move to intervene.

"Look at them," Liam said, laughing. "I think Levi's finally warming up to having Leo around. They actually seem pretty tight now."

I raised an eyebrow. "You think? Because it looks like Levi's trying to bury him in sand right now."

"That's how Levi shows affection," Liam explained with a grin. "Trust me, if he didn't like Leo, he wouldn't bother engaging with him at all."

As I watched more closely, I could see the truth in Liam's words. Despite Levi's apparent frustration, there was no real anger in his actions, and Leo was actually smiling—a rare, genuine smile that transformed his usually stoic face.

"I think you're right," I admitted, feeling a swell of happiness at seeing them get along.

We finished the dishes just as the sun began to set, painting the sky in brilliant shades of orange and pink. Liam dried his hands on a towel and nudged my shoulder. "Come on, we've got a surprise for you."

Outside, the others had laid out blankets on the sand. Lucas patted the space beside him, and I settled down between him and Levi. Leo sat on Levi's other side, looking uncharacteristically relaxed.

"What's the surprise?" I asked, snuggling closer to Lucas as the evening breeze picked up.

"Wait for it," Lucas murmured, his arm wrapping around my shoulders.

A few minutes later, the first firework exploded across the darkening sky, a burst of red and gold that reflected on the water below. I gasped in delight as more followed, creating a dazzling display above us.

"How did you arrange this?" I asked, turning to look at Lucas.

He smiled, the colors from the sky dancing across his face. "I have connections."

"He means he paid an obscene amount of money to get permits for a private fireworks show," Levi translated, grinning.

"Worth every penny," Lucas replied simply, his eyes on me rather than the spectacle above.

I nestled deeper into Levi's arms as he pulled me closer, his warmth enveloping me against the cooling night air. On his other side, Leo watched the fireworks with quiet appreciation, occasionally exchanging comments with Lucas over our heads.

The moment felt perfect—surrounded by my mates, watching the sky light up in celebration of nothing in particular except maybe our happiness. If someone had told me a year ago that I would end up here, loved by four men who once made my life miserable, I would have laughed in their face.

But now, as I looked around at each of them—Lucas with his quiet strength, Liam with his gentle warmth, Levi with his playful spirit, and Leo with his reluctant loyalty—I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

For the first time in my life, I truly felt like I belonged. After years of feeling unwanted, of being pushed aside and mistreated, I had finally found my place in the world.

I had finally found my home in my mates.