“I feel like it.” I pulled them all into the elevator. “Come my little ducks, time to graduate and then tomorrow, tomorrow you leave me.” I dropped my head to hide the actual sadness in my eyes.
We’ll still talk to them daily.Nix chastised me.
I will miss them. Does Toya know where she is going yet?Megan was hovering over my power, a giant plant now, with blooms almost ready to burst. I smiled as I looked at everything we had accomplished this last year. We three had grown as close as ever, and together we nurtured our power.
We did an amazing job.Nix’s voice was proud.I’ve been wondering what happens when the blooms open.
“I don’t know. But I’m excited to find out.” I whispered back to them and then refocused on my friends. “Toya…have you heard news about what pack you’re going to?”
The conversation around the elevator ground to a halt. Toya looked back and gave a tiny shake. “The council said they would be here to preside over the graduation, and they would give me my assignment then. There is also another big announcement going to be made today.”
“It’s a big day.” I smiled.
The elevator door opened, and the girls squealed. “Yes, it is.” Toya smiled as everyone parted. Jara, Sterling, and a few others stood at the front desk. Even Brandon was there. “Happy birthday Amy!”
“Happy birthday!” Everyone cheered as we walked out. I shook my head in disbelief.
“What is all this?” Toya grabbed my hand and pulled me to the desk. Gifts were lined up on the table next to a cake. “We don’t have time for all of this.”
Wendy smiled. “We… uh, lied.. The ceremony starts in an hour.”
I bumped her shoulder. “You guys suck.”
“Come on. Open your gifts.”
Sterling and Jara came over. “Happy birthday Amy. Our mates helped us pick out your gift.” I took the package.
“You didn’t have to.” I unwrapped the gift and found two books. “What are these…” I picked the first up and opened them to realize that they put together photo books. It was their families, their pups. “Guys.” I felt choked up.
Sterling stepped up. “All of us thought that after everything you have done for us, that you have become family.” Sterling came next to me. “Here are the presents you got the pups fortheir last birthdays. Since you couldn’t leave the school, we wanted to make sure you knew how much they loved them. My kids call you Auntie Amy and in the back they wrote you a letter.” I wiped away a tear.
Jara nodded. “You have always been so nice to us, and when my mate came in last year, she fell in love with you.”
I waved them off. “I will cherish these for the rest of my life.”
Jara grabbed and opened his book. “My pups are a little too young. More like Sterling’s last one, but my mate sent you a message. And her phone number. She wants you to call, and when you have time, we would love for you and your mom to come visit.” I gave them both a hug.
“I love these. Thank you so much.”
“Here.” The girls all huddled around me next and handed me a gift.
“Guys, you didn’t have to.” They just smiled as I unwrapped another photo album. I opened to see all of us. Together, training, laughing. I started to cry. “You bitches are ruining my makeup.” I wiped under my eyes. “This is amazing.”
“It took us a while to pick the pictures.” Hanna smiled.
“And find a big enough album.” Micca joked. She was right, it was thick.
“Wendy’s idea.” Toya bumped into her with a smile. “Do you like it?”
I nodded, giving a watery laugh. “I love it.”
“Toya had the same idea that Jora and Sterling’s mates did. We all wrote you a letter.”
“Guys.” I put down the album and hugged my friends. “I’m going to miss you so fucking much.”
“None of this.” Toya pulled back. “No tears.” She wiped her own face. “We won’t be stuck on our pack lands. We can visit. And there will be video chats, and movie nights, and-”
“And we will make sure we make time for each other.” Wendy finished. I was still in awe of her transformation through the years. She had become so strong.
