Only Two

Taila POV 

I can feel the moonlight on my face, wherever I am at smells of fresh rain, so strong that it must be raining outside, and the window is open.  I try to open my eye's, but it is still a struggle, I guess I still need to rest. I feel so relaxed smelling the fresh rain. 

'That is the smell of our mates Taila' 

'Talela?' 

'Yes dear, I will always be here with you now. You will never be alone.' 

'But how can I smell the boys. I mean you are here, but I have not shifted. Ugh, this is so weird.' 

'There is so much that I want to share with you, but first we need to meet all of our mates.' I laugh to myself about those men, I mean, I can understand why they could think it would scare me, but I do have an understanding of how mates work somewhat. 

'I think it scared them more than you, really. They were not expecting a human for a mate.' 

'You think I was expecting to be mated to a shifter, let along triplets! This is crazy! And the moon goddess tells me I will shift after we mate completely. Wait, Talela?' 

'Yes?' 

'What will we be when we shift?' 

'I am also a snow leopard. But because we are healers our color is different.' 

'When will I wake up? I want to meet them, all of them.' 

'Soon my dear. Rest now though.' 

I mentally close my eyes and drift off back to sleep. 

Bryson POV 

I have been sitting with Taila since she fell, holding her hand and gently stroking her hair, praying to the moon goddess for her to wake up. I know that she will be angry with me, I am the one who did all this. I made the decision to try and ease her into all three of us. 

"Moon Goddess please help her to forgive me. Help us to do better as mates. We have been complete idiots with this whole situation. I beg you please." I voice my prayer up to the moon goddess hoping she would listen and grant it. I close my eyes and lay my head on the bed next to her. 

"How is she doing brother." Christian asks as he sits on the other side of our mate. 

"No change. But I have notice her heart will speed up and come back to normal like she's in a conversation. Something is different and I have not been able tell what it is. I thought at first it was because she lost the baby, because her scent changed. But I think it is something more." I try to explain. 

"She smells delicious, but I also can tell something is different also. Why don't you go shower and eat something. I know that she would want you to at least eat." 

"I know you're right, but I just did not want to leave her to wake up alone." 

"I will stay with her. If there is any change I will link you immediately. Now go clean up, because you reek of sweat." I nod and quietly slide out of the room. 

Christian POV 

After sending Bryson to clean up and get some food, I felt so guilty about how I was trying to force my goddess given mate out of my head and my heart. I decided to come and just talk to her. Tell her whatever came to me. 

"Taila, I hope that you can hear us. I have been so selfish, not realizing what is directly in front of me, in front of us. I hope that you will give us a chance to make it up to you. I know we do not deserve it, I know we do not deserve it, please give me a chance to show the real me. I know that you and Bryson have a connection and I really want that with you too. You know the on goddess told me about my mate a long time ago. She told me she would be strong and beautiful, but that she would also be perfect for us and complete us fully." I really hope that she can hear me. There is so much more I want to say. 

I notice a piece of her hair has fallen into her face so I gently brush it to the side and pull it behind her ear. I take my hand and lay it on her face, just to take in her features, realizing I have not truly look at her. She is so beautiful, long blonde hair, luscious eyelashes, plush pink lips that call to me. Suddenly she moans and her head pushing into my hand. 

"Taila? Can you can hear me? Please wake up Baby Doll. Show me those beautiful blue eyes again." Goddess please let her come back to us. 

With her eyes still closed I hear her mumble what sounds like 'water'. 

"Water? Are you thirsty baby doll?" She nods her head. I reach to the pitcher, pour some water into a cup, place a straw into it and bring it to her lips. "Here drink this doll" She parts her lips, takes a sip, but never opens her eyes. 

"Taila, baby doll, can you open your eyes for me. Try doll, please." I watch her intently as her eyes flutter as she tries to open them. Finally she opens them and looks at me. 

"How long have I been out?" She asked me. 

"Just under 24 hours." She looks at me astonished and nods her head. 

"Which one are you? You are not Bryson." I laugh in my head, our mate is smart. Wait, she knows? 

"How did you… never mind" I tell her as I shake my head in utter confusion. "My name is Christian. I am the oldest of us. Taila, I am sorry that we handle this so so wrongly. Please forgive me. I am not sure of everything that has transpired since you have been here with Bryson, since I was out of the country. But I can only hope and pray that you allow us to try and show you the real us." 

"Where are they?" Is all she said after I pour my heart out. "Call them in here." Oh no, this is not going good at all. I nod. And go to link my brothers, as she stares at the ceiling. 

'Brothers, Taila is awake and she is asking for you.' 

'What!' Kaizen responses. 

'She knows, she knows about all three of us. She ask which one I was the minute she woke up' 

'Tell her we are on the way' 

"They are on their way here doll." I tell her, she starts to sit up so jump up to help her and give me a pointed look so I raise my hands. "I just wanted to help you." 

"If I need your help I would have asked! That's been your problem from the start!" She starts to rant as my brothers walk in the door. "Yours too!" She points her finger at them and they go wide eye like mom has caught them stealing cookies just after she has pulled them from the oven.

"Taila," Bryson starts to say something but out mate interrupts him with a another pointed look. 

"No, it is my turn to speak. I am sick and tired of decisions being made for me. You," she points at Bryson "you should have never kept the fact that there were three of you from me. I am not a freaking piece of glass that will shatter. None of you ever thought that I should have been the one to decide about this? I told you that I was familiar with shifters and knew a-little bit about mates. Now its high time you three start explaining what the heck you were thinking?" 

We all look at each other and like we are being scolded by our mother, we hold our heads down in shame. I have no excuse because I did not want to even accept her in the first place. The second we heard she was in trouble, well, that changed my mind instantly. I can not loose her, she is a gift from the moon goddess. I can not believe that it took her getting hurt for my selfishness to disappear. I would not blame her if she hated me. I hate myself.

"Taila," Bryson started, "After we had talked that first time and you told me what you had been through, I did not want to scare you anymore than you were. Since both Christian and Kaizen were away from the territory, I decided to get to know you more and let you get used to the idea of being mated to a shifter. When I told Christian about you he really wasn't that receptive, Kaizen was over joyed and rushed back to meet you. After you told me about your past, I became worried you would run away. Loosing you would have killed all of us, so I thought we could ease you into learning that we were triplets." By the time Bryson was done talking Taila had tears in her eyes and had already gotten up to hug him. The two of them have a strong bond already. 

I feel so ashamed at how I have acted and about the thoughts I had about my mate. I decide to give them some time together. I quietly stand up, head towards the door, as I reached to open I felt sparks of electricity radiate up my arm through the rest of my body. My mate, why would she still even want to be in the same room as me? 

"Please stay." I hear her whisper. I turn to look into her eyes and see nothing but fear. What is she afraid of? 

"I'm sorry" I tell her. 

"I heard what you said, while I do not trust that you will truly want me, I made a promise to the moon goddess to give all three of you a chance. So please stay, so that all of us can talk." She lets out a small laugh and I swear it is the most beautiful sound I have ever hear in my life. "Honestly, I am not even sure how this will work. There is only one of me and well look at the three of you." I know my face has to look comical, because it felt like my eyes were as big as the diner plates we use. 

"I don't think that is a good idea." I don't dare look at her when I speak, the fear she holds for me is just to much. So I just walk out the door and close it behind me. I run out, past Reggie, through the front door and spread my clothes as I shift in my beast.