His Hybrid Archer

6 - Birthdays

Lance Kyle 

    On the day of my eighteenth birthday, I awakened in an especially good mood.  I was excited to see if my mate was a part of the Jungle Pack or the Midnight Pack.  Before I could do that, my parents insisted I join the family for a special birthday breakfast.

    When I sat down at the dining table, the first thing my eyes landed on was the sausage gravy.  My smile instantly widened at the sight of biscuits and gravy.  It was hands down my favorite breakfast food.  To make the breakfast even better, there was also cheesy scrambled eggs and hash browns.

    Once everybody was seated, we all enjoyed the delicious food.  After that, my parents handed me a key and insisted I follow them outside.  I was filled with curiosity, as we walked to the front door.  However, that curiosity turned to joy when I laid eyes on the cherry red Mustang parked in front of the castle.

    I was quick to give both of my parents a hug, then I sprinted to the car and jumped into the driver's seat.  Instantly, I sank into the comfortable black leather seat.  Next, I gazed at the different dials and controls on the dashboard that was also black.

    The car was a beauty, and I couldn't wait to get it on the open road.  The only problem was the fact that I would have to leave the Jungle Pack's territory for that to happen.  Unfortunately, that just wasn't an option at that moment.  

    I had my mind set on looking for my mate.  It was my top priority.  After I found her, then I would take the car for a spin.

    After I got a good look at the inside, I checked out the badass engine under the hood.  Everything was still shiny, so I knew it had never been owned by anybody else.  That made me even happier about the car.  It meant there wouldn't be any problems with it due to somebody else's negligence.

    While I was looking under the hood, I mind linked Dane and asked him to meet me out front.  It took him close to five minutes to come outside, then I showed my new car off to him.  He was almost as excited about it as I was.

    When he was done checking out my new Mustang, we shifted into our cat forms.  After that, we roamed all through our territory looking for any scent that tickled my nose.  however, no scents had an effect on me, so we roamed the Midnight Pack's territory after that, and I didn't have any luck there either.

    I returned to the castle that evening with no mate, but my car was still sitting in front of the castle to put a smile back on my face.  Dane gave me some encouraging words about not giving up on finding my mate yet, then we split ways and went to our family's living quarters.

Snow

    My parents insisted that I stay at home the night before my eighteenth birthday.  I really just wanted to be in the forest, but I didn't want to let them down.  They had taken care of me the past eighteen years.  So I figured it was the least I could do to show my appreciation.

    Of course, I couldn't hardly sleep during the overnight hours, but I had a lot of time to think.  Mostly, I thought about that cute werecat.  

    I still hadn't laid eyes on him the past few years, but I had a feeling that he was still alive.  I don't why I thought that, or how to explain the feeling, but it gave me a little hope of seeing him again in the future.

    I also thought about what I should do now that I am turning eighteen.  I really wanted to leave the free territory and travel to a coven of witches.  However, I didn't want to leave my parents in the free territory without me.

    The number of rogues had quadrupled over the past three years, and I feared for their safety.  The thought of them getting hurt or killed, because I wasn't there was too much to bear.  If that happened, I would never be able to forgive myself.  

    Throughout the overnight hours, I heard my dad get up a few times, but I stayed in my bedroom lost in my thoughts.  It was normal for me to hear him up and moving around at night, since he was a werecat.  

    However, it didn't make sense why I spent most of the overnight hours awake, whereas my mom slept through the night.  Me and my mom were both witches, so I felt like I should be sleeping when she was, but that wasn't the case.  It didn't make any sense.

    Not long after I heard both of my parents up and talking in the living room, I decided to join them.  As soon as I sat on the recliner, my mom beamed a smile at me, as she happily chirped, "Happy birthday, sweetheart!"

    My dad was quick to follow suit and enthusiastically exclaimed, "Happy eighteenth birthday, Snow!"

    I flashed a wide smile at them and cheerfully replied, "Thank you!"

    Suddenly, my dad abruptly stood up, as he excitedly stated, "I made something special for you."  

    He scurried off to his bedroom, then he returned with a large box.  When he handed it to me, I gazed at the huge bow that was tied around it.  I knew right away it was one of the fancy bows that my mom made by hand, and that immediately brought a smile to my face.  She always made the prettiest bows.

    After I meticulously untied the bow, so I could save it, I lifted the lid off the box.  My eyes were instantly met with a beautiful, hand crafted bow carved from a hard oak wood.  

    My dad had obviously spent a lot of time working on the bow.  It was sanded down to form smooth edges without any splinters.  Also, the cord was securely fastened to the wood with the perfect amount of slack.

    It was one of those gifts that I would treasure forever.  Not only that, it was one of those gifts that I would use often to help keep my awesome parents safe.  I felt like I owed them for taking me in when I was an infant and raising me as their own in a loving home.