Chapter 2

**Mia's POV**

"Oh, Mia. That's a bad thing to say when you're meeting someone for the first time. These are Liam, Luis, and Leon Oscar. Leon is the oldest of the triplets and Alpha David's firstborn son, while Luis is the middle child, and Liam is the youngest. Everyone calls them Triple L. Unfortunately, their mother, Luna Esther, died after giving birth to them. They're our upcoming Alphas," Mom said, smiling as she introduced the triplet bad boys to me. I just glared at them.

Mom turned to face the Triple L and said, "Triple L, meet my only daughter, Mia Anderson. She returned from London last month and recently joined White Hills Academy. I'm sure you all must have seen her at school. Please forgive my daughter's manners. She doesn't understand what's happening here or how our pack functions."

I watched my mother speak to the oldest of the triplets, Leon Oscar.

"It's fine, Chairwoman. Our father got tied up in a meeting with the Dark Hills Pack Alpha. He sent us ahead to join you for dinner before wrapping up his business so it wouldn't look like he rejected your invitation to have a family dinner," Leon said. His magnetic voice made me scowl as he flashed his perfect white teeth at my mother.

Leon wore a radiant smile on his handsome, dark face, but he was a tyrant; I had seen him bullying and intimidating other students at the academy.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I pouted and shifted my gaze from Leon to my mother. Obviously, I detested him and his brothers, and I didn't care who he was or what business he had with my mother.

I wouldn't have joined this so-called family dinner if my mother hadn't insisted.

"That's fine, Alpha Leon. Thank you for forgiving my little angel, Mia. Come on, apologize to the triplets. They are a package deal, so apologizing to one is the same as apologizing to the rest. They share the same mindset, views, and love lives, and I suspect the three of them might even share a single mate," my mother said, her voice sweet as she blushed.

My frown deepened when she mentioned their love lives.

"Mom, I'm only apologizing out of respect for you, but I feel no need to apologize to these men," I said, my voice sharp and my eyes glaring at the three bullies.

When I glanced at them, they maintained an innocent facade in front of my mother.

"Mia, go ahead and say you're sorry. Stop talking so much," Mom scolded softly, her pleading voice and subtle glances urging me to get along with these three men.

"Fine." I straightened my posture and uncrossed my arms.

"I'm sorry, Triple L," I apologized, eyeing Leon. The triplets shared the exact same height, faces, and muscular builds, but their smiles set them apart.

Leon smirked, while Liam and Luis glaring at me quickly turned into smiles whenever my mother looked their way.

"It's fine, Chairwoman. We'll let it slide since Mia will be staying around and becoming part of our family. Besides, when you and our father get married, Mia will become our little sister," Leon said, his lips curling into a smile as his intense yellow eyes locked onto mine.

"What!" I gasped, my eyes widening in shock.

"Mom, tell me the truth. You aren't planning to marry their father, right?" I stammered, knowing I couldn't tolerate these three bullies.

"Mia..." Mom's frown deepened. "You need to get along with Triple L. I know I haven't discussed my personal life with you, but I've been single for a long time ever since your father left for London. Excuse us, Triple L. Please take your seats. Let me speak with Mia privately before your father arrives."

"Alright, Chairwoman," they responded.

Mom hastily grabbed my left wrist and pulled me out of the living room, leading me back into the kitchen.

"Mom, what's going on? You can't marry their father! I don't want them as my stepbrothers, and I don't approve of their father! They're pretending to be nice to you, but those boys are ruthless bullies!" I cried out, my body trembling at the thought of living under the same roof with those three rascals.

I couldn't stand them for even a minute. They terrorized the students at school, forcing young women to obey their every command like slaves. In short, most of the student body feared them.

When I first arrived at the academy a month ago, my best friend, Vivian Adams, warned me to stay far away from the three Alphas. I thought she was joking until I witnessed their cruelty with my own eyes.

"Mia, you just returned to the White Hills Pack barely a month ago. How can you say that about Triple L? They're the kindest boys and they protect our pack. I understand you might dislike them simply because they're boys, but they're our Alphas and would never bully you. Please, they will look after you like their little sister once their father and I marry," Mom pleaded, desperate for me to see her side and accept the arrangement.

Instead, I yelled, "No way, Mom! I won't accept them! They can't be my stepbrothers, and you shouldn't marry their father. There are plenty of other men out there, not their Dad!"

Mom's gaze dropped. "Fine, Mia. I'll tell their father I can't marry him since you don't want them as stepbrothers."

My mother looked utterly dejected and heartbroken. A wave of guilt washed over me for stripping away her happiness. My father had abandoned her long ago to travel as a researcher, and I knew she deserved to be happy.

Her eyes welled with tears of disappointment. Softening my tone, I asked, "Mom, do you love their father? What about Dad? What if I call him and ask him to come back?"

Mom looked at my face and blinked away her tears.

"It's been sixteen years since your father left the pack. He flew away with you and only recently brought you back. Why didn't he return himself? He sent you back because he doesn't want me. I can't keep waiting for him. I already rejected our bond, even if he refused to accept it. But..."

Mom paused, walking up to me and taking my hands. "I love you more, Mia. You're my only child, and your happiness matters most to me. I know you grew up away from the pack, so adjusting is hard. But Triple L aren't as bad as you think, and their father is a good man."

"If you really can't stand them and don't want us to become a family, I'll explain it to their father. Your happiness and comfort within the pack come first," Mom said, her voice heavy with sadness.

"It's okay, Mom. Maybe I overreacted. I want you to be happy and remarry. You shouldn't stay single forever, especially since Dad probably won't listen to me and return anyway. I still dislike those boys—and I don't know if their father acts just like them—but I just can't stand them," I confessed, my frown deepening as a faint smile returned to my mother's face.

"It's fine. Let's just enjoy dinner with them. It's their first time visiting me, so sending them away would be rude. Besides, they didn't approve of me as their stepmother at first either—they only accepted it because of their father's proposal. So you aren't the only one with reservations," Mom chuckled softly. "Just refrain from insulting them. As our Alphas, they hold authority here and can discipline members of the pack. Understood?"

Mom opened the kitchen door to lead me back to the living room to join the three bullies for dinner. It was already 6:30 PM on Friday evening.

My mother had taken the day off work to prepare for the Alpha's visit, sending her driver to pick me up from school earlier.

"Alright, Mom," I agreed, stepping out of the kitchen and into the dining room where the three bad boys were already seated.

They had made themselves comfortable around the dining table, waiting for Mom and me to serve them dinner.