The Silver Siren
Chapter 4

I had no idea if I would replace my mate tomorrow, but the feeling of dread I felt when I thought about it made me hope I didn’t replace him. I wasn’t a submissive person; I was a fighter. I didn’t want to be held back by a dominant mate, unable to fulfil my dreams. And although I had never had much interest in boys, I resented having my life partner chosen for me, being denied the opportunity to replace the perfect mate for myself based on what I wanted. Kayla knew how I felt about the mate bond, so I didn’t launch into a rant about it now. I respect that she believes in it, and she respects that I don’t. But that doesn’t mean she will ever shut up about it!

“I guess we will have to wait and see,” I said, which seemed to please her for now.

We said goodbye, confirmed what time to meet tomorrow and I waved her off as she climbed into her car. “Goodnight Birthday Girl!” she called from the cars open window and pulled out of the driveway.

Melissa arrived home shortly after and wanted to know all about the class. “So, how did it go?” she asked eagerly.

“It went great! Everything ran smoothly and I loved every second,” I answered.

“Oh, I knew it would go well. You’re brilliant at whatever you try, sweetie,” she said, enveloping me in a warm hug.

“Thanks,” I said quietly. She wants to hear every detail, so I ran through the whole class with her while we make some dinner together. We put together a simple chicken salad with the most amazing dressing, and when we had finished eating and cleared away the dishes, she turned to me.

“So,” she said, “I have a gift for you.”

“But it’s not my birthday until tomorrow.”

“I know, but you have a busy day and your first shift, so I thought it would be better to give it to you now.” She had walked over to the large dresser in the kitchen.

“Oh, ok” I said quietly. She opened the top drawer of the dresser and pulled out a large brown envelope. She gestured towards the lounge, and I followed her to the sofa, where we both sat down.

“This gift isn’t from me,” she began, taking a deep breath and gripping the envelope with shaky hands in her lap. “It’s from your parents.”

Stunned silence filled the room. I wasn’t expecting this.

“Let me explain, sweetie,” she said, picking up on my shock. “When your parents passed away, they had left instructions for me to be named as your guardian, which was understandable seeing as I’m your Godmother.” She exhaled shakily. This was obviously hard for her. “Back then, you lived in a beautiful house close to here. When you came here to live with me, the house was sold, and the money was put into a trust fund.”

She handed me the envelope. “Open it” she said. With trembling hands, I reached for it. Slowly opening the top tab, I slipped out the contents. I clutched the papers and slowly read the words “Trust Fund” at the top of the page, then my name, then a staggering amount of money. A choking sound came from my lips, and I felt Melissa’s hand on mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. I don’t know how long I had been holding my breath, but Melissa’s voice brought me back down to earth. “It’s enough to get you started opening a gym of your own,” she said.

“Oh my goodness,” I finally managed. I had no idea what to say, I just sat there in utter disbelief staring at the paper in front of me. I looked up to replace Melissa smiling lovingly at me, but after a few seconds the smile changed to anguish.

“I’m so sorry they aren’t here with you, Allie,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

“It’s not your fault,” I said. Something strange echoed in her eyes, but she blinked it away quickly before I could work out what it was.

I looked down at the papers again, “I can’t believe this. Thank you,” I whispered.

“Happy Birthday, Allie,” she said as she leaned in to kiss my cheek, cupping the other cheek in her small hand. “They would be so proud of you, just like I am.”

Sleep did not come easy when I laid in bed that night. My mind was whirling at the reality that I now had all the money I needed to open the gym. It had come as a complete shock and much, much sooner than I ever imagined. I was incredibly happy to have all that money and so grateful to Melissa for thinking about my future so many years ago, but that happiness was slowly ebbing away, and in its place came fear. What happens now? Should I still get a job? Should I go to college? So many questions and I didn’t have any answers.

But something else was bugging me. That look that I saw on Melissa’s face before she quickly blinked it away. It looked almost like guilt, but what did Melissa have to be guilty about? She’d cared for me for, basically, my whole life, providing everything I ever needed, both physically and emotionally. And now she had produced the trust fund enabling me to make my future a reality. More unanswered questions and I still felt unsettled when sleep finally came, hours later.

I managed to get a few hours’ sleep in the end, which I was glad about, and slept until late morning. I thought about my shift later. Your first shift takes a lot of energy, so I was glad I got at least some sleep last night. I let out a long sigh. It was official. I was now 18 and a real adult. I had wondered last night if I would wake up feeling any different this morning. Truth is, I don’t, except maybe still a little stunned from learning I have a huge trust fund.

I pushed back the covers and climbed out of bed. After brushing my teeth, I jumped in the shower. Standing under the hot water, my head started to clear. The unanswered questions suddenly didn’t seem so daunting, and as I stepped out of the steamy spray, I started to feel excitement for the day ahead. I would finally get my wolf! I brushed my hair out and blow dried it straight. I dressed in a pale-yellow tank top and black workout leggings and headed downstairs. When I reached the kitchen, I was greeted by streamers and balloons everywhere. Hanging off the door handles, the kitchen cabinets, even hanging off the light fitting. On the kitchen table stood the biggest chocolate cake I had ever seen. Three tiers of glossy chocolate icing with a gold “18” standing proud in the centre surrounded by 18 little gold candles. I gasped. It looked truly magnificent and delicious!

Standing at the coffee maker, Melissa turned around when she heard me and came towards me with her arms outstretched. She hugged me tight and wished me a happy birthday.

“Cake?” she enquired, as she turned to face the table, a devilish grin spreading across her face.

“For breakfast?” I asked. She nodded and we both laughed. I couldn’t think of anything better for breakfast. “Well, it is my birthday!”

The cake was to die for. Fudgy, sticky, sweet chocolatey goodness in every bite. Everything that chocolate cake should be. It was the perfect start to the day. Melissa tidied away the plates and I grabbed an orange juice from the refrigerator. I put on my old battered black sneakers and grabbed my bag, telling Melissa I would be back later. As I headed for the door, she called out “Wait! I want to give you my gift before you go.”

“But you already gave me a gift yesterday,” I said

“No, that was from your parents,” she said. “This, is from me.” She handed me a tiny box wrapped in gold paper with a cute red bow on top, that was almost as big as the box.

“Open it,” she said. I took the small package from her and tore off the ribbon and paper. Opening the gift box inside revealed a shiny key. I looked up at her, puzzled.

“Look outside,” she said, nodding her head towards the door.

No. It couldn’t be! She slowly walked to the door and opened it, almost in slow motion. For a moment I couldn’t move, but as she went outside, I managed to get my legs working and, very unsteadily, I walked outside. Sitting on the driveway was a small red soft top car with an oversize red bow wrapped around the hood.

“What the….” I managed to squeak. This was a dream, right? It had to be.

“It’s all yours, sweetie,” she said, almost giggling. She had always loved surprises, and I could tell how much she was enjoying this one.

“Are you serious?” I checked.

“Of course,” she broke into laughter now.

“Oh, my goodness!” I squealed, launching myself at her and hugging her tight. “Thank you!”

She smiled and said, “Why don’t you give it a try?” opening the driver’s door. I walked over and slowly climbed in. It was an older model, a classic, compact in size but powerful. It had beautiful black leather seats that were as soft as snow. It wasn’t flashy or over the top, and it fitted my personality perfectly. I was already in love with it as I started the engine and it purred to life.

“It’s amazing!” I managed to say. I sat with the engine running for several minutes admiring every inch of the car, almost in a daze. The sound of Melissa’s voice snapped me out of my daze.

“You better get going. You don’t want to be late for the movie,” she said, “Be careful, though.”

“Um, right, sure,” I spluttered. I shifted the gear stick into drive and released the brake and slipped off the driveway inch by inch. Melissa waved and I let out a long breath that I’d been holding in. I drive Melissa’s car sometimes, and those times she has mostly been with me, so this solo drive was a bit nerve-racking. As I drove towards the mall complex in town, I picked up speed slightly and started to relax. What the heck just happened? I have a car now! Wow, this birthday was shaping up to be a good one! I sat smiling to myself, driving smoothly, until I remembered the shopping trip Kayla had talked me in to. I groaned. I really don’t like shopping. I was still trying to think of some way to get out of it as I pulled into the complex parking lot. We planned to meet at the movie theatre entrance and as I circled round looking for a good spot, I saw Kayla standing next to her car and drove towards her looking for a spot close by. Her mouth dropped open when she saw me behind the wheel. I parked a few spaces away from her and climbed out of the car, rushing over to her smiling.

“Woah,” was all she could say. She stared, trancelike, for a few more seconds and started to chuckle softly. “Damn, girl, those are some hot wheels!” she said, “Happy 18th!” She jumped up and down in that excited little dance she does. We linked arms and headed for the movie theatre. “Are you ready for an awesome day, Allie?”

“Oh yeah!” I said. We caught an early showing of an action movie that I had been wanting to see, and greedily munched our way through popcorn and ice cream. When the movie ended, it was time for the dreaded shopping. I groaned out loud without realising it. Kayla snapped her head towards me in mock anger, and then broke out into a grin. She grabbed my arm and virtually dragged me out of the movie theatre like a woman possessed, and I knew I wasn’t going to get out of it.

“Don’t worry, Allie, I’ll be gentle with you. Seeing as this is our FIRST EVER shopping trip together!” she teased.

“Urghh, ok, ok. But how about lunch first?” I bargained.

“Anything for the birthday girl,” she said sweetly, as she smiled smugly, knowing she had got her way. That girl can be so stubborn sometimes!

We had pizza at my favourite diner, and the food was delicious as usual. When the bill arrived, I reached for my purse. Kayla gave me a stern look, and I thought twice about messing with her. She picked up the bill as it was her treat today. And then, after putting it off for as long as I could, it was time to shop. A small sigh left my lips. Not wanting to feel grumpy on my birthday, I decided to accept it for what it was. Time spent with my best friend on my birthday, and I found that my newfound acceptance of shopping changed my mood, and after falling into step with Kayla around the first few stores, I actually started to enjoy myself. We found ourselves in a sporting goods store, and I had the feeling that Kayla had steered us in here to cheer me up. Boy, did it work!

After spending some time scanning virtually every rack, my arms were filled with garments. My favourite was a pair of silky yoga pants with silver stars running around the hem and down the sides stopping at the knee. I decided to buy them and a couple of casual shirts they stocked with cool graphics on the front. Once I had paid for my items, Kayla led me towards a large department store and, once inside, we went straight to the ladies wear section. Kayla scanned a few items and held a few of them up for me to see. She had pulled out a pair of incredibly soft black tailored pants, a couple of blouses in different colours, a cream-coloured silk top with thin straps that was loose fitting, and a button-down sweater in a bright coral colour. I was pleased with her selection, and I thought the clothes were smart and sophisticated. I tried them on in the changing rooms and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like a different person, mature and in control. I hate to admit it, but Kayla was right. I needed to change my image to look the part, especially now that my plans had fast-forwarded dramatically, and these clothes were going to help.

Kayla held out some other items for me to consider that were more casual. Some denim shorts, some fun t-shirts, and a dress in a light teal colour. I hadn’t worn a dress for years, but Kayla was sold on it and was determined to buy it for me even if I didn’t want it!

Finally, she held up a pair of bright red stilettos. I shook my head vigorously. Hell no! I had never worn a pair of heels in my whole life, and I had no intention of starting now. I stood firm while Kayla pouted and, instead, I found a pair of tan coloured leather ankle boots with a small heel which I really liked and a pair of black flats that were incredibly comfortable. She gave her approval for both pairs and we headed to check-out. As we walked out into the mall, I was struggling to hold all my bags comfortably, and hadn’t realised that Kayla had steered me into Victoria’s Secret. When I realised where I was, I looked at her in horror. Why on earth had she led me into here?

As if reading my thoughts, “Just in case you meet your mate!” she said innocently, using her angelic face on me again. Her eyes, however, were full on smirking at me. She shrugged her shoulders a little and went straight for the racks before I had a chance to protest. I rolled my eyes. What a hopeless romantic she was!

If I was going to have to endure this, I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible, so I shuffled to the nearest rack and picked up the first thing I saw, checking for my size. I could feel my face flush and rushed to the check out as fast as I could with my mountain of bags. As I paid for the items, I realised what I had picked up without looking. It turned out to be a black lace, mostly sheer, negligee with little white rosebuds covering the sweetheart neckline and a pair of tiny matching lace panties. As I looked more closely, I wondered where the rest of it was. It was tiny, no way would that cover much! Arrrgghhh, kill me now!! Kayla thought the whole thing was hysterical and giggled the whole time.

Finally, the nightmare was over, and we were out of there. I looked at the haul of shopping bags on the back seat of my car and exhaled a long breath. I was exhausted, but the shopping hadn’t actually been that bad. I had survived, and I was having the best day. It was close to night fall now and the moon would soon be out. It would soon be time to meet my wolf. I left Kayla with the promise of calling her tomorrow with all the details. I pulled out of the parking lot and drove home, the excitement building inside me all the way. I thought about how much my life had already changed in the space of a single day. Some amazing things had happened, but it was a lot to take in. Driving home alone gave me the space I needed to process everything, and I thought about my plans for the gym. By the time I got home, I was smiling from ear to ear, thinking nothing could stop this feeling.