Ch.21 Chapter 20 - Rejected Lovers

*** This is a clean version of Chapter 20. For anyone who is over 18 years, you can find a book on my profile called 'The Forbidden Diaries' which contains the explicit version. If any problems occur where you cannot view the book then you may have to follow me. Reading the explicit version is done at your own choice as I have made sure to notify you beforehand. ***

Chapter Twenty - Birthday Blues

As soon as the bell rings and signals the end of Biology I race out of the classroom with Emilia, Leon and Savannah hot on my heels. I grab the books I'll need to complete all my homework for tomorrow and shove them haphazardly into my bag before zipping it up. Arcadia and Elias catch up to us by the entrance and we all make our way to the cars waiting in the parking lot to take us home.

The reason we're all rushing is because it's February twenty-sixth today which is Atticus' birthday and I have planned a surprise party for him. He's currently in town for a meeting and will be back by seven which gives us plenty of time to decorate and prepare. We had bought everything we needed yesterday and some pack members will be picking up the cake and other food that we had ordered weeks in advance.

When the cars pull up to the garage of the pack house I grin in excitement at seeing all the decorations on the outside. I haven't planned anything outrageous, just a barbecue party at the pack house with everyone. As we walk inside I see a table in the main sitting room that is already overflowing with gifts for Atticus and everyone is rushing about with excited smiles on their faces.

"Alright, let's split up and get everything done. I'll see you guys later, yeah?" I watch as they nod before running off to help with the preparations.

I head over to help with getting the food and tables set up with a few other pack members. After that, we start decorating the back garden with multicolored balloons and streamers. Some kids even bring confetti tubes to pop once Atticus comes in!

We work quickly and help each other where we can. Eventually, everything is completed and I'm so relieved that the preparations were finished without a hitch. Now all that's left is the birthday boy and I cannot wait to see his reaction. The pack and I have been so good in keeping this a secret from him. He thinks we're just going out for a dinner date tonight.

"Everyone hide! He's coming!" Bastian mind links us and we all race to find a hiding spot.

Someone who is close to the lights turns them all off which we chuckle at since he'll be able to see us in the dark anyways. After a few minutes of waiting we hear two pairs of footsteps making their way into the foyer of the pack house. I hear Bastian lure Atticus towards the main lounge room with an excuse of feeling hungry. Thankfully he follows and as soon as he steps in we all jump up with some people popping the tubes of confetti.

"Surprise! Happy Birthday, Alpha!" Everyone yells before laughing at his shocked expression.

"W-What â how?" He laughs before his eyes meet mine.

I smile smugly as he pulls me into an embrace. "I should've known!"

"Happy Birthday." I whisper as I kiss him quickly.

Everyone seems to catch it though and breaks out into a fit of cheers and hollers. I groan in embarrassment while it's Atticus' turn to smirk smugly. Rolling my eyes with a grin I push him into the crowd and our pack members immediately surround him. The elders wish him many more years of success while the youth sing happy birthday to him at the top of their lungs.

All of us spend the rest of the evening celebrating. The cake is massive and decorated beautifully but it's all gone within ten minutes! Thankfully we got enough food to feed everyone, including the hungry students and working adults. After devouring the party food everyone moves back into the house where Atticus opens his presents. He blushes throughout the entire thing which I find so adorable.

"Thank you everyone. I had a great time!" He smiles once the last present has been unwrapped.

We all help to clean up and because of the many hands we get it done within an hour. I'm so tired as Atticus, his family and I walk back to the house but a guard informs us that parcels have arrived for Atticus and I. We head inside but stop dead in our tracks as soon as we enter the foyer. A strong metallic scent makes me scrunch my nose in disgust as I stare at the two boxes on the lone table. Atticus and I glance at each other before making our way to them and opening the boxes cautiously. The one that is addressed to me is a box of red roses...covered in animal's blood. The note signed by Vincent reads, your blood will be spilled next.

Fear courses through me and I turn to look at the box that was addressed to Atticus only for my eyes to widen at the disturbing sight before me. It's a cake with 'happy birthday' written in icing but there's two figurines that resemble Atticus and I. His figurine is holding my dead body that is sprayed with red coloring. I'm assuming it's meant to symbolize blood.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Tobias growls protectively as his eyes flicker between us and the boxes.

Atticus and I glance at each other knowingly which causes Vasilia to stiffen. "Please don't tell me that someone has been threatening you two and you didn't think to tell us!"

"I'm handling it â"

"It's Vincent isn't it?" Elias guesses and Arcadia nods in agreement.

"Olivia, at least you could've told us it was him." Tobias stares at me in disappointment but Atticus interrupts him.

"Dad, I told her not to tell anyone. Bastian and I are working on this." He explains but Tobias only shakes his head.

"How long has this been going on for?" He asks gruffly as we move to the sitting room.

"Shortly after I joined the pack." I sigh heavily as I sink into the couch beside Atticus.

"He's planning something big. Something other than just an attack." Vasilia states with narrowed eyes.

Tobias nods in agreement. "He's going to try and take Olivia that's for sure."

"He's an Alpha with his own pack and from what Olivia told us he never wanted her as his mate so, why is going to such extremes?" Arcadia frowns in confusion as she walks back from the kitchen with a chocolate bar.

A shiver runs through my body and I feel Atticus tightening his hold on me as he pulls me closer against him. I rest my head against his shoulder as dread fills me at the thought of Vincent taking me from Atticus. Why can't he continue to live his life with his chosen Luna? I wonder to myself. He never cared about me anyways other than...

"He only wanted me for heirs." I whisper in realization.

Atticus' thunderous growl shakes the foundations of the house as he pulls me onto his lap. He nestles his nose into the crook of my neck before taking deep inhales of my scent. I feel him press a kiss to my mark and it reassures me slightly. To calm him somewhat I run my fingers through his hair and feel his shoulders relax.

"We need more security measures in place so from tomorrow everyone will adhere to a curfew. Have you talked to some of our allies?" Tobias asks and Atticus nods in response.

"Everyone is with us should an attack occur. I have people near the Red River pack to keep an eye on Vincent. He's been using different people to send these threats." He explains before Vasilia interrupts.

"What if we send someone undercover into his pack?"

"No, he'll be expecting this." Atticus sighs as he holds me tighter. "We don't have much time."

If only we knew that not even time could help us.

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