Relief

22- Birthday Wishes

1 month later...

I woke up to the smell of cake batter, eggs, bacon, and chocolate. I knew my mom was making her famous chocolate chip pancakes; my favorite. She only makes them on one occasion that happens every year.

My birthday.

I was turning nineteen and heading off to college next month with Collin. I was going to major in the Arts while he majored in business, of course.

I got off my bed and headed to the shower. It was going to be a long day. As I reached for my towel, I noticed something glint in the sunlight.

+My ring.    

I smiled as I admired it. It's been a month since Collin proposed to me. Everyone was overjoyed when they heard the news. Naturally, my dad threatened to cut his balls off if he ever hurt me. And although before I swore left and right that, that was all Collin was going to do, I'm positive now he would never even dream of it.

As I got out of the shower, I noticed it again. The gold-encrusted ring garnished in red rubies and one medium-sized diamond in the middle, really reflected the light beautifully. You can't not notice it. Collin says the rubies represent our love and passion for each other as well as the blood that binds us together as mates. I couldn't agree with him more.

When I finished getting dressed in a short-sleeved, cream color dress, a pair of matching flats and, of course, my moon-shaped amulet, I heard a knock on my door.

"Come in," I said.

My dad walks in holding a small box with a bow on top. He smiled at me and embraced me in his arms, tightly. "Happy Birthday, baby girl." He kissed my cheek and handed me the box. "I know I've missed a lot of birthdays and I have my whole life to make up for it. So I wanted to give you something. I know it isn't much but I hope you like it." 

I smiled a teary smile. "Oh, dad, you didn't have to. You know that's all in the past." I said, as I gave him another hug. 

"I know, baby, but I still wanted to give you something." He pulled away from me and wiped the tears that spilled on his cheek. "Go on, open it."

I unwrapped the bow and opened the small box. I gasp as I pulled it out. It was a thick bracelet with a locket shaped like the moon in the middle. I opened it and I saw a picture of my mom and dad, smiling happily at each other. It was a picture of them when they were young. I smiled. "This is beautiful, daddy. I love it. I love you." I hugged him and allowed him to clasp the bracelet around my wrist. 

He smiled. "I love you and I'm glad you like it. I thought it would go perfectly with the moon amulet your mother gave you," He touched it. "You know that's been in her family for generations now." He added.

I looked at him. "Really? I didn't know that."

"Yes. Through her father's side, she obtained that necklace. He believed a lot in the supernatural beings and so did his family before him. The men would give it to their loved ones and pass it down. Your grandfather's mother told him to give it to the love of his life so he gave it to your grandmother who gave it to your mother and then she gave it to you." 

"Wow, I've never heard that before. Where is my grandfather?" My mother never talked about him.

His face softened. "He died before I got the chance to meet him. I'm sure he would have loved the prospect of his only daughter mated to a werewolf." He chuckled. I heard footsteps shuffling outside and an overpowering scent emanate the room.

"Who's that?" I asked.

He smiled and sniffed the room. He went to open the door, revealing my smiling mother.