Above is sort of how I was picturing later, only there is a clearing with lots more space.
**If I put 'roll' anywhere in this chapter will you let me know please? It is supposed to be 'role' and I didn't realize I was spelling it wrong until I was writing the next chapter. I went through this chapter but you know how it is correcting your own work, you miss things. So, if you see 'roll' please let me know. Thank you. :) **
It's been a long week of searching for the perfect gift for Micah. His birthday is today and it literally took me all week to find a gift. Well, actually, I bought him six gifts, not including the gift cards to various places.
Micah sleeps peacefully in my arms, my fingers playing in his hair. He turns thirty today. My baby turns thirty. A milestone! I want to make this birthday perfect, but I know it won't be. Perfect would mean his mom and sister would be here, but I don't have their contact information and I don't think he is ready to face them yet.
There isn't going to be some giant lavish party; mainly because I know he wouldn't know anyone, but also because I know he likes things kept simple. So instead, I have planned a sort of dinner picnic; to which my mother is doing the cooking for since I don't want to leave Micah at all today and I wanted the food to be fresh.
He's getting ice-cream cake from Dairy Queen because I didn't want to hassle mom with it. Micah told me once that his favorite is Oreo ice-cream cake from Dairy Queen and it was the first thing he ate once he got released from the hospital. So, naturally I ordered one and have it hiding in the freezer.
It took a lot of convincing, but I managed to get Abram to help set up the picnic, because again, I don't want to leave Micah for even a second. Trigg is still pretty upset about his brother's disappearance, but he volunteered to help me out; so, Abram followed, after telling me for days that he wouldn't help.
I managed to get all of his gifts wrapped one morning when he was in the shower, now they are hiding in my mom's room, which isn't actually her room anymore since she moved out the other day. Mom still lives in the Pack House though so I can visit her whenever I want, she was just adamant about letting me have the place to myself now that I have Micah. Mom also wants me to start a family with Micah as soon as possible, we'll have to wait on that though.
Micah groans in his sleep before he rolls over more onto me. I smile and rub his clothed back. He still won't let me see under his shirt, but I'm not pressuring him about it. My guess is that he has scar tissue he doesn't want me to see, which is perfectly okay, I just wish he would trust me enough to show me.
I watch Micah's eyes flutter open, he blinks a few times before they focus and he stares at my bookcase. I don't move as I wait for him to wake up a bit more. My wolf purrs inside my head, he likes having his mate in our arms like this. Micah also smells good; he smells like Marshmallow Matey's and Oreos mixed with my own earthy scent. I love having my scent mixed in with his, it makes my wolf and I purr.
Micah turns his head slightly to look up at me, I smile down at him happily. His face is slightly flushed from sleep, his eyes glassy, and his lips a bit chapped. I think he looks absolutely beautiful.
"Good morning, baby," I greet. "Happy birthday,"
He blinks a few times before my words register. "My birthday?"
I chuckle as I rub my knuckles on his cheek lovingly. "Yes, today is June 23rd,"
He blinks again before his eyes widen. "Holy shit, I'm thirty today,"
I smile and nod my head. "I feel so much younger than you," I pout. "I need to be older,"
He snorts as he shakes his head. "I feel too old now,"
"Nope, you're perfect," I grin as I continue to rub his cheek with my knuckles.
"When is your birthday?"
"October 15th," I answer. "I still have a few months until I turn twenty-seven. I still feel like a baby next to you though,"
He doesn't say anything for a while and I don't dare break the peaceful silence as we stare at each other. I uncurl my fingers and stroke him with them instead of my knuckles, my pointer finger running over his bottom lip a few times.
"I love you," He mutters.
My fingers halt as my mind processes his words. I grin wide and lean down to kiss his lips upside down. "I love you too," I whisper against his lips.
"Can we just stay in bed today? No party, no presents, no cake; just the two of us in bed. We don't even have to do anything, we could just cuddle all day and watch something,"
I pout and shake my head. "Why no cake? What's wrong with cake?"
He smiles and grabs my free hand. I watch as he intertwines our fingers and then looks back up at me. "Because cake would require getting out of bed, unless someone brought it to us,"
"I'm sure I could get someone to bring us cake," I reply. "But, I have something planned,"
"No, Jonah, don't," He groans. "I don't need to do anything just because it's my birthday, I'll have another one next year anyway," He grumbles.
I shake my head and tsk a few times. "Yeah, but what if you refuse to do anything next year? I'm not taking the chance, so, you can get your sexy ass out of bed and dressed so we can celebrate your birthday,"
He glares at me playfully. "I don't want to leave bed," He grumbles. "Can't you just do something about my sexy ass?"
I groan at the oh so tempting suggestion and shake my head. "No, unless you want me to drag it out of bed myself,"
He gasps dramatically. "Are you denying me sexy time?"
"Sexy time?" I laugh. "I'm only denying you temporarily anyway,"
He pouts and whimpers. "I thought you loved me,"
I roll my eyes and push him off me so I can get on top of him. I lean in close to his face before speaking. "I do love you, which is why we're celebrating your birthday," I peck his lips before jumping off the bed. "Don't worry, there is no party, just the two of us,"
"You promise?" He asks as he lifts up and uses his elbows to prop himself up.
"I promise, it will just be the two of us, not even Human gets to come,"
He glances to said dog laying in a dog bed next to Micah's side of the bed. "You're not taking me out to some fancy place, Jonah, I mean it,"
"We're not going to," I reply honestly. "We're actually going to be on the property all day,"
"And by property, you mean this bed?" He asks as he pokes the mattress.
I laugh and shake my head as I move to his side of the bed and pick up his prosthetic. "Baby, I put a lot of thought into today, so please will you get up and trust me?"
He sighs as he sits up. "Fine, but I swear, if you spent or spend even a hundred dollars on today, I will be mad,"
I don't tell him that I already spent over a hundred. He doesn't need to know how much went into grocery shopping just for dinner, or how much the picnic set up cost; as long as he enjoys it I don't care how much it cost.
He takes his prosthetic from me and hooks it into place, Human getting out of his own bed and stretching as his master does. Micah looks at me with a suspicious look on his handsome face.
I laugh and shake my head. "Stop looking at me like that, just shower or get dressed, I'll be in the kitchen," With that, I kiss his forehead and then leave the room.
I already showered at six in the morning since my brain has been nagging me about today. I've been going over today millions of times, thinking over the list of food and if I forgot anything from the store. Thinking about the set up I gave Abram and Trigg for the picnic area and if it was perfect or not. Did I pick the right spot? Will people bother us even though Abram told everyone to stay away from the area tonight? Will Micah actually enjoy what I have planned, or will he think it is to cheesy? Did I choose the right food? Will he like his presents? What if we shouldn't do this and just stay at home with a trusty movie instead?
So many doubts and so many insecurities run through my head. I just want Micah to have a great birthday, even if his mom and sister can't be here. How long will it take Micah to get used to his prosthetic? How long will it take for him to mentally and physically prepare himself to visit his mom and sister? I don't want to push Micah at all, which is why I am keeping my mouth shut about it. It is up to Micah if he wants to see his mom and sister, not me. Although, I have been dying to meet them since I know he adores them, especially after I saw his life in my dreams when I was poisoned.
An hour later I am finally setting the table full of breakfast crepes, homemade breakfast burritos, homemade hash browns, and blueberry muffins. I set the milk jug down as well as the orange juice container and happily look to Micah who has patiently been sitting at the table for half an hour since I refused to let him help.
"Bon appétit," I say in my best French accent.
Micah chuckles as he fills his plate with food. I happily fill my own plate before pouring some orange juice into my glass. We eat in silence for a while, occasionally smiling at each other. I love Micah so much and I seriously do not know how I survived twenty-five years without him. I know I would not be able to survive long if he suddenly left me.
After we both finish breakfast I quickly clear the table and leave everything in the sink for later. Then I grab a gift from my mom's room, okay, that is going to get some used to now that it's not hers, then I take the gift out to Micah who is still sitting at the dining room table.
Micah sighs as I set the present in front of him on the table. "I told you no presents, Jonah," He pouts.
"Yeah, but you told me that today after I already bought the present, so be a good boy and open it," I practically bounce on the heels of my feet in excitement. "It's nothing big, just something I saw and thought of you,"
Micah smiles at me before tearing off the blue and white striped wrapping paper. The gift is only a rectangular box about three inches thick. Micah pulls the box out of the wrapping and then lifts the white lid and sets it on the table so he can see the present inside the box. Inside is a maroon colored light pullover hoodie with gray sleeves and a gray front middle pocket.
Micah pulls the hoodie from the box and shakes it out so he can look at the whole thing, then he smiles and slips it on. "Thank you, JJ, I love this,"
I grin wide and fix the collar around his neck. "Yep, I was right, maroon is your color,"
"Is it?" He asks as he stands up and looks down at himself.
"Definitely," I reply honestly. "Makes you look even hotter,"
Micah snorts and shakes his head. "Then I should wear more maroon,"
I grin and peck his lips as I grab his hand. "Yes, yes you will,"
"Thank you," He repeats as he grabs the back of my neck and pulls me in for a deeper kiss. "Now, what are you planning for today since you obviously won't let us stay here?"
I grin and grab his hand. "I am going to show you my second favorite place in the entire world,"
"What's your first favorite place?" He asks as he allows me to drag him out of the apartment.
I grin and pull him closer to me. "You,"
"I'm not a place, JJ," He points out.
"Yes you are. Wherever you are is my favorite because you are there,"
"God, you are so cheesy," He chuckles as we walk down the stairs.
"Only with you," I grin and pull our clasped hands to my lips so I can kiss his tanned hand.
He shakes his head but keeps quiet after that. I know he didn't want to make his birthday a big deal so I have been keeping it a secret. The only people who know are my mother; who is making all the food, as well as Abram and Trigg; who are setting up the picnic area. I also made sure to tell mom not to let others know because Micah doesn't want anyone to.
We leave the pack house through the front door and head for the cover of the trees. "I would have taken you through the back but if my mom sees you she'll shout happy birthday to you and then everyone will know,"
He smiles and presses himself against me so I wrap my arm around his shoulders as he wraps his around my waist. "Thank you, Jonah, for understanding," He mutters as we walk around the house and to the back, all from the cover of the trees.
"No problem, baby," I reply before kissing his cheek. "Now, this place has been mine and Abram's hide out since we were kids, I don't think anyone else knows about it. And honestly, I think Abram forgot about it too,"
"How would he forget about your hideout?" He questions as we walk deeper into the trees.
"After our dads died when we were fifteen, we had to grow up faster than the other teenagers, Abram had to grow up the fastest though. The Beta becomes Alpha if something happens to the Alpha, but both the Alpha and Beta died on the same day, so Abram became Alpha early. Usually you don't become Alpha until you are eighteen or your father deems you ready, but Abram was fifteen when he took over the pack.
"I became Beta but I don't have as big of a role as Abram does. It was definitely stressful for him and I don't think I made things easier on him since I became a dick after my dad died. I was into all sorts of trouble and fights and Abram was always there to bail me out even though he had more pressing matters. He was juggling high school, being Alpha, and still mourning, and I didn't help at all with my attitude. I think that's why I changed after high school, I realized how much of a dick I was so I grew up and tried to be supportive of my Alpha and best friend.
"So, with all that Abram had to go through it makes sense that he would forget about silly things such as a hideout. He still has a lot on his plate, but not being in school helps a ton. Abram also found a third in command, his name is Deklyn Cooper. Deklyn came from a pack in Alaska but he is technically a Beta which is how he can be Abram's third in command,"
"Wait, if Deklyn is a Beta, doesn't that confuse your wolves or something? Like, don't you feel like he'll overstep you since you're the Beta?"
I smile and shake my head. "No, Deklyn is a twin so he only got half of the Beta gene so his wolf isn't as inclined to be Beta as mine is who has the full gene. But if something were to happen to both Abram and me then Deklyn's wolf would step up to take over the pack like he is meant to. That's why twin Beta's are born, so they can become thirds, it's a way to keep balance. Which would have been nice if Abram's dad had a third when he and my dad both died, because then Abram wouldn't have had to take over until he was eighteen,"
"So, Deklyn's twin, is he a he, and if so, is he the Beta of their pack instead?"
"Yeah, Deklyn's twin is a male, only males can be Alpha's and Beta's. But no, his twin isn't the Beta of their pack in Alaska because they have an older brother who has the full gene, so he is the packs Beta,"
"So how did Deklyn and his twin get the gene too?"
I smile and kiss his cheek, I love that he wants to know all this. "It's so packs like ours can have a third in command. Think of it like this; a daddy Beta has a child with the Beta gene, that child will become the next Beta of the pack. Daddy Beta gets his mate pregnant again, but this time with twins, or even triplets. The Beta gene splits between the twins or triplets making the pups technically half Beta's. The new pups don't have the full gene so they are not full Beta's, but their purpose is to go to a pack in need of a third.
"The twins or triplets all go off to new packs to have the role as third in command. Something happens to the Alpha of the new pack so his Beta takes over, but oh no, the Beta gets killed by a Rogue, so the third takes over as Alpha. The moon goddess sees how fit the half Beta is as Alpha and gives him the Alpha gene instead. Now, the original Alpha line is most likely severed but a new line of Alphas will be born from the once half Beta,"
"Okay, can a half Beta have a pup with the full gene?"
"Nope, take Deklyn for example, he will only have sons with the half gene because he doesn't have enough gene to give the pup to make it a full Beta. But it's also different for a half Beta, because unlike the Alpha and Beta who the gene has to choose, the half Beta will have only half Beta sons,"
"Can Deklyn have daughters?"
"Yeah, he can have daughters, but the probability is higher for males to be born. And every male born to a half Beta will become a half Beta just like their father. It's so that there are enough half Beta's to go around,"
"So could you have a half Beta?"
"Definitely," I reply. "My first child to be born with the gene would probably have the full gene though, it's to make sure that you don't stop having pups until you get your heir. Then, if I had another pup after I got my heir, they would most likely be twins or triplets if they were to get the gene. You can't have just one pup with half the gene though because the gene can only split between twins or triplets. But that doesn't mean I'll have half Beta's either, that happens by chance, there is still a chance I get my heir and then have a common pup,"
"Common?"
"A pup born without a roll. They could become doctors or Warrior Wolves when they get older though, it just means you are not an Alpha or Beta. Every wolf is important to the pack, but we call them common pups if they are not born to an Alpha or Beta,"
"So if you had your heir and you had another pup without the gene, would that make him a common wolf?"
"Yeah, they are respected like the Alpha or Beta, but they are still considered common since they did not inherit the gene,"
"So when a half Beta is born, do they get sent to their new pack right away?"
"No, they stay home until they are eighteen, then they are sent to their new pack,"
"No, they stay home until they are eighteen, then they are sent to their new pack."
"How do they know where to go?"
"We have this system. When you have your first shift your parents register you into the system, that way Alpha's can look at the system and choose their thirds ahead of time. The parents of the half Beta will keep their pups profile updated, and the Alpha can go visit the half Beta to see if they are right for them. Then, once the half Beta is eighteen the Alpha can call on the kid to join his pack,"
"So they have no choice?"
I shake my head. "If you have the gene your life path is set in stone for you. Abram got the Alpha gene so he was bound to be Alpha. I got the Beta gene so I was bound to be Beta. Deklyn got the half gene so he was bound to be a third,"
"What if you want to be something else? What if Deklyn wanted to be a doctor? Or what if you wanted to be a chef?"
I chuckle and squeeze his shoulders. "Wouldn't happen. We are born with our professions set in stone, we know it and our wolves know it. We wouldn't have interest in doing something different than what we were born to do. I would never have an interest in being a chef or teacher or mechanic, just like Deklyn will never have an interest in being a doctor or Warrior Wolf or anything else. Our wolves prevent us from having an interest that would conflict with our roll. I can still cook, but I would never want to cook for the pack or for pay,"
"So you want to be Beta? And Deklyn wants to be a third in command?"
"Yep, it's unavoidable, and it's hard to see myself as anything else other than Beta. I don't want to be anything other than Beta. Even the thought of doing something else with my life is sort of unsettling,"
"Even if you weren't taught about being Beta, you would still want to?"
"Yes, I would look for an Alpha to take me as his Beta because that's my purpose in life. If I don't have an Alpha I would just roam looking for a purpose in life. Nothing would satisfy me until I became a Beta,"
"Damn, you guys take this stuff seriously,"
I chuckle and nod my head. "Yes we do," I slow our walking down as we come to a grove of thick trees. "We're here," I smile.
Micah looks around. "It honestly looks like everything else," He mutters.
"That's because you can't see it yet," I laugh. Then I slip my arm off his shoulders and grab his hand from around my waist. "Come on,"
He follows me silently as I lead him to hanging green vines. I push the vines out of the way and pull Micah through them. His eyes widen as he looks around the hidden clearing.
"I like to call this paradis caché, which roughly translates to hidden paradise in French,"
"Jonah," He breathes out as his eyes flick all over. "Hidden paradise is right,"
I smile as he grips my hand tighter and then drags me around so he can look at all the colorful plants. Hidden paradise seemed like the only fitting name when Abram and I were kids, and it still is the only fitting name.
The vines open as the doorway to paradise. Once you open the door you walk into a clearing with lush plant life. Green plants everywhere you look, colorful flowers and non-poisonous berries. Straight ahead is a wide waterfall with water that is almost silent as it slides down the rocks and into the pool of clear blue water that Abram and I discovered to be only about seven feet deep. The water was always warm when we were kids too because the sun seems to always hit the water, heating it up to relaxing temperatures.
"Abram and I used to come here with baskets just to pick the berries for our moms to make into jams and pies and stuff," I say as I pluck a raspberry off one of the large bushes. "None of the berries here are poisonous so you don't have to worry about that,"
"Didn't your moms ever wonder where you were getting the berries from?" He laughs as he plucks a blackberry off another bush.
"Yeah, for a while they thought we were stealing them from somebody's garden, but then they found out we were just picking them from the forest,"
"How do you know if they're not poisonous?"
"We learn to look out for the plants when we are learning to talk. So by the time we are walking and talking we can identify the plants and tell you which are poisonous and which are safe. And when we are eight we learn what plants would help if you did eat a poisonous berry or if you touched poison ivy and stuff,"
"I guess that's smart since you live in the forest,"
"That's exactly why we learn," I laugh.