Josie and Lizzie's Room

Josie's Diary Entry

A birthday was a day unlike any other. It was a day that one was supposed to wake up feeling like all was well in the world and people around them had to treat them extra special. Today was my sixteenth birthday, and I woke up with nothing but pure dread.

I didn't know which Lizzie I would get today after Penelope's stunt and my first decision as a member of the newly formed Honor Council, but I was sure that the Old Mill was a mess and I wouldn't get any Rafael Waithe.

Power came at a price, and that price was the worst birthday of my life. I could feel it. I had to get out of bed without waking Lizzie, get to and from the showers without crossing paths with Rafael and hope that Lizzie would still be asleep when I came back and went for breakfast just so I could have a temporarily slightly better birthday morning start.

Speaking of morning starts, a knock at the door gained my attention and I quickly got off my bed and went to answer it before whoever was on the other side woke Lizzie.

" Happy birthday to you (x2) / Happy birthday!" I was greeted by a boy and a girl I was pretty sure were werewolves and part of Rafael's Pack, singing an unusually upbeat and uniquely different happy birthday song from the traditional one with a different feel to it, a brighter feel, both wearing their full school uniform.

For a Moment, I let myself entertain the thought that it was dedicated to me, but Rafael's voice echoed in my heard, reminding me that he said that he was done with me and Hope.

I knew that whatever he meant by that, didn't including this wonderful surprise and dedication, so I moved to silence the two werewolves with beautiful voices, only to be shocked into inaction by what followed.

" Happy Birthday, Princess Josette (x2) / Happy birthday!" They sang, and when they ended the song, they moved away from the door to make way for Jed, to my mounting confusion.

"Hey, um, could we come in?" Jed requested, and I dumbly stepped aside and in he came, followed by two more werewolves carrying two silver trays with lids hiding their contents right behind him before they stood at his five and seven. "Could you please wake up Princess Elizabeth and then return to your bed, I'll explain everything."

I looked at Lizzie's sleeping form, wondering what was going on with the princess titles and full name use. When my sister was sleeping, one could be fooled into thinking that she was a blonde haired angel, but I knew better, she was a sleeping dragon I wasn't willing to wake up.

"Hi-his -". Jed began, regaining my attention and I noticed that he looked uncomfortable and reluctant to be here and he seemed to struggle to say something. "His Alpha Highness said not to leave the room until you're both awake and have received his presents. Help me out here, Josie. (A clearing of throat from one of the other werewolves made Jed tense and amend.) I mean, Princess Josette."

His Alpha Highness? That really made me wonder if Rafael was really the one behind whatever this was, he wasn't that egotistical. Before I voted to have Landon sent away. The thought guilt tripped me into approaching Lizzie's bed and reluctantly waking her.

"Raf," Lizzie said groggily, and I froze for a Moment.

"Uh, it's not Raf, Lizzie," I corrected, my throat a little dry. "But he sent presents? And they are waiting for you."

That worked like magic and woke her up enough for her to sit us while rubbing away any sleep that lingered.

"Where?" She asked, looking around until the presence of the werewolves caught her attention while I returned to my bed, hoping for the best. Best what, I wasn't sure. "What the hell are you doing in my room?"

Lizzie's demand for answers was met with the unique birthday song singers making their presence known with the unique birthday song but addressed to 'Princess' Elizabeth and she lit up like a Christmas tree with a star on top.

"His Alpha Highness wishes you both a happy birthday and a wonderful morning," Jed informed us and motioned for the werewolves with the trays to do their part.

Do their part, they did. One approached me while the other went to Lizzie, and they wordlessly asked for permission to place the traces on our blanket covered laps and Lizzie literally giddy to grant the permission, I was hesitant.

Rafael was mad at me, and he was 'done' with me. So, why would he send a pleasant present my way? Although his plan to get the Honor Council to vote for Landon to stay failed, it proved that he was a strategist and that he could use both diplomatic means and force, violence, if need be, to get what he wanted.

I didn't know if I could trust him to not get back at me on my birthday. If anything else, it was probably the perfect opportunity to get his revenge, so I stared at the covered tray, wondering what was in it, until Lizzie squealed with delight, gaining my attention.

The smell of freshly made pancakes reached my nose before I caught sight of them, fluffy scrambled eggs and a glass of orange juice along with a small bowl of cut mixed fruits and what looked like an envelope. I couldn't help by swallow and my stomach embarrassed me by making loud and clear that my appetite was very much alive.

"No! Don't!" I exclaimed when the tray on my lap warned me that my werewolf server was about to open it, gaining myself everyone's attention, but mine went to the wonderful pancake smell that escaped from my tray when the lid was Momentarily opened.

"What is it, Josie?" Lizzie inquired, a little annoyed, a fork holding a slice of orange halfway to her mouth.

"Um, nothing," I replied, took a deep breath, which filled my senses with the mouthwatering pancake smell, and exhaled slowly before nodding for my werewolf server, who I just noticed was wearing white gloves, to take off the lid and he did just that to reveal everything on Lizzie's tray but with a tiny white flag planted in the middle of my upper pancake.

The white flag eased my anxiety and I gingerly grabbed the orange juice and took a sip to hydrate my dry throat, my eye on the envelope addressed to me: 'Princess Josette Saltzman'.

"Now that you have both touched your royal breakfast," Jed said, gaining my attention along with Lizzie's. "I've been instructed to inform you, Li-Princess Elizabeth, that your deal with His Alpha Highness (jaw clench) Rafael Waithe has been deemed void due to unforeseen circumstances."

I lowered my eyes at that, but I couldn't help the relief I felt.

"What are those circumstances?" Lizzie questioned, although I noticed a strangely relieved undertone to her voice.

"I'm just a messenger," Jed answered, a little embarrassed. "And they (he pointed at his fellow werewolves) are just servants, so they don't have the answers either."

"Landon left last night," Jen, one of the singers, proved Jed wrong and I avoided looking at everyone.

"They left last night?" Lizzie asked, and almost spilled her breakfast when she shifted her weight.

I noted the 'they' not 'he'.

"No," Ken, the other singer, answered as another 'servant' who proved Jed wrong. "Landon left without His Alpha Highness, who is still here."

That was a relief for Lizzie, and me too, but before she could say anything, there was a knock on the door before it was opened and in came Dad - who paused by the door - bewildered.

"What's going on here?" He asked, looking around.

"Good morning, King Saltzman," Jen responded with a curtsy, taking the lead, and Ken followed with a head bow. They seemed committed to their act. "On behalf of His Alpha Highness Rafael Waithe of the Pack, we have come to wish their Highnesses a happy birthday, and now we leave them in your Majesty's capable hands."

"Have a good morning, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Josette," Ken said with another head bow.

"Good morning, Dr Saltzman," Jed greeted and then led the others out of the room, leaving my Dad confused.

"What just happened?" He asked, closing the door behind them.

"His Alpha Highness Rafael sent an entourage to wake me with a one of a kind happy birthday song and to serve me, I mean us, breakfast in bed," Lizzie replied, and surprised me by correcting herself and including me, before she cut a piece of the pancake with a fork and knife and added a little bit of the egg before taking a bite. "Whoa! Josie you have to taste this!"

Dad seemed even more confused.