Birthday Crashers

Birthday Crashers
I couldn’t help the huge grin that spread across my face as we stepped out onto the front lawn.

The place had been transformed into a Princess wonderland for Olive and Poppy and the whole pack along with everyone we love was here to celebrate with us.

Aurelia left my side to walk over to Malachi and the rest of our family, and I took a deep breath before following her over.

“Dawn, darling!” Alethia cried out as she pulled me into a hug, with Lucian giving me a wink behind her.

They had stepped down from the Alpha and Luna of Whitebridge, and the travelling that they’d done over the last decade had been kind to them.

After our Father handed the Alpha reins over to Sawyer, our parents packed up and disappeared, only returning on the odd occasion, however we had no idea where they were or what they were doing.

Lucian and Alethia had stepped in as parental figures and helped us run the Leeside Pack, which we’d be forever grateful for.

“Hey!” I smiled and stepped back, waving at Lucian as well.

“Where’s your Brother? Cora is over there with the twins, but we haven’t seen Sawyer yet.” Lucian asked and I followed his gaze over to Cora, who was holding one end of a stick so that the kids could play limbo.

I gulped, and the heavy pit in my stomach was back. Cora looked like she wasn’t worried and having a great time, however my danger radar was going off. Sawyer wouldn’t miss his little girls party for anything.

“I’ll go in and find him, he might be checking the food.” I slightly winced, and Lucian’s eyebrow raised a little, which was an indicator that he knew that I was lying to him. He didn’t get the power he had by not being able to read people.

Before he could say anything, I turned on my heel and walked quickly back inside.

The pack house was completely silent, and my footsteps echoed across the tiles.

I walked up the stairs and onto the carpeted second floor, heading straight to Sawyers office.

As I walked closer I could hear raised voices, and slowed my speed down so that I could creep forward a little more stealthier.

“You’ve missed the payments Sawyer, been summoned to appear twice now - It’s not looking good for you and your family.” A voice I didn’t know rang out through the door, and the subtle threat wasn’t missed.

I had a bad feeling that he was indeed, in his office with Kallik and Monroe.

“Why should we be paying for shipments that don’t even arrive in our ports? YOU are responsible for delivering it to us safely.” Sawyer argued back, and I moved even closer to the door.

“Shipments will stop until all payment is caught up and you will need to return to us, as collateral, until that happens.” Another voice stated calmly, as my breathing picked up. Whatever was going on, was bad if they wanted Sawyer to leave Leeside.

“I’m the Alpha, I can’t leave my pack.”

“Then you can give us the money you owe, we’ll cancel our trade deal and we’ll be on our way.” The first voice hissed.

“We don’t have the money, because YOUR shipments that WE’VE been paying for haven’t been reaching OUR ports so that we can distribute them here.” Sawyer argued and I could tell he was getting more and more frustrated that the conversation was beginning to go around in circles.

“Let’s make a deal then.” The first voice cut through, and my fists clenched as I readied myself to launch into the room and help my brother out. “How is your sister, Alpha Sawyer? I heard she isn’t mated yet.”

My whole body froze at the strangers words, and a thin layer of cold swear appeared on my skin.

“No.” Sawyer deadpanned, and I let out the breath that I didn’t realise I was holding.

“Our Father will want collateral if you want to keep this deal. We also need a wife, before our Father steps down and you know that we’ll also be much easier to deal with once we step up as Alpha’s. It’s a win win all around… unless you’d prefer we take one of your pups to raise.”

I knew that this deal couldn’t fall through. Leeside was beginning to fall apart and we desperately needed the money to rebuild stronger cottages for the pack.

I listened out, but there was only silence that seemed to drag on forever.

Before I could even think about what I was doing, I found myself bursting into Sawyer’s office.

“I’ll do it.”

Sawyer’s head snapped in my direction and he looked defeated and exhausted.

“I can’t let you do that Dawn, you have no idea what this is about.” He sighed.

“I’ve heard enough. You need to stay here with your family and Leeside needs the money. Let me help.”

We stared each other down and I could see two men standing to the side and watching our showdown from my peripheral.

“Well, isn’t this a happy ending all around with everyone getting what they need, so we’ll be leaving now since our business is done here.” One of the men said, as he clapped his hands together.

I broke my gaze away from Sawyer and turned to the men, freezing as I took them in.

They were huge, and towered at least two feet over me with bulking muscles that were straining through their button up shirts. Being identical twins, they both had long brown hair that hit their shoulders and neatly shaved facial hair. Their eyes were a piercing blue that felt like they were seeing into the inner depths of my cold, depressed heart.

They also had matching smirks, and I quickly realised that I’d been gawking at them for a few seconds too long.

“Go and pack your things Dawn.” The twin on the left ordered and the weight of reality hit the bottom of my stomach like a brick.

“Can I go and say goodbye first?” I demanded, which bought on a new round of smug smirks.

“No. We don’t have the time. You’ll see them at our wedding.” The same twin spoke, and I felt hatred bubbling up inside as I turned on my heel and headed to my room, hearing Sawyers voice fade as he called out my name from the office.