3 phase induction motors with poles not equal to 3x
Lest there be any confusion: poles always appear in pairs. The windings generate alternating N (north) and S (south) poles. As a result AC motors are 2-pole, 4-pole, 6-pole, etc. (It may help to remember that if you were to break a bar magnet in half to isolate each of the poles that new opposite poles would appear each side of the break, giving you two bar magnets each with a N-S pole pair.)
On a three-phase motor the pole pattern has to be repeated for each phase. Therefore a 2=pole, 3-phase motor will have six poles.


 

Figure 1. A 2-pole, 3-phase motor.

 

Figure 2. A 4-pole, 3-phase motor.



Figure 3. A 6-pole, 3-phase motor.

Images from Basil Networks permanent magnet brushless motors page. This is worth a read as it shows the series motor connections.



Figure 4. 4-pole, 3-phase AC induction motor illustration. Source Wikipedia: induction motor.

Figure 4 is a little clearer regarding the flux path inside the rotor.