I heard rustling the next morning near me but didn't think anything of it. "Shh… don't wake her up," Wyatt stage whispered.
"I can't find my shoes," Nate whispered back.
"That's because they're downstairs, idiot," Wyatt replied. I felt myself smirk a little before settling my face. They didn't need to know I was awake yet. "Come on, Aunt Leah and Uncle Jake are waiting."
They shuffled around my bedroom a little while longer and I just sat there with my eyes closed, waiting for them to leave. I felt the bed dip a little as Wyatt leaned over me to place a small kiss on my forehead. "You're gonna wake her up," Nate hissed.
Wyatt huffed before moving away from me. I heard the tiny click of my bedroom door before my eyes fluttered open. The morning light was starting to flood into the windows, making my bedroom a little warmer and a lot more peaceful. I rolled over and grabbed a pillow, snuggling into it. Wyatt's woodsy scent was all over it. My hands were still trembling just a little from the residual anxiety from the night before, but not enough to ruin the moment.
There was something about that first light that I loved. The night can sometimes hold so much potential for things to go awry, but the morning was special. It was your fresh start, a new beginning. When I was a kid, my mom said that I would be up as soon as the sun came up. I always wanted to watch the day start.
Speaking of new beginnings, there was also something very special about this day. After I talked to Nate, he fell asleep soon after and left me alone with my thoughts. I had finally fallen asleep around 4 in the morning. I just kept replaying the night in my head. And the only takeaway I got from it was that I needed to make sure that Travis and Reese were alright. Matthew may have exposed a secret that Travis had absolutely no idea about. Was Travis a shifter before he was turned? Maybe. If that's the case, I feel so sorry for him. Both of them. They lost everything and are living a life they didn't ask for. They had no idea the repercussions of Matthew's decisions. And I really wanted to give them the place to figure that out. I didn't want them to feel ostracized in all of this. It wasn't their fault at all.
But, anyway, I got a little sidetracked. New beginnings. Today was going to be different. I would not be burdened with the anxiety of my captivity. At least, not today.
I stayed in bed for another 20 or so minutes, just focusing on my breath. Being present and mindful of everything around me, everything I was feeling. I was intentional as I put my feet on the ground and as I brushed my hair and as I changed my clothes. When I opened the door, I felt almost excited.
Because when I got downstairs, my mom was right there at the bottom of the steps with a big smile and an enthusiastic "Happy birthday!"
See, I told you today was special. I hugged my mom tight, feeling her giddy energy. I felt a little body collide into my legs and saw Melody joining our embrace. "Happy birthday, Haddie!" she yelled.
"Thank you, little munchkin!" I picked her up and set her on my hip. We all walked into the kitchen where my dad was rushing to light the 1 and 7 candles on top of the strawberry cake with buttercream frosting that they bought for me every year. It was my favorite.
"There's my girl," Dad grinned. The ground was covered in balloons and streamers lined the ceiling. Will was sitting at the table, still blowing up balloons and bouncing them across the room. Wyatt and Nate were hanging up a Happy Birthday banner along the wall, trying to get it even on both sides. They all yelled happy birthday while still holding up the sign. Dad came up to me and gave me a kiss on top of my head. "Happy birthday, little girl," he said.
"Thank you," I gave a small smile.
"I hope you've still got a sweet tooth," Mom said, "because Holly made the absolute most delicious cake for you."
We have a tradition in our family on birthdays. Cake for breakfast while Mom tells me the story of the day I was born. She sat next to me at the table with Melody in her lap. Everyone gathered around as they sang to me. There's absolutely nothing more wonderful than being surrounded by my favorite people on my birthday. "Make a wish?" Mom suggested.
I wouldn't even know what to wish for. I had everything. A loving family, amazing friends, a home. I was alive. I was healthy. I wish it'll always stay that way, I caught myself thinking as I blew out the candles. I made it to 17 in one piece. More or less, I snorted to myself.
"You know…" Mom started as Dad cut the cake, "17 short years ago—"
"Here she goes," Daddy chuckled.
"—I was pacing this very kitchen in the middle of the night waiting for your dad to get back from his patrol. We knew you were coming any day, so your uncle Paul was hanging out with me in case anything happened. But, see, your uncle Paul is an ass…"
"He still laughs about it to this day," Dad commented.
"He made an awful joke that you were going to come out with fur and four paws, instead of with 10 little fingers and toes," Mom rolled her eyes. I giggled under my breath as I dug into my cake. "And then when I started to freak out, it made my contractions worse, and I was cursing like a drunken, pissed off soldier in a bar fight after finding out his wife cheated on him…"
"That's so specific," Wyatt quipped.
"It gets more detailed every year," I told him.
"…and Paul got so worried you'd slip out right there on the floor, he had to drive me to the hospital while your dad was wolfed up, running next to the car."
Melody climbed into my lap as we continued to listen. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek repeatedly.
"An hour of pushing later, here you were. Human, most importantly," Mom laughed, "and just absolutely, breathtakingly gorgeous. You were so tiny and so feisty."
"But so loved. The whole pack was there waiting for you to come into the world," Dad added. "And you've kept us on our toes ever since."
"Ain't that the truth?" Mom breathed a laugh. "We love the person you're becoming though, Hadley. You've overcome a lot in the last few years; it hasn't been easy, but we've always been proud of you, sweet girl."
I grinned at my parents, my heart warming. "I love you both so much," I told them.
"We love you so much more," Dad touched my hand lovingly.
"So mushy," Will gagged, playfully.
"If you're jealous it's not your turn, just say that," I cracked back, gently pushing his shoulder.
Nate messed with Will's hair. "Don't worry, little bro, you're the only boy. They probably love you more," he joked.
"I think it's time for Mom and Dad to finally tell us who the favorite is," Will smirked.
"You're definitely one of my three favorite kids, Will," Dad chuckled, leaning back in his chair.
"I love all of my children equally," Mom held her hands up in fake defense.
"Boooo, what a cop out," I laughed.
My heart was bursting with the love around me. I didn't miss the concerned looks from my parents, but I knew they wouldn't bring up that elephant in the room in front of my brother and sister.
Nate clapped Will on the back as he stood up, "Wyatt and I have to pick some things up for the party tonight. Do you want to come?" he asked my brother.
"Oh yeah, that's right," Wyatt said, standing up too. "We gotta get the food, the wood for the fire, the decorations…"
"Sure, I'll come," Will shrugged.
My stomach dropped a little bit at the mention of the party. The party was also tradition; everyone had their preference. Some liked to have family dinner, some liked to have the beach party, some liked to have everyone sleep over. I usually loved all three, but something about it didn't feel right. I set down my fork, "Hey guys," I called as they headed for the door. "Can we maybe nix the decorations this year?"
Wyatt's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Uh, sure?"
I bit my bottom lip. "I think it'll be nice to be a little more low key. I want to spend tonight celebrating everyone, not just my birthday…you know?"
"Of course, sweetie, whatever you want," Mom said, nodding to Wyatt and Nate that she agreed.
They both nodded before walking out the door, Will following close behind. The remaining four of us stayed at the table. It was all of a sudden really quiet; appropriately so, considering the circumstances. Mom leaned forward, resting her arms on the kitchen table. "Mel, baby, why don't you go pick out what dresses you want to wear to the party?"
"I wanna wear pink!" Melody said.
"Ok, go get all your pink dresses for Mommy, ok?" Mom said in her baby voice. Melody got excited and ran to her room.
I watched them watch me as we all sat in silence. I picked at the excess icing on my plate. The clock on the wall behind me ticked the seconds away. I set my fork down and said quietly, "I didn't hear you guys come in."
They glanced at each other before Dad told me, "We had to double up on patrols this morning. Just in case."
Touching my temple, I could still feel ghost throbbing. When I got home last night, looking in the mirror was rough; there was dried blood where I had been hit, but I didn't know how I had been cut. "If I had known…" I started.
"You knew more than you wanted to tell us," Mom corrected. "Children of the Moon are dangerous, Hadley. They always have been. You should have told us the second you found out."
"I didn't want for it to affect how you looked at them," I explained earnestly.
"That's very noble of you, honey. But, as you experienced last night, just because you have good intentions doesn't mean others do," Dad said. "You could have gotten killed last night."
"But, Dad—,"
"No 'buts'," he shook his head to stop me. "We understand a lot more than you think we do, Hadley. You're 17; teenagers think they're the smartest in the world and the most invincible, and you are not immune to that. Hell, by the time I was your age, we'd been in a full on newborn war and, somehow, we all got out of that alive."
"One of us had a few scratches," Mom teased him. Dad had gotten severely injured during the newborn war trying to help my mom take on a stray vampire. The newborn had squeezed him so tight, it almost completely crushed one side of his body. That was when the Cullens were still around; Carlisle, the vampire doctor, always helped patch the wolves back up when something went wrong.
He snorted a laugh. "True. But that's exactly my point. We put ourselves in dangerous situations every day. But you know how we get through it? We talk to each other. We communicate in any possible way so that we can all go home at the end of the night."
I hung my head and sighed, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright, baby girl," Mom said as she scoot closer to me. She wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "We're just happy we can have this conversation with you instead of having to talk about funeral plans."
I looked up at my dad. He didn't look upset; he just looked troubled. You know I hate being the bad cop, he projected to me. Mom kissed my head as we sat there. I still felt anxiety from the night before, but there's still something looming. Something we hadn't addressed. "So…what happened to…him?" I couldn't even say his name.
Mom was careful with her words. "Your uncles took care of it. Paul, Jared, and Embry wanted to handle Matthew personally."
"What does that mean?" I asked, confused.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they were chasing him to the other side of Canada by now," Mom said.
"They're very protective of their nieces and nephews," Dad commented.
"And no one is a bigger believer in 'an eye for an eye' than Paul Lahote," Mom shook her head. "In short, we'll never see him again; I can guarantee that."
"So you guys didn't…?" I trailed off, leaving the question open. I had seen my dad go into the bunker, but I was too out of it to put the pieces together. Mom shook her head, speaking for herself.
"Don't worry yourself about that," Dad said as he stood up from the table. "But know that no one hurts my kid and gets off scot free."
"He's strong," Mom added, leaving my side. She winked at me. "But we're stronger. Go get ready for the day, honey. We'll finish this conversation later."
She left to go to Melody's room. My entire body relaxed as I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding. Then I remembered, "Hey Mama," I called.
"Yeah, babe?" she turned around.
"What about Travis and Reese?" I asked.
To my relief, she didn't even hesitate. "Those kids don't deserve to be punished for the shitty hand that man dealt for them. We told them we would protect them and we don't have any intention to break that promise."
I nodded in understanding and thanks before she walked away. Then it was just me. And I was alright with that.
XXXXXXXXX
I walked over to Wyatt's later that morning, after I was sure they were done picking things up for the party.
It was a beautiful day; it's like the sun knew we needed a good day. I could hear the Cameron boys yelling from outside. To say they've always been this rowdy would be an understatement. They had this unlimited, untapped energy and no one knew where it came from. I loved to see it though. I knocked twice on the door before peaking inside. "Hello, hello! Who's home?"
August was the first to greet me. God, he was almost taller than me now. He ran up with open arms and wild eyes. "Guys, Hadley's here!" he called to the others. I wrapped an arm around his shoulder as we walked deeper into the house. It was just Kim and Wyatt's brothers.
Kim squealed with excitement, "Oh, it's the birthday girl!" She wrapped me up in a hug and squeezed tight. When she pulled away, she held my face between both of her hands. "I heard what happened. How are you?"
"I'm fine," I smiled. "I got a little banged up, but it's over now."
"I heard that they had you chained to an electric fence upside down," Hunter said as he paused their video game. August and Jace looked at me in astonishment.
"That is not true," I laughed. "Where did you even hear that?"
"Well, I heard that you and Wyatt were sharing a skull," Jace added.
I nodded, thinking about the pressure in my head from last night, "That part is true, yes."
Kim scrunched her face up, "'Sharing a skull?' What does that mean? Is that like wolf slang or something?" she asked. "Is it dangerous? Is it drugs? Please say it's not drugs."
"It's not drugs," I reassured her. "It's just another one of those complicated wolf things."
She shook her head, "You know I can't keep up with those things." Kim tried her best to understand how the pack worked, but eventually she decided to just keep it to the basics: phasing, imprints, and patrols. She's a firm believer that you don't need to know the nuances of wolf life to love and take care of your family.
"Where is Wyatt, by the way?" I asked.
I didn't need to ask, obviously, but I was a firm believer that it was important to maintain a healthy respect for everyone's houses holds. "He's in the back," she told me.
"Do you mind if I…?" I trailed off, hooking my thumb behind my shoulder.
"Go ahead, sweets," she waved her hand. "Oh! Don't let me forget, before you leave, I made your favorite cookies for the bonfire tonight."
I gasped, "You made s'mores cookies?"
"Just for you," she booped my nose. "These little monsters have been trying to get into them all day."
"We just want one," August grumbled as he flopped onto the couch.
"I'm sorry, is it your birthday?" she clapped back teasingly. She rolled her eyes. "These boys. Never a dull moment."
"Wyatt would let us have one," Jace tried to sneak in.
"It's not his birthday either," Kim chuckled. "Anyway, that's your birthday present. Happy birthday, Hadley."
I kissed her on the cheek, "Ugh, I love you. Thank you."
I scooted past her to walk down the hall toward Wyatt's room. The door cracked open as I approached, music filling the hallways. When I slipped into his bedroom, his back was to me. Sorry. Let me rephrase. His shirtless back was to me. Holy shit…wow. Wyatt bobbed his head to the music; the muscles in his back flexed and unflexed as he fiddled with something on his desk. My eyes drifted down as he turned to face me. His abs were like a washboard and then I noticed the V that led down to his… "Hey Ace," he grinned.
"Hot," I said involuntarily before shaking my head. "Hi," I corrected quickly. I closed the door behind me. "Hey. Hello."
He chuckled, "What's up?"
"I just wanted to see you before tonight," I sat on his bed, which was actually made for the first time in a while. "I figure it'll be my last weekend of freedom for a while, so…"
"How did it go this morning?" he asked, dropping next to me.
"Mom said 'we'll finish this conversation later.' Whatever that means," I shrugged. Then I perked up, "But, I think we should take advantage of it."
Wyatt's eyes scanned my body slowly as he licked his lips, "Take advantage how?" He pushed closer to me and lifted my chin with his hand. "We didn't get our chance to talk," he observed before he captured my lips with his.
"You know that's not what I meant," I started to smile as I kissed him back. Wyatt snaked a hand behind my back to pull my body flush against his. I threw my arms around his neck to bring him closer, until he was practically on top of me. He then buried both hands in my hair; a mute moan escaped as he kissed me deeper.
You know when it feels right? When the person you're holding is a perfect fit? When they make you drunk from their touch?
I wanted to get lost in him. I can't believe we wasted so much time; it was almost like we were both trying to tell the other that we wouldn't lose any more time together. Not after everything we've been through. I wanted to tell him right there that I was all in. That nothing was standing in the way anymore.
"Ew!" Hunter yelled as he banged once on the door before walking off.
I sighed as Wyatt groaned, frustrated. Pushing his shoulder, I sat up until we were face to face. "Can never get any privacy in this house…" he muttered.
"Or anywhere else around here, really," I added, fixing my hair. He stood up and grabbed his t shirt from on top of the dresser. I playfully took it out of his hands and tossed it on the ground. He smirked at me asking what I was doing. "I like the view," I said coyly.
He chuckled low in his chest, "Good to know."
I gazed at Wyatt's sweet face. The dimple in his right cheek was deeper than the one in his left. I wanted to know what it was like to see things through his eyes. Do colors look brighter? Does he find the rainbow on a rainy day? What do I look like from his point of view? "Go on a date with me," I heard myself say.
"A date," his eyebrows flew up as he said, teasingly, "I don't know, Ace, my schedule is pretty busy."
I rolled my eyes as I pushed his shoulder. "Wyatt," I pouted. "Come on, I'm serious."
"Me too," he said as he stood up. He grabbed something off of his desk. "I've been so busy convincing someone's grandma and step-grandpa to let me take their new boat."
He tossed me something under his arm, a light jingling sounded as it flew into my hands. I looked down to see keys. Boat keys. Grandma Sue and Charlie Swan's brand new boat's keys? "Shut up," I shot to my feet. "What, you know how to sail now?"
"I may have recruited Sue a couple months ago to teach me so I could take this girl I'm really into out on the water for her birthday," he leaned on the wall, crossing his arms across his chest. He was so pleased with himself. I was shocked.
I stood up and wrapped my arms around his waist. "You did that for me?"
"Of course I did," he smiled at me, love in his eyes.
"When can we go?" I asked.
"Tonight, tomorrow, whenever you want," he shrugged. "What are you thinking?"
I said immediately, "Tonight. After the party." I didn't want to waste any more days. "I need to take care of a couple of things before we go to the beach though."
"Want me to come with you?" he asked, reaching around me for his t shirt once again.
"I'd love that," I told him as I leaned up to kiss him again.
XXXXXXXXX
In the spirit of getting a second chance, I made the rounds that day to make a few things right.
My feet were stuck outside of my grandpa's house. Wyatt reached for my hand and said, "He's not mad at you."
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. It took a while before I heard anything. Instead of the wheels of my grandpa's wheelchair, footsteps came closer to the door.
Surprise, surprise, Sam Uley answered the door. My face twisted in confusion as I looked up at my grandpa's little red home. "Am I at the right house?" I muttered.
"Billy's inside. We're just handling some Council business," Sam said. He looked so rigid; his voice was tight. "Is there something you need?"
I held back a laugh. "Yup, I came to my grandpa's house to see my grandpa. Will that be a problem?"
"Come on back, honey!" I heard Grandpa Billy shout from inside. I took a step forward, waiting for Sam to take the cue to move. His jaw clenched tight as he stepped away from the front door. But he didn't leave; he just followed Wyatt and I into the living room. Billy's face lit up as we rounded the corner. "Well, isn't this a surprise? I wasn't expecting the dynamic duo today."
"Hi grandpa," I said, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "How are you?"
"Better now that I've seen you," he smiled. "Sweet 17, how do you feel?"
I glanced at Wyatt, knowingly, "Never felt more alive," I half joked. Wyatt bit his lip to stop from laughing.
"Billy," Sam interrupted, "I think we should finish our conversation."
Grandpa waved Sam off. "It's nothing that can't wait another day. We shouldn't be having these discussions without Sue, Leah, and Jacob anyway."
Sam looked frustrated. That seemed to be the norm these days. "But, Billy, I—,"
"Sam, relax," Grandpa said, a stern look setting on his face. "It's not the most important thing in the world right now. Go home to Emily and the kids. Give Luna a kiss for me."
Sam clenched his fists at his side before saying, "Fine." He turned to me. "Happy birthday."
"Thanks," I replied with a tight smile. He nodded once before leaving out the front door. When he was gone, the energy in the room drastically changed. A lot less dark cloud, a lot more sunshine.
There was part of me that understood where Sam's frustration was coming from. He didn't feel like anyone was really listening to him, like he was yelling out into the ether. This obsession with legacy and wanting to make a mark on the history of our people can cloud your judgment, I think. What I didn't understand was his personal issue with me. Was it really because of my family? Who I came from? What everyone says I'm meant to be?
"I got you something," Grandpa said to me, wheeling himself to the back of the house.
Wyatt reached over and squeezed my thigh, "See, I told you he's not mad at you."
"I hope you're right…" I sighed as Grandpa rolled back into the room. In his lap were two gifts. A smile spread across my face. "Grandpa, you didn't have to get me anything."
"Come on, are you kidding? You're my first grandchild and it's your birthday. Of course, I had to get you something special."
He handed me the first one, which was in a smaller box. I carefully untied the teal bow on top and lifted the top. A little silver charm bracelet sat inside. I gasped as I touched it, the metal cool on my fingertips. There were four charms, all carved from wood: a wolf, a violet, a sun, and a little duck. "I remember when you were little, Charlie and I would take you with us when we would go fishing, and you always wanted to chase the ducks instead of fish with us," Grandpa said between chuckles. "I think that about sums up how much our lives have changed since you were born, honey. You've always marched to the beat of your own drum. You took us out of what was comfortable."
I was holding back tears as I fiddled with each charm. Grandpa made them himself, I already knew. It was beautiful. "Grandpa…" I started, feeling the lump in my throat.
"Don't you dare even think about apologizing, Hadley Sarah," he shook his head. "Nothing that happens in the pack is ever going to affect how much I care about you."
"I know…" I said quietly.
"In fact, I'd argue to say that I make certain decisions because I'm worried about how it'll affect your wellbeing. You're a person first, not a wolf. Remember that."
"Yes, Grandpa," I smiled at him.
"But don't think I don't see how impressive you are, Hadley bug. You just have a little growing up to do first," he kept going. I could tell he'd be holding onto this for a while; avoiding this conversation wasn't beneficial for any of us. "But you know the one thing that you've always given all of us, no matter what?"
"High blood pressure?" I cracked.
"The increased possibility of a heart attack?" Wyatt laughed.
Billy rolled his eyes, playfully. "No," he chuckled. "Strength. Passion. Courage. You've always known who you are and that's what I love about you."
He handed me the other present in his lap. I pulled another teal ribbon until it fell limp in my lap. Inside the box was a small picture frame; the picture inside was black and white of Grandpa Billy and 3 year old me. I was sitting on his lap, looking up at him with his cowboy hat on my head. It was way too big for my tiny head, but he was grinning at me like he was happy to see it on me. I'd never seen this picture before. "Oh my god," I breathed.
"That is my favorite picture of you. And I still see that little girl with the loud voice in you every day," Billy wiped a tear quickly. He hated us seeing him cry. "Happy birthday, little one."
"Thank you, Grandpa," I said, standing up to hug him. "And I'm sorry." I meant it. I was sorry for doubting my grandfather. For putting my own petty and scared behavior over what I knew. Billy has always been on my team, and I was wrong to doubt that.
"Hey, what did I say about apologizing?" he scolded.
"I know; I just had to."
We stayed at my grandfather's house for a while. He sat and not so subtly asked questions about me and Wyatt and then smirking as we kind of squirmed in our seats. I asked him help me put my charm bracelet on before we left. He told me to use today as a fresh start and everything will be fine. He was right.
I closed the door behind me and sighed. Wyatt pulled me into a hug, popping a kiss on top of my head. "Where to next?" he asked.
"I really want to check on Travis and Reese," I told him. "I know that's a little bit of a sore spot for you, so I can just meet you at the beach, if you want."
Wyatt shook his head, "Actually, I think I want to come with you."
I blinked in surprise. "Really?"
"Don't be so shocked, Ace," he smirked before throwing an arm around my shoulders.
We walked toward the end of the road where the last house stood. To an untrained ear, it would be easy to mistake how quiet it was for no one being home. But, to us, there was a soft shuffling inside and just the faintest of metal tinkering outside. I led Wyatt to the back of the house where the shed was. There was music playing, but not out loud. Probably in headphones. I poked my head through the half closed door and saw Travis messing with the Mustang's alternator. "Hey you," I waved.
He looked up and his eyebrows shot up, "Hey," he stuttered out as he stood up. Travis glanced behind me and waved, "Wyatt."
"Travis," Wyatt nodded.
"How are you doing?" I asked, taking a seat on this little stool. Wyatt admired the car quietly; he ran a hand along the cherry red door and whispered a 'wow.'
"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" Travis said lightly, picking up his grease rag. He swiped his forehead of sweat.
I ducked my head a little, "It's been an interesting 24 hours to say the least." I paused. "I owe you, Travis."
"For what?"
"For helping me," I told him. "I don't know what Reese and I would have done if you hadn't showed up."
"It was the right thing to do," he said, leaning against the car door. "We all deserve a choice."
Matthew's words from the night before had been ringing in my ears all day. He dropped a bomb and didn't even care who heard it. "It just sucks when that choice gets taken away from you…" I commented.
He sighed as his fists clenched at his sides for a second, "Yeah, it does," he said. "I've been having a hard time wrapping my head around that."
"So, you had no idea that you were a shifter before he changed you?" Wyatt asked.
Travis shook his head. "My entire life I've been trying to find out more about my family, where we come from. Research was pointless and Matt always told me that focusing on the past would stunt me from growing in the future. I realize that's bullshit now."
I think Travis always looked up to Matthew in some paternal way. Even though he remembered his birth parents, I could see that he trusted Matthew to guide them. Unlike Reese who always kept a reasonable distance away from Matthew. Understandably so.
"That's alright," Travis shrugged. "Maybe we'll actually learn something when we get back on the road."
I couldn't hide the surprise on my face. "You guys are leaving," I said.
"We kind of have to, Hadley," he told me. "We can't stay here after what happened last night; Reese is right. She's inside getting things packed up so we can get on the road tomorrow morning."
"My parents still want to protect you. You have to stay."
Wyatt agreed, "We don't want anything to happen to either of you. Here, you're safe from vampires and Matthew, if he decides to come back."
I could tell he wanted more to learn about where he came from than he was worried about having to fight off vampires. So I leaned forward, resting my forearms on my thighs. "What if I could help you find out what you need to know about your family?" I proposed.
His interest was instantly piqued. "How would you be able to do that?" he asked.
"I'm pretty well connected," I smiled, thinking about Kaya and Ephraim. I stood up. "Stay for a week. Please. If you're not happy with what you've learned by next Friday, I won't even fight you on it."
He thought about it for a second. Travis wiped at the grease on his hands as he mulled over it. "Alright," he nodded. "I can do one week."
I bounced a little in excitement. "I promise you won't regret it," I told him before giving him a quick hug. "Come out tonight. We're having a party on the beach."
"We'll definitely try," he told me, easing back into that carefree energy I always knew him to have. I told him we'd see him later as I walked over to Wyatt, entwining our hands. We turned to leave when Travis called my name. I looked back at him and he smiled, "Happy birthday. That's today, right? It's your birthday?"
I stopped in my tracks, confused. "Yeah, it is. How…how did you know that?"
He shrugged nonchalantly and said, "It's mine too," before ducking under the hood of the Mustang again.
XXXXXXXXX
Remember this morning when I asked for a more laid back gathering at the beach? Yeah…that didn't happen.
After we left Travis, Wyatt and I went to go pick up Nate in my dad's old pickup. I made a promise to myself not to talk about any pack stuff or supernatural stuff for the rest of the day. I wasn't going to talk about how big of a coincidence it is that Travis Calloway and I had the same birthday and that Kaya told me that she brought him here for a reason.
No conspiracies, no questions, none of that. It was my birthday. Let's be in the moment.
Nate, from the middle of the back seat, grabbed the aviator sunglasses off the top of my head and put them on his face. "How do I look?" he asked, pouting his lips.
I glanced over my shoulder and giggled, "Like a fucking rockstar."
"So, when you guys come back from your love fest, we should all go for a run," Nate said casually.
Wyatt looked in the rear view at Nate's mention of our 'love fest.' "Bro," he reproached.
"What? That's what it is," Nate shrugged. "Look, I took an extra patrol shift so you guys can go on Charlie Swan's boat and gaze into each other's eyes."
"That little green monster on your shoulder is not cute," I joked, looking back at him. He stuck his tongue out before pushing the glasses up on his face.
Wyatt pulled into the beach and snickered at the absolute scene in front of us. "Uh oh," he commented as he put the truck in park.
I followed his gaze and gasped. "Good lord," I said, unbuckling my seat belt.
I don't know where to start. Maybe with the giant HADLEY balloon arch or maybe the mass amount of twinkly lights and lanterns. There was music blaring and an impressive fire blazing. People were starting to flood to the beach, including my parents and Wyatt's parents and Nate's mom, who was holding a cake tray.
"Did you guys do this?" I asked. I already knew the answer; I loved my boys, but this was way too intricate for them to pull off.
The boys shook their heads. "When we were leaving, Bebe had just shown up. Maybe she knows," Nate said.
"I'm gonna bet money that she did all this," Wyatt smirked. He jumped out of the pickup and jogged to the other side to open my door. Usually, I don't really buy into the whole open-my-door, pull-out-my-chair practice, but, in the spirit of not needing to be in control of everything, I welcomed Wyatt's charming behavior.
The three of us walked down to the beach, taking it all in. Bianca came running with an elated look on her face and a plastic princess crown in hand. "Happy happy, Hadley bug!" she exclaimed as she donned the fuzzy, pink crown on my head. She pulled me into a tight hug. "I saw these helium balloons and I just had to! It's your special day!"
"It looks amazing, Bebe, thank you," I hugged her back. Sometimes I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have these people around me. My aunt loved me and my siblings like we were her own kids.
Speaking of her kids, there was one particular Call twin that I hadn't had a chance to make things right with. I noticed Cass standing tentatively a few feet away from me and Aunt Bianca. She was wringing her hands anxiously. Bebe held me at arm's length and smiled wide at me, "All of this is to show you how much we love you. Have the time of your life tonight, honey," she told me. "And I convinced your mom and dad to look the other way if you want to have a drink tonight. Just be responsible."
"You got it," I laughed.
She stepped away from me and walked back to the crowd. She called over her shoulder, "Have fun, boys!"
Cassie looked up at me through her eyelashes. "Happy birthday?" It came out like a question.
"Thank you, Cass," I said, giving her a small smile. I held out my arms and watched as she sighed in relief before rushing to hug me. I could smell the salt from her tears right as her body collided with mine. She just kept saying over and over again that she was sorry and how much she missed me. "I missed you too, Cass."
"When I heard what happened last night, I wanted to come over and hug you, but Mom said you needed time," she said as she squeezed me tighter. She kept talking, that thing she does when she's nervous.
"Cassie," I tried to get her attention. I rubbed her back to calm her down. "Reese helped me so much last night. I know we've been combative with each other, but she really looked out for me yesterday. You were right."
"Please don't get sappy on my account," I heard behind me. Over my shoulder, Travis and Reese were walking down the beach. Reese and I locked eyes and gave each other a silent acknowledgement that it happened and that we understand where we stood now with each other. Allies. I would say friends, but that would take more time. "No more tears, Cassidy," she said lightly as she touched Cass's shoulder. "Let's go get a drink."
I couldn't help but notice the loving look that passed between Cassie and Reese. People are so layered and it didn't take a genius to understand that Cassie probably knew the deepest layers of Reese like Travis did.
So we celebrated like the world would end tomorrow. We danced and talked. People were coming up to me all night, giving me presents and hugs. It was perfect.
I did have one drink and, as Bebe promised, Mom and Dad looked the other way, but their smirking faces let me know they knew what was going on. Sometime before the crowd started to die down, Bianca handed everyone sparklers and we watched the kids play with them, waving them around like wands.
Right when Grandpa gathered everyone to tell a new iteration of the legend, a couple of the adults rounded up the kids to tuck them into bed. I was standing by the dessert table when Wyatt and August walked up. "Hadley, can I pleeeease have a s'mores cookie?" August asked.
"Of course, Aug," I smiled. "Only because you're my favorite."
He grabbed one off the cookie platter that was marked 'For Hadley only.' "It's because I'm cuter than Wyatt, isn't it?"
I blushed as I felt Wyatt's eyes on me, watching in amusement. "Definitely," I answered. August kissed my cheek before running off to talk to my brother.
Wyatt shook his head as he stepped closer to me. "That's not true, right?" he wondered.
"Oh no, he's absolutely the cutest of the Cameron boys," I remarked, lifting my face to meet his lips.
Wyatt kissed me quickly before saying, "I think we can slip out of here soon, if you're ready."
"Just about," I said, picking up a napkin and placing two cookies on it. "I'll meet you at the car."
He nodded and walked off, keys in hand. I found Travis in the crowd, listening intently to Billy as he told the story of the Third Wife. The real one, not the kid friendly one. Reese and Cass were on one side of him and I sat on the other side. I nudged him as I offered him a cookie. "Happy birthday, Trav," I said.
"Oh, thanks," he grinned. "You didn't need to do that."
"Well, don't thank me; thank Kim. She makes the most delicious s'mores cookies I've ever had," I said. "Thanks for coming out."
He nodded as he looked around the beach, "Everyone's so happy around here. It kind of reminds me of home."
"All the more reason to think about staying," I said, squeezing his shoulder. I stood up from the log. "I'll call you tomorrow."
When I got to Dad's old truck, Wyatt was waiting with the passenger door open and a loving smile.
XXXXXXXXX
Wyatt held my hips to help me onto the boat from the dock. There was a slight chill in the air, but I didn't even notice when his hands were on me.
I still couldn't believe that Grandma Sue let us use their new cruiser for the night. She and Charlie Swan had been dating to years and were thinking about downsizing, now that they're older. They'd agreed a long time ago that they had both done the marriage thing and didn't really see why they'd want to do it again.
We walked inside the cabin and it was like being in one of those tiny houses you see on tv. There was a little kitchen, a dining table, and a bed on the lowest level. Wyatt started up the engine and he handled the boat like a pro. While he drove the boat, I took in everything. Especially the way the sleeves on his T shirt hugged his biceps as he drove.
There was something cathartic about being on the water. When Wyatt lowered the anchor, we went to the deck and looked up at the night sky. "Wow," I breathed. "You can see all the stars out here."
"It's incredible," he said as he came up behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and just held me quietly. Then he gasped, "Wait, do you hear that?"
I furrowed my brow as I strained my ears. I turned in his arms. "Hear what?"
"Listen close," he said, cupping his ear.
"I don't hear anything, Wyatt," I giggled, grabbing his hands.
A wide grin spread across his face, "Exactly," he said as he twirled me around. "We're alone."
I bit my lip as I gazed up at him. "That's right, we are."
"Dance with me," he requested.
"Is there music?" I asked.
"Does there have to be?"
He spun me around again before holding me close to his chest. We swayed back and forth, the boat on the water almost dancing with us. I laid my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. It was on the same rhythm as mine. What would I do without this person? I never wanted to know.
"You know you used to scare the hell out of me when we were kids," he said casually.
"What?" I looked up at him. "Why?"
"Because you were so damn cool," he explained. "You could jump off the highest cliffs and outrun all of us. You were always so bold; you went after it no matter how scary it was. All me, Nate, and Cam could do was try to keep up."
"And what about now?"
"Now is different," he shrugged. "You still keep me on my toes, but these days I can keep up with you. I can read you better. I don't have to run to catch up." He paused. "And I can tell now more than ever that you want me to."
"I've been waiting for years for you guys to phase so we can all be on the same wavelength," I said as we kept dancing. "And now that you have, I'm excited to really be pack with you guys."
He dipped me, making me smile. "Well, I'm hoping to be a little bit more than pack with you, Ace."
"Is that right?" I could feel the tension building quickly.
He stopped us from swaying to look me deep in the eyes. "Hadley," he said sternly. "I'm about to put it all out there on the table. Risking being crushed and changing our relationship forever. But I need you to promise that you'll be honest with me about how you feel, if I am. Can you do that for me?"
I nodded quietly. My heart was pounding in my chest. There was no amount of breathing that would slow it down.
He blew out a breath before saying, "I'm in love with you, Ace. Yesterday was a damn roller coaster; I was feeling ready and hopeful that we would finally get to talk…and then when everything went down, I was just terrified that I was about to lose you before I could actually be with you. And now that we're here, I just can't let another day pass without you knowing how crazy I am about you."
It was like the world stopped right then. I didn't know how much I needed to hear him say those words until right that moment.
"Now, uh, now would be a good moment for you to say something," he chuckled nervously.
I knew exactly what to say. But first, I took his face in both of my hands and kissed him deeply. I wanted to pour into him every single thing that I was feeling. I wanted to relieve any part of him that felt insecure.
His body relaxed under my touch, kissing me back slowly and purposefully. When we broke away, I touched my forehead to his. "I've been in love with you since I was 5 years old," I admitted. "How could I not be? There's always been this cute, dimpled boy across the street from me my whole life who always makes me smile and picks me up when I fall. The energy you've always exuded…it's addicting. I can't imagine my life without you and I don't want to.
"The past couple of weeks without you have been hell. My priorities were messed up and the last thing I ever wanted to do was make you feel like you weren't important to me. Because you've always been the most important to me," I was starting to choke up. The tears were stinging my eyes. "I've wanted to tell you that I love you for so long, Wyatt."
"Then why didn't you?" he asked as he cupped my cheek.
"Because you've heard the imprint stories as much as I have. Ephraim imprinted and broke Kaya's heart. Sam did the same to my mom. The possibility has always been there and I didn't want either of us to hurt."
"I don't care about the stories, Hadley. I care about you. We've seen love ten times more than we've seen heartbreak." He had a great point. "I want you. And I know you want me too. So are we going to fight for us or are we going to keep being scared?"
We stared each other down until I physically couldn't take it anymore and I kissed him again. Harder this time. I leaned fully into his body, feeling his warmth. Wyatt's hands gripped my waist as his tongue explored my mouth. Running my fingers through the short hairs at the nape of his neck, I realized I was silently begging for him to be closer.
Then he hooked his arms through my knees and lifted me until I wrapped my legs around his waist. I don't remember how he got us downstairs to the bed in the cabin, but all of a sudden my back hit the bed and I was insatiable.
Wyatt climbed on top of me and captured my lips again. His weight on top of me was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. His hands were everywhere; in my hair, hiking my leg up higher on his waist, tugging at the hem of my shirt. He left my mouth to kiss down my neck. My back arched as I let out a soft moan. "Tell me," he whispered, his lips brushing against my skin.
"I love you," I breathed. He lifted up to look at me. "I love you, Wyatt Cameron," I repeated stronger. I bit the bullet and took off his shirt.
I never wanted him to stop touching me. With every stroke of his skin on mine, it felt electric. Wyatt pulled my tank top over my head and tossed it aside. I grabbed his face and kissed him again, pushing my breasts into his chest. His hand snaked around my back to hold me closer. Then he took a deep breath and cursed under his breath. He could smell me; he could smell how much I wanted him.
He took my hands away from his face and entwined them with his above my head. His lips worked down again, face first into my full chest. My eyes rolled back as I let myself feel him. I wanted him to touch all of me; what I really wanted was for him to feel how much I wanted him. I rubbed my legs together to relieve some of the pressure building.
Then, when he kissed me again, I noticed something strange. This image was fading from black in my head. It was of me and Wyatt when we were like 10 years old. It was a little blurry and moving in slow motion, but I didn't even give it time to become crystal clear.
I broke my right hand away from his left and the image obliterated completely. That's tomorrow's problem. In this moment, with this man, everything was perfect. We let ourselves get lost in each other.
And, for the record…no, we didn't have sex that night. But, I wish we had. It would have been more perfect than perfect.