Chapter 9: Chapter 9

“Happy Birthday, sweetheart!”

Alice giggled excitedly as she tried to keep her eyes open. She had just woken up from sleep and the room was too bright for her sleepy eyes. “Thanks, mom.”

“These are for you and there’s someone that wants to see you out in the living room,” Linda said, handing her the bouquet of roses. “These are from your father,” she added when Alice wouldn’t budge.

She grabbed the bouquet as she smiled. “They’re beautiful,” she commented, sniffing the fresh picked flowers. “And who is in the living room, if I may ask.” She had an empty vase in her room. She unwrapped the roses and filled the vase with it.

“It’s not Dominic and hurry up. He doesn’t have all day to waste.” Linda left the room.

Alice breaths out as she grabbed her robe and headed to the bathroom to freshen up first. Few minutes later, she sauntered out and headed to the living room. From the corridor, she could hear the familiar voice and laughter.

“Wait…” she mumbled, just as she approached the living room. She knew that voice somewhere. Her grin was already forming before she saw its owner. “Ryan!” She squealed, bolting towards him and enfolded him in a nice, tight hug.

“Hey, Alice,” he said laughing. “I haven’t seen you since we were like ten?” He held her hand up and twirled her around to get a better look.

Alice laughed, a very appealing, purely feminine sound. “Good to see you too, Ryan. I’ve missed you so much. Oh my God, we have a lot to catch up on…”

Alice couldn’t reminisce the last time she felt that much excited. Maybe yesterday evening when she was with Aaron. Everything was just different with him. He made her feel things that she never knew she had in her. He made her feel butterflies for the first time in her life—laugh genuinely and forget the chaos that was around her.

“You’ve actually grown taller. And your hair… it’s still so beautiful,” he commented, sipping in her appearance.

She tried to release some of the tension she was feeling, but it was really hard when everything about Aaron makes her so tensed.

“You still have that stunning birthmark on your left brow,” she said, looking up at his brow. He chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head. She still made him nervous just like she did eight years back.

Ryan used to be Alice’s best friend when they were kids. They were always together with Daniel before Miley and her family joined their pack. Ryan’s father used to be her father’s beta before he passed away and Ryan’s mother moved back to her pack where she was born. She took Ryan with her and they haven’t seen each other seen then.

“I don’t live with my mom, now actually. I went to college at NYU and now I work and live in New York.”

Her mouth stands agape as Ryan dropped the news about his new life. “Whoa…” she blinked, trying to process everything. “That’s… how did she react when you told her that?” Alice asked.

“We didn’t actually move back to my mom’s pack. She wanted to live differently. So, we moved to London and got a small apartment. She enrolled me in school and now I’m here…” he chuckled nervously. Alice’s stunned look made him more anxious. He hadn’t told anyone about it, not even her parents. She was the first to find out about their new lives.

“How is it out there? Are they nice? Do they know that you’re a… werewolf?” She bombarded him with questions as she dragged him to sit with her on the couch.

He felt at ease to know that Alice wasn’t judging him. She was actually interested to know about his life out from their own kind.

They spent the next hour catching up before she finally got up and took a shower.

It was past noon when they decided to head out. She had so much to show him—how their pack had developed and became much bigger than the time they left.

“So many things have changed over the time. And there’s so much improvement… I’m impressed,” he stated, looking around place he used to call home. It was still his home, but so much have changed that he barely recognized it.

“Yeah, but our oak tree is still the same—just bigger and brighter.” She led the way to the oak tree. No one was there—it was just the two of them, savoring the moment.

He gazed up at the big tree, smiling. The wholesome memories leisurely coming back to him. Oh, good memories… they were his salve. They were a comfort in the background, as if they were the elevator music of his soul fire.

“Look, our names are still carved on the tree.” She clasped their hands together and drew him to the tree.

“M and A, best friends forever,” Ryan read it out and chuckled. “It was the last day we spent together before I left.”

Alice nodded as she smiled. She breathed out, trying to fight the emotions that were threatening to make her cry. “I’ve missed us.”

**

“Can you at least give me a hint?” She asked him eagerly. He couldn’t help but chuckle at how enthusiastic and impatient she was.

“Hold your horses. We’ve been driving for only ten minutes. We’ll be there in less than five minutes…”

She slumped down in her seat and folded her arms over her chest. “I honestly deserve to know what you have planned,” she protested and pursed her lips.

He took a glimpse at her and averted his gaze to the road. “Do you know how cute you always look whenever you pretend to get angry over something silly? Besides, it won’t be a surprise if I tell you where I’m taking you.”

She shoulder-shrugged, clearly forsaking until they arrived. She loved surprises anyway. Just like he mentioned, he pulled the car through a side road and park.

It was a scarce park with less than five people in it, if she counted correctly. “Come with me,” he said and joined their hands together.

They walked for some minutes before they arrived at the lake, where he planned a whole picnic for her.

He had so much feast arranged—sandwiches, fruits, chocolate bars, candy, cookies, birthday cake… balloons…

There was a delicious moment where Alice’s face washed blank with confusion, like her brain cogs couldn’t turn fast enough to take in the surprise from her wide eyes. Every muscle in her body just froze before a grin crept onto her face, soon stretched from one side to the other, showing every single tooth.

“Happy 18th birthday, Alice.”

She looks at him happily. Aaron could see the shock registered on her face before she could hide it. A small smile played on his lips. “You haven’t forgotten?” She mouthed launching towards him and embracing him in a tight hug.

He hugged her back, burying his face in her neck. He loves how she smelt, how warm she was and how her skin was so soft against his. How could he ever stay away from her?

“I only told you once…”

“I have a good memory,” he remarked, chuckling nervously. “I hope you like it.”

She nodded briskly. “I love it, I love everything,” she said happily as she settled down on the picnic mat. He joined her and perched down beside her.

“Today is such a special day and I have to feed you,” he told her, fixing a plate for her.

“I can’t eat all of these, Aaron. I’ll get fat if I do.”

“I’ll still love you either way,” he said as he fed her a fork full of easy pasta salad. “Hmm,” she moaned, carefully chewing on the pasta salad. “This is good,” she commented, taking the plate away from him. “My turn.” She fed him.

They ate as they chatted away and soon, they were done eating and gulped it down with homemade pineapple juice.

Alice laid back down, moaning, “I’m so full. I can’t even move. I feel like throwing up…”

He chuckled helping her get on her feet. “Come on, I still have two more surprises for you,” he said as he packed up.

“Can we stroll instead… I mean before you show me the rest of the birthday surprise,” she insisted and he didn’t falter.

She laced their fingers together, as they take a walk by the pond. It was so peaceful—this was all she needed, alone time with him and just hold hands.

“I’m more into metaphorical and emotional hand holding that physical, I kind of prefer to link hands and stroll. I’m not sure why. Maybe I could grow into it, become more comfortable… I guess the thing to do is try, if you’re into that. You see, in my home, my friends take strolling as boring and waste of time. I see it as a time to think, sort things out and have a little bit of peace before you go back home to chaos and infuriation.”

“Then let’s enjoy the moment…” he said to her.

They both fall into silence, gripping themselves in their own thoughts.

She slowly breathes out, loving the silence they’ve fallen into. In the silence, there was warmth because she feels the love of Aaron growing stronger. She feels her energy reach out into nature and energy flow back.

She wrapped her arm around his torso and looked up at him. “How much do you love me?”

He halted and cupped her face in his hands, and her eyes connect with his, which grew closer as he moves to kiss her. The hair on the back of her neck raises when his lips find hers. She smiled into the kiss.

He wanted to keep his hands away from her, until she had genuinely said yes, but he couldn’t resist it. He couldn’t stay away from her. “I just can’t help myself when I’m with you.”

She feels her heart begging her to admit she felt the same way, but her head stops her. She didn’t know why she was avoiding what her heart was telling her.

“I love you… enough to fight for you, compromise for you, and sacrifice myself for you if need be. Enough to miss you incredibly when we’re apart, no matter what length of time it is for and regardless of the long distance. Enough to believe in our relationship, to stand by it through the worst of times, to have faith in our strength as a couple, and to never give up on us. Enough to spend the rest of my life with you, be there for you when you need, or want me, and never ever want to leave you, or to live without you. I love you so much, Alice.”

A smiled appeared on her lips as her heart overfilled with joy. His words never cease to amaze her and she never gets tired of hearing them though she wasn’t still sure what she wanted from him.

“Relationship?” She asked inquisitively. “For all I know is, I haven’t said yes to your proposal.”

He chuckled softly and follows it up with a kiss then whispers in her ears, “Your heart had said yes. I know you love me—you’re just waiting for the perfect time to confess.”

A shiver of longing works up and down her spine, but she’s careful not to let it show.

“C’mon, let’s go… I have somewhere to take you.”

It was already past 7 in the evening when they arrived at the carnivals.

Alice’s eyes bulged out at the sight of the huge place filled with enormous machines and crowd of people. “What is this place? Why are there so much people?” She mumbled enough for him to hear.

“Welcome to the carnival,” he announced, joining their hands together and pulling her towards the first ride. Alice gulped at the sight of how people were belligerently flung up the sky and twirled around. “No, we are not getting on that thing, are we? I can’t…” she said, rattling.

She was holding his arm so firm and sturdily that it made him question his own strength. “Alice, just breathe…” she did as he told her. It helped with the panic. “It’s all going to be alright… and fun…”

They were next in line but Alice was skeptical about everything. “I’m right here. I won’t let go, I promise…”

She looks at him and he gave her a promising smile. She took a deep breath and hopped on. She tightly closed her eyes as they buckled them up. She held Aaron’s hand, pleading she doesn’t shift. Because one thing she knew was, fury and pressure forces her to shift without even realizing she did…

By the end of the ride, Alice had her chest heaving up and down, her heart pounding hard against her chest as though it was going to fall off.

She felt like throwing her guts out. The moment they got off the ride, she quickly checked her fingers to see if she had shifted. She breathes out of relief when she realized she hasn’t changed.

“Alice… are you okay? Your eyes…” He muffled; his mouth stands agape by the sudden change of her orbs. “Your eye color has changed to red… how?” He asked her.

“Uhm, I will explain, can we leave? I don’t like this place.”

He nodded his head and guided them out of the carnival.

By the time they were out, her eyes have gone back to its blue color. Her heart was still beating fast—what was she going to tell him? That she has a condition that changes her eyes color depending on her mood? Or even better… she’s a werewolf and her entire family are also same as she is.

“Okay, can you explain what happened back there? You’re suddenly acting weird.”

“It’s nothing… I need to go home. Crap…” She mumbled, holding her temple. Home—her parents were throwing her a birthday party. How could she possibly forget that? “I have to go home now…” she made her way down the street.

“What the hell, Alice? What’s wrong with you? Whenever we get to spend time… you always make a dramatic exit. You don’t want me to know anything about you, you don’t want me to know where you live. Heck, I don’t even know your last name.”

She stood still, looking at Aaron ranting. Her eyes filled with tears but she dared not let them fall. She didn’t have the right to talk back or take offense. He was right—she has been acting so weird and protective of her identity.

“It’s not that simple…”

“It is very simple, Alice. You can literally tell me anything. I can handle it because I’m in love with you… more than words could describe it!”

She started chewing on her lower lip as her eyes welled up with tears. “I…” her voice faltered. Her chest was still constricted and her stomach was flipping. She couldn’t tell if it was fear of what she was about to encounter back home or Aaron fuming right in front of her.

“I’m trying, Alice. I tried so hard. I tried to be good and funny and spontaneous. I’m trying to be better for you. I know you’re not supposed to change yourself for someone, but I honestly feel like you were bringing out the best in me. You didn’t make me change myself. I chose to. So, it hurts that I still can’t be good enough for you. You didn’t try very hard. You didn’t have to. I was head over feels for you, and you knew it. Now I feel like you don’t actually want me and I can’t even recognize myself.” His eyes were hurting with pain. He tried to breathe to release some of the tension from his chest but nothing changed. Especially when she just stood there, staring at him.

“Aaron,” she mumbled incoherently as she attempted to hold his hand. He shook his head as he shifts back. “Don’t touch me,” he mouthed and left without a back glance.

“Aaron, wait…” he didn’t listen. He kept on walking until she couldn’t see him. She breathes out heavily, looking up the sky to shun her tears from falling.

One minute they were happy and the next—everything was messed up. All because of keeping secrets and not being loyal. She wanted to tell him so bad but deep down inside of her, she was afraid of the outcome.

What if he turns his back on her? What if she trusts him by letting him know she loves him and he ends up betraying her trust?

She turned to the other side of the pavement and made her way home.

Her head was currently a horrible place to be. She felt like her heart had been ripped out. A state of misery that she couldn’t see the end of the tunnel. A terrible weight fell onto her shoulders as she walked home—alone. It was as though a giant boulder landed on her and she couldn’t straighten out.

Every word he told her kept crawling back in her mind. She hated having those flashbacks from things she didn’t want to remember.

She doesn’t know exactly what she wants—she has a soft spot for him in her heart, she knew that. But she wasn’t sure if it was love or she just loves the attention he gives and the sovereign treatment she gets from him. No one has ever made her feel that superior and significant. No one has ever made her feel like she truly matters—until she met Aaron and he made everything so much easier, so good for her.

She reached home after a while and encountered with the last two people she would want to see. Her father and Dominic, standing by the gate.

Her father threw her a very revolting look as she approached them. Her heart was hammering but she managed to masked that fear and walked to them. She lets out a deep breath, releasing some of the tension built on her shoulders.

“Where the hell have you been, Alice?” The Alpha clamored. She shifted back, terror sucking the very breath from her mouth.

Dominic smirked, enjoying the show presented before him. He knew whatever the case, Alice would be his mate soon.

“Dad, I…”