Natalia’s P. O. V

I almost didn't want to get out of bed.

From the lack of sunlight trying to penetrate the curtains, I could tell it was gonna be a cloudy day, and the birds weren't chirping as much as they had during the summer through to about a week ago.

Hailey and Kaesha both had classes early today, so they’d apologetically slept in the dorms, not that they’d been around much lately anyway. Added to Timothy having left for our territory three weeks ago, the house was devoid of all breath besides my own.

‘At least it’s peaceful.’

One year, Brittany and her posse had found out my birthdate and made it their mission to dunk me with any liquid they could find throughout the week. Ice water, honey, liquid soap, the chilli sauce I’d cooked in advance for the pack, vomit from someone at one of their parties, and finally manure I’d already cleaned up from their farm animals. They’d gotten progressively worse till my birthday and had made sure to dunk me either in the middle of class, or during my chores on the weekend. And, of course, I’d also had to clean the messes up or there’d be hell to pay.

I glanced at my alarm clock, somehow hoping to confirm the date as the one I already knew, October twenty-first.

It was ridiculous, but I wanted to run to my vanity table and look for changes. I wanted to inspect my being, to see if I was still just… me. Instead, I laid there, letting the seconds crawl by as I stared at my ceiling.

My alarm finally rang. I closed my eyes and swung my feet to the floor. The ground was chilly as I walked over to my mirror, my eyes still closed, only opening them when the ringing stopped.

Nothing had changed.

I was still brunette, my black roots barely noticeable. My eyes still swirled with their ember colour, but I had no doubt my regular contacts would work just fine. My body hadn't gained any new dimensions and my height had gone absolutely nowhere.

But what did I really expect?

My disappointment was unreasonable. Of course, nothing had changed overnight.

I was a Werewolf.

‘Happy birthday, Nat. I'm sorry you didn't get what you wanted.’

I turned away from the mirror, and started on my morning routine, ‘Thanks Candy. Don't worry about it, we both knew it was never gonna happen.’

Soon enough, I was in my first class of the day. As the day dragged on, I spent most of the time sitting next to any study group members that were present, taking notes. During my last lecture of the morning, the lecturer stepped out, so Beth brought up the topic of our Halloween plans.

"I think I might attend the party my sorority's throwing." Ada mused.

Beth giggled, “Finally got time for them?”

“At least I’m better than our Presido over here.” Ada gestured to Annya, “I don’t think you’ve seen any of their faces since they let you in.”

Annya laughed, “Guess I’ve just been occupied.”

“An understatement if I ever heard one.” Ada quipped.

We laughed.

Ada turned to me, “What about you, Ava?”

I shrugged, “I’m not really big on Halloween. Might just watch some horror movies with my sister or something.”

“You should come for the party.” She suggested.

Beth nodded, “Yeah. Besides the bonfire, I don’t think anyone’s seen you outside of class. We meet for our study group and sometimes see each other outside of school but it’s like you cease to exist the moment classes are over. Especially since you don’t live in the dorms or with any sorority.”

“I met with you guys for the study group last week.”

“Well, yeah.” Annya said, “But you left the moment it was over and we all ended up going for lunch without you.”

“Honestly, you’re worse than Annya.” Ada chimed in, “I get that you probably wanna keep some things to yourself, but none of us know a single thing about you. I bet this is the first time you’ve mentioned having a sister to any of us. I don’t think any of us even have your number or any way to contact you. Besides sending coded messages in the google doc.”

Beth and Annya nodded.

“Well…” I let out a chuckle that sounded anything but easygoing.

They were right.

Sure, I wasn’t bullied in Killdrain, I doubt anyone had enough time for that in this school, but I was also doing an awful job of fitting in. Outside the study group, I hadn’t made a single friend, and the only reason I was even part of them was because Annya had approached me first.

“Um… today’s my birthday…?” I guess that was something to share.

Ada folded her arms, “You’re kidding.”

I shook my head.

Beth and Annya shared a look, while Ada just stared me down. When I didn’t budge, they burst into the happy birthday song, drawing the attention of the rest of the class. I felt my face heat up, and by the time the singing ended, most of the people in the lecture hall had joined in and were wishing me a happy birthday.

Even the lecturer wished me a happy birthday when he returned, having heard the singing from the hallway. The three of them couldn’t stop snickering at my, no doubt, very red face throughout the entire thing.

“What was that for?” I asked them after the class was over.

“For not mentioning that it was your birthday sooner.”

I shrugged, “It never came up, and it’s not that important anyway.”

Nothing good’s ever happened on my birthday anyway

Beth scoffed, “Birthdays are always important! Unless you’re Hitler or some other horrible person.”

“Yeah,” Ada added, “We could’ve gotten you a gift or a cake or something.”

My chest felt warm and I smiled, “Knowing you guys care is more than enough of a gift.”

They burst into coo’s and aww’s

“Looks like you’re really just a big softie under all that seriousness.” Annya said, bumping shoulders as we walked across the courtyard.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Like you’re not the exact same way.” Ada quipped.

We laughed.

My phone beeped, and I remembered that my day wasn’t done.

“We should go out to celebrate.” Beth suggested.

An apology bled into my smile, “I’m so sorry guys, but I’ve still got some things to do this afternoon.”

“Will you be free this evening?”

I shrugged. Knowing Hailey, she’d probably want to do something nice for me, but she and the others hadn’t made any mention of a party or get together to me or each other, at least not when I was within earshot. They’d barely even been around the past few days.

“My sister might have something in mind, but she’s been pretty busy lately.”

“She might just want it to be a surprise. You two seem close, so I don’t think she’d just let the day go by” Ada remarked.

Were we actually close? When you thought about it, if I didn’t insist on enacting my plan against Clark, would she have any reason to hang around me? If I weren’t the only real ties she had to her Werewolf nature, would we be friends?

Hailey’s kind to me, but Hailey’s kind to everyone…

‘Nat, don’t think that way. You know she loves you.’ Candy insisted.

‘Yeah…’

I smiled, “I guess we are. I’ve gotta go now, I’ll probably see you guys tomorrow.”

After some rushed goodbyes, I had to push myself on my run to the Syren school, and my chest was heaving as I raced to my first class.

“How I wish I were a Witch right now…” I muttered under my panting, before fumbling with the doorknob to the lab for Syrenlina Ecosystem.

“Sorry I’m late.” I mumbled once inside.

The feeling was reminiscent of my first day, as I fidgeted under the weight of my classmates’ attention.

“Lunch is an hour and you’re three minutes late, you should’ve had enough time to find your way to class. Or did you get lost on your way from the cafeteria?”

My face warmed at the snickers from the class, and I spotted a glib Aubrey, covering her sly grin with her crested, manicured hand.

This definitely wasn’t how I wanted the day to go.

I opened my mouth to form an explanation, but the teacher just waved me off. Eyes to the ground, I shuffled to my seat, sliding into the stool beside Jenna. I got my books out of my bag as she and Lucy glared at the rest of the onlookers into turning their attention away.

The rest of the class went on uneventfully, save for the times the teacher had decided to call on me abruptly. I’d read ahead for most of my subjects, so he never caught me off guard, but I got the distinct feeling it was what he wanted.

By the time we’d moved to our next class, I wanted the day to be over. To add to everything, I got a text from Hailey, saying she was behind on her school work, so she wouldn’t be around, and another from Kaesha, telling me that Timothy needed her help with something on our territory so she’d be out of town for the next few days.

‘See? They’ve all got better things to do.’ A voice taunted at the back of my head.

‘What made you think that anyone would care about your birthday anyway? You caused the entire Syren race problems just by being born. You’re the reason Lucy’s just now getting to know her parents and Jenna’s family had been separated from her mom. You’ve got no right to want people to celebrate you.’

My breath caught in my throat and my feet itched to break into a sprint.

‘And you’d been stupid enough to hope for an Uncovering… you’re already a failure of a Werewolf, you’re not special enough to be a Syren too.’

None of my birthdays had been anything to smile about since mom disappeared, so why did I think this year would be different?

Why did I let myself hope?

The Inter-species Relations teacher’s voice faded into the background, overtaken by my thoughts. My breath filled my ears as I stared at the empty skin of the back of my hands. I wasn’t even Syren enough to get a crest, what made me think I could become their leader in any capacity?

Jenna’s hand moved into view and she placed it on mine. I turned to her, finding a worried look on her face, punctuated with creases between her perfectly arched eyebrows.

“Whatever it is, it’ll be okay.” She whispered, eyes flashing pink.

A calm washed over me, pushing the taunting voices away and slowing my near hyperventilating breath.

Jenna and I had to whip our attention back to the teacher as he turned to face the class before I could thank her. My last class was Syren History, which only Lucy and I shared, so I only managed to murmur a hurried thanks to Jenna before we had to leave for our separate classes.

Whether it was the lingering effects of Jenna’s ability or the focus I had on the history lesson, I managed to stay calm till the last bell of the day chimed. After packing our stuff up, Lucy and I met up with Jenna on our way out.

“Thanks again for what you did, Jenna.” I said as we walked out of the tower.

She shrugged, “You’re welcome, but what got you so upset?”

“Yeah,” Lucy chimed, walking on the curb like a tightrope, “You looked so shaken up. I’m glad no one else noticed, or Aubrey would have a field day.”

I sighed, “Today’s just not been the best since I got to school, and I got a text from my sister and friend saying they won’t be around today so I guess I just… I don’t know…”

“Why would they need to be around? What’s happening today?”

“My birthday.”

Jenna and Lucy stopped in their tracks and turned to me.

“Your sixteenth?”

I nodded.

They squealed, hugging me and jumping about, wishing me happy birthday.

I laughed, their excitement contagious. They continued for a good few minutes before calming down, breathless and smiling.

“I’m sorry to break it to you guys after all that excitement, but I’m still a Werewolf.”

Jenna rolled her eyes, “Who cares? Sixteenth birthdays are still important, Syren or not. I can see why you were so upset.”

“Exactly!” Lucy huffed, “What kind of person misses the birthday of someone they care about?”

“It’s alright, guys.” I kicked at a rock and it skipped across the ground, “They explained why and I understand, they’ve been really busy the past few days.”

Jenna and Lucy shared a look.

“Will you let us come celebrate with you? We can call our parents to let them know we’ll be home late.” Jenna suggested.

I probably should have said no. Bringing my Syren friends over to my house, where my Werewolf life lived, probably wasn’t the best idea.

As I opened my mouth to decline, my mind went back to the isolation I’d felt this morning. How the house had been silent and empty and echoing the past few days. Back at the pack, it was a breath of fresh air to be left to an empty house, but now, the loneliness lurked on the edges of my mind and my mood, waiting for me to let it overturn my psyche and plunge me back into feelings of worthlessness and pain.

“Of course. Do you want to take the subway or a taxi?”

An hour later, we were walking up my driveway.

“Your place looks amazing! I didn’t think it was possible for anyone to have a house better than Jenna’s family’s.” Lucy gushed.

Jenna bumped Lucy’s shoulder and glanced around, “There are plenty of houses better than mine in the city. But she’s right, your home is impressive, Natalia. How did you come into it?”

The lie rolled off my tongue, “My pack is sponsoring my college education, and they’ve got a lot of money to splurge.”

“Well, they’ve got great taste.”

I shrugged, unlocking my front door for us to go inside. I directed them to take their shoes off and led them to the living room, meeting decorations and a banner hung across the room.

“Surprise!” Everyone yelled, jumping out of their hiding spots behind couches, under tables and even from the fireplace.

Everyone I knew was here; Trevor and Greg, all the people from my study group, Hailey, Kaesha and even Timothy. And they were all grinning and celebrating and here… for me.

My throat clogged with emotion as Hailey bounded over to hug me, burying me in her embrace.

“I thought you guys were busy.” I choked out, “I’ve barely seen you lately.”

She laughed, “Of course you’ve barely seen us. We couldn’t risk you hearing our plans and we don’t exactly know how far you can hear, so we just stayed away.”

“You even went to get Timothy…” I sniffled.

She spared a moment to glare at him, before returning to her smile, “I didn’t, Kaesha did, so she can teleport him back.” She whispered.

Her gaze moved behind me and I felt the beginning of panic creeping on me, remembering who I’d brought.

“I didn’t know you had more friends.” Pride seeped into her smile, “Looks like you’ve been socialising. If I’d known, I would’ve invited them.”

She moved over to Jenna and Lucy, “It’s nice to meet you two. I’m Hailey.”

“I’m Jenna and this is Lucy. You must be Natalia’s sister.”

I stiffened at my name, searching for how to explain.

She seemed not to notice the name Jenna had called me, and instead, was gazing at her with what I could only describe as admiration and fascination, “I am. I’m sorry but I have to say, you’re, like, stunning.”

Jenna smiled, “Thanks.”

“So, how did you guys meet Ari?”