Chapter 3: The First Snow
1140 Words
Two Years Earlier...
The sun was shining the day we arrived at the Silver Moon Pack, a cruel trick of nature that made me believe this place would be a paradise.
I sat in the backseat of my father’s car, pressing my nose against the cool glass like a child. The landscape was breathtaking—towering pines, winding rivers that sparkled like diamonds, and a sky so blue it looked painted.
"Nervous, Ari?"
I turned to look at my older brother, Ethan. He was sitting next to me, his broad shoulders taking up most of the space. He gave me a reassuring smile, ruffling my white hair.
"A little," I admitted, smoothing down the skirt of my favorite blue sundress. "Do you think they’ll like us? The Alpha family?"
"They’ll love us," Leo chimed in from the front seat, turning around with a grin. "Dad is the best Beta in the region, and we’re the Snow brothers. We’re charming, handsome, and humble."
"And you have Aria," Jax, my youngest brother, added softly, squeezing my hand. "You’re going to be the most beautiful girl at the academy. Just wait."
I smiled, feeling a flutter of hope in my chest. Back at our old pack, I had been invisible. But here? Maybe here, I could be someone. Maybe my strange white hair wouldn’t be a curse, but just... a color.
The car slowed as we passed through massive iron gates. My breath hitched. The Alpha Estate was a palace. It was a sprawling mansion of grey stone and dark wood, nestled against the mountains.
As we parked, the front doors opened. Alpha Magnus and Luna Eleanor stepped out. They looked regal but kind.
"Marcus!" Alpha Magnus roared, pulling my father into a bear hug. "It’s been too long, old friend."
"Welcome home," Luna Eleanor said warmly, her eyes sweeping over us. When her gaze landed on me, she didn't flinch. She smiled. "And this must be Aria. My goodness, you look like a little moonbeam."
My cheeks flushed pink. "Thank you, Luna."
"Please, call me Eleanor," she insisted. "Come inside. The boys should be back from school any minute."
The boys. The Triplets.
I had heard stories about them. Everyone had. The Blackwood Triplets—Caspian, Killian, and Lucian. They were rumored to be prodigies. Stronger, faster, and smarter than any wolves their age.
My heart did a nervous little flip. I wonder if they are nice.
We were settling into the grand living room, drinking iced tea, when the front door slammed open. The noise echoed like a gunshot, silencing the room.
"We’re home!" a deep voice shouted.
Three boys walked in, tossing their gym bags onto the pristine floor with careless arrogance. They were sixteen, just like me, but they looked older. They were tall, already filling out with muscle, their faces sharp and handsome in a way that made it hard to look away.
I froze. They were breathtaking.
"Boys," Luna Eleanor sighed, though she was smiling. "Come say hello to Beta Marcus and his family."
The three of them sauntered over. Caspian was in the lead, his golden eyes scanning the room with boredom. Killian was next, looking restless, while Lucian trailed behind, checking his phone.
They shook hands with my father and nodded at my brothers. And then, they turned to me.
I stood up, gripping the hem of my dress. I tried to smile. I tried to be the confident girl Jax said I was.
"Hi," I whispered. "I'm Aria."
Silence.
It stretched for a painful second. The three of them stared at me. I waited for a hello. I waited for a polite nod.
Instead, Killian snorted.
"What is that?" he asked, pointing a finger at my head. He looked at his brothers, a smirk playing on his lips. "Did someone dump a bucket of flour on her?"
My smile faltered. "I... no, it's just my hair."
Caspian stepped closer, invading my personal space. He loomed over me, radiating an intimidating heat. He wasn't looking at me with curiosity. He was looking at me like I was a bug under a microscope.
"It's weird," Caspian decided, his voice flat. "You look like a ghost. Doesn't she look like a ghost, Lucian?"
Lucian finally looked up from his phone. His silver eyes met my blue ones. For a moment, I thought he might defend me. He looked smarter than the others.
"A ghost?" Lucian tilted his head, his gaze cold and dissecting. "No. Ghosts are interesting. She just looks... fragile. Like she'd break if you breathed on her too hard."
The room went quiet. My father stiffened, and I saw Ethan’s hands clench into fists.
"Boys," Alpha Magnus warned, his voice low. "Be polite."
"We are being polite," Killian laughed, shrugging. "Just stating facts, Dad. She’s tiny. Pale. White hair. She doesn't look like a wolf. She looks like a pet rabbit."
Heat rushed to my face, but this time it wasn't from shyness. It was humiliation. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, and I hated myself for it. Don't cry, I told myself. Don't let them see you cry.
But I couldn't stop my lip from trembling.
Caspian noticed. His golden eyes narrowed, and a cruel glint appeared in them.
"Aww, look," he mocked, leaning down so his face was inches from mine. "The little Ghost Girl is going to cry. Maybe she is made of water."
"That's enough," Ethan snapped, stepping in front of me to shield me from their view.
The Triplets backed off, but they were laughing. It wasn't a loud, villainous laugh. It was a casual, dismissive chuckle. The kind of laugh that said I wasn't even worth bullying—I was just entertainment.
"Relax, Beta," Caspian said to Ethan, winking. "We're just playing. Welcome to the pack, Ghost Girl. Try not to disappear."
They turned and walked out of the room, heading toward the kitchen, their laughter trailing behind them.
I stood there, staring at the floor, wishing I really could disappear.
That was the beginning.
I didn't know then that the "Ghost Girl" nickname would stick. I didn't know that their casual dismissal would give permission to the rest of the school to treat me like a freak. I didn't know that for the next two years, I would spend every day trying to be invisible, just to avoid those three pairs of judging eyes.
And I certainly didn't know that the three boys who just laughed at my tears were holding the other half of my soul.
- Writer
