The Littlest Mate

Sunbeams filled the small bedroom and played along the light lavender walls. A simple white, wrought iron bed stood against the back wall in the middle of the room. There weren't many furnishings to speak of, a plain oak dresser with an oval shaped mirror just above it. A toy net full of stuffed animals in one corner. And lastly a small table with two chairs and a colorful, porcelain tea set.  Though there wasn't much to the space, it had a cozy, inviting feeling.  A small mountain of pillows were stacked alongside the bed on the hardwood floor, and the bed itself was disheveled from a slew of floral patterned blankets and covers, wrapped this way and that around a petite figure resting in the middle.  Golden brown tresses flowed across the top sheet, which was snuggly tucked underneath the chin of a freckle-faced beauty, loose strands of hair tangling with her long eyelashes. "Little wolf..." A voice spoke softly in her ear.  The girl stirred slightly, then clenched the sheet in her fist tighter as she puckered her lips and sucked her thumb.  The voice called her again. "Little wolf... wakey wakey..." This time, a strong hand shook her shoulder as the voice called out, causing her to groan reluctantly.  But the person who dared interrupt her sweet dreams would not give up so easily.  She scrunched her eyes and pouted, then lifted the sheet above her head so she could hide underneath.  After a few seconds a second voice struck up conversation with the first. "Should we try pouring cold water on her?" She could hear her brother smirk at his own suggestion.  A small whimper escaped her as she curled up into a tight ball, bracing herself for an uncomfortable sensation.  But her other brother spoke up, granting her a moment of relief. "No... but if she doesn't get up by the count of 3, she'll have to brace herself." Brace herself?  For what?!  She popped her head up and snapped her eyes open towards the foot of the bed, just as her brothers grabbed hold of the footboard posts.  Before she had time to respond or demand an explanation, the boys began counting, sharing a cheeky grin with each other. "1... 2... 3!" And with that, they began rattling the bed back and forth wildly, causing their little sister to be tossed up and down on the bed.  She let out a half-hearted scream before bursting into giggles as they continued to make the mattress bounce underneath her. "EARTHQUAKE!!!" They shouted simultaneously, shaking the frame a few more times before finally letting up.  Then they jumped and tackled her from either side and began to tickle her.  She shouted and pleaded for them to stop between bouts of laughter, tears springing to her eyes as she tried to breathe and control herself.  But her brothers were relentless.  When she couldn't take it anymore, she kicked at them and pushed them away as she yelled out their names. "MATTHIEU!  MARC!  STOP!!!" She then sighed with relief as they finally obeyed her command, still chuckling together like a pair of schoolboys. "As you wish, little wolf." Matthieu bowed his head towards her in a teasing gesture as he spoke. "Anything for the birthday princess." Marc chimed in, smiling brightly at her and she couldn't help but smile back.  Both brothers leaned back against the headboard and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her up between them as they made themselves comfortable on her bed.  Now squished in the middle, she pulled her legs up to her chin and patted their heads as they rested against her shoulders. "Happy birthday, little wolf." "Yeah, happy birthday Myka!" Mykaela smiled again, sighing as she thought about her life.  She had the best brothers in the world, in her opinion.  Matthieu was the oldest at 22 years of age.  She loved how he always called her little wolf.  It was his special pet name just for her.  Marc was 21 and like the rest of his family, he called her Myka.  Both her brothers were kind and protective of their sister, but between the two of them, Matthieu was her favorite, though she'd never let Marc know that.  You see, Matthieu was the man of the house.  Their father, Isaiah, had died when Myka was still a young pup, just 7 years old.  Ever since that point, Myka had clung to her oldest brother as he was now the only father figure in her life, even though he was still a child himself when their dad passed away.  Matthieu was the one who practically raised her.  He taught her how to hunt and fish and he guided her through her transition as a wolf when she first shifted on her 13th birthday.  Everything she knew about life growing up on their little farm outside of town was all thanks to him.  He was her protector and one of her best friends. In all honesty, Matthieu and Marc were her only friends.  Growing up on the outskirts had kept her isolated from society for the most part.  Though she knew they were part of the Blue Moon Pack, she rarely ever met anyone from town or ventured off the farm.  Her family seemed content to keep to themselves and work the land.  In fact, Myka's mother, Johanna, had made the decision after her father's death to keep her close at home and homeschool her.  It may have sounded selfish, but Myka was very dear to her mother and she wanted to protect her as much as possible. Johanna, was a strong, brave woman, but she didn't know what to do for Myka after she lost her father.  She always taught her boys to look after their baby sister, but she was keenly aware that not having a father to grow up with had impacted Myka in her developmental years.  Still, while Myka wasn't like the other girls her age when it came to her emotional and social skills, she was very much a beautiful young lady with a strong, independent spirit like her mother.   Innocent and sweet, she was the pride and joy of the Kensington family, and they fawned over and babied her to no end.  Perhaps it wasn't the best way to prepare her for life outside of the farm, but truthfully, nobody ever really considered that Myka would ever leave anyways.  She was simply too precious and dependent on them and they wouldn't have it any other way. Myka sighed again and stretched her arms and legs out as much as she could, still wedged between her brothers.  A long yawn escaped her as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.  Marc popped his head up from her shoulder and poked her cheek.  She turned and stuck her tongue out at him, which he quickly grabbed and pulled playfully, causing her to snort.  Matthieu chuckled at the sight. "Hey little wolf, are you hungry?  Mom's making you a big breakfast for your special day." Myka's eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands together in excitement. "Yes!  What are we having?!" Marc piped up before Matthieu could respond. "All your favorites, sis!  Pancakes with strawberries, syrup, and whipped cream.  Summer sausage and seasoned potatoes.  Eggs sunny side up and biscuits with apple butter!" Myka licked her lips as she felt her mouth water and stomach grumble at the mention of all those foods. "Mmm, I can't wait!" She suddenly bounced up and down on the bed and then jumped to the floor, headed towards her dresser. "I better pick out an outfit and brush my hair so I can go downstairs and eat my birthday breakfast!" Matthieu lazily got up from his spot on the bed and Marc soon followed. "We'll head down while you get ready.  Anyways, we've got a special surprise for you once breakfast is done and I'm sure mom would like our help in the kitchen." "Okay!" Myka beamed at the thought of a special present waiting for her as her brothers left the room, closing the door behind them.  She rummaged through the drawers until she found what she was looking for.  A pretty pink top with a complimenting green skirt.  The top nearly matched her rosy lips and the skirt brought out her hazel eyes.  Once she slipped into her outfit, she looked in the mirror and scrunched her nose at the sight of her unruly hair.  She struggled to brush out the tangles, but once everything was straightened out, she skillfully pulled her locks into a side braid.  Still unsatisfied with the finished look, she searched the top of her dresser, picking up a striped barrette clip from a dish that held various accessories in it.  She pulled the baby hairs away from her face and fastened the clip.  There, she thought to herself.  Perfect!  She was finally ready to sieze the day.  Opting to go barefoot rather than put on socks and shoes, she skipped out of the room and made her way down the hallway towards the stairs.  Stopping at the top, she took a deep breath and inhaled the many smells floating up from the kitchen.  The aroma made her stomach growl in anticipation.  She practically hopped down the staircase and into the dining area where her brothers were setting the table as her mom finished up cooking over the stove.  Myka tiptoed over to her mom and pecked her on the cheek.  Johanna turned to greet her daughter with a smile. "Good morning, little one." "Good morning mommy!" "Happy birthday, my sweet girl." Johanna gave Myka a quick hug before returning to her work. "Thank you!  Can I help?" Myka loved helping her mom in the kitchen.  Johanna hummed thoughtfully, then replied with a nod. "Here.  You can take these to the table and grab the syrup from the pantry." She held out a plate full of pancakes for her daughter to take, which Myka gladly obliged and headed towards the dining room.  Once she'd done that, she grabbed the syrup and set it next to the pancakes, then waited patiently for further instructions.  Matthieu brought a platter of sausages out, while Johanna plated the eggs, and Marc carried a basket full of piping hot buiscuts. "Go ahead and sit down, Myka, we've got everything else ready to go." Johanna called Matthieu back to the kitchen to help her bring out everyone's plates.  Myka sat down next to Marc, who was already salivating and growing impatient to eat.  After a moment, they were all gathered around the table and Marc began piling his plate high with anything he could get his hands on.  He was just about to take a bite of a buiscut when Johanna scolded him and gave him a dissaproving look. "Hold it, young man.  We haven't said grace." Marc groaned and reluctantly put his buiscut back on the plate, sneaking a crumb that had fallen into his mouth.  Matthieu, who was sitting on the other side of Marc, slapped him in the back of the head, and he made a dramatic show of choking, causing Myka to giggle.  Johanna was unamused. "If you're quite done with your shenanigans, perhaps one of you could say grace now?" Everyone quickly bowed their heads and closed their eyes, clasping their hands together.  Myka kept one eye open to watch her brother, just in case he decided to cause any more trouble.  Matthieu then led them in a short prayer. "Dear Maker, thank you for this wonderful food, and for the chance to celebrate our baby sister's birthday.  May we be blessed with many more birthdays to come, and even more meals to share together.  Amen." The rest of breakfast was a lively affair, full of conversation and laughter as they enjoyed the fruits of Johanna's labor.  Once they had finished,  Matthieu and Marc dutifully cleared the table and did the dishes for their mother.  Johanna and Myka settled in the living room, Myka sprawling out on the couch, feeling rather stuffed, while her mother took her usual spot in a faded fabric recliner.  Johanna grabbed her crochet bag and pulled out a freshly done scarf and hat set in rainbow colors.  She handed them to Myka and smiled. "I made these special for you, sweet girl.  I hope you like them." Myka beamed and wasted no time trying them on. "Thank you mom, I love them!" Just as she spun around to model the set for her mother, the boys walked into the room. "Looking good, sis!" Marc walked over and playfully tugged on Myka's braid.  He was always teasing her, but never in a bad way and though he did tend to get on his sister's nerves at times, she had to admit, she enjoyed their back and forth tricks and banter.  Matthieu spoke up and interrupted their exchange. "Are you ready for your surprise now, little wolf?" Myka's eyes lit up and she squealed. "Yes, please!" Matthieu looked his sister up and down and raised an eyebrow, trying not to c***k a smile. "Your feet don't look ready.  We can't very well go to the mall with a barefoot munchkin, now can we?" Myka gave him a confused look for a moment, then laughed when she realized what he meant. "Oh!  The mall?!  I love the mall!" "Go get your shoes then, so we can go, silly girl." "Okay!" Myka bounded up the stairs as quickly as she could and disappeared into her room.  Once she was out of earshot, Johanna addressed her oldest son. "Matthieu, are you sure the mall is the best idea?  You know how she gets... I don't want her to wander off and get lost..." "Mom, don't worry, Marc and I will keep an eye on her the whole time.  It's just for a couple of hours.  We'll be home before you know it.  Besides, it's her 18th birthday!  What's the worst that could happen?" Johanna still wasn't convinced, but she reluctantly sighed and gave her son an approving nod. "Alright, but I'm trusting you to take care of her.  And don't spoil her with bags full of candy.  I'm planning to make a good dinner for when y'all get back." Matthieu crossed his fingers behind his back and Marc snickered when he saw it. "Of course not, mom.  No candy.  We'll keep her safe, I promise." "You promise what?" Myka slid through the doorway in pink checkered slip-ons just as Johanna was about to reply.  Marc piped up and beat her to it. "Oh, you know, just promising mom not to sell you to the traveling circus, though you would be a shoe-in for the flying trapeze act!" Myka rolled her eyes. "Whatever.  You wouldn't sell me.  You love me too much." Marc gave her a mischevious look. "Maybe... depends on the price." Myka slapped his arm and he chuckled, grabbing her at the waist and pulling her into a hug. "Don't worry, sis.  I'd make sure to split the money with ya.  Come on, let's go before all the good parking is gone!" Marc pushed Myka towards the door as she shouted goodbye to her mother.  The three siblings piled in to the family truck and were soon on the road leading towards town, enjoying the radio as they rode along.  Myka couldn't help but think that this was her best birthday yet.