Happy Birthday, Azalea

AZALEA

Only ten minutes. I have ten minutes until the clock strikes twelve, and I will officially be an adult. In ten fucking minutes, maybe I'll be able to meet my wolf and sense my mate as well.

Azalea is my name, and I am a late bloomer. The fact that I am nineteen and have yet to feel the primal beast within me is telling.

I've been called wolfless my entire life, tortured and humiliated for my inability to shift, and it's getting more miserable by the day. The mockery and hostility that reaches my ears every time I am forced to go out in public, or even when I enter a crowded room for the first time, is worse than anything else I have ever experienced. They label me as weak, pitiful, useless, and unlovable. Some believe I'm cursed. Some claim I won't live long enough to find a mate since I don't have a soul - whatever that implies, I have no idea. Others have even called me an abomination.

In truth, I sometimes revel in their insulting words because I'm not sure who I am anymore. But I do know who I am.

I'm a hybrid, and that’s my well-kept secret. Only I know that I'm both a wolf and a witch. How? Why? Well, despite being an orphan, I've always been drawn to magic since I was a little child — and able to distinguish between right and wrong as if it were my destiny. Magic was something to divert me away from my sad life. Something to ensure that I was meant for greatness. Something to keep me safe. My haven.

It made me want to be strong. To be confident. But sometimes, I just want to shout, cry, and flee from everything—from the pack and this dreadful castle where I slave away every day.

I don’t belong here. I never have, but the crazy part is that I can't leave. Gosh!

I hate myself. And I hate this life.

'No, No, Azalea. We promised to stay positive today.' As usual, the voice in my head repeats itself. 'Take a long, deep breath. Come on, cheer up. It's your birthday today. Nothing should ruin it.'

I look blankly at the wall before me, trying to listen to this voice of reason. But it's quite difficult. So freaking difficult to listen when all I want to do is curl into a ball and cry so damn hard.

The chime of the antique clock by my bedside ticking away brings me back to reality, and I tally the minutes left. Four minutes. Cool. I take a long breath in. Maybe I can make it through the night in peace and with joy in my heart.

I take the candles I borrowed from the servant's kitchen and lay them on top of the little impromptu cake I made earlier today. I'm unsure if it'll taste good, given that I just had thirty minutes to bake it and limited access to ingredients, but I don't care. Whatever the case may be, a cake is still a cake.

I'm still staring at the cake, figuring out where to put the candles. Left, right, or center? I ultimately decided to place them in the center and leave one candle unlit while the other half is lit. I'm about to start my customary birthday chant when my door is smashed open, startling me. I spin around. And then I freeze.

Landon. The Alpha King’s son stands before me. And by his side is Riley, the evil wench. She’s his mistress and infamous pack bully.

With long brown hair cut to both sides and sparkling blue eyes that highlight her flawless features, her beauty rivals most women in the pack, including the Queen mother herself.

Her appearance is delicate, even innocent, but I know the terrible facade concealed beneath it. Riley, you see, is nothing more than a gorgeous face. Her inner soul is nasty and damaged.

I clench my teeth. Riley was never someone I liked, and the feeling was mutual. The way her face scrunches up in unmistakable disdain the moment our gazes lock is evidence of this.

I despise her, but I must swallow my disdain and obey her because she is the adorable daughter of the pack’s beloved Beta — the golden egg and valuable cargo of one of the kingdom's most prominent men.

A clout-chasing brat, Riley lived in the glory of her father's reputation, commanding as much authority and respect as she desired — which she, of course, abused and twisted the privileges to her own will. She exploited her position to coerce everyone into doing whatever she wanted, and even the slightest disobedience would earn her victims days of misery. Either she takes you to the pack's dungeon and starve you for days. Or she'd have her guards whip your back until your skin peeled off.

I was no stranger to her evil antics. Still, whenever she passed judgment on one of her wretched victims, and I was nearby, I'd whisper some spells - which I'd learned from years of sneaking into the Castle's massive library and studying ancient grimoires - in the hope of alleviating the victim's misery later on. Sometimes the spells didn't work, but other times they did. And for a little while, I felt powerful, even if for a few seconds.

"Wow, look what we have here." Landon says as he approaches me with caution. Riley does the same.

I bite my lower lip and keep my words to myself.

Landon scoffs again, and this time, instead of saying anything, he stares at me coldly, his beautiful gunmetal eyes pinning my entire body. His gorgeous pink lips curve upward in a mocking sneer, and he runs his tongue over his mouth gently.

My goodness, but he is handsome. With jet black hair slightly spiked in every direction, heavy brows, piercing amber eyes, and a lean figure dressed in a fitting dark shirt, Landon is a vision of temptation. Sin incarnate itself.

I swallow hard, and my cheeks flush scarlet as I gently remind myself that this man before me was once my fairytale knight in shining armor.

He was my best buddy and was always there for me a long time ago. We would play together, and he would usually come to my defense when I was being bullied. When I was depressed, he'd wipe my tears and say the kindest things to cheer me up. On days like these - my birthday eve — he'd bring me gifts, and we'd eat cake and have a good time.

So, what happened to that Landon I once knew? The same Landon that made my childhood a whole lot better? What the hell happened to him? This I had no idea or clue.

But I knew everything changed when we both became teenagers and much more so when Riley entered his life. In an instant, he shifted like a compass. Changing for the worst. But that's another story. One, I need to put on hold for the next hour because tonight marks the start of my future, and I don't think I'm ready for it.

When Landon talks again, my fingers twitch, and my nails dig into my palms. I manage to maintain a blank expression.

"Well, well, well." He raises an eyebrow at the small cake on my bed. "Our dearest Azalea is throwing a sweet birthday party, but I wasn't invited. We were not invited. Nobody was. Isn't that tragic?" He finishes with a fake pout.

I hiss. Riley laughs.

I watch as she takes timid steps towards me, approaching my cake and staring at the pastry with mischief in her eyes.

No! No! I grumble to myself, knowing exactly what will happen next. However, it is too late.

Riley quickly pushes her fingers into the cake, smudging the chocolate icing. She pretends to gag by putting her finger in her mouth. "Ew. I can't believe you spent all the time today creating this garbage."

Landon laughs. "What did you expect from the little skank?"

Skank? I'm not a skank! I want to shout, but I don't know how. This isn't the first time Landon has called me this, but for some unknown reason, tonight, his statements hit me harder.

"Oh, poor dear." Riley saunters away from my side of the bed, where she'd been standing, mocking me. On reaching Landon, she kisses him on the lips. It’s supposed to be a peck. But it escalates, and the next thing I know, they moan into each other's mouths. Landon grips her hair with his right hand while squeezing her ass with his left.

My stomach churns, and I avert my gaze. From the small window in my room, I can see the brilliant full moon hanging high in the sky as I do this. It's nearly time.

"Thank goodness." I mutter inaudibly before taking a deep breath and letting a smile bloom across my lips. Ignoring the lovebirds once more. I arrange the strewn cake, pull a lighter from my pocket, and prepare to light the candles when—

"Wait a minute, birthday girl. Not so quickly. At the very least, you don't get to ignite the cake. Not yet." Landon steals the cake from the bed, much to my chagrin. "Hey. Return that."

He looks me down before swinging the cake theatrically. "You want this, little skank?"

"Please." This time, I beg, my feet trembling as I move to meet him. My hands follow his, and I try unsuccessfully to get the cake back. He's far too tall for my 5'5 frame and easily towers over me.

"Should I return it? Are you certain?" He mocks. "I don't think so."

Tears well up in my eyes, and I struggle to keep them from dropping. I will not crumble before these miserable people out for my downfall. Besides, today is my special day, so I won't give them that satisfaction.

"Just return it, Landon." I implore you." I beg once more.

"Okay." He shrugs, but nothing prepares me for what comes next.

When the frosting and cake crumbs smear my face, I stifle a gasp. What the fuck?!

The unshed tears at the back of my eyes roll down my cheeks this time, and Riley and Landon's jubilant laughing makes my chest boil. In rage!

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" As my fury mounts and I miserably try to free my face of the sticky, sugary ingredients, I swear.

I tighten my hand, and for a brief time, I consider casting a spell to punish the idiots before me. They should get a taste of their own medicine. My ragged breathing gets worse.

"Why?" I continue with just one word, looking straight at Landon. "Why are you treating me this way? What have I ever done to deserve this?" My lips tremble as I speak, but I don't stop.

Riley makes snarky remarks about my current circumstances, and she compliments Landon on his 'wonderful' sense of humor.

By the moon goddess, I want to strangle the life out of her terrible body. I wish even to sever her tongue so she won’t be able to talk again.

Landon gets closer to me, and his intimidating aura causes me to back away till my back is against the wall. His eyes are emotionless as he swipes some icing off my face with his finger. He has a taste of it. "Awful, ugh. Exactly like the person who created it."

"But…but… we used to be friends." I stutter, trying to hold onto whatever is left of my childhood memories. "You cared for me. You would never do something like this to me. Why now?"

"Oh, little miss, bury those memories. You’re nothing more than a joke to me. I'm a noble Alpha, the next leader of this pack, and you're a scumbag, a bottom feeder who exists only to be trampled on. You are frail, stupid, unattractive, wolfless, an orphan and the list goes on. It sickens me to think I used to be friends with a piece of garbage like you. How could I have been so stupid to even associate with you?" His final words are followed by a torrent of curses that shatter my heart even more.

His minty breath of frigid malice fans my face, but I don’t dare look away. I hear footsteps approaching both of us before my hair gets pulled on.

It’s Riley, of course, and she has me by the hair, forcing me to my knees. I put up a fight, trying to free myself from her tight grip.

"Let go of me!" I grit my teeth, but she doesn't.

"Poor thing. I wonder why you're so determined to commemorate your miserable life. Do you honestly believe that turning twenty will solve your problems? Do you believe that finding your soulmate will save you?” In an act of pity, she clicks her tongue dryly. "I'm sorry to break it to you, but nothing will change, even if you discover your wolf, and that’s if you ever will. Push comes to shove, and you’d only get mated to another lowly Omega. You will work here, in this castle, and your progeny will also. As servants, because you all belong there. Here! Below our feet?"

She looks at the clock on the worn-out nightstand beside my bed and lets go of my hair. A wicked smirk creeps over her lips. "Why don't I be gracious enough to assist you in counting down to your doomsday? What do you think? Shall we?" She looks at Landon for a response, and he nods curtly.

I take a step back and scramble to my feet. My face itches from the sugary nothings on my skin, but I don’t relent. I look down at the clock in Riley's palm. The time says 11:59 p.m.

"10…"

"9…"

"8…"

"7…"

"6…"

"5…"

"4…"

Riley's slow counting and my irregular heartbeat fill the room. Her earlier statements have induced some anxiety in me, and I am terrified of finding out who my mate will be. What would he be doing? Working as a servant here or somewhere. Oh, how I wish.

However, there is only one way to find out. If my lover is in the castle, I will detect a lovely aroma leading me to him. But if he isn't, then I'd wander and scour the ends of the earth till I meet him.

"3…"

"2…"

Her eyes fall on me with a mischievous grin as she finishes. “1…" The clock strikes midnight, and my entire world comes to a halt with that loud thumping sound. My eyes glow a dark shade of yellow - I know this because I can see my reflection from a mirror nearby. My wolf. It has arrived.

"Happy birthday, skank." Riley says, irritatingly chuckling, but I ignore her.

Instead, I concentrate on the beautiful fragrance of cinnamon that suddenly fills the room – a sure sign that my mate is here, with me. In this room. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks.

"You." Landon's face pales in horror, and Riley's wicked grin vanishes from her face when he says again. “You are my mate?!”