AN: Crossover chapter with "The Alpha's Eden" by Charmedone38

The packhouse was a stunning, classic whitewashed brick colonial-style house, surrounded by over an acre of dense wood and green lawns. Our host waited for us at the entrance of the mansion.

"Alpha Jace Anderson," he introduced himself as we got out of the car. "My men tell me you come from Scotland."

We followed him into the pack's lounge where he motioned for us to sit.

"Yes. As I explained to your guards, my name is Riley Moreau from the Blackwood pack in Scotland. And these are Rafe Macalister, Alpha of the Windcrest pack, and Aiden Hayes who used to be Beta of the Fire Dragons clan."

The titles meant nothing to me but I wanted to use our background to show to Alpha Anderson that we were trustworthy as I was sure that someone from his pack was probably checking us out as we spoke.

"Scotland is a long way from Woodmoor to come to speak with my Eden. I assume that the matter is rather important." The alpha was being polite but I could sense that he was still trying to figure me out.

"It is for me. Your luna is perhaps the only person who can help me understand certain things."

I looked up and I saw a friendly-looking blonde make her way to us, accompanied by a tall model-like blond man. She reached Alpha Anderson and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she sat next to him, her companion taking the seat on her other side. Both of them looked at her with such adoration, yet they each had a hand on each one of her knees, leaning forward like they were trying to shield her from us in case we were a threat. I looked at Rafe and Aiden and I realised that they were mirroring what the men in front of us were doing with their mate.

"Eden, love, this is Riley Moreau from the Blackwood pack in Scotland and her two mates," Alpha Anderson explained. "A wolf and a dragon," he smirked as he added the extra information.

"Interesting. I bet her mates are way better-behaved than you and Blake are," Eden laughed before she gave a teasing peck to each of them.

"You better behave yourself, Eden, or Jace and I might need to show you a thing or two about good behaviour," her other mate spoke and Eden's cheeks turned bright red as she smiled and bit her lip.

Oh my god, too much information. I looked away as I recognised the hunger in their eyes. I mean, they were kind of cute as a throuple but I felt like a voyeur to their private moment and I saw Rafe and Aiden look equally uncomfortable.

The awkward silence was broken when Rafe spoke up. "A vampire?" he asked with a puzzled tone, raising his eyebrows at Blake .

Eden's other mate is a vampire?

I didn't even know that vampires existed but, at the same time, I was past the point of being phased by all my supernatural discoveries lately. I definitely had not expected her mate to be a vampire though. Then again, this was coming from the human girl with the wolf and dragon mates so who was I to judge really.

The vampire laughed wholeheartedly. "Don't worry, it took the three of us some time to adjust to the weirdness of our situation as well. Vampires and wolves are not exactly best friends. But, we've made it work. For Eden." Now it was Eden who was lovingly looking between her two mates. "I take it that your situation is still new to you?"

"Blake!" Eden scolded him.

"What? It certainly looks like it."

"It's complicated," Aiden clarified on our behalf.

"It usually is," the Silven Haven Alpha answered with a smile. "Give it time and be patient... oh, and try not to kill each other in the process."

It was sweet of them to try and guide us but this was not what I was here for. "I appreciate the pointers, I really do, but is there any chance that I could speak to Eden in private?"

Jace and Blake both looked at their mate who nodded to let them know it was okay. I was in awe how much power the girl in front of me had over these two strong two men. Each of them was clearly a force to be reckoned with and yet they cared for and respected their enough to let her call the shots.

"Alright then, let's give you boys a tour of the Silver Haven pack," Jace said as he ushered my mates out of the lounge.

Once all the guys were gone, Eden came and sat next to me.

"I'm sorry for Jace and Blake- they tend to be very blunt about anything to do with the three of us." She gave me an apologetic look.

"Oh trust me, I get it as far as mates and inappropriate behaviour goes," I chuckled.

For some reason, I felt like I had known Eden forever. She was evidently younger than me but I got this sense that she had gone through a lot in her life already and the fact that we both had two mates made it even easier to relate to each other.

"So what's your story, Riley?"

"Let's see- my birth parents are dead, I lost my wolf, was adopted by warlocks, grew up as a human and I didn't know this world existed, and now I found out that I supposedly have two mates who happen to be best friends. You?"

"Got kidnapped by my brother who nearly killed me, a vampire found me and saved me by letting me drink his blood, then I discovered that both he and the Alpha of our neighbouring pack are my mates. They hate each other but are growing to tolerate one another. Oh yeah, all of our parents are evil and our triad is the key to solving everything."

My eyes grew larger and I held my breath listening to Eden. She really had it worse than me.

"Okay, you win," I tried to joke to lighten up the mood but I admired how nonchalant she seemed about everything that she had endured. "What did you mean that your triad is the key to solving everything though?"

"Triads like ours are not put together by accident, Riley- there is always a reason why the Moon Goddess puts mates together and when there are three mates involved, even more so. In the case of Jace, Blake and me, we are part of a prophecy related to our families."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing- Eden's whole life seemed to have been defined by a Goddess who was probably enjoying the show from up above...or maybe down below? Whatever. From wherever the Goddesses resided.

"Does that not make you angry? Your whole life- everything that happened to you and that is still to happen is pre-defined and you don't get a say in it." I was certainly angry on her behalf.

"It's not quite like that, Riley- you always have a say. You can always change your destiny. Free will counts for more than you realise. I sure hope so because not all parts of our prophecy spell a happy ending." Her smile faded and a more sombre expression emerged.

"I'm sorry, Eden." I really was- after everything she had been through, life was still throwing obstacles her way by the sounds of it.

"It's okay. I'm working on it. But in doing so I also realised that I would have never been able to get through everything that I had endured without Jace or Blake. In fact, if Blake hadn't found me, I'd be dead. But they are my rocks, my whole world. They helped me grow and become a better version of myself by embracing who I was and what I had become because of my ordeals. I love them both and I would give my life for them. Yes, I did not pick them myself but the bonds we have, I would never trade them for anything or anyone else."

I felt the love for her mates emanate from Eden with every word she said. Their bonds were so strong that I was enthralled by all the emotions they stirred. A wide smile erupted on my face, as it warmed my heart to see the happiness that her mates brought her.

"You know, it's not only me that our bonds helped," she laughed. "The guys will never admit it but they have become way too fond of each other. On top of that, Jace is more patient and considerate now- you know what Alpha wolves are usually like," I rolled my eyes- didn't I just know. "And Blake became more honest and open."

"Are they never jealous of each other?"

"Of course they are. And I have to be careful about giving each of them my love and splitting my time evenly. But it doesn't mean that it will be the same for you. Your guys are already best friends so that counts. And when the three of us are together, I feel whole because they complete me."

I leaned back in my seat as I ran my fingers through my hair. "I don't know if I can do this. I didn't grow up knowing about these bonds and all these supernatural things like you all did. How can anyone expect me to understand what's going on? My head, my body, my heart- they are all a complete mess now. One moment I think and feel one thing, then moments later my whole world is turned upside down because one of them touched me or gave me one of those looks. It's madness."

Eden's arms wrapped around me, holding me in a tight embrace. "Can I tell you a secret?" she said softly. "We don't understand what's going on between us either. I am not sure whether we ever will. But we trust whatever it is, we trust that it is right and that it will guide us. Believe me, Riley, if your mates feel even a fraction of what mine felt towards me since the beginning, you will figure it all out."

Her words soothed me- maybe there was some hope for my situation.

"Word of advice though- don't try to be too stubborn while you work it all out. You will only end up hurting the guys. I speak from experience seeing as I ran away from my mates in the beginning because I thought that they were better off without me."

I gasped and giggled, "You didn't."

"Oh yes, I did... Neither of them was happy about it and I got my punishment." Eden blushed like she did earlier.

Oooohhh! Too much information again.

"Listen, how about you and the boys stay over for dinner?" She exclaimed, her face beaming with excitement. "I would love to hear more about you and life on the other side of the Atlantic. Plus it's not every day you find someone else juggling two mates, so please say yes."

We didn't have any other plans so why the hell not. "You had me at dinner."