Chapter 6

As we strolled through the mall back to the car, I felt some of the boys' eyes on us and noticed that this time they were not only looking at Mona and Tara, but also at me with interest. Somehow I felt as if I was finally emerging from the shadow that had surrounded me for years. Mona and Tara gossiped all the way back to the car and it was almost as if I had already become part of their girl group.

La Luna had already loaded Mona's shopping into the car when we arrived, so we drove back to the pack house in high spirits. The two girls in front of me were chatting about this and that and turning the radio up loudly when suddenly the song "Girls just want to have fun" came on the radio. They sang along so loudly and out of tune that I couldn't help but giggle. Maybe I really had just found two friends.

As we pulled into the Stirlings' driveway, I immediately noticed that the triplets' cars were missing. A huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. The last thing I needed was for them to catch me with two large shopping bags with the words "La Luna" written on them. Their mockery and derision would have been inevitable for weeks and my joy in the new clothes would have been gone.

As I got out, I said goodbye to the girls and said with a friendly smile: "If you need help with math in the future, don't be afraid to ask me. You have helped me so much that I think I haven't done enough for you."

They both grinned at me exuberantly and I had the feeling that they would definitely take up my offer. I was really excited about this prospect because I really wanted to stay in touch with them. I had really grown fond of them over the last few hours.

"Well, see you tomorrow at the party!" Mona winked at me and drove away shortly afterwards.

Then I quickly scurried with my two shopping bags to the back entrance and up the stairs to my little room in the attic. Luckily, no one had seen me. I quickly unpacked my new clothes, stored them in the bottom drawer of the dresser and hid the bags with the dangerous logo behind my bookshelf.

Then I hurried downstairs to the kitchen, where an annoyed Sarah was waiting for me. She was Luna's personal assistant and responsible for organizing events, press and other matters for Victoria. Her personal beta wolf, if you will.

Just like you, Luna, this woman hated me. Like master, like dog, I thought to myself. She was really annoyed because she had expected me straight after school and she dumped a lot of work on me.

As I was stretching the silver covers over the high tables in the large hall, which was a really stupid job, I saw from a distance how the triplets entered the room. Each had a girl in their arms, probably their current loves.

They changed their girlfriends as often as some people change their toothbrushes. That's why I stopped bothering to remember their names a long time ago. For the Stirling brothers, they were just a way to pass the time until they finally found their mate.

From the moment of their first transformation, the three were so obsessed with finding their true mate that they searched for her at every opportunity. Every young wolf in the pack secretly wished to be a mate of the Alphas.

In my eyes, this was completely insane. Firstly, the three of them were handsome, powerful and rich, but they were also terrible people in so many ways. Secondly, it was fate to meet your mate, so there was no point in looking for them. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Either you came across it by chance or you didn't.

The funny thing was that you could always see exactly which girl belonged to which of the brothers. Over time, I had figured out what each alpha was after. Ashton seemed to like long hair, Blake preferred blondes and Collin liked those who acted shy and innocent. But most of the time they were the worst bitches, he just didn't realize it.

I hid behind the bar table and was suddenly grateful for the stupid covers until the group left the hall a few minutes later. Apparently the girls were curious about the party tomorrow.

After I finished with the slipcovers, I went to the storage room behind the kitchen to get the boxes of champagne flutes. I heard Sarah in the kitchen getting upset and complaining to someone that I had come home from school way too late today and that we were behind schedule because of it. That bitch...

Luna had probably come to check on our progress. Hiding wouldn't help in that case. Close your eyes and get through it, I thought, walked out of the storage room and put the box on the counter. When I turned to Sarah to get my rejection from Luna, I froze in fear.

It wasn't Victoria who was standing in the room, but her sons, and they were staring at me openly. This made me incredibly self-conscious and I anxiously started twirling a lock of my hair. I usually wore it in a ponytail, but openly it practically invited my nervous fingers to do so.

After what seemed like an eternity, they exchanged incredulous looks as if they had just seen a pink elephant in a bathing suit.

That's when I remembered my makeover. I didn't think they would even notice.

Ashton looked at me in amazement, as if he didn't recognize me. Collin grinned from ear to ear and Blake slowly let his gaze wander up from my feet, lingering a little longer at the level of my cleavage.

Instinctively, I slowly took a step back.

Blake grinned evilly and licked her lips: "She definitely deserves a little reprimand for that."

Sarah gave me a sly smile before she quietly left the room and left me to my fate. When the triplets came towards me, I backed away until my back hit the counter.

So retreat was not an option, so I tried to escape forward: "I'm sorry, I had to do extra math homework for Mr. Roberts."

It wasn't a lie, more of a half-truth, so I really hoped they wouldn't be able to smell it. Besides, they also knew Mr. Roberts from their school days and probably knew that I had taken his advanced course last year.

"Oh, of all days..." Blake whispered thoughtfully and let his gaze wander over my outfit again.

I instinctively looked down again, played nervously with my sleeve and remained silent. My heart pounded in fear in my chest.

The next moment he tilted his head and a sly grin crept onto his lips as he asked: "Then what's all this about? Do you have a little friend that we don't know about?"

Again I stiffened in fear. Why was he interested in my love life? And anyway, it was none of his business. Did they think that as future Alphas they had the right to control me in this regard too?