Billionaire Quadruplet Alphas

Sunday 27th September, 2020.

Noah

The door slammed shut behind me. Darkness swallowed me whole. This was not right. I thought I had forfeited. Where was Star? Where were my brothers? I felt less afraid even in this pitch black room than I did with the ghoul in that brightly lit hospital. Heath and the ghoul had gone too far. I could not really blame the ghoul. It was far from human, but Heath should undoubtedly know better. Why would he consent to seeing his own daughter sliced open even if it were an illusion? What would that prove?

“STAR!” I called, feeling a bit moronic.

She probably considered me a huge coward now.

“STAR!” I yelled.

Maybe, she no longer wanted me for a mate.

“STAR!” I yelled at the top of my lungs.

She should understand why I couldn’t do it, shouldn’t she?

A sob escaped me. I sat down in the middle of the darkness. I supposed I was to just sit here until the challenge was over. Perhaps, they were letting Eli and Zaya still attempt their tasks. That cheered me up a little. They deserved a chance. Then, it made me feel sick. No, the ghoul had already went overboard. How horrible would it treat my family?

“JONAH! ELI! ZAYA!” I shouted into the darkness.

“Eli?” came a voice I recognised.

“Harper?” I answered.

What was Harper doing here? What was going on? Where was here?

“HARPER!” I yelled, trying to head in the direction I had heard his voice.

“ELI!” Yelled Harper.

“ELI! COME HERE! FOLLOW MY VOICE!” Yelled another voice I knew.

Heath!

I ran towards his voice. He thought I was Eli. Harper thought I was Eli too. Well, we were identical including our voices. I came across something other than endless darkness. It was a mangled cage. Stupidly, I reached out and touched it without thinking.

“Ow!” I exclaimed, looking at my singed palm.

Silver.

“He’s by the cage!” Said a softer high-pitched voice.

Holly?

Harper, Heath and Holly came running towards me. My face broke into a relieved smile even though I had no idea what was going on. I ran to them and embraced them.

“Hey, you’re not Eli,” said Heath, cupping my face and turning it side to side.

“You’re…” said Heath, pausing to think about it.

“Noah,” I chuckled.

“Noah!” Exclaimed Heath.

“Oh, sorry, Noah. I guess I just know Eli the most so I assumed it was him,” said Harper.

“What are you doing down here?” Asked Holly.

“Down here?” I asked.

“Underneath the Queen’s walk-in closet,” said Harper as though that were obvious.

“I…” I began, but then I stopped myself. I stared at Heath.

“Oh my…” I said. I sank to my knees.

I was panicking. I grabbed Heath’s shoulders.

“It’s not you! It’s not you at all! Of course not!” I said.

The Heath back in the waiting room wasn’t the real Heath. This Heath was. I just knew it. The one back in the waiting room was sadistic and warped.

“Maybe tell us all of what you mean,” suggested Holly gently.

“I came from the challenge with the four cardinal virtues,” I said.

“That hasn’t started yet,” mumbled Heath, looking worried. “I’ve been trapped here with Holly. Harper only just found us!”

“No!” I snapped. “Sorry,” I added. “It has started and it…it’s…it’s horrible…the tasks are gruesome and have practically nothing to do with being a good mate for Star…”

“Another Heath is conducting the challenge?” Confirmed Holly.

“Yes!” I said eagerly. They had understood quickly as if they were not surprised.

“It’s that bastard. We have to get to Star,” said Heath.

“Which bastard?” I asked.

Harper snickered. “Holden, a new bastard,” he said.

“Elaborate, please,” I said.

“Holden is the man that wanted to marry my mate, Hesper. He’s…” began Heath but I interjected.

“He’s Hesper’s cousin,” I said, finishing Heath’s sentence.

“Yes, and he has been pretending to be the Queen this whole time,” said Heath.

“I saw him change from the Queen to himself,” added Holly. “I snuck up on him, well, on the Queen. I had an inkling that she was an imposter. I have been suspicious for some time,” explained Holly.

“Ok, we each have enough of what’s going on here for now. Let’s go!” Said Harper.

“You can get us out of here?” I asked.

“I think so. I can feel Holden’s enchantments holding you three here but there isn’t one on me. I haven’t actually encountered him yet so that’s a good thing. I was about to summon enough energy to get Holly and Dad out of here when I heard your voice,” said Harper.

“Star is ok?” Asked Heath.

“For now,” I said, nodding. “Well, maybe not emotionally, she had to watch Jonah and then me while we faced the ghoul. Both were horrible and I…” I lost my nerve to admit that I had forfeited in front of the real Heath.

“I guess we’ll do the real challenge when we sort everything out and get rid of Holden?” I asked instead, looking at the authentic Heath hopefully.

He seemed hesitant.

“Truthfully, I was gonna call it off. Asriel suggested using a ghoul. I had to feed it first to make it less vicious but I don’t like those things. They’re vicious even when fed. I told Toby to toss it a lot of meat. He’s been helping out,” explained Heath.

“I…I’m not sure if Asriel and Toby are the real Asriel and Toby either,” I told them.

“They might not be,” I said.

Harper sat cross-legged on the floor and closed his eyes. Heath grabbed my hand and out it on one of Harper’s shoulders. He put his hand on Harper’s other shoulder. Holly knelt on the ground and flung her arms around Harper’s neck from behind like he was about to give her a piggyback ride. I saw the corners of Harper’s mouth twitch upwards momentarily in a little sly smile.

“Noah,” said Heath with a sigh. “I’m sorry,” he said.

I was shocked.

“Thank you,” I said awkwardly, not sure if that was the right reply.

“You aren’t perfect that’s for damn sure,” said Heath.

“True,” I said, nodding.

“And you handled being fated to my daughter totally unsatisfactorily in my opinion,” he lectured.

I nodded.

“I’m really not impressed,” he said, somewhat seething.

I braced myself for the rest.

“And as her father,” he said, raising his voice.

I sighed.

“And as…your future father-in-law,” he added.

Huh.

“I just wanna see you do better and do right by my daughter,” said Heath, lowering his voice.

“Aww,” cooed Holly.

“I haven’t even started on you, Miss Holly,” said Heath.

Holly looked nervous.

“Don’t think you don’t have a hell of a lot of explaining to do! Your story about your little investigation was lacking. There’s a ton of information missing, probably intentionally omitted but we’ll get to it,” said Heath.

I stayed out of that.

“How are we going, son?” Asked Heath.

“Almost,” said Harper.

A ring of light had formed around us and begun to spin. I could hear the whoosh of it as it created a twister with us at the centre.

“Just tell the other three I apologised and I want more from them. I’m not saying it over. You’re all the same damn thing times four,” said Heath over the roar of the wind Harper was summoning.

“Ok,” I yelled, willing to accept anything that would make Heath say I could be with Star without interference.

The twister around us tore a circular shaped fraction of the floor underneath us. Harper used that as a platform. He levitated the jagged slab underneath us with us on top of it.

“I thought Harper was turning himself into a portal,” I yelled.

Wasn’t that why Heath had put my hand on Harper’s shoulder?

“You wanna do it?!” Snapped Harper, annoyed though his eyes remained closed and he stayed in his mediative position.

“Uh, no, bro, you go for it,” I said apologetically.

Harper continued to levitate the slab with us on it. It rose higher and higher through the seemingly endless darkness. Was there a ceiling? As we got higher, I saw a speck of light.

“Harper there’s a little speck of light above us!” Squeaked Holly triumphantly.

Harper smiled. He moved us up a little faster. I wobbled and Heath grabbed the scruff of my jacket.

“I just gave you permission to be with my daughter, boy! That’s a precious gift! Don’t die now!” He said, annoyed but making sure I didn’t fall off.

I grinned at him. Why did I ever think Holden was him. I was so nervous and focused on the challenge I didn’t see the obvious. Heath’s personality wasn’t exactly subtle and Holden was not even a good actor. I replayed the recent events in my mind, realising Heath stepped out of the room and came back with a personality transplant. I was supposed to be discerning. I should have known. The speck of light was growing larger or we were getting closer. As we neared it, it began to look like a rectangle.

“There’s a door up there,” I yelled to Harper.

“We made it,” he said, grinning, actually opening his eyes.

He kept the slab under us steady, stood up, grabbed Holly by the waist and leapt out, through the opening. He came back to help us.

“I’m fine,” Heath protested as Harper tried to lift him.

Heath made Harper and I jump out before him. I grabbed the ledge of the room above and swung myself inside. Harper was beside me, sitting on the floor. I looked back. Heath was climbing out. When we were all out Harper shut the door by manipulating a mannequin of the Winter Fae Queen nearby. I stared at my surroundings. I was in a hideous walk-in closet filled with gaudy dresses and scary mannequins. It reminded me of a wax museum.

“What is this place?” I said, creeped out, staring at the mannequins.

“The walk-in closet,” said Harper.

“In the Queen’s chambers?” I asked.

Harper nodded.

“Helena should be waiting for me by the window. She was worried sick about Holly,” said Harper.

Holly looked guilty. Harper led us into a lavishly decorated bedroom that was obviously meant for the Queen. We then walked down a hallway and up a staircase. I could see a huge brilliant eye staring at me from the floor-length window. The eye took up the whole frame. Helena the Heaven Born. Harper’s dragon. I had never noticed how beautiful her eyes were. They shimmered and seemed to encompass every colour like a kaleidoscope. I marvelled at her. Harper helped me onto the dragon through the window. Holly and Heath had no problem hopping onto the dragon.

“Dad you know how to ride?” Asked Harper, sounding surprised.

“Since before you were born!” Grumbled Heath.

Harper smiled.

“Your mother would take me for dragon rides all the time,” reminisced Heath, his eyes taking on a faraway expression. He snapped himself out of it. “Let’s go! Your sister is with that a*****e!” Growled Heath.

Helena seemed overjoyed at being reunited with Holly and Harper. She swooped down to the courtyard in one steep nose-dive, landing gracefully. We slid down her back.

“Come on!” Barked Heath.

He ran at werewolf speed. I was grateful he knew the way back to the arena. I was always lost in the maze that was this castle. Harper scooped up Holly and ran with her. I kept in pace with Heath. I recognised the door to the waiting room as Heath reached for the knob.

“WAIT!” I yelled, making everyone jump.

“What?” Snapped Heath.

“We can’t just barge in,” I explained.

Something was wrong. I was afraid once we entered the door there would be no getting back out.

“Like hell we can’t,” growled Harper. “My twin is in there!”

“My mate is in there too!” I retorted.

Harper sighed.

“I don’t trust Holden,” I said, looking at the door apprehensively.

“And we do?” scoffed Heath.

“Of course you don’t but…remember the woods…Georgianna’s woods. Some of us stayed outside to summon the others once they were done,” I reminded them.

Understanding dawned on Holly’s face.

“You think the room is entrance only. There’s no sure way out unless someone pulls you out?” Guessed Holly.

She was a lot smarter than she usually let on.

“Yeah, exactly,” I said.

“The only ones with magic are Harper and me,” said Holly. “And the only powerful one with magic is Harper,” she added.

Harper sighed.

“You saying I got to stay outside,” growled Harper, annoyed.

“It’s a safety net,” I said quickly.

“Perhaps,” said Heath.

“What if we try to summon the others from inside out here?” Suggested Holly.

Harper sat on the floor without hesitation in the same meditative pose.

“Don’t you need candles and chalk?” I asked, recalling Jamie’s spell to summon Georgianna.

“Materials would help but I can manage without it,” mumbled Harper. “Also, witchcraft is more about…well craft obviously and practice with innate skill whereas Fae magic is more about intent and emotion and being of Fae b***d,” he explained softly, already seeming somewhat entranced.

Holly sat facing him. They joined hands, keeping their eyes shut.

“Add your energy to the circle even though you can’t do magic!” Said Holly, reaching for my hand. “Your desire for Star and your link with your brothers might help. You too, Lord Heath,” she said.

Heath and I joined hands and sat with them. I pictured my brothers and Star.

“They are so hard to reach,” mumbled Harper, his voice strained.

“You overcame Holden’s magic before!” Said Holly encouragingly.

“Wait,” I said.

“What now?” Asked Heath, letting go of my hand exasperatedly.

“I have a…thing that I can do,” I said.

They all stared at me blankly. “I haven’t done it in a while. It’s not really mind-linking…it’s like…I don’t know what to call it…possession?” I tried.

“I can possess people…let me try,” I said in earnest.

“Possession?” Asked Holly, intrigued. She grinned. “You’re probably good at Astral travel, Noah!” She said excitedly.

I shrugged.

“Let me see what’s going on with them so we know what to do,” I said.

The others nodded. They joined hands with me. I hadn’t used my weird gift in a while. It didn’t appeal to me and the more I used it, the more nightmares I would have as a kid so I always blocked it out. My brothers and I all had certain things we could do. I supposed you could call them gifts. Mine seemed more like a curse when I thought of all the creatures from my nightmares. I would walk around the house as a child at night even when my body was asleep in bed and I would spy on people through their own eyes, taking them over for a short period of time. I figured Star might let me in the quickest or Jonah. I tried Star first.

Jonah

We were in the snow globe room. The ghoul had not attacked us yet. What was it waiting for? Maybe, it wanted us hungry and tired, as weak as possible.

“None of these globes are the exit then?” I presumed, if this was set up by Holden.

“You won your challenge though,” said Zaya.

Eli remained in wolf form so he could be on the offensive. I knew he wanted to rip the ghoul’s throat out if it came near Star. It was a fight between Eli and the ghoul for who was the most b***d-thirsty right now.

“So you’re saying maybe there is a right choice?” I asked.

“Yeah,” said Zaya.

“What do you think, Star?” I asked gently, brushing her tangled curls and waves out of her face.

She was staring into space, glassy-eyed.

“Star!” I asked, grabbing her shoulders.

I shook her. “STAR!” I yelled. “STAY WITH ME!”

“Cut it out!” Snarled Zaya, grabbing my hands. “You’re shaking her too hard!”

“Sorry!” I apologised quickly. “I hadn’t realised.”

“Maybe she’s traumatised,” suggested Zaya, his eyes filled with concern as he caressed her cheek.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Noah

I left Star’s body, rushed back into the darkness and was pulled back into myself. I sat up with a start.

“Are you ok?!” Asked Harper anxiously. “You collapsed!”

“No!” I said. “I visited Star!”

The others looked amazed.

“They’re ok!” I said, grinning. “Well, for now. They’re trapped in a room filled with snow globes,” I explained.

“That was meant to be your challenge,” said Heath apologetically.

“And what did the beating heart symbol represent?” I asked, wondering how much the challenge had been perverted.

“It was supposed to take you to back to the cabin. Your friend’s cabin,” said Heath.

My eyes widened.

“Chet,” I said.

Heath nodded. “Yeah, I was there the night Star shifted watching from afar in the woods. You would follow her wolf tracks and eventually her heartbeat until you found the ghoul’s version of her wolf who would show you where the snow globe was so you could get back to the snow globe room because the beating heart is one of the wrong choices,” explained Heath.

Wow. They had completely altered the challenge.

“It…wasn’t that,” I said simply. “They changed it…but maybe they didn’t change all of it?”

Heath shrugged.

“Which snow globe was the right one?” I asked.

“The Star obviously. You’re too cerebral. I wanted to show you sometimes the answer is simple and right in front of you. I hoped you would follow your instinct and pick the Star although your mind wanted something more complicated. Star is the heart of the challenge not the actual heart,” laughed Heath sadly.

“That’s cool, Dad,” said Harper with a smile.

“Maybe the Star will still be the exit,” I hoped out-loud.

It was a long-shot but it was worth a try.

“Maybe, tell Star to try,” said Heath anxiously. “But stay with her! In case something happens!”

“Maybe one of us should be tracking down Holden,” said Holly more to herself.

“Absolutely not,” barked Harper. “Haven’t you seen any horror movie? You never split up one there’s a maniac on the loose?”

“I haven’t seen any,” admitted Holly.

“Oh,…yeah,” mumbled Harper.

“I will technically be Star for a little while,” I said. “I might let her take this body in the meantime if she’s able to.”

“Like Freaky Friday?” Said Harper excitedly.

No one knew what that was, including Holly of course.

“You guys are lame. I love human movies,” grumbled Harper.

I ignored him and focused again on Star.