A Secret Alpha Mate
Chapter 10

(Isla)

The next few days go by in a blur. There's extra work to be done and we start our days early and end them late. There's not much else to focus on besides constant tasks preparing for the "ball" and the arrival of visiting ranked pack members.

I can hear the other omega females that haven't found their mates hoping that they might meet a pack member that they haven't seen before, or maybe an omega visiting to help another pack's Alpha. Everyone is on their best behavior in hopes of getting chosen to work at the dinner and party.

On Friday we're all woken up to loud knocks on our doors hours before we normally wake up. The sky is still pitch black and I can see the dull ache of stars still in the sky.

Someone in our room turns on the light and we all groan. I cover my eyes and lay back down for a second before Abigail touches my arm. I look over to her and she mouths 'coffee'. I nod and grin at her.

She tucks me in and kisses my forehead as the other omega's leave the room. No one knows it's my birthday, it's not something I ever really mention.

Normally, I would be up with the others but what're five extra minutes in bed? It's a birthday gift to myself.

I must have drifted off back to sleep because Abigail is softly shaking me. I groggily open my eyes and sit up in bed as she hands me a fresh steaming cup of coffee. Coffee in bed is such a luxury I take a long deep breath smelling it and already feeling more awake. "Happy birthday." Abigail smiles at me, "I have something small for you now and then something special for you later at the lake. I've been saving it until you turned eighteen." "Abigail." I start but she shakes her head.

"You just enjoy that now and I'll be right back." She heads to her bed and brings over something wrapped in brown paper that was hidden in our secret spot, a floorboard that came undone that no one knows about but us.

I already know what it is. It's been her tradition every single year to get me a book. She was the one that taught me how to read as I never attended school, and I have loved stories since the moment she started reading them to me. We don't have many books as omegas, and rarely have any free time to read them even if we did.

I'm still not sure where Abigail gets all the books but she makes sure to procure me a brand new one every year. They end up getting worn out quickly due to me quickly reading and then re-reading them almost every night. She used to mix them up by genre because I would read anything, but she noticed I loved a good fairytale more than anything.

I love that it takes me to somewhere different, as content as I am with my life. It's nice to have dreams and feel that they might actually happen - even if it's for a few minutes a day.

I'm excited as I set down my coffee next to my mattress and eagerly reach for the parcel she's handing me. I open it and see a gorgeous deep blue cover with gold embossed flowers decorating the front and the spine of the book. I look at the title 'Pride and Prejudice', I've never read that before. The book was so gorgeous I don't know how much it would have cost her or where she would have even gotten the money for it.

"It's my favorite, I've read it over and over again," Abigail says, "Not quite a fairytale like the ones I've gotten you the past few years, but it is an amazing love story, with a strong female lead." She winks at me.

I run my fingers over the cover again as tears pool in my eyes. Abigail runs her hand down my cheek and holds my chin looking up at her. I look up into her face, memorizing her black hair with a few strands of gray starting to show to match her gray eyes, and the faintest of wrinkles forming around her eyes and her laugh lines.

"Thank you," I say but it comes out more like a whisper.

"Happy birthday, Isla. I remember the first time that you told me about your birthday. The only memory you've ever shared with me" She pulls me into a big hug and I stay there, content in her comfort for a few minutes until she pulls away.

"The only memory I had, but I can't remember anything anymore," I whisper and look at my hands.

"You walked up to me all sweet and whispered that it was your birthday when you were four or so? Honestly, it took me by surprise. You didn't talk much before then." She looks at me, "I fell in love with you at that moment."

"I still don't know how I knew it was my birthday. Honestly, I'm a bit worried I was wrong about it and I won't get my wolf today." I state, finally saying my fears out loud.

"I'm sure you were right, you probably had more memories you didn't share, and if for some reason you were wrong, your eighteenth birthday will come soon enough." She pats my knee, "Enjoy your coffee and meet me downstairs in a few minutes, I'll try to get us assigned to something easy and out of the way." She says with a wink.

I smile and nod at her taking back my coffee mug in my hands. As much as I would love to savor this, I know that today is going to be hectic and I don't want anyone, mainly Meghan, to realize that I'm missing.

The coffee is cooled enough that I can finish it quickly, I take one last look at my gorgeous present and hide it behind my pillow before getting ready and heading downstairs.