My brain spasmed as I tried to comprehend what was happening.Happy Birthday?
Wait, whose birthday? “My birthday was weeks ago.”
When I’d been held captive, if my math was correct. Not that it mattered since I hadn’t celebrated a birthday in… well, ever. Most years I didn’t even remember, let alone expect anyone else to.
Slade wrapped his fingers gently around my chin and turned my gaze so I was staring out the front windshield. A group of familiar shifters had appeared fromsomewhere, all dressed in custom race suits. Kellan waved a sign at me, and I took a second to read:Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday, Pretty Mate. Let’s fucking race.
“We might have missed your birthday, Snow,” Slade said, and I tried not to tremble against his touch. “But since today is Christmas Day, we decided to combine the two and take a day to celebrate how incredible you are. And how happy we are that you were born.” I finally knew the two reasons, and they were too much for my fragile heart to handle.
Holy shit.Don’t cry. Don’t cry.
I mentally flipped out as I tried to contain my emotions. I was about to embarrass myself and bawl all over Slade. I wanted to get out of the car and run, or hide in the back, or scream. It was overwhelming, but somehow I kept it together long enough to say, “I don’t have presents for you all.”
Slade released me with a smirk, before he opened his door. “You’re the damn present, Emmeline. Now get out so we can race.”
I sucked in deep breaths, having no idea if I was mentally prepared for today, but wanting it all the same. A birthday-Christmas celebration was a first for me, and I couldn’t let my past trauma ruin this surprise. For me or my pack.
CHAPTER 28
EMME
Iwasn’t completely under control by the time my door was wrenched open by Kellan. His smile as he reached over and unclicked my belt, before lifting me out the door, helped more than I expected though. Strong positive emotions were relatively new for me, and now they were everywhere… drowning me in their intensity.
“Baby,” Kellan yelled. “Happy belated birthday. I’ve been waiting forever for you to get here.”
He kissed me so thoroughly I forgot the time, place, and my existence. I loved when I was so close to my alphas that I didn’t know where I began and they ended.
“It’s nine fucking a.m.,” Hunter growled from somewhere nearby. “You didn’t even wake until eight.”
Kellan chuckled against my lips. “Daddy Alpha is cranky this morning. He doesn’t like waiting either.”
Hunter’s scent hit me when he wrapped his hands around my waist and lifted me away from Kellan.
“Mine,” he grumbled, spinning me to face him. For once, he allowed my feet to stay solidly on the ground, so I popped up on my toes to bring our faces closer together.
“Best birthday-Christmas ever,” I murmured, but they all heard me of course.
“Abirthday-Christmasshe forgot was even this month,” Slade, the absolute freaking traitor, told them all.
That set off groans and cries, and I peered around Hunter when I heard Cora’s soft laughter. She stood with Warrick and waved enthusiastically when our gazes met. Another burst of happiness almost took me down, and I found myself wiggling with excitement at what the rest of the day might bring. Racing, my pack, and my best friends, was all I wanted from life.
Hunter’s wolf flared in his eyes as he took me in carefully. “Are you doing okay with all of this?” he asked softly, and as I stared into the dark depths of his beautiful, stormy eyes, it was hard to believe that not that long ago I’d feared this alpha.
“More than okay,” I said, surprised to find that minus my initial freakout, I meant it. “Shocked, but super happy.”
“Thank the goddess,” he muttered, and then his lips pressed to mine, his tongue demanding immediate entrance. As always, he found absolutely no resistance from me.
It was a brief kiss, thankfully, or I’d be asking for a minute of privacy to deal with the throb in my core. When Hunter finished sayinghappy birthday, Cora and Warrick pushed forward, and my best girlfriend threw her arms around me.
“You look so freaking good in that outfit,” she said as she hugged me tight. “Happy birthday and Merry Christmas, Ems. I’m so happy we’re celebrating together.”
My eyes burned, but I kept it together by burying my face in her shoulder.
When I pulled away, I examined her white race suit with green accents. “You look gorgeous, Cores, and I vote we get more of these suits.” She enthusiastically nodded her agreement, and she wasn’t the only one. I rolled my eyes at the alphas, who all looked like damn models in their suits, but I kind of likedthe way they watched me. “And thanks for being here,” I said as I turned back to Cora. “It wouldn’t have been a celebration without you.”
She waved me off like I was crazy. “You can’t have a birthday party without your best friend. That’s a fucking rule, and I let your alphas know as much.”
Slade, the only one of us not in a suit, still decked out in enforcers gear, crossed his arms. “Warrick’s life was in real danger when he delivered that message.”
