6

Brian

"Happy birthday to you." Sang Ian and Kyle softly, it was no secret that I found my birthday dreadful. Ahh, the dreaded day has finally fallen upon us. I rolled over to my side finding it empty with Greg nowhere to be found.

"Morning baby." greeted Kyle, he always acted more motherly than usual on my birthday. I appreciated it though, sometimes it was just what I needed.

"Morning." I replied, yawning sleepily as I blinked lazily. "Where's Greg?" I asked sleepily, sitting up. I lazily stretched my muscles, soft groans escaping my mouth.

"He went to make you breakfast, I think." Kyle replied, a soft smile sat on his face.

"Are you excited to finally find your mate?" Asked Ian as he sat on the edge of my bed. I am going to completely ignore that.

I let my heavy eyes flutter shut as I frowned and shook my head. "Not really, what if they don't like Greg and I's relationship?" I asked, letting my head hang back slightly. Kyle came and sat next to me and started rubbing circles on my back.

"They will honey, don't worry." I smiled and hugged him. Kyle was good at comforting people. I guess it came with having a mate that had a teenage child.

My mate had accept to Greg and I. We were a packaged deal. One buy get one free, that type of thing.

"Now go bath and get ready for your day." They said before making their way out of my room. I sighed a bit, lingering on my bed for a few more minutes before I slowly got out of bed.

I went to run myself a bath before returning back to my room where I flopped on the bed.

At times like these I really missed my mom. I know she loved me because the memory of love radiating from her is still pretty fresh. Although, I never met her I knew that she would have died for me.

Nostalgia hit me with full force. Nostalgia was the enemy of the present. Keeping people trapped in the past. There existed familiar in the past. There existed security and safety that the present lacked. My nostalgia was of a place I know but didn't know. It was of longing for what I didn't know.

Greg barged into the room, I guessed he sensed the change in my mood. Lonewolves could sense their certain person's mood vice versa.

Their mood sensory is not as defined as the mood sensory between mates. it was acted more like an intuition as opposed to feeling what your mate was feeling.

He came up to me and gingerly sat next to me. "Do you want to sleep for a bit longer?" He questioned in a gentle tone earning a nod from me.

"Okay, rest for a bit and I'll wake you up for lunch." He said, earning another nod from me. "Oh and I'll close the tap." He said before making his way to the bathroom.

I buried my head under the blankets and fell into a peaceful and dreamless slumber.

I woke up from my nap, feeling a bit better. It was late in the day, the sun having long set. I guess Gregory didn't wake me for up lunch. I rubbed sleep from my eyes as I grudgingly made my way to the bathroom.

I took a long bath, sighing in content as the hot water relaxed my tense muscles. As I grew older I spent more and more birthdays sleeping and going about my day as though it was any other day.

After my bath I went back too my room and put on my gray sweatpants and Greg's Vans. I didn't bother drying nor fixing my hair, it was a pain to deal. Black people's hair always was. With a sigh, I went downstairs to grab an ice cream tub. Stressing eating was always the best way to deal with life's problems. Ten outta ten would reccomend.

Why be sad when you can just eat your woes away? If you're worried about weight gain, it's okay. The worry will distract you from the sadness. Any weight you gain is yours. Own it, is what I say.

"Surprise!" Came a chorus of wolves. Okay, this is new. I have never had a surprise party or even a party at that.

It's quite surprising since I'm Ian's son and all. Ian was overprotective, cautious as he would put it. He was reluctant to throw any parties let alone birthday parties, it's for your own sake, it's to keep you safe he would say.

"What the heck, guys? Do you want me to die on my birthday?" I asked, my hand over my chest, as my heart was pounding so hard I thought it might fall out (boy). "Thank you so much!" I exclaimed, hugging every werewolf that was close to me.

"Happy birthday." Eugene jogged up to me. He shook his head and looked at me from my head to my toes, his eyebrow cocked in question. "What?" I asked, looking at what I was wearing and finding nothing wrong with it. I guess I broke the stereotype that homosexuals had great fashion sense.

Are you seriously going to your own party wearing that?" Asked Eugene, dragging me to my room.

He pulled out a black long sleeved button down, black ripped cabris and well, Greg's Vans. "That's better wear that and come to your party."

I did as I was told and went downstairs. The party was lively, each werewolf looking as though they were having fun. I smiled fondly, lingering by the bottom of the stairs as I set my gaze on the party scene.

"I can't believe you're turning eighteen." said Greg in a voice hinting sadness as he came to stand next to me. He had his gaze set on the party scene while I had my gaze set on him.

He looked attractive, as his features softened with his serene stare. My breath in my throat, my heart clenched in longing.

"Don't worry, Greggy. I will never leave you." I whispered, biting my lip in thought. Everyone has gone through that, right? At some point in time everyone has longed for their bestfriend. I was Greg's certain person but sometimes that wasn't enough.

I shook my head, clearing it off of the thoughts. I shouldn't be longing for my bestfriend. I will have a mate. A mate who was not him. Greg couldn't be my mate no matter how hard I wished. He was a Lonewolf and I was to be mated with another person.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about whatever you're thinking about."

He intertwined our fingers. Wordless thoughts were exchanged between us as we gazed at each with matching soft smiles.

The longing feeling came back, feeling denser than before. Today was just a day full of longing for what I didn't know but was familiar with. "Come, on. It's a party. Let's at least try to enjoy ourselves." Greg said, leading to the punch bowl.

After getting some drinks, we made our way to the kitchen. It was empty, with more werewolves in the lounge area or by the pool.

We ate pizza, challenging each other through numerous drinking games. I maybe underage in my defense, it's my birthday. It was fun, spending time with Greg like this. I was grateful for the party, trust me I was but having Greg all to myself such as this was better.

It wasn't long until we were too drunk to see and walk straight. "Thank you all so much!" I slurred as Greg and I staggered to his room with breathless giggles escaping our lips. "Shh. If Ian finds out that I let you drink he'll kill me." Greg whispered as we flopped on his bed. I sighed in content before letting myself fall into a peaceful slumber.

-

I woke up in a forest.

"Hello?" I yelled out, looking around for any sign of life. The forest was bare with dead trees and fog making up most of the scene

Terror who was Greg's wolf, walked towards me from behind a tall tree. That was odd, I didn't know that Terror could speak to me without using Greg as a medium.

"Terror?" I questioned in confusion.

"Brian, trust not who says he is your mate." He said, confusing me more. "What? Terror, why am I to not trust my mate?" I asked, my face contorting in confused.

"Heed my warning." He said as he retracted away from me. He turned, looking over his shoulder. "Beware."

The forest faded as I jolted awake, soaked in sweat. I panted, filling bile come up my throat. I ran to the bathroom where I puked my guts out.

"Hey, are you okay?" Greg asked sleepily, concerning eating at his tone as he came next to me and began rubbing circles on my back.

I blinked a few times before I collapsed against him, getting swallowed in the black abyss.