Chapter 2: Stormy Birthday Party

Lyra's POV

No. This can't be happening. I must be losing my mind. Indeed, I can't identify my mate just from his scent.

"Good evening, everyone," the man says, sending shivers down my spine. "I'm Xander Blackthorn, the—"

"We know you!" Dad beams just as Mom emerges from the kitchen, my birthday cake in hand. 

Dad jumps up to shake Xander's hand while Mom hastily sets down the cake, barely giving it a second glance in her rush to greet our esteemed guest. I force a smile, but the whirlwind of emotions in my chest makes it impossible to focus on anything but the overwhelming desire pooling in my stomach. As my family fawns over him, laughing and joking, I catalog every detail of his appearance.

His hair isn't just brown; it's a rich chestnut that sparkles under the lights. His eyes are a mesmerizing hazel, with flecks of gold that catch the light. His smile is genuine, reaching his eyes and lighting up his whole face. He radiates kindness and warmth – everything my abrasive sister Elara isn't.

A sudden wave of jealousy crashes over me, bitter and overwhelming.

"Aren't you going to greet Xander?" Elara's sharp voice cuts through my observations.

I look up, meeting Xander's gaze. He smiles, and my heart nearly stops. I quickly look away, rendered entirely speechless.

"She doesn't need to get up," Xander says, his tone gentle. "It's her birthday. Cut her some slack, El."

Elara rolls her eyes, her affection forced. My resentment towards her flares up hotter than ever. Why does she always get everything? Why does she get... the man who seems to be my mate?

As everyone takes their seats, the total misery of the situation begins to sink in. My parents' attention is entirely focused on Xander, so they've forgotten to sing "Happy Birthday" to me. They're too busy piling food onto his plate. I want to feel annoyed, but all I can think of is an inexplicable pull toward Xander.

I spear a piece of chicken, desperately trying not to look at him.

Does he know? Can he feel it, too?

Because I feel it, the sensation grows stronger with each passing second.

I open my mouth, about to ask him outright, when my wolf, Nova, intervenes.

'What are you doing?' she hisses. 'I don't think he's felt the mate pull yet.'

'So it is a mate pull?' I whimper through our mental link. 'He is my mate?'

'Yes!' Nova confirms. 'Just act normal. Maybe he'll feel it by the end of the night. After all, you've come of age. You were destined to meet your mate today. And you have!'

'I don't understand why you're so excited when he's Elara's boyfriend,' I grumble.

She laughs. 'That's all they are – boyfriend and girlfriend. They never said they were mates, did they?'

Nova has a point. They're not mates, at least not yet. I may still have a chance.

Hope ripples through me, a sensation I can't remember feeling in years. I find myself stealing glances at Xander, simultaneously craving his attention and praying to remain invisible.

"So, how did you two meet?" Dad asks, snapping me out of my reverie. "I'm dying to hear the story!"

"We met at college, Dad," Elara says, batting her eyelashes at Xander. "I was studying in the library when he slipped a note into the book I was reading. It told me to look left, and there he was, smiling and waving like an adorable puppy."

Xander chuckles. "I remember feeling very confident."

"Too confident," Elara teases. "Anyway, he asked me on a date. It was magical—roses, a chauffeur-driven car, and this incredible restaurant by the beach. Of course, I knew who he was, but I never dreamed the Alpha Heir of our pack would notice little old me."

Mom dabs at her eyes, overcome with emotion. "Oh, Elara, how romantic!"

I resist the urge to roll my eyes, focusing instead on my food.

"How could I not have noticed you?" Xander says, taking Elara's hand and kissing her knuckles. "You're stunning and brilliant. I felt drawn to you when I saw you in class. I knew you were my mate."

His words echo in my head like a death knell. My cutlery slips from my grasp, clattering loudly against the plate. Everyone turns to stare at me as if suddenly remembering my existence.

I swallow hard, fighting for composure. I force a smile so wide it feels like my face might crack. "So you're mates! That's... wonderful."

"It is," Xander replies, but there's a flicker of discomfort in his eyes. "Thank you, Audrey."

"It's Lyra," I correct him, my face burning with humiliation.

He flushes. "Right. I'm so sorry."

I want to disappear. To sink into the floor and never resurface. But I'm trapped here, forced to endure as they recount all the romantic gestures and magical moments they've shared. I sit in stunned silence, utterly mortified, until I can't take it anymore.

I excuse myself, fleeing to my room. No one even notices my departure.

'I need this day to be over,' I tell Nova as I collapse onto my bed. 'I hate everything about this.'

'Things might still improve,' she tries to reassure me, but her words ring hollow.

I want to tell her there's no coming back from this, but before I can, the shrill ring of the home phone cuts through the air. I lunge for it, desperately hoping it's a friend calling to wish me happy birthday.

I force cheer into my voice as I answer. "Hello?"

"Hello, Lyra." The deep, husky voice on the other end makes my blood run cold.

"Who is this?" I whisper, barely able to form the words. Why does this voice feel so familiar, even though I'm confident I've never heard it before?

The man lets out an excellent, unsettling laugh. "I think you know exactly who this is. I sent you some presents this morning. Why are they in the trash, princess? I told you to use them, didn't I?"

As the full horror of the situation dawns on me, I realize my birthday nightmare is far from over. It's only just beginning.