Mates of the Luna Queen

CHAPTER 2 Happy Birthday

　　Raven's POV

　　The sun has barely started to shine through my bedroom window when there is a light knock at my door.

　　"Five more minutes," Kieran groans as he pulls the blankets back over his head.

　　The knocking becomes a little louder and Kieran kicks his legs roughly and hits the small of my back. I try to roll over to escape his flailing arms and legs when I find myself on the edge of the bed. Before I realize what is happening I am falling and I hit the floor of my bedroom with a hard thud.

　　"Ouch, you jackass," I hiss at him as get up from the floor.

　　Peeking out at me from under the blankets, Kieran smirks at me and rolls over to go back to sleep. It reminds me of when we would have sleepovers when we were younger. He would always hog the bed and I would end up on the floor at some point in the night.

　　Looking down at my brother I find myself lost in thought and I realize just how lost I will be without him when I go on the pack tour. Kieran and I shared a room until we started school. Then our parents decided that it would be best to separate us. But that didn't stop us from sneaking into each other's room in the middle of the night whenever we had a bad dream. Growing up Kieran was the only thing I needed and I think he needed me just as much.

　　Once again the knocking on my door continues and I am pulled from my thoughts. Shaking my head at Kieran who is back to snoring, I make my way over to the bedroom door.

　　Standing in my little pajama shorts and a small camisole, I fling the door open and find myself glaring right in my mother's face. Behind her, all three of my fathers are standing with excited looks on their faces.

　　"Happy Birthday!" They all yell at once and I move to shut the door in their face but my father, Ace, stops the door with his hand.

　　"Not so fast, Little Bird," he says and I roll my eyes at the nickname Kieran gave to me when we were children. "You have a big day ahead of you so we wanted to start the festivities early."

　　My mother presses a gift into my hands and invites herself into my bedroom and looks around. "I would be concerned about a boy being in your bed but I know it is just Kieran," she says jokingly.

　　My fathers push passed me and make their way over to my bed, yanking Kieran out by his feet. Kieran hits the floor and moans loudly as our parents start singing "Happy Birthday" to us.

　　Sitting down on the chair at my vanity, I yawn loudly. "Sure, everybody just come on in."

　　My dad, Bryce doesn't miss the sarcasm in my voice. "Watch your tone, young lady," he says with a smirk on his face. Dad can never be serious, even when he tries. "You might be the Queen today but you are still my Little Bird."

　　"Dad," I draw out the word while I roll my eyes. "I think it is time that we stop calling me Little Bird and I am not the Queen yet. The coronation isn't for another month. I still have to visit all of the new packs."

　　"Oh no," Kieran says loudly from the floor. "You aren't getting off that easy, Little Bird. Your name shall be Queen Little Bird."

　　My fathers all laugh loudly with Kieran and my mother even chuckles along with them as well. But I don't find it funny. How will the pack learn to respect me if people are running around calling me Little Bird?

　　Crossing my arms over my chest, I glare at the four of them and they immediately stop laughing.

　　My Papa, Chris, clears his throat awkwardly and turns to Kieran. "What are you doing in here anyway? Aren't you two getting a little too old for sleepovers?"

　　Kieran scoffs loudly. "Says the man that still sleeps in the same bed as his brothers."

　　"That's different," Father laughs. "We all share the same mate."

　　Kieran and I both wrinkle our noses in disgust. Even at eighteen years old the thought of our parents sleeping together is enough to make us both want to gag.

　　"Okay," I say trying to banish any thoughts of my parents together out of my mind. "Can I have my room back? I need to get ready."

　　"Of course, Lit- Raven," my mother says gently. We will be waiting for you downstairs.

　　"Actually, Mom, can you stay behind for a moment?" I ask and my fathers all clutch their hands against their hearts like they are wounded.

　　I watch silently as all of the men in my family file out of my bedroom. Each one gives me a kiss on the cheek before they leave the room, even Kieran. The action only brings tears to my eyes because I realize how much I am going to miss them.

　　Once they are all gone, Mom turns to me and places her hands on her hips. She already knows what I am going to ask.

　　"We cannot delay this trip any longer," my mother fills in the silence between us. "The elders are becoming restless."

　　"Can't it wait one more day?" I beg. "That is all that I am asking. I just want my first shift to be with Kieran."

　　All of my firsts have been with Kieran by my side. We took our first steps together, started school together, and graduated together. For every important milestone I have had in my life, Kieran has been by my side. This is the first one where we will be apart.

　　Dropping her hands to her sides, my mother lets out a sad sigh. "Don't you think that we all want to be there for your first shift?" She reminds me. "But I shifted alone and so can you. I believe in you. Plus, Your father will be with you and Aunt Ashley. They will help you through it and then the next time you come to visit you and Kieran's wolves can run together until the sun comes up."

　　"It just won't be the same," I whine and my mother tuts her tongue on the roof of her mouth.

　　"Is this any way for a Queen to act?" We both say at the same time and my mother glares in my direction. But I can stop the sarcasm in my voice. I have been hearing the same thing for the past eighteen years.

　　Instead of chastising me, my mother pulls me up from my chair and holds me at arm's length. "Remember, you are the daughter of the Moon Goddess," she begins and tears begin to sting the corners of my eyes. "You are going to do great things."

　　Pulling my mother in for a hug, I hold her close. "I am going to do great things because you raised me to. You are my mother."

　　We hold each other for a few moments with tears running down both of our faces. I rest my chin on my mother's shoulder and she whispers next to my ear, "You will always be mine."

　　Breaking away from the hug, we both sniff back tears. My mother looks at the clock on the wall and cusses. "s**t, the car will be here in an hour."