“Happy Birthday, Max.”

ESTELLA

Almost there.

I’m talking about my painting.

The one for Max’s birthday.

I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before. Anyway, it’s turning out great, and that’s not just me being proud of my work.

My aunt and uncle think so too. They couldn’t stop gushing about it.

Aunt Lydia: “It’s stunning, sweetheart! You’re so talented!”

Uncle Julian: “We should have sent you to an art school. You’d have flourished!”

So, it’s not just me tooting my own horn. Others see it too.

I showed it to Sarah and Caleb too (separately, because they’re still not talking, but I plan to fix that after Max’s birthday).

After they teased me about my “crush” on Max, they agreed it was fantastic.

I was relieved that Max had almost stopped visiting (and when he did, he didn’t come to my room) because I wouldn’t have been able to hide the painting from him.

It was hard enough having to confess about Bonnie. Sort of.

I didn’t tell him that her wolf was sick and potentially dangerous because he would freak out and ban me from seeing her again. Which I wouldn’t do.

I felt awful for betraying her trust, but I was already caught, and I couldn’t lie to Max.

So, I spilled the beans about Bonnie, and got a good scolding for keeping it from him for three whole years.

“She doesn’t want anyone to know, Max. She wants nothing to do with your world.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, but I guess something really bad must have happened to her.”

“Have you seen her wolf?” he asked, deep in thought.

“No. Never. Why do you ask?”

“Because if something bad happens to a werewolf, it can affect the wolf.”

“She seems pretty normal, and I’ve been safe for the three years I’ve been hanging out with her.”

“I want to meet her,” Max declared.

“No.”

“Estella, I’m a doctor. I’ll know if something’s wrong with her.”

“And she’ll know I ratted her out, and I’ll lose her friendship,” I said, gritting my teeth.

“Fine. Just be careful, and don’t ever hide stuff like this from me.”

“Like you tell me everything,” I scoffed, and we left it at that.

Max kept his word and didn’t try to meet Bonnie, and I kept visiting her freely.

I’ve been busy finishing the painting the last few days, and I didn’t have time to go anywhere but school and home.

And since one of her rules was no communication outside her bookstore, I hadn’t checked up on her.

I plan to visit her as soon as Max’s birthday is over, and we’ll catch up then.

Now, back to my painting. I have a feeling Max will love it. I’m not so sure about the surprise birthday party I’m planning for him, though.

Can you believe that werewolves don’t really celebrate their birthdays after they turn eighteen? I was shocked when Leslie told me.

I always thought it was just Max who didn’t like to celebrate because Patrick and Eva always celebrated their kids’ birthdays.

But now that I think about it, they don’t really celebrate their own birthdays.

I thought it was just one of Max’s quirks, and I never questioned it. I just made sure to give him a gift every year.

But when I found out the truth, I decided to throw him a party. I had to limit the guest list to werewolves only since it would be at the pack house, but you can’t have everything.

Plus, if I invited his friends from the human hospital, I’d risk having all the nurses who are always checking him out show up.

I want a happy party, not a bloody one, and if one of them so much as touches him in front of me, I’m not sure I wouldn’t attack her.

I feel like my jealousy is growing over time. I know Max isn’t mine. I know he’s an adult with needs.

Sometimes I can rationalize everything perfectly, but… it’s hard; I won’t lie.

Sometimes I even dream about him with other women, doing you know what.

I toss and turn in my sleep, and I wake up crying, feeling like something heavy is pressing on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

You know what’s strange? I’ve been having these dreams since I was a kid.

It’s not like I was actually seeing Max doing it when I was so young, but he was always leaving me for someone else. For another woman.

The dreams started a little after my uncle took me to Australia. Apart from the nightmares about the car crash, these are the worst dreams I’ve ever had.

Speaking of the car crash… I need to visit the cemetery soon.

Even after all these years and talking with Uncle Julian and a therapist in Australia, I still hate going to their graves. I still hate that they’re gone.

But I do visit from time to time. If they’re watching from somewhere, I don’t want them to think I’ve forgotten them.

It hurts that I can’t remember their faces without looking at photos, and it took me more than three years to even do that.

But enough about the sad stuff. I have a party to finish planning and a painting to perfect.

MAX

I broke my promise.

I went to see Bonnie.

I know I shouldn’t have, but I was worried. For a wolf to live outside a pack without joining rogues, something must be seriously wrong.

I had to make sure Estella was safe visiting that woman.

I felt like an idiot for not catching on sooner that she was hiding something from me, especially since I’d picked up on Bonnie’s scent before.

As Estella had pointed out, I wasn’t meant to find it. The only reason I did was because I’m hyper-aware of anything that involves her.

But I had to play along for Rohan and Patrick because Estella’s story about the woman could fool anyone—anyone but me.

The bookstore wasn’t hard to find, and honestly, as soon as I saw it, I immediately got why Estella was drawn to it.

Even to me, it seemed kind of magical. I couldn’t put my finger on what made it so, but even when it was closed, it radiated a warm and welcoming aura.

Before long, I saw the woman opening it. She was striking. One of the most beautiful she-wolves I’d ever seen.

She was smiling and humming as she unlocked the door to her bookstore until she stopped and sniffed the air.

I quickly ducked and hid behind a building. I still had a clear view of her as she stood there on high alert for a moment until she decided it was nothing and walked in, disappearing from sight for a bit.

I stayed in my hiding spot, trying to make sense of what I’d sensed from her, both of which were concerning.

The first was that she was an alpha. That alone meant that something terrible must have happened for her to leave her pack.

Alphas, both males and females, are highly valued in a pack. The males because they’re expected to take over from their fathers, and the females because they make powerful lunas.

The second, which actually supported the first, was that her wolf was equally powerful and sick, unstable. That was what actually drove me to go and talk to her.

The timing was right. The bookstore had just opened, and I figured we had a few good minutes before the first customer of the day walked in.

I stepped inside cautiously, only to have the damn bell chime and announce my arrival. I was taken aback and muttered a curse under my breath before pulling myself together.

The woman was standing there with a melancholy smile on her face.

“She told you about me,” she said.

“Who?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“Estella. You’re her Max.”

At her last sentence, I felt a small smile tugging at my lips but I pushed it back. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on how good it felt to be called hers, even if I technically wasn’t.

I nodded at her.

“She promised me,” she said.

“She told me as much, and she begged me not to find you,” I explained.

“And yet you did. I expected nothing less, to be honest. I’d be worried too if my mate was hanging around with someone like me.”

Seriously, how many people already knew about it?

“I can smell it, Max.” She rolled her eyes. “A lower-rank wolf wouldn’t since she’s human and underage, but alphas will know, and I know you’ve smelled my rank, so don’t give me that look.”

“If you know I’ve smelled your alpha blood, you must know what else I picked up on,” I shot back, regaining my composure.

“Sit.” She gestured to a stool in front of the counter, and I complied.

“I’d never hurt her,” she declared seriously.

As strange as it may seem, I believed her. Despite her dangerous wolf, she seemed like a good person.

Seeing her up close, I realized she was much older than me. Maybe closer to Rohan’s age. That didn’t change the fact that she was beautiful, and I had a feeling she was an honest person too.

“What happened to your wolf?” I asked. “Why are you here, living like a human, away from your pack?”

“Are you sure that knowing my story will help you that much?” she asked with a peculiar look.

“I need to know that Estella is safe when she’s with you.”

She nodded.

“I hope you have a strong stomach then, doctor.”

That’s how she began telling me everything that led her to run away from her pack.

Her story was interrupted many times by customers coming into the bookstore now and then, and I was genuinely grateful for the breaks.

They gave me time to recover and process what I was hearing. What Bonnie told me, I won’t tell a soul.

If I could erase her story and the images it conjured in my mind, I would do it in a heartbeat.

But, I can’t.

Bonnie isn’t a threat to my Estella. She’s a threat to herself and the bravest she-wolf I’ve ever met.

ESTELLA

“Be quiet!” I hissed. “He’ll be here any minute.”

“You know he can smell us, right?” Caleb whispered.

“And hear us,” Alpha Rohan chimed in.

“Can’t you act like normal people for once?” I rolled my eyes, exasperated.

“We’re werewolves, honey,” Patrick said, stating the obvious.

“I know. But can’t you forget about it for five minutes?”

“Not everyone is like my son,” Leslie commented.

“Come on, guys. Just play along until Howie brings him in,” I pleaded.

From the amusing conversation above, it’s easy to conclude that I was trying to keep these wolves quiet so as not to ruin my surprise for Max.

You see, I planned it like they do in cheesy movies. Howie had gone to fetch Max from the hospital because Patrick supposedly wanted to talk to both of them.

To make it more convincing, the latter had mind-linked him, too, feigning urgency and clearly stating that Alpha Rohan would also be here.

As I’m sure you noticed, Alpha Rohan is indeed here, along with the alpha, luna, and their kids (honestly, the little darlings were the quietest of all), Leslie, Uncle Julian and Aunt Lydia, Caleb, and most members of the pack.

We were all gathered in the living room, making sure to turn off the lights so we could do it properly when he walked in.

You know, that silly thing when the birthday person or the one with them flips on the lights, and everyone yells, “Surprise!”

Terrible, isn’t it? Well, that was my plan for Max.

As the door to the pack house opened, we all froze. We heard Howie’s and Max’s faint voices (faint to me and my aunt and uncle, with our poor human hearing that is).

Howie was supposed to take Max to Patrick’s study first, so he wouldn’t suspect anything. Then, he’d bring him to the living room.

I know, I know. This whole plan might seem pointless because Max could smell us all.

Except for Caleb, who kept teasing me about my silly human ideas, everyone else played along with my plan.

I understand that wolves—and werewolves—have to be alert by nature. But not being able to be surprised every now and then, well, that just sucks if you ask me.

As the moment approached, I was buzzing with excitement. When the lights finally came on, I was the first to jump up and shout with joy.

Max wasn’t surprised at all, but he looked happy. He laughed when we all sang the birthday song together.

But he was taken aback when the cake arrived, and he saw the wolf with the stethoscope around its neck.

In case you’re curious, yes, that was my idea. And judging by the fresh burst of laughter from Max when he saw it, it was a good one.

(Just so you know, I’m grinning smugly at the memory, even though you can’t see me.)

When he was about to blow out the candles too quickly, my uncle stopped him, reminding him to make a wish. But Max said cryptically that he didn’t need to make a wish.

I wondered why. Don’t we all have things we long for?

For example, when I was back in Australia, I wished every year to return and be with Max and my other friends. More recently, I wished for Max to fall in love with me as deeply as I am with him.

After we finished with the cake and everyone else was busy eating the food that Leslie, Eva, and Aunt Lydia made, I found the chance to lead Max out of the pack house.

“The party’s back there,” he teased.

“Yes, but my gift isn’t.” I smirked.

“Oh, I see. But it’s a bit rude to leave your own party, you know.”

“They’re all focused on the food.” I rolled my eyes. “They won’t even notice we’re gone.”

“True.” He chuckled, then turned serious again. He pulled on our intertwined fingers, stopping me.

“What?” I asked.

“I saw Bonnie,” he confessed guiltily.

“You did what?” I pulled my hand away from his.

“I’m sorry. I know I promised you, but I was worried. So, I visited her a couple of days ago.”

“Why would you do that, Max? Why? She trusted me. Now she won’t let me in again!” I complained.

“She’s not mad at you, darling,” he replied calmly. “She has no problem with you going there. She told me to tell you so.”

“Still, you shouldn’t have done it,” I scolded.

“I know, and I apologize again. I just wanted to make sure you’d be safe with her.”

“Of course I’ll be safe with her.” I threw my hands in the air. “I’ve been seeing her for three years, Max! Bonnie is a good person. She would never hurt me.”

“I know that now, darling. I’m sorry I didn’t trust your judgment.”

He stepped closer to me and stroked my face.

You know that feeling when you want to stay mad at someone for something they did wrong, but you can’t because you love them too much?

And then you get even more annoyed because you can’t stay mad at them?

That’s what I was feeling at that moment. But since it was his birthday and he had the decency to confess to me on his own, I decided to let it go.

So, I took his hand that was caressing my cheek and continued walking toward his place to show him my gift.

He didn’t say anything more, and neither did I, at least until we reached his room and he saw the artwork above his bed.

He was the subject of my painting. Mostly. I painted him smiling and walking down a path among the trees at twilight, with a pair of wolves running right in front of him.

The larger one was a dark gray and represented Max’s wolf. The slightly smaller one was a much lighter, almost iridescent gray and represented his future mate’s.

Honestly, it was painful to paint this particular one, but at some point, he will find her. It’s in his nature. It’s his destiny.

As I watched him approach his bed slowly, my heart started pounding in my chest. From his expression, I couldn’t tell if he liked it or not, and I was afraid to ask.

Instead, I walked up behind him and hugged him around the waist, resting my head a little above the middle of his back.

“Happy Birthday, Max,” I whispered.

He removed my hands from his body and turned around to face me.

“Is this how you see me, darling?” he asked softly, cupping my face.

“Yes.”

He smiled and pulled me closer. I swear, there’s no better place than in his arms.

He kissed the top of my head several times, and to lighten the funny feeling in my stomach and below, I joked.

“Can’t you kiss my grays away too? You’re older than me, but it’s my hair that’s going gray.”

It’s true. I started noticing them when I was around seven, and I’ve been counting them ever since. Every year, I get a couple more.

“Well, you can use the human magic and dye them if they bother you. But to me, they’re barely noticeable.”

“I’m not blonde, Max,” I lifted my head to glare at him. “They stick out.”

“I wouldn’t know they were there if you hadn’t told me.”

“You’re either blind or a liar,” I said, deadpan.

“Or I just love you too much.” He shrugged and then flicked my nose.

He did say he loved me, right? It wasn’t just my imagination.

Right?