VICTORIA'S POV

Walking towards my house after a long hectic day, I couldn't help but think about going to that cafe that I have only once visited since I came here. ​​

I at least need to do something to take my mind off the fact that today was my birthday, the same day when my parents died.

Today's day wasn't anything special as I had guessed. Surprisingly, I saw neither Daniel nor Alexander in my classes today.

'Way to make my day more boring.' I scoffed before looking at the flowers in my garden.

This reminds me of watering them or they'll wilt.

All my day today was spent in the company of Katie and Angela.

Katie was a sweetheart who accompanied me with her sarcastic remarks towards everyone, which was both fun to look at and a bit irritating when she would start with her full fighting mode just to frustrate anyone.

'Let's just get this over with. It's just a day.' I thought before putting in the key.

Opening the door of my house, I looked at my pitch-black surroundings, which reminds me to leave a 0-2 watt bulb always on.

As I was about to turn on the lights, someone put a cloth on my face rendering me speechless as I struggled to get a grasp of the person who was almost choking me with that cloth on my mouth.

I was about to use my powers to light up the house, or just push the person away as I felt the presence of more than one person around me when I heard a cluster of voices that yelled only one thing,

"SURPRISE!!"

"Woohoo!"

"I bet she was scared."

I heard people saying before I was engulfed in a familiar hug, and was kissed on my forehead.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," Alexander said, pecking my lips briefly before the lights were turned on.

And what the actual fudging nuts!

What the hell did they do to my house!

I smiled at Alexander thankfully before looking at Sean, who was ready with that foaming liquid and was spraying it all over the floor, while yelling and shouting 'Woohoo', again and again.

"Who even allowed you to get into my house?" I asked Sean, rolling my eyes at his childishness, who was still busy in his so-called decorating my floor.

"Happy birthday girl! If it wasn't for Alexander inviting us to prepare for things since he wanted to throw you a birthday bash, you wouldn't have even told us that it was your birthday, no?" Chris said as he hugged me from the side.

"I wasn't intending on celebrating it," I mumbled quite confused.

I was about to ask Alexander how he knew about it when my question was answered by Marla exiting the kitchen.

"Oh, don't look at me with those accusing eyes. The poor boy was feeling guilty for whatever reason, and came yesterday to say sorry to you after you went out in a fit of anger. Seeing his apologetic eyes and sweet face, I couldn't help but tell him about your birthday so that he can make up to you." Marla said before she took her purse in her hand, about to leave.

"Aren't you staying?" I asked her as I followed her out of the house.

"I would've loved to. But I think you need to have some fun time with your friends. Besides, I wouldn't want to interrupt yours and Alexander's, you know what I mean, right?" Marla winked, whistling and leaving, not before ruffling my hairs.

Looking back at the house, I couldn't help but feel nervousness creeping inside me as this would be the first time I would be celebrating something after two years.

"Hey! What are you doing out there? Come back inside. Let's cut the cake!" Sean shouted, making me smile as I sighed, feeling cared for the first time.

Though I was smiling and feeling cared for, deep inside, I wasn't able to get over the fact that someone tried to choke me a few moments ago when someone had placed that cloth over my face.

'Or maybe I am just thinking too much into things as I have been feeling a bit too paranoid since I came to know that my grandfather was out there on a hunt for a hybrid that was me.

Going back into the house, I looked at the only empty place in the room, which happened to be between Alexander and Daniel.

Not thinking too much into things, I passed through the guys to get to my seat, however, as I was about to sit down, I was immediately scooped in Alexander's arms as he hugged me while making me sit on his lap.

Nuzzling his face in my neck, he apologized once again before Kissing the soft spot that turns me into a puddle.

Giggling at his attempt to kiss me secretly in front of everyone, I couldn't help but feel loved when everyone enjoyed the party to their heart contents.

We all enjoyed the party. The thing that I feared about Alexander and Daniel fighting again didn't happen, which made me feel really glad.

After two more hours of dancing and singing, everyone left the house, bidding their goodbyes as everyone wanted to call it a day since we all have a major assignment to submit before this weekend.

"Aren't you going?" I turned around after bidding goodbye to Daniel and looked at Alexander who had a weird glint in his eyes. The good one.

"Don't tell me you are going to take advantage of your so-called alpha king power and not submit the assignment." I rolled my eyes sitting on the couch beside Alexander.

The guys were sweet enough to help me clean the house before they go so that I won't have to turn into a cleaning lady on my birthday.

"Victoria, can we have a heart-to-heart talk? Without you or me assuming things, and we share and talk to each other about some of her easy secrets and how do we feel about some things?" He asked, looking straight into my eyes.

"You mean, you want to play 20 questions with me?" I asked, and he only nodded in response.

"Shoot away," I said before leaning on the armrest of the couch and sipping on the soda.

"Do you like Daniel?" He asked, and I couldn't help but cough a bit at his question.

"You must've been dying to ask this question, seeing how you asked it the first thing.

Do I like Daniel? I do." I said and looked at his falling expression before continuing.

"- I like him as a friend. There is no romantic bloom between us. I indeed feel safe and calm with him, but it's all because I consider him as my great friend and nothing else." I completed, and his face immediately lightened up.

"My turn. Since you are talking about hard topics first, I'll do the same. Do you by any chance, like Laila? I mean, from the day she has come into the picture, I think I have seen you quite too much with her. And we can't put off that prom dance and yesterday's thing." I asked acting nonchalant, though I was dying to know the answer of it.

"I don't like Laila, Victoria. I know

Apart from the senses of responsibility and friendship, I do not have any other feelings for her." Alexander said, and I couldn't help but nod at that.

Now I understand everything.

If we see things his way, he was quite right in doing that. I would've done the same thing for someone if anyone would've protected me like that.

"I am sorry for overreacting all these times." I apologized truthfully, not knowing when Alexander scooted closer to me and picked me in his arms.

"Victoria, I know you are not a lantern. I feel your wolf. And I know you know about it. But there's something else that I feel whenever I kiss you. It's like a fuzzy bluish-white light that I always see when I enter your head. Would you like to tell me about it, if you don't mind?" He asked, gazing at me before snuggling his head in my chest.

"Don't hug me like that. It's quite ticklish." I laughed before pushing his head away and falling back on the couch.

"About your question, would you believe me if I tell you what I am?" I asked.

And just like that, the game went on for quite thirty minutes and we both revealed ourselves to each other.

Currently, we both were lying on my bed, because Alexander didn't want to leave me alone, after hearing that my parents died on the same day and that was the reason why I don't celebrate my birthday. However, I bet he was just using it as a reason to stay with me for a longer time.

Gazing at him as he was calling his mom to let her know that he'll be staying with me, I couldn't help but remember what Marla had said to me yesterday.

"He sure loves you a lot if he hasn't tried anything with you yet." She had said, and I couldn't help but blush at the thought of that.

'Is Alexander controlling that much?' I thought before my eyes traveled below his abdomen to see if he was really controlling things.

Noticing that there was quite some bulge, I couldn't help but gulp at that.

Tracing my gaze back up to his chest, I looked back at him, however, what I didn't expect was for him to be looking at me too.

"Are you by any chance, checking me out, Ria? Like what you see?" He asked while wiggling his brows, which made me shyer than I already was.

Laughing a hearty laugh, he came by my side on the bed before scooting me closer in his arms.

"You are so adorable. I can't even take my eyes off you whenever I am near you. You are the best thing that has happened to me, Ria. I know I have screwed big time by my stupidity, and I know I can be real immature at times in my jealousy when it comes to you, but apart from all of that, I love you, Ria. I do. I don't know how to express my love, all I know is that I can do everything for you and anything for you." He said while making me look at him as I couldn't help but smile at his words before leaning in and pecking his lips.

I know I was going to say it for the first time even after knowing and realizing these feelings for quite some days, but I know there can't be a better time to say this without me feeling shy.

Cupping his face in my hands while gazing in his eyes with all the sincerity and truth I could muster in my eyes, I said the words that I know I've been feeling for quite some days, but was too afraid to say because of the fear of losing him,

"I love you too, Alexander Damien Hunter." With that, I crashed my lips on his as we both lost to each other.