pte

dn

ian'

. Tomorrow would be Lyra's twentieth birth

fe for as long as I could remember. She was

kids. After that, everyone in the pack had whispered that she was de

securely in my hands. It was the present I had chosen for h

r bedroom door, I

tant she saw me. I smiled, taking in the way her blonde hair fr

blush creeping to her che

've got a sur

me to enter. I walked into her ro

ot my birthday yet," she said,

..but who says I can't give my gi

pened. "Okay.

he box o

"Really? It looks

open it?" I sai

to the bed, her fingers working del

with each tug at the ribbon, the way her eyes lit

l the mate bond with her. We would be mates, offici

d his mate would become Alpha. If none of u

omorrow, Lyra would b

she breathed, pu

rom the box, it was a silver gown that shi

eautiful," she said,

rched for weeks to find the most exquis

or you," I

ul motion, the silver dress still in he

he warmth of her mouth and th

" she murmu

tilting her face up to mine. "Anythi

g the dress to her chest li

ing commotion from downstai

ck, okay?"

d, though her brow fur

ing the voices through the corri

r than the rest of us to become Alpha?" Lucian

thing bored him. "Stop being so bitter every time

ard, his jaw tight.

em. "What is this commotion? It's almost midnig

hardening. "Please, go back to you

yelling," I

o Dorian. "What

e couch, his hands resti

d then I just casually said, 'When I become Alpha, I'm going to get ri

s jaw t

nowhere, Lucian gets upset just be

say 'when he becomes Alpha'? Like it's alread

all hope to become Alpha, don't we? Doesn't mean we'd

You should do the same." I

re could hav

robably feel the mate bond, and you'll get to have her as your mate. T

back, but my eyes flicked to th

ile tugged at my lips. It w

ground noise. I didn't care about Dorian

I turned away from the

fter me, but I didn't stop

act moment she turned twenty. When the

birthday, and the perfect confirmatio

stepped inside. She was already in her nightwear, her hair fell over

smiling softly. "Hap

that familiar, warm

My smile faltered, and my brows drew t

, concern clouding her

day," I said slowly. "I

s trying to process my words. "I can't f

it in her eyes, but before it could take ro

midnight, don't worry. During

.. I hope