The Three Alphas and Her Christmas Wish

Belmont's dining room showcased elegance. The crystals reflected the light from their glittering chandelier, which brought a warm shine, gleaming off the brilliant shine of silverware with a golden border around walls, designed for grandness. Belmont's excellence could find its home here. Despite being invisible, I stood on the edge of it. Angelica and Rosy, my sisters, were the stars of the show, as always. There was Angelica’s platinum-blond hair now sparkling in the light, her laughter ringing like the chime of bells. Rosy's fiery scarlet lips boldly demanded attention and captured everyone's attention. Her silkiest confidence seemed to claim every inch of the space around her. On the other hand, I gripped my well-worn paperback book tightly. My dark brown hair fell in loose waves around my face, a trait my mother liked to remind me came from my grandfather, not from the flawless Belmont bloodline. My simple sweater and jeans might as well have been rags compared to the dazzling gowns Angelica and Rosy wore. Pressing myself against the doorway, I silently prayed for solitude. However, my sisters never provided me with peace. “Aria,” Angelica’s voice cut through the room, silencing it. She curled her lips into a saccharine smile, though it didn’t find its way to her eyes. “Are you going to hide there all night? Come out. You might learn a thing or two about how to be social.” The entire room seemed to focus solely on me, akin to a spotlight illuminating my face and propelling me toward the stage. My throat constricted, and I grasped my book tighter. “I’m fine here,” I mumbled, barely above the murmur of laughter that followed. “Oh, let her alone,” Rosy said, her voice sweet as a knife. “She’s probably off in her little book world again, dreaming about some fantasy prince.” She leaned forward, smiling at the guests. “Honestly, Angelica, it’s for the best. We wouldn’t want to embarrass her.” The polite chuckles that followed made my stomach churn. My face was burning, and I felt small—so small I could have sunk into the ground and disappeared entirely. Every instinct told me to lash out, to tell them to stop, but what was the point? Angelica and Rosy always won. Instead, I turned and slipped out of the room, the thick carpet preventing even the faintest sound from my footsteps. The laughter followed after me as I climbed upstairs, finally reaching my sanctuary, my room. Once the door shut behind me, I shakily exhaled and pressed my back against the wood. I heaved for air because my chest was going to suffocate from the humiliation burning just behind my eyes. This was how it always was. Angelica and Rosy were golden, flawless wolves who embodied everything the Belmont name stood for. I, on the other hand, was the plain, quiet mistake. I was the underdog who consistently failed to meet expectations. I walked to my desk, running my hand over the familiar spines of my books. They were my sanctuary, my escape. I pulled one out, flipping through its worn pages, the scent of old paper soothing me. In these stories, I could be anyone. I could embody the heroine who overcame insurmountable challenges, the courageous individual who overcame her fears and discovered love in the embrace of a prince. But that was not my life. Reality consisted of Angelica and Rosy's flawless smiles and the silent dissatisfaction of their parents. Reality meant being the forgetful Belmont sister who barely fit in her own family. As I sat on my bed, the events of that evening replayed in my mind. Tomorrow, everything will change. Tomorrow I would be stepping into the world of MoonStone University, a place where no one knew my name or the family I came from—a fresh start. I held onto that thought like my lifeline. Maybe this time things will be different. I wish after Christmas my life agree on my side this time I just want peaceful life that's it. *** The next morning, the towering gates of MoonStone University loomed before me. The campus stretched far beyond, its stone buildings majestic and intimidating. My parents had dropped me off without much ceremony, leaving me to fend for myself while Angelica and Rosy remained at home, basking in their roles as the Belmont family’s shining stars. This place exuded a unique energy. There were wolves everywhere, confident and present, designer bags hanging from their shoulders, expensive perfumes lingering in their wake, their laughter ringing out in the crisp morning air. I readjusted the strap on my bag and tightened my grip on the campus map. Just keep your head down, I told myself. You’ll be fine. But I should have known better. The moment I entered the main hall to determine my dorm assignment, all energy seemed to change. The conversations stopped, and then a shudder passed through the crowd. Heavy, almost suffocating, air seemed to trap the breath inside me. By instinct, I raised my head. The Zeyren brothers. I felt their presence before I saw them; the thickened hairs on my neck were a testimony to that. Blaise, Caelan, and Lucien Zeyren were not just MoonStone students; they were masters. Blaise was the elder among the three. He was dark-haired, sharply-jawed, so much so that nobody was a match for him. He had eyes that seemed to pierce the room as if he could see right through you. Caelan came next, his silver hair shining as he cast icy blue eyes over the room with detached precision. And then there was Lucien, the youngest of them all, whose golden hair and playful smirk gave him a deceptive sense of charm. They moved as an army of nature, and the crowd parted for them without question. My heart beat wildly as they approached, every step commanding every inch of the room. “Well, well,” Blaise drawled, his voice smooth and cold. “What do we have here?” I froze as his gaze hit me, pinning me in place. My breath caught in my throat, and I clutched my bag tighter. Lucien’s smirk grew wider as he c****d his head to the side. “Lost, little wolf?” “No, I’m not lost,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Are you sure?” Blaise’s eyes narrowed slightly with mockery. “You look... out of place. Are you new here? I've never seen your face or those big glasses here." Caelan did not speak, but his gaze swept over me, cold as ice, his lips curling in faint disdain. It was as if he needed no words to make me feel small. “I’m not,” I said, forcing my voice to sound steady. Lucien was chuckling, the low sound almost dangerous. “Cute,” he said, approaching me. “I think I like her.” Blaise scoffed, his head shaking. “Let’s go. She is not worth our time.” And so they turned and walked away, leaving me standing there with my heart racing and my hands trembling. The hall buzzed back to life around me, but I couldn’t move. Their attention—brief as it was—had marked me, and I wasn’t sure if I could ever shake it. I wasn’t invisible anymore. But for the first time in my life, I wasn’t sure if that was a beneficial thing. I remember their name… My sister was talking about them earlier. I heard they are classmates.