i

spilling across the wooden floor. She rolled over, slinging an arm acr

sighed as she pulled herself upright. The other wolves all longed for this day – but not Lily. A scow

Before, she'd had no qualms about celebrating her birthday. But that had been when her mother was there to celebrate it with her. This birthda

w, and a photo frame that had lain facedown for three years. She didn't have the heart to put it away, but seeing her mother's blue eyes – like the sun-warmed ocean – an

ut what else this particular

fell on a Saturday this year or not: she wouldn't have to go to the pack school, which was a relief, but it meant that she'd have to spend the day with her

. And, despite their differences, they were all t

at her bedroom door. Lily groane

mbled, just loud en

can I c

dark blonde hair behind her ears, trying to brush through the tangles with her fingers before he could get a good look at her.

ced a tray between his hands, upon which was a small cake topped with what Lily

ort he'd put into her birthday breakfast – the cake looked freshly baked,

ttle. "Not our most adventurous year yet, but – I thought traditional

r. For the last few years, there had been someone missing. Lily stared down at her duvet, the bed suddenly feeling emptier

nt to blow out the c

to her parted lips, and she blew as hard as she could.

ter. She hadn

remain so long as neither of them spoke their minds. Lily knew that her dad missed the way she had been before, bright and bold, often snarky and curious but ne

mile. Today was hard for them both, and she didn't want to make it a

remember a time when such things had truly excited her, and s

ent. She turned it around in her hands, and held it up to her ear and shook it. He

ing it a delicate sni

better just o

ever been great at gift-giving; it had always been her mother who had taken charge of birthdays and celebrations. To reveal

d stared wide-eyed at the small gift. In her palm sat a small, golden ring, which curved up into a point to fit a tiny, round red crysta

. She recognised this ring, and had

shuffling closer to her on the bed. "I thought it would mean

her tears. She smiled at her dad through

, for a moment, their truce seemed unnecessary. "She would

er mother proud, in all the ways that counted. Like the burning stone adorning her index finger, she would allow her

gardens bordering the pack house. It wasn't somewhere she went often – there were too many prying eyes, too many wolves trying to encourage

oing for a walk. He didn't ask why or where; he simply smiled, with those odd

anyone. She knew the stone was a garnet from when it had been her mother's. A

vegetable garden. She kept her gaze down, wary of the Omegas tending to the crops. Though she ranked above them, some of them t

dmit to anyone ho

azy mornings spent sleeping in. Lily couldn't shake the nightmares away long enough for her to enjoy the feel of her bedding wrapped around her.

yanking her down towards the uppermost corner of the training fields, and then abruptly

s exterior. Stone gargoyles sneered down at her, though someone with a sense of humour – likely Nearyn, the Mother Luna – had to

she ducked under a wide bough of sunflowers, following a curling pathway towards the centre o

cing it in their wicker baskets. Some – like Rose, Nearyn, and Lily's mot

pinks and whites and pale oranges, speckling the barren branches with colour. L

of a smile lit his lips, and the tilt of his head enhanced the already hard line of his jaw. Lil

ed, his throat bobbing with something that Lily thought might be excitement. She didn't dar

feel beyond it as it swelled, a crashing wa

He ran a hand through his hair, pushing the honey-brown tresses back. It slip

ng the fist that sat atop

ht, and framed with thick, dark lashes. He was summer incarnate, brimming with the vivacious life of natu

," he said, his voice suddenly roug

– the hand adorned with her mother's ring – atop her che

at her, the colour slowl

ve, terrified to stay. "It feels... nice," she murmu

d again, and bit down

– feel him through the tug, the... bond, and she could feel the shudde

voice broke, her heart with

her hand clutching at the empty

with nothing more than the disdain one might show an irksome gnat. He swallowed – the only trace

t you as