Chapter 6

PRECIOUS

As the sun filtered through my room, its warm rays gently woke me up. Excitement and nerves fluttered within me; today was my birthday, and it meant two significant things. Firstly, I would finally get to meet my wolf, my lifelong companion and protector. Secondly, if fate smiled upon me, I might also find my mate.

As the morning light enveloped me, I stretched my limbs and felt a rush of energy coursing through my body. Today was the day, and I could hardly wait to see what destiny had in store for me. I knew I was different from the others; I was a human without a pack, and I possessed an aura that seemed to captivate Alpha Rodriguez and his sons, though not always in a positive way.

With anticipation in my heart, I got out of bed and looked at myself in the mirror. My golden hair cascaded down my back, and my hazel eyes shimmered with hope. I took a deep breath, knowing that whatever happened today, I needed to be strong and brave.

Making my way downstairs, I noticed the household was bustling with activity. The Alpha's sons were gathered around the dining table, conversing in hushed tones. I hesitated for a moment, my eyes glancing at each of them, before joining them. It had already been two weeks since I started spending time with them, and they had all been little demons except for Duke, who was always kind to me.

“Good morning, everyone,” I greeted, trying to keep my voice steady despite the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

Nate, Tiger, Damon, Richmond, and Duke looked up, and their eyes met mine. Their expressions were unreadable, but I could feel the tension in the air. I sat down at the table with a mixed feeling of excitement and nervousness.

Alpha Rodriguez entered the room with a warm smile on his face. “Good morning, Precious. Happy birthday,” he said kindly.

“Thank you, Alpha Rodriguez,” I replied, feeling a sense of warmth from his words.

Breakfast proceeded quietly, and I noticed that all five brothers seemed lost in their thoughts. It was as if they were preoccupied with something beyond the birthday celebrations. Nonetheless, I decided not to pry and instead focused on enjoying the moment. It was, after all, their cup of tea and not mine.

After breakfast, Alpha Rodriguez announced that he had a surprise for me. I wasn't surprised because, throughout the past two weeks of my stay here, he had been full of surprises and treated me just like he treated his rascal sons, except for Duke. “Come with me, Precious,” he said, motioning for me to follow.

Curiosity piqued, I followed the Alpha to a secluded part of the building. There, surrounded by the beauty of nature, I felt a sense of peace and serenity.

Alpha Rodriguez looked at me with a knowing smile, and crimson crept to my face. “Today is a significant day for you, Precious. It's not just your birthday, but also the day your wolf awakens and you find your mate.”

I nodded, my heart pounding rapidly in my chest. “Yes, Alpha. I can feel it. I'm excited and scared at the same time.”

“You have nothing to fear,” he assured me. “Your wolf will guide you, and your mate will recognize you. Trust in your instincts.”

“It's just that I'm scared that I may not find my mate considering the fact that this is not my pack. My fear is that my mate might be among those murdered on that night.” I sighed, sadness evident in my voice. Memories of that night came back again, and I shuddered, wanting to forget about it, at least for now, until I had the strength to avenge their death.

Alpha Rodriguez placed both hands on my shoulders and kissed me lightly on my forehead. “It's alright; everything will be fine. Trust me. And about finding your mate, I have a strong feeling that you will find him here. After all, you are now a part of the pack.” Then he fished out a tiny bracelet from his chest pocket and handed it to me. It was green emerald in color, shining brightly as if it was trying to draw the Earth's attention to its beauty.

“I, um, I don't know what to say.” I stuttered, my mouth hanging open in surprise, and I shook my head. It was too much; he treated me better than my own father had treated me.

Alpha Rodriguez's smile reached his eyes. “Thank you would do.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. In fact, a hundred thanks.” I literally jumped on him, and he wrapped his arms around me. It was a pity how I had thought badly of him, and I was glad that I had made the decision to live with him. Else I wouldn't have known what I'd be missing out on.

When we started towards the sitting room, I could hear a birthday song playing. My eyes became misty, and tears started falling down my face. I looked at Alpha Rodriguez, whose face mirrored mine. I didn't know what to say, so I did what was on my mind. I hugged him and thanked him silently. After being sad about losing my family and pack, I never thought that I would feel happy again. These people were fast warming my heart, and I knew that the moon goddess had blessed me with a new pack.

Alpha Rodriguez gave me a slight shove, and I ran into the house. The sight that greeted me left me speechless. The sitting room was dark except for the light that shone on the five brothers, who stood around a tiny cake with balloons in their hands. The ceiling had a fine piece of art with the number 18 engraved in it, and I let out a cry.

Immediately, my hands clamped over my mouth to numb the sound, but unfortunately, all eyes turned on me, and they all burst their balloons as if it was planned. My heart melted. They were so cute, so very cute.

The next instant, the lights turned on, revealing all the servants and pack members. In front of each of them were gifts wrapped beautifully, and with a glance, one could tell that they were very expensive.

My mouth hung open in awe as I stared at them all. When I tried to speak, there were no words. I was utterly speechless. Who could have thought that the most feared and scorned pack would be this kind? Were they just cruel only in name?

A musical instrument started playing, and I turned to see a very fine man working beautifully on the instrument.

At that moment, Duke walked towards me with a smile on his face. In his right hand, he carried a tiny gift, while he held an envelope in his left.

“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” he kissed me on my forehead. His eyes turned dark when he saw me shudder, but he quickly laughed it off. “It's your birthday today, so please listen to these words of mine.”

He tore open the envelope and brought out a card, which I guessed to be a birthday card, and started reading, “Happy birthday to a very special girl of mine. I shall be forever grateful to Father who brought you into my life, our lives. You are a rare gem who has come to mean much to me within two weeks. If I could, I would grant you all your wishes, but sadly, I can't.”

“I therefore wish that you find a very good man as your mate today.” Duke looked up, his eyes shining brightly, and everyone clapped their hands, including his brothers. What was happening? How come they were all acting very caring right now? Could it be that they were finally accepting me?

Tears welled up in my eyes, and a lump formed in my throat, rendering me speechless. I managed a nod, and then tears streamed down my face for the second time, which he gently wiped away with the back of his hand.

“Happy birthday, Precious,” everyone else chorused, their voices matching their expressions. One by one, they all picked the gifts in front of them and handed them to me.

“Thank you so much,” I said, feeling too overwhelmed to say more.

****

It was already 7:00 p.m. by the time the birthday celebration finally came to an end. I was in my room, trying to change into my nightie, when I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. Before I could comprehend what it was, my tummy churned as if there was hot coal inside, and I yelped loudly.

I knew what it was; my wolf was finally trying to surface. I thought I was ready to bear this pain, but I was wrong. I felt like I could collapse any second if this overbearing pain didn't stop.

Flinging my door open, I ran out of my room and made my way to the forest. I needed to stay alone; no need to trouble anyone with the sight of someone shifting for the first time.

A searing pain shot through me as I took another step, and I lost my balance, tumbling hard to the ground. Every part of my body felt like it was on fire, and it felt as if my bones were breaking under the pressure of an invisible force.

I fell down with my back on the ground, a loud sound of pain escaping my mouth. I tried to sit up, but I could not, so I lay back down on the ground, praying silently for my wolf to surface.

As if the moon goddess heard my cries, the pain in my body ceased, and I felt goosebumps all over my skin. Suddenly, golden fur started to form on my skin, and soon all parts of my body became unrecognizable. I yelled in surprise; there was no wolf with a color like mine. As I tried changing back to my human form, the pain came back in full force, overwhelming me completely. Minutes passed, and I finally shifted back to my human form.

When I tried to stand, my legs were jelly-like, failing miserably to support me. I fell back down on the ground and waited for a few minutes before trying again.

After I finally stood up, I staggered back to the house when a sweet scent caught my nostrils—bursts of amaretto and cinnamon calmed my nerves. It was so enticing that my body system automatically changed. My nose flared up instantly as I tried to follow the scent.

“It's our mate, Precious,” a loud voice spoke up excitedly. When I saw no one, I knew it came from my head. A good feeling overcame me. I finally have my mate.

“Mate? Who is he?” I said happily, my body tingling with excitement. I had thought I wouldn't find my mate because I just got this pack. Who would have thought I was worried for naught?

“I don't know. But we will see,” her voice sounded like soft music in my ears. Oh my, I finally got my wolf. I felt so giddy with excitement.

“Okay. I will call you Michelle,” I told her. The sweet scent was suddenly so strong. Just then, Richmond walked past me with a headset on his ears.

It was as if the moment he walked past me, the sweet scent increased. I ran towards him and grabbed the hem of his shirt.

“Are you?...” Richmond began, but I cut him short.

“Mate,” I looked at him, surprised, and he too had an equally flabbergasted expression. Just what the hell happened? Who could have guessed that the moon goddess would mate me with him? My arch enemy?

I panicked and ran away. I could hear Richmond's voice trying to call me back, but I did not stop. Neither did I care. I needed the safety of my room before I lost my sanity completely.

Just as I stepped onto the first stair in the hallway, my head bumped into a hard chest, and I would have fallen if his strong hands had not wrapped around my waist.

I looked up at Tiger and lost it.

“Mate,” we both said at the same time. What was happening? I pushed him away and ran towards my room, taking the stairs three at a time.

When I saw my room, I ran towards it, but three strong scents filled the air. They were so nice, very pleasant to my nose. Never in my life had sandalwood and almonds smelled so delicious.

“No, no,” I screamed as my eyes landed on the three males.

Nate, Damon, and Duke flashed their beautiful eyes in my direction, and I felt my legs give out as they walked towards me. It was only for one purpose. Damn it.

“Mate,” all three exclaimed.

I was completely stunned. How could this be possible? Five mates? It was unheard of, and yet, here I was, staring at the undeniable truth. My heart pounded as a wave of confusion and fear washed over me.