MATED TO MY BULLY STEPBROTHERS

JADE'S POV

I woke up to the sound of movement in the kitchen and the smell of something sweet in the air, and for a few seconds I lay still in bed, staring at the cracked ceiling and trying to understand why my heart felt unusually light.

It took a moment before I remembered the date, and when it came to me, I smiled. I was twenty-one today.

I pushed myself up from my bed and rubbed my eyes. I could hear the low hum of my mother’s voice from the kitchen as she quietly sang to herself, and that alone told me she was in a good mood.

I slipped out of bed and padded toward the door, stopping when I reached the small living room. The table had been cleared, and right in the middle of it sat a cake. It was not large, but it was carefully made, with smooth white icing and red flowers pressed gently into the top. My name was written in neat letters, and for a moment I could only stare at it, because I knew how much effort it must have taken.

My mum turned when she heard me, her face lighting up the moment our eyes met. She wiped her hands on a towel and smiled.

“Happy birthday, Jade,” she said.

I felt a sudden warmth rise inside my chest, and I wrapped my arms around her and held on tightly.

“You didn’t have to do this,” I said, my voice shaky with emotions as I pulled back enough to look at her. “You really didn’t. I know things are hard right now. I know you’ve been struggling.”

She lifted one hand and brushed my hair back gently.

“I know things have been so hard since your father's death. You've been so strong and you deserve at least a moment to celebrate."

I shook my head, still emotional, and looked at the cake again.

“You could have saved the money. I would have understood.”

She shrugged as if it meant nothing and reached behind the couch, pulling out a long bag that I had not noticed before. She unzipped it slowly, watching my face as she did, and revealed a red gown that made my breath hitch in my throat. The fabric was simply elegant and I could already imagine how it would look under the lights of the school hall.

“For the annual dinner tomorrow,” she said. “You should look beautiful on your birthday week.”

I covered my mouth with my hand, overwhelmed.

"Mum,” I whispered. “This is too much.”

She shook her head again and smiled.

“You deserve nice things, Jade. Even if I have to work twice as hard to give them to you.”

I hugged her again, longer this time, and she held me just as tightly, as if neither of us wanted to let go. Eventually she pulled back and tapped my arm lightly. “Go and get ready. You don’t want to be late for school.”

I nodded and wiped my face, forcing a smile because I did not want her to worry. After a quick bath, I dressed up quickly before coming downstairs for breakfast.

We ate together quietly and when it was time to leave, I kissed her cheek and promised I would be home early. She waved from the door, still smiling, and I made my way to school.

All through the walk, my mind kept flashing back to the cake, the gown, and the way my mum had looked so proud even though life had not been kind to her. I promised myself that one day I would make things easier for her, no matter what it took.

By the time I reached the school gates, the noise of students filled the air, and the normal routine pulled me back into reality. I found Michelle near our usual spot, leaning against the railing and scrolling through her phone with a bored expression.

“Birthday girl,” she chuckled when she saw me and her face lit up. “I was starting to think you ditched us.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” I laughed.

She smiled and nudged my arm. “So, twenty-one. How does it feel?”

I thought about it for a moment. “It feels the same,” I admitted.

She studied me for a second, and just when I was expecting her to begin her usual rambles, a sudden gasp went through the hallway. It cut through the noise, and conversations dropped into murmurs almost instantly. Michelle straightened beside me, her eyes widening as she looked past me.

“Oh no,” she muttered.

Before I could ask what was going on, I heard the loud revving of power bikes.

My stomach tightened as I moved toward the window, already knowing what I would see, and my breath caught in my throat as the engines came to a stop outside.

Just as I expected it was them - the same boys that had been making life at Hawthorne High a nightmare for me - the Alpha's triplet sons, Liam, Randy and Carl Hawthorne.

They were the hottest guys in the whole school and equally the most annoying as they always found a way to rudely remind everyone of their status as the heirs to the throne of the pack. They were literally untouchable.

I stayed by the window for a few seconds longer than I should have, watching them from a distance as they moved with the kind of confidence that came from knowing they were untouchable.

Michelle grabbed my arm lightly and I could see the excitement in her eyes as she leaned closer to the window.

“Oh my God,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “They resumed early this semester. They never resume until like the second month."

I rolled my eyes and sighed. Michelle had a big crush on Randy Hawthorne, the second of the triplets, and she did not bother hiding it. Every time he walked into a room, she forgot how to act normal, and today was no different. She pushed her glasses up her nose, adjusted her hair, and straightened her uniform as if there was any chance he would suddenly notice her.

“Michelle,” I muttered under my breath as I pulled her back gently. “Snap out of it. He will never notice you.”

She frowned at me but kept her eyes fixed on him. “You don’t know that,” she grunted.

I shook my head, annoyed.

“People like Randy don’t notice people like us, and even if he did, it wouldn’t be a good thing.”

My voice came out louder than I intended, and the moment the words left my mouth, I knew I had made a mistake. Randy’s head turned slightly, his sharp eyes scanning the room until they landed on us. Michelle froze beside me, her face going pale as she realized he'd heard me.

My heart was pounding in my chest as he walked toward our table with slow, confident steps. Liam and Carl stayed behind, watching with looks that made it clear they were enjoying this already.

I lowered myself into my seat and stared straight ahead, hoping that maybe he would lose interest and turn away, but hope had never worked well for me when it came to the Hawthornes. Randy stopped right in front of us and leaned casually on the desk, one arm resting against the surface as if he owned it, which, in a way, he probably did.

Up close, it was impossible not to notice how built he was. His ink black tank top clung to broad shoulders and a strong chest, stretched tight over arms that looked hard and defined from years of training. His dark eyes carried a teasing glint, and his lips curved into a smile that made my friend beside me completely lose it.

She stared at him like the rest of the world had disappeared, her eyes wide and unfocused, her lips parted slightly as if she had forgotten how to close them. I could feel her shaking beside me, and I resisted the urge to kick her under the table to bring her back to reality.

Randy noticed her gaze and the grin on his lips widened. He snapped his fingers right in front of Michelle, cutting through her trance.

Michelle jumped, blinking rapidly as her face turned bright red, and she quickly looked down at her hands, embarrassed beyond words. I glared at him, anger rising in my chest as I met his gaze.

His eyes shifted to me, and he chuckled.

“Seems you and your friend have been admiring me for so long,” he said.