Aria’s POV
I blinked rapidly as the blindfold was lifted from my eyes, the dim candlelight flickering before me and then I saw it. A small, simple cake sitting on a stool, the words carefully written in icing:
Happy 18th Birthday, Aria.
My breath caught in my throat.
I turned to Lila, my vision blurring with unshed tears. "You did this?"
She smiled warmly. "Of course. Someone had to."
Emotion overwhelmed me, and before I could stop myself, I threw my arms around her.
Lila hugged me back just as tightly.
For years, my birthdays had been nothing but a painful reminder of what I had lost. My parents had always made a big deal out of my birthday, promising that my 18th would be even more special because that was the day I'd fully come into my own as a werewolf.
Stronger. More powerful.
But they never lived to see it.
I had spent the last few years feeling utterly alone.
Until Lila. She had been my only real friend. The one person who saw me as more than a servant, more than a rejected mate.
I pulled away, wiping at my eyes. "Thank you."
Lila grinned and grabbed my hands. "You have to make a wish before you blow out the candles."
I hesitated. For years, I had wished for my parents to come back. I wished for a family. For a home. But tonight, I knew exactly what I wanted.
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and whispered my wish to the Moon Goddess.
"Please… bless me with my mate. Someone good and kind who will love me for who I am.”
I opened my eyes and blew out the candles.
Lila clapped her hands, her smile bright. "Perfect!"
I felt lighter than I had in years. Suddenly, the door burst open and my entire body stiffened as Kian walked in. His gaze was wild, his chest heaving as if he had run here. His eyes swept the room, darting from Lila to the cake, before settling on me.
"Where have you been all day?!"
Lila and I exchanged a glance. I clenched my fists. He was the Alpha. He had every right to barge into our privacy. But he has he had rejected me and made it clear I meant nothing to him.
Despite that, I couldn’t stop the way my heart pounded at his presence. Kian’s gaze dropped to the stool where the cake sat, and his brows furrowed. The candle smoke curled into the air, the words on the cake standing out boldly in the dim room.
Happy 18th Birthday, Aria.
His expression shifted.
His sharp, commanding demeanor faltered for just a second. His gaze flickered back to mine.
“It’s your birthday?” His voice was lower now.
I swallowed and nodded stiffly.
Something flashed in his eyes, a trace of a smile, barely there and then it was gone instantly. Just like that, his mask of cold indifference returned. Before he could say another word, there was a knock at the door.
Lila frowned and moved to open it.
A huge bouquet of roses blocked the person’s face. Kian’s jaw tightened as we all stood there, staring. Then, the bouquet lowered and Lucian was the face behind it.
His signature smirk was in place as he looked directly at me. Kian’s entire posture changed. I saw the way his muscles coiled, the way his eyes darkened into a stormy glare.
Am I dreaming, or is the Moon Goddess messing with me? I thought. The two alpha sons are here... on my birthday?!