Chapter Four

Rose

After the crazy dream, I decided to hang out with Matt until the sun started to edge behind the trees. He walked me home and only playfully tried to hit on me about ten times. That was an early birthday miracle in itself.

Nothing of interest happened the rest of the day. As always, I reported back to Harriet about her boy toy before I read myself into a deep, peaceful slumber. Not a single dream of smoke or burning flesh, which I never knew was such a blessing until then.

The sun crept through the window on the morning of my eighteenth birthday. It danced across my eyelids, encouraging me to greet the day. As I stretched, I accidentally fell out of my cozy chair and hit the floor with a grunt. I rubbed my butt as I sulked.

“Good morning, birthday girl.” Delilah giggled from the corner of my mind. The excitement was dripping from her words. This was the day Delilah had impatiently waited for. It held the potential of the rest of our lives, and she wanted it to happen as quickly as possible.

“Good morning, Delilah. Remember, it’s not likely we will meet our mate today.” I responded silently, praying she had not gotten her hopes up too high. She huffed at me as I climbed off of the floor.

Lazily I got ready to greet the day. I showered and even attempted to make my hair manageable for once. I slipped on a pale blue romper with white pinstripes. As I put my converse on, I heard a noise at my window. I cautiously snuck a peak from behind my curtain. Much to my surprise, Harriet, Matt, and Heather were below my window.

“What are you three up to?” I suspiciously called down as I opened up my window all the way and rested my thigh on the window seal.

“Rose-punzel, Rose-punzel, let down your hair,” Harriet called to me as she slid down onto one knee. 

“I thought you only got on your knees for me?” Matt said with a straight face that made Heather visibly cringe.

“Keep it in your pants, please,” I called down. “Am I supposed to come down, or are you going to make some grand romantic gesture to me?”

“Stay up there, princess,” smiled Heather. She reached down and pulled out a thrift store special boombox into view. “This is a one-time deal, so you better soak this up. They said they aren’t going to do this again...try to convince them for my birthday, though.”

She clicked some buttons and raised the boombox above her head. Matt and Harriet quickly turned their backs to me as they rummaged through a bag. I glanced back at Heather with my eyebrow cocked as the music started. Harriet turned around with thick auburn sideburns stuck to her face. Matt followed suit with a ginger wig on. I almost fell out of my window once the music started. These two idiots started to duet “Love is an Open Door” from Frozen, but Matt sang Anna’s part and Harriet singing Hanz’s part. The grand finale with Harriet dipping Matt and then dropping him when I clapped. I had tears in my eyes as I snorted at my friends.

“Encore!” Screamed my next-door neighbor Mrs. Silverman with her children giggling behind her. At that, I collapsed to my floor in a fit of laughter.

No one would be able to top the gift my friends gave me. I quickly skipped down the stairs and out the front door, where I tackle-hugged the closest one to me, Heather. If I could have, I would have replayed that song a hundred times. 

“Who’s idea was it?” I eagerly grinned. Heather stood up, brushed herself off, and did a bow.  

“She’s the creative brain, and we are the monkeys.” Matt snatched his wig dramatically before giving Harriet a passionate kiss. “Keep the sideburns for later.” He whispered it in Harriet’s ear but loud enough for both Heather and me to hear as well. Both Heather and I turned to each other and fake vomited in unison.

“I knew I should have made them do “Defying Gravity,”” she mumbled. “Unless green skin is a turn-on?”

“Well…” Harriet grinned at her sister.

“No. No. No. No. As your sister, if you love me, you will not finish that sentence.” Heather pleaded as she linked her arm with me and pulled me away from the horn dogs.

The day went by quickly as everyone in the pack was buzzing in excitement for the carnival. Strangers wandered our streets, and Delilah was not hiding her disappointment well as the day went on. I tried to comfort her multiple times, but she seemed more annoyed by my actions than anything else. Finally, as the sun began to disappear behind a distant mountain. The gentle whirl of rides and music beckoned everyone to the carnival grounds.

I glanced around at my friends, savoring this moment. This might be the last time it’s just us, or even us together. Will Harriet find her mate? It would be so weird not to have Matt and her a package deal. No inappropriate jokes or comments snickered between them. I shook my head as Heather reached her hand out to me and interlocked my fingers with her as she squeezed my hand. She was so reserved compared to her sister but was my rock and comfort. I took a deep breath and took a step towards the carnival’s twinkling lights. “Let’s go,” I breathed. 

As we wandered into the carnival, I spotted my mom next to the edge of the forest. She looked like an angel; her platinum blonde hair caught the glimmer of the fairy lights strung up in the trees. She waved my friends and me over to her flower wreath booth.  

“Hello, my beautiful birthday girl! I made this crown special for my Rosebud.” She beamed as she placed a crown on soft pink roses, baby’s breath, and lavender. She softly cupped my cheek. I leaned in the comforting warmth that radiated out of my mother’s gentle hands. At this moment, I was still just her baby girl. She kissed my cheek before handing Heather a crown of succulents and statice. She turned to Harriet and placed a crown of carnations and pink peppercorns. She sighed happily and brought up her interlocked hands to her lips. “So lovely girls. Do you need one, Matthew?”

“I don’t think I could pull one off quite as good as these three.” Matt actually had a pleasant comment, and all of us were taken back. He shrugged and started to pull Harriet into the carnival.  

“Thanks, mom,” I whispered into her ear as I kissed her forehead. Heather and I waved goodbye as we chased after the horn dogs. The hours slipped past like minutes. Neither Harriet nor I caught a whiff of the legendary scent. Harriet, Heather, and I disappeared into the bathroom while Matt secured me some cotton candy.

“You know, I’m not even upset.” Harriet looked in the mirror as she pulled her hair on top of her head into a messy bun.

“You are getting attached” her sister looked knowingly at her. Harriet looked at her baby sister and nodded.

“There is still a chance. He hasn’t turned eighteen yet. Just a couple more weeks.” I smiled and gripped Harriet’s hand. Moments like this made me love her even more. The world thought they knew her, but she knew herself so well and wasn’t scared to let us in on her inner voice. “What does Echo think? Does she hold affection for him?” Our wolves knew us the best, so I genuinely was curious what Echo thought of Matt.

“Echo is fond of him but won’t give more details about how she truly feels. I think she might be scared to get attached as well.” Harriet ran some water from the sink and splashed her face with it. “Enough of this. Let us go enjoy the last few hours of this once-in-a-lifetime event.” She grinned and pulled us out of the bathroom.

Matt handed over my cotton candy, and I playfully bowed to him in gratitude. Heather snatched a tuft of my sweet treat as we followed our favorite horn dogs further into the carnival. We almost ran straight into the duo when a mass emergency mind link from Alpha Dane washed over all of us.

***We are under attack. All warriors to the Southern border. Everyone else, please follow defensive protocols.***