Chương 83: IT'S HER PARTY (And she can cry if she wants to)

Dinner was happening over Mum's baked salmon and pasta dish. The adults talked, and I noticed my beta paying attention. Savy was sitting quietly, minding her own food. Haylee wasn't even eating; she just pushed the food around on her plate.

"Hey, Haylee," I said to her.

"Wanna come upstairs with us after dinner? I'll show you my bed." I noticed Harvey raise his brow at me and remembered what he said about me being a boy. My smile widened. Hahaha. I probably should clarify.

"Savy had her first shift in it, and the entire room is wrecked like a monster went through it!" I saw Savy blush a little. Oops, was that an insensitive comment?

"When I get my first shift, I'm going to do it in her room for revenge," I added jokingly.

"My wolf's going to be huge, so it's going to be a hundred times the damage." At this point, I was waiting for a laugh, a smile, anything really, but Haylee simply turned her head and ignored me.

"You haven't shifted?" Beta Gerald spoke instead. He sounded surprised.

"Probably soon," I told him. He nodded.

"Your wolf is already so strong." I beamed. There are two words that always make my day, as long as they are positively strung together in the same sentence: you and strong. My Mum took out a cake. Yay! Savy baked carrot cake, complete with the cream cheese swirls on top. There was a pink candle on it.

"Just an impromptu cake," Mum said.

"We wish you a very happy birthday, Haylee!" Awww… I love the way my Mum's always so gracious and kind to everyone.

"Savy baked the cake earlier. We didn't know it was your birthday, though," Mum said.

"And here, I happened to have this gift card. Hope you can find something you like with it." Mum handed Haylee the gift card. Haylee didn't take it. Freya accepted it on her behalf, looking very moved.

"Oh, Luna, thank you so much! You really didn't have to," Freya said.

"You're all so welcome!" Mum smiled.

"We've been friends for so long too."

"You remember how our kids used to play together?" Freya asked. While the adults talked, I went to Haylee very gently. Maybe she was the really shy type. Stolen story; please report.

"Hey, Haylee," I said in my gentlest voice. I pulled out the beaded hair tie from my pocket. Her eyes lit up for a moment, and I knew she liked it.

"This is for you. It's new. Happy birthday," I told her.

"Oh, we need to blow out the candle!" Mum cried out. I held up the beaded hair tie toward Haylee. But she simply spun around and stormed out of the dining room. Oh. Was it me?

"Haylee!" Freya shouted.

"Daughter, get back in here!" Beta Gerald was pretty mad. Everyone froze. Uh-oh. I had a bad feeling this birthday was about to go from bad to worse. Haylee appeared at the doorway.

"Thank everyone and come cut the cake," Beta Gerald commanded. I winced inside for Haylee. Haylee looked stricken but bowed quickly.

"Thank you," she managed and went to the cake. Awkward would not even begin to describe the next few minutes. Freya and Mum tried to sing happy birthday to Haylee. I heard Harvey sing behind me. I tried to lend my voice too. Savy just clapped silently. The two dads watched. Freya took out her phone to take a picture, although I didn't think Haylee would want it—unless she wanted to remember "the birthday that I had to spend away from home with a strange family and got yelled at in front of everyone by my dad."

We were all just trying to cheer her up, but I guess that sort of had the opposite effect. When it was time to blow out the candle, I tried again to salvage the situation… I should have just shut up and let it get over and done with, but no, I wanted to make everyone feel better, so I chimed, "Make a wish, Haylee! I heard that if you wish aloud, there's a chance your wish will come true when there's an Alpha in the room." I looked meaningfully at my dad, who finally broke into a smile. The adults all had a chuckle.

Beta Gerald lightened up too. He leaned over to his daughter.

"Yes, why don't you make a wish? See what this Alpha can do?" Haylee looked at me suddenly, her eyes filled with fury. I saw Harvey from the corner of my eye moving forward, and the whole cake, complete with lit candle, came flying toward me. It was then that I understood Harvey's movement. It must not have been the first time Haylee threw food. He was going to block the cake… The delicious cake was going to smash on my beta, and I wouldn't be able to eat it. Suddenly, I was moving too.

As Harvey dived to take the hit, I lunged forward, pushing him out of the way and grabbing the cake plate, before slicing it through the momentum with the rest of the flying cake to catch it in one, now slightly deformed, piece. Whew. Cake saved. Beta was on the ground, though. I looked at Harvey.

"Sorry, Beta. But I still want to eat this." He dropped his head back on the ground and brought a hand up to his face.

"S***, princess!"

"Son!" Beta Gerald was mortified at his son's choice of words. I laughed it off.

"Brave Beta. For attempting to protect me, I'll reward you with a slice of cake." Beta Gerald was still red in the face, but he decided to let Harvey off and turned his attention to Haylee instead. Haylee was crying. Even though we made her cake, and she was the one who quite literally threw it in our faces.

"Daughter, we are going home," Beta Gerald said. He turned to my dad.

"My apologies, Alpha. I'll send my daughter home and return for the meeting later." Now Haylee would have to spend her birthday alone at home.

"I'll send her, Dad," Harvey said.

"It's better if you don't miss the meeting. I'll come back later. In the meantime, I second whatever Princess motions and agree with whatever she thinks." I couldn't resist the grin.

"I motion my Betas should clean their rooms." Harvey laughed.

"My room is clean." Oh, well. I knew for a fact Ben's was like a donation truck took a dump in it. I looked to Freya for help, but she only managed to muster a smile at me. I think she was still upset at her daughter's disgrace. Be a man! The Mulan song played in my head again. Yeah, I've been there and done that. Said the wrong thing, laughed at the wrong time… Once more, let's give it one more try to get this party up.