Chapter 2

"Happy birthday Zoey! I really hope you had a great day" Emma exclaimed on the video call.

"Thank you! I miss you."

"I miss you too sweetheart. I'm sorry I couldn't make it today and I am so proud of you for shifting. Luka said you were great. Can't wait to see for myself" She sighed in content as Jody took over the phone and started her own series of wishes.

Emma is Luka's younger sister who lives in England. Her twin brother and also Luka's younger brother, Ty, is the Alpha of the Emerald Pack in England. He found his mate there a few years ago, and since she was the only heir of the former Alpha, Ty took the position once they were fully mated. 

A few months later, Emma went to visit him and found her mate too, who was Ty's Beta. It was such a lovely story that will forever leave me in awe.

Whenever I went there throughout the years, I always felt right at home. Even though I wasn't blood related to Luka, his siblings always welcomed me with open arms whenever I visited, and their mates did just the same. And it was even better that Jody was my age, so we always got along quite well. Jody was Emma's mate's little sister, but she always seemed like my sister.

We even looked alike for the most part, and her hair was just like mine. So whenever I visited and I didn't have Victoria to help me with my hair, she always did. Unlike me, Jody was an expert on our hair-type. 

"And then we will finally run together in wolf form and be the badasses we were born to be" Jody continued with her rambling while I searched through the mass of people in our backyard for my sister.

"I can't wait. I'll make it my duty to get a flight to England as soon as I can," I shouted over the loud music so she could hear me. 

Luckily I was using headphones so I could hear her well. Not to mention that my senses were way better than they were yesterday. Perks of having my wolf awakened in me.

"Ugh that party sounds so great. I wish I listened to my bloody heart and flew down for your birthday. I'm a terrible friend Zoey"

I laughed and shook my head at her statement, and her accent alone made it impossible for me to be upset. I loved hearing her talk.

"You're not a terrible friend. You are one of the two people I consider my best friends. And trust me, I don't go around and just choose who to be close to"

"I know. But I really wished I was there."

"Me too." I sighed just as I spotted Luka.

"Hey Jody, I'll call you back later. Tell everyone that I got their wishes and messages and I'm grateful. But having two parties really slowed down my replying"

"You had two parties?!"

I rolled my eyes at the fact that she only seemed to acknowledge that part, and rushed out a bye before hanging up. I threw the phone in my purse, then rested the headphones on my shoulders. I approached Luka and he smiled at me as I neared him.

"Hey birthday girl, having fun?" He asked as soon as I reached him.

"Yes thank you so much for everything. But I'm beat and still kinda aching so I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm gonna head up now"

A semi-sad frown took over his lips as he heard this.

"Surely you can stay a little longer. It's only a few minutes past six, and some of the guests haven't arrived as yet." He told me and I lifted my eyebrows in shock. I gestured to the massive amount of people in our backyard before turning back to face him.

"More people are coming? Literally everyone in our pack is here"

"Who said they were from our pack?" He smirked, making me narrow my eyes at him.

"What do you mean?"

"I invited Ace and his family" He proclaimed proudly, which made all tiredness vanish from my body.

"As in Alpha Ace from Truemoon Pack?" I rushed out. It wasn't Alpha Ace that I was excited about. It was his son Niall.

We met four years ago for the first time when Victoria and Luka had a meeting with his parents. We both hadn't shifted as yet, so we didn't know if we were mates or not.

I had no idea why I felt so connected to him. I developed my first and only crush that day, and though we never spoke or saw each other again after that day, I never forgot him or the way he made me feel.

If he should come tonight, I'll know for sure if he is actually my mate. If he isn't, it will be okay. I would just blame my crush on his charm and perfect face.

Gosh I wonder how good he looked now.

"Actually Ace isn't the Alpha anymore. He bequeathed the title to Niall a couple weeks ago."

My eyes widened again at this. "Isn't he a little young?"

"Maybe. But we always tell ourselves that an Alpha's son has to be twenty-one in order to take over. But in reality, they can take over as young as eighteen. Ace said that Niall was more than ready, even if he's just nineteen"

I nodded slowly as a pinch of doubt surged through me for a short second. Sometimes I forgot that I may or may not be a high ranking wolf myself. And since high ranking wolves were 99% of the time only mated with other high ranking wolves, this may or may not be an issue on my side.

No doubt that Niall is Alpha blooded, but I on the other hand don't know what I am. If it is indeed right that I am not a high ranking wolf, then I can kiss my dream of having him as a mate goodbye.

"So Niall is Alpha now?" I asked once again to make sure, and he gave me a small nod with a teasing smile on his face.

"That's hot" I mumbled, but even over the loud music Luka seemed to have heard, and he shot me a playful warning look.

"Be careful now Zoey. Don't do anything I wouldn't do" He gave me one final smirk and a wink before leaving me in the mass of dancing people.

I didn't even remember that there were this many young people in our pack. When I didn't shift at sixteen, I kinda just excluded myself from every class and activity.

The other classes after sixteen were solely wolf related, and since I never had one, there was no need for me to go. So I just focused on my art by taking some human classes in town to further my skills.

I have friends, because the wolves here are very loving and welcoming. When I didn't shift, I thought they would've made fun of me or treated me lesser than, even though I live in the Alpha house. But instead, they still invited me to hang-outs, treated me just the same, and they even invited me to run with them. I never went though; I wasn't okay with riding their wolves.

Despite all, I was only really close with my best friend Emily. She was the first person who talked to me on my first day of school ten years ago, and we've been close since.

Whenever I went to the pack house, I always stayed in her room. And when she came here at the Alpha house, she would stay with me.

At first, she was uncomfortable because all the high ranking wolves under one roof can be intimidating. But eventually she got so comfortable that she would just go to the kitchen and eat anything with anyone. She still respected them though, and only called them by their titles.

"There you are, birthday girl!" Speak of the devil. "I've been looking everywhere for you. It's almost time to cut the cake"

I frowned at this, not quite ready for that as yet.

"Can we wait a while longer Emily?"

"It's your day after all" She shrugged then pulled me to a group of our friends.

Time went by and all I kept doing was looking over my shoulder. My heart rate never dropped as I anticipated seeing him again. But eventually, one hour went to two, and two to three and people with kids were starting to go home.

I knew I had to cut the cake soon, but I couldn't stop the disappointment that ate away at me. I really wanted him to come.

The party was supposed to end at ten, and it was now nine, so I decided to end my stalling.

"Hey Vic" I touched her shoulders, interrupting her conversation with Ashley and she beamed at me when she saw me.

"Hey, enjoyed your party? Luka really went all out didn't he?"

I smiled. "Yea it was really great. I can't thank you guys enough for a memorable eighteenth birthday. I think I'm ready to cut the cake now"

She quickly looked behind me and scanned the crowd, then frowned slightly. I guess she knew they were supposed to be here. I also knew that was the reason why she didn't hurry me to cut the cake either. She of all people was very much aware of my crush on the boy I met when I was fourteen.

"Okay I'll go get the knives and the cake. Sit right here"

I took my seat at the back door porch behind the highly decorated table as everyone started to gather around. Victoria emerged with yet another three layer cake as everyone started the birthday song.

Even though I was bummed, I couldn't help but smile at everyone and everything. I was indeed happy that I had them all. It's just as dad insinuated in the letter. Being in a pack makes you feel safe and happy.

"Who would like to cut the cake with the Zoey?" Ciara asked.

"I would like to cut the cake with the birthday queen" An unfamiliar voice said, making me whip my head to the backdoor.

My breath hitched in my throat and I immediately stood up when I saw that it was him.

It was Niall.

He came! And he definitely looked great.

He took slow teasing steps towards me with a sexy smile on his face and a white rose in his hand. My heart thud out of my chest as he got closer, and everyone just watched in anticipation.

"Hello again beautiful" He whispered when he was just inches away from me.

I opened my mouth to reply, but I couldn't find the words. Suddenly all the irritation I felt when Victoria plucked my eyebrows today, all the frustration I felt when I was back and forth in the heels all day, and the overwhelming feeling of having two parties was nullified as I stood there in front of him and stared into his eyes.

He made it all go away, and I could only think about how he was making me feel in that moment. Because he was undoubtedly and unquestionably my mate.

Happy birthday to me indeed.

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Hey guys just a note. If you are not crossing over from any of the books and you'd like to read about Niall and Zoey's first encounter when she was 14, you can go ahead and read it in either The Human or Undercover Wolf's bonus chapters. That is IF you want to.

Happy reading!