♡♡♡

"Help me up," I plead, now having been crouched on the floor for about 25 minutes, still catching my breath with the boys huddled around me.

"Ava, I don't think--"

"Please," I cut Xavier off, "I'm ready."

"Fine. But don't you think we should talk about this? I mean, you were just screaming for dear life in your sleep and then you woke up, still screaming. And your wings... Ava, we're just worried for you," Xavier breathes, eyes drooping sleepily. I obviously woke them up with my screaming, and it's currently 6:00 am, approximately 30 minutes after I was born. My parents--if you could even call them that--had told me as much. You know, when they weren't extremely abusive and neglectful.

I don't know how I even remember them telling me that. I guess I still hold onto all the good memories of my past, as there weren't very many and didn't last very long. I quickly learned to appreciate the little things in life.

"Not right now, Xavier. It's not really a great time for me, and all I want to do right now is pee. And I really want some orange juice." With that, and an almost unheard grunt of annoyance, Xavier helps me up; the other boys join him. I mutter a "thank you" once I'm standing and stretch out my very sore muscles, retracting my wings. My shirt is all torn and mangled, but that isn't really what I'm focused on at the moment.

I tread over to the bathroom at a leisurely pace, because while the pain is gone, my body still feels the aftermath. The guys are hot on my trail, no doubt wanting to be sure I make it to the bathroom alright. When I do, I open the door and flip the switch to the light, shielding my eyes from its bright rays.

'It's too early for this.' And I think it's safe to say I got some pretty shit sleep last night.

When I feel my eyes have adjusted from behind my arm, I let it fall and turn to my Given behind me.

'Is it wierd that I feel like our connection has intensified? Like our bond is stronger than ever before? Is it wierd that I never noticed Ashton has a tiny, almost indistinguishable mole on his jawline, and Cole's eyes don't just spark with fire; his whole personality does, too? And Xavier, his hair has natural highlights--not just a normal auburn but also slightly brown, ashy, and blonde in other places? Is it wierd that my magic hums even stronger when I look in their eyes?'

My eyes widen as I hear a thought, and... it wasn't mine.

I can just barely recognize Ash's voice in the tone, as I'm still befuddled I even heard anything in the first place.

"T-thank you," I breathe, unsure at what to say. Their eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"Thank you for what, Ava?" Cole asks.

"Ash... he said I was beautiful. Well, I'm pretty sure he didn't actually say it."

"Oh my God," he gasps. "You can hear my thoughts?"

I nod. "Yeah, I-I guess so."

"But I didn't know that could happen. I thought you could only mindlink with your mate--not read their minds!" Xavier admonishes. My eyes widen. I almost forgot. I'm their mate! My mark!

"Oh my freaking gosh!" I step further into the bathroom and turn to look at myself in the mirror, lifting up my shirt to see my tattoos. We all gasp at the sight. "Holy crap," I mumble, no other possible words to say.

The names of the boys on my hip have grown, as I'd suspected earlier. And they are no longer just names. Each name has what appears to be vines growing from it, swirling around to form a beautiful mosaic on my skin. Roses bud on the vines that seem to stretch all the way to my bust and extend down to my upper thigh, wrapping around half my torso. And if you look close enough, you'll see a wolf within the vines' growth. It's so large, but it's absolutely breathtaking.

"What the-- Aveyln, it's amazing," Coco rasps.

"This must be our mate marks--well, mark," Ash determines, eyes glued on my skin.

I have no words. Speechless is an understatement. While the new tattoo, or mate mark, takes up the whole left side of my torso, the tattoo on my wrist remains unchanged.

"Can... can I have a moment please? I think I need a minute to process this whole situation and I still really need to pee." The boys smile at me but look reluctant to leave my side. I give them a small reassuring smile and they return it, turning around to leave and shut the door behind them. When the door clicks shut, I release a loud sigh, rest my hands on the counter, and lean my weight onto them, staring into the mirror before me. I look tired but also... different.

While there may be slight bags under my eyes, which are slightly droopy themselves, and my hair is disheveled and unkempt, I look... radiant. My skin is glowing, my lips are a darker shade of pink, and my hair looks even more silver than before, almost reflecting the light above the bathroom mirror. Not to sound vain, but I actually look like the angel I was born to be. I'm 100 percent positive it has to do with my mates--my Given--and the new mate mark I've acquired.

I finally leave my reflection, deciding I've had enough of myself--as I've never really liked looking at my reflection for too long--and do my business. I decide to brush my hair and teeth too. God knows I have awful morning breath, and even with my new mates, it would take a miracle to fix that. Now finished in the bathroom, I exit quickly, on my way to grab a new shirt because mine is basically just a scrappy memory of its torn past at this point.

Ever since I've met my boys, I have refrained from being away from them for too long because it makes me feel empty and bare, no matter how weak and pitiful that sounds--excluding the visions I had of them before I even met them. Though, I'd felt that sensation then, too, just no where near as strong. It only amplified after I actually met them and was then kidnapped and...

I'm not going to think about that. Today's a happy day. Today's my birthday.

But seriously, right now I feel like I'm an empty shell of myself, like I'm wasting away. And I've only been away from them for like, fifteen minutes! I need to get my shit together.

With my eyes downcast, I take another step just to run into a wall. Well, a wall with dangerously chiseled abs and the most dazzling eyes that seem to breathe fire in each warm gaze it bestows. "Did I mention how gorgeous you look, kitten? I didn't think it was even possible to see you--or anyone else for that matter--look as ravishing as you. But you've blown me away. The true face of an angel. Happy birthday, by the way."

Cole's words cause a blush to rise on my cheeks, still not used to his compliments even though he has given me one on more than one occasion every day since I've met him. They all have, actually. They're just too endearing and amazing for their own good!

"Thank you, Coco. Now, as much as I love you and all of your compliments, I'd really like to change my shirt now. I'm afraid its utterly mangled and beyond repair. Plus, I'm kind of cold."

He chuckles softly, leaning in to whisper suggestively in my ear, "Or you could just take it off, and we could find some other way to warm you up." He nuzzles his head in my neck and breathes in my scent, then nibbles on the soft skin.

My teeth catch my lip in a soft bite as I try to bite back a moan, feeling myself heat at his words. "I-"

"Ava!" Cole growls at Xavier's voice, annoyed that we didn't get to finish whatever it was we were about to start. I can't help but be a little annoyed myself but that quickly fades as the scent of chocolate chip pancakes wafts through the room: my favorite. "Birthday-girl-breakfast!"

I'm about to sprint down the stairs before Cole's snicker stops me; "I know you really want those pancakes. Believe me, I do too. But you probably should change your shirt and maybe put on longer pants. As much as I like looking at you like this, all sexy and lacking clothing, I also don't want you to freeze."

I smile up at him, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips before skipping over to the closet and finding a sun dress to slip on. I'm not really cold anymore; that moment with Cole really managed to heat me up. That's what they call it, right? Or was it hot and bothered? Either way, I'm pretty sure I'm both of those things right now. And plus, I want to look cute for the guys on my birthday.

With my back still facing Cole, as he hasn't left the room yet, I pull off the barely-there shirt, leaving me bra-less and almost naked. If it weren't for my underwear, I'd be completely nude. Cole gulps loud enough for me to hear and I can also make out his strangled breath of air. I slip the flowy, lilac sundress on and it loosely falls to my knees, the fabric softly kissing them as it brushes against my smooth skin. I tug my long silver hair out from under my dress and turn around to see Cole still standing there, mouth slack and eyes wide.

I'm unable to suppress my smirk at the sight, all-too-pleased that I can make him look like that: completely awestruck and speechless. It really does make me feel like the angel I am and they claim me to be. "Come on, Coco! Birthday-girl-breakfast is ready!" I giggle, walking past him and to the door, making sure to sway my hips. I bite back another giggle as I bound down the stairs and to the kitchen, finding my other two mates there and waiting at the dining table with plates and glasses of orange juice in front of them. The same is set out for Cole and I.

I beam at the two as I sit across from them, tucking my dress under me before being seated. "Thank you guys so much. It looks and smells amazing!"

"Of course, princess. Anything for our beautiful girl."

"Anything for the birthday girl, our precious mate. Our Guardian." I visibly swoon at Ash's words, loving the sound of mate rolling off his tongue. Sure, this morning might've started off terribly--understatement of the century--but this, it's perfect.

Cole takes a seat next to Xavier, smiling at me cheekily. "Yeah, we have a surprise for you. Someone might've snuck off last night to get it for you."

I raise a quizzical brow. "What is it?"

Laughing with a shake of his head, he answers, "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise. Now would it? Besides, you're not getting it till you finish your breakfast."

"Birthday-girl-breakfast," Xavier corrects him, making the former roll his eyes with the shake of his head. It's kind of strange considering I've only ever seen this exchange happen the other way around.

"Anyway, eat up, babe. You're present is waiting."

Even with my love of chocolate chip pancakes, I don't think I've ever scarfed something down so quickly. They kept telling me, "Slow down, don't want the birthday girl to choke to death." But their words went unheard. I haven't received a birthday present in years and I was too ecstatic to wait any longer.

"Woah there, Ava. Are you sure you didn't eat fast enough? I think you might've finished that a little too slow. Definently could use some improvement." Xavier's sarcastic remark goes unnoticed by me; I'm too busy jumping in my seat to pay any attention to his snarky comments.

"Can I see it now?" I ask, giddiness flooding within me. They all laugh, and I have a feeling they're about to joke around with me some more before Ashton is suddenly standing from the table, walking away before I can even blink. My brows knit in confusion before I hear a, "Holy shit! Get back here," and the distinct sound of pitter patter on the wood floors. They can't have gotten me a...

"Puppy!" I squeal, instantly hopping from my seat at the table and running over to meet the four-legged, fur ball of cuteness halfway. He's a white Siberian Husky with a very slight dusting of gray on his back, making him appear almost silver in the light--similar to my hair. I bend down to pick him up and he hops up into my arms, wiggling around. His soft fur tickles my chin. "Oh my freaking gosh! You guys got me a puppy?! What's his name?"

I look up to find the three boys staring at me with super huge grins, not realizing I even asked them a question. "Hello?" I ask; the tiny dog in my arms barks, as if trying to get their attention for me. I smile down at him and raise my eyes back up again. They all seem to snap out of it simultaneously and Ashton clears his throat.

"Um, he doesn't actually have a name. We thought you might want to name him."

I didn't think my smile could grow wider; apparently I was wrong. "Hmm," I think aloud. "Max? No... Rocky? Nope... Jasper? Definently not. I don't know guys! This is so stressful! How am I supposed to pick the perfect name--the name he's going to have for the rest of his life?" I look down at the cutie in my arms to find he's no longer wiggling around but instead looking up at me, the definition of puppy dog eyes staring back at me, and it hits me.

"Wolf," I announce. "That's his name." My gaze drifts back over to my mates, all of whom are smiling back at me with pride and love swimming in their pools of beautiful chroma.

"It's perfect, beautiful mate. I couldn't have picked a better name myself," Xavier prides, walking over to me to take the dog from my arms. When Xavier nears with his arms open to take him, Wolf barks and nips his hands away, startling the four of us when he nuzzles his face back into my chest. Xavier frowns as the others laugh at his expense.

"Not gonna lie, that was pretty hilarious. But I'm also not going to lie and pretend like he didn't do the same to me," Coco says.

"Yeah, me too. The shit head growled at me and ran away when I tired to pick him up and bring him in here," Ash grumbles.

Giggling at his expression, I nuzzle my head into Wolf's as he rests in my arms, already asleep. "Maybe he just doesn't like werewolves," I reply.

"That would make sense. Most dogs don't. Wolves, too. They can sense we're like them but also completely different. I think it freaks them out," Xavier declares, nodding to himself.

"Okay, well as much as I love this little guy, I should probably set him down now. My arms are getting a little tired." With that, I walk over to the couch in the living room and set him down on it. "Does he have a doggy bed?" I ask.

"Yeah, I'll grab it in a minute," Ash answers.

"Is he trained?" I question again.

"I don't think so," Cole says. "But considering the way he was with you, I wouldn't be surprised if you managed to train him within a couple of weeks. Days, even."

"Thanks," I respond, grinning at him. I've always loved dogs but was obviously never allowed to have one. Now I have four, technically.

"So, what are we going to do now?" I ask. "I am the birthday girl, right? So that means I get to choose." The boys all nod, almost reluctantly. "Great! I want to watch Frozen!"

A collective groan rings around the room but no one argues against it. I know they're beginning to get sick of this movie, but I love it so much! We've probably watched it four times in the last week...

Skipping over to the couch adjacent to the one Wolf sleeps on, I plop down and lean back, getting comfy in what has become my favorite spot. Cole sits on one side while Ashton sits on the other, Xavier putting in the DVD and pressing play. Returning, he picks me up, not paying attention to my squeals as he sits down in my spot and drops me onto his lap.

"Asshole. I was comfy," I huff under my breath. But of course, with his super good werewolf-ears, he hears it and chuckles, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as his warm breath hits it.

"Heard that," he mumbles into my hair. I huff again but lean back nonetheless, even more comfortable than before, though I wouldn't admit that to him. "Heard that, too. And I'm not surprised; I am pretty comfortable."

"But I didn't say anything," I admonish.

"You must've been thinking it, then. I guess the hearing thoughts thing goes both ways now." I can tell he's smirking by the tone in his voice, but before I can protest, Cole interrupts.

"Would you two please be quiet. I get that you're the birthday girl and everything, but I'd really like to watch little Sven and Christophe help collect ice." I guess Cole likes this movie, too--most likely just pretending not to because of his brothers' potential teasing.

I smile and snuggle my back up into Xavier's chest, the rest of my body in between his legs. His head rests atop mine as our eyes are drawn to the screen and little Anna sings about building a snowman.

☆☆☆

We finished the movie a couple hours ago and it's now around 11:00 am. I hadn't realized we only started it at around 7:00 this morning, after my wake up call that had happened bright and early. We've been playing outside since then, the morning dew still slightly present in the air--the best time to play outside, in my opinion. Playing outside with my wolves and releasing my magic has become my new favorite activity. But today it was extra fun because I got to play and start training Wolf. Turns out he is a very good listener and needs little training at all. Such a good boy.

"Woah, I'm pooped. We should head inside now," I tell the boys, who have already shifted back into their human forms.

"Alright, whatever you say, kitten."

With that, we head back inside to the cool air conditioning, a great and refreshing change from the heat of the outdoors. It might've been really nice when we first went out there, but that quickly changed when the sun came out and practically melted me. And I can definitely confirm that our bond has grown even stronger. The pull to them is no longer just a tug at my heartstrings; it's a full-on yank. It's so strong, I feel it threatening to topple me over with its sheer force.

Wolf runs inside, padding over to his food and water bowls, that I'd put out earlier, and gobbling up as much water as possible. For such a small pup, he really has a lot of energy. I'm worn out, but I wouldn't change a thing.

"Water?" Ash asks, breaking me out of my thoughts and handing me out a water bottle.

"Thanks," I take the bottle in my hands and untwist the cap, chugging down half the bottle in a couple of seconds.

Laughing, he says, "Wow! You're almost as fast as Wolf over there." He points over to the dog in question and I direct my gaze over there, finding the water bowl--that was completely full minutes ago--entirely empty, Wolf laying next to it with his head tucked between his front paws and his eyes closed.

"Yeah, I don't think so. I'd have to be more than an angel to beat him. More like a god."

"Awe, but you're my goddess," he pouts, his handsome features slanting down teasingly.

"Oh come on. That was cheesy, even for you," I giggle and his face breaks out into a grin.

"Yeah, but you loved it."

"You're right." I stand on my tip ties to give him a slow but passionate kiss, short but oh-so sweet. When our lips disconnect, he sighs and leans his forehead on mine, a huge smile plastered on his devilishly handsome face.

"I love you."

"I love you more."

"Hey, loves birds. Why don't you guys come up here! Ava has another surprise!" Cole shouts from upstairs in our bedroom. I laugh and step back, grabbing Ashton's hand in mine as I lead him up the stairs. I revel in the sparks and continue my stride.