False Prophecy

Birthday Celebration

Nikolai

Did I just say out loud that I was going to spank her? She’s going to think I’m a perv now! Maybe I can come up with a tactical move and throw her over my knee, make it less creepy. I ran my hand down my face. It was going to be a long training session, I could feel it. We went through all the moves for her warrior training. Even without a beast, this girl has her moves down perfectly and the modifications we figured out for her height are working great. She even got me down a couple of times, seems to be getting faster. I’m pretty sure she managed to get me down because anytime her a.ss came in contact with me, I couldn’t think. Either way, she was so cute and excited about getting a win and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Zy, Dad wants you to come over for lunch to celebrate your birthday if that’s alright with you?” I asked.

“I would love that! I won’t turn down a chance to have Johnathan’s cooking. I am going to go shower and change, I will meet you there” Zy says as she jumps up. I can’t help but watch her curvy a.ss bounce as she jogs away. Seriously, what is wrong with me? Maybe she is my second chance mate. Could I be that lucky? We are going down to the beach to celebrate her birthday tonight. Maybe this is more than me just lusting after her.

I stopped to talk to Matthew on the way home to make sure we were ready to leave for training tomorrow afternoon. I think we are both ready to be done with everything and start working on the pack. Our dads are ready for retirement and looking forward to a much-deserved break. Maybe my dad will actually take some time to find a mate. I get out of the shower to smell cooking and can hear Zy laughing with my dad over something. I headed to the kitchen pulling my shirt over my head just in time to catch her dancing in the kitchen stirring the pan of potatoes for my dad. I just wanted to go over and grab her hips and dance along with her, Timber growled in agreement. Alright, so I guess it’s a good thing I’m leaving for training. I shouldn’t become obsessed with my childhood friend. She is way too sweet for me. Dad walked in with the steaks, and I catch him looking from me to Zy, I’m pretty sure the old man knows exactly what I had on my mind. Here comes harassment.

“Zy, what are your birthday plans?” Dad asked. Still watching me with a sly smile on his face.

“We are going down to the beach tonight for roasted marshmallows, drinks and hang out until the clock strikes midnight! Grams says I may even pull some more of my witch powers tonight so it could be interesting” Zy says excitedly.

Dad laughs and kisses the top of her head. “We love you little one no matter what.” He chuckled. We try to do anything to make her know she is accepted and loved, given that pack of hers is weird. I don’t fully understand why they live there. Dad just says once we take over, they can pass the burden onto us, whatever that means. It was a fun lunch, spending it with Dad and Zy laughing and just relaxing before I have to leave tomorrow.

Later that evening, Matthew and I dropped the chairs onto the beach at the lake and unloaded the coolers. Looks like it’s just the two of us with Sophie and Zy. She was never one for big crowds and lots of people. We asked our Gamma Jamison and his brother Jason if they wanted to come, but they were all excited about installing software and working out the bugs on the machines that Zy dropped off.

“You’ve been awfully quiet lately. Is everything ok?” Matthew asks

“I’m good, ready to get the last of our education and training over with,” I stated.

“You sure that is all?” Matthew asks.

“Honestly, I guess the last two weeks I kept looking at Zy differently. I am starting to wonder if she is my second chance mate. I know it is rare, and we would not find out until the full moon since it's a second chance but I can’t help my feelings changing for her. I don’t know if I should be freaked out by it or embrace it.” I finally admit, Matthew is one of a few that knows I was rejected by my first mate.

“Stop fighting your instincts. You will just twist yourself in knots otherwise. She is an adult now, so see where it goes naturally. Zyanna is a sweet girl, and I doubt she will break your heart. She has always loved you and your dad. It would be amazing if she was your second chance mate though. She would be a hell of a beta mate for our pack!” He laughs just as Zy and Sophia pull up. I swear she drives that truck like it's bulletproof, and she has nine lives. Matthew and I got the fire started, and it was a fun night!

Sophie had decided to call it quits around 11:00pm so Matthew headed out with her, borrowing Zy’s truck. He offered to take Sophie back to her cousin's house with a wink at me. I’m sure he is leaving us alone on purpose. At almost midnight, Zy decides we need to go swimming. I jumped into the cool water with her. She’s had just enough to drink to be tipsy. I want to make sure she stays safe, and she’s had so many marshmallows she’s all hopped up on sugar. The woman has always been mischievous in the water, swims great and can hold her breath for a long time, traits from her fae blood. I’m pulled from my thoughts by her soft voice “Can you feel that?”

“Can I feel what?” I asked

She is standing less than a foot away from me and looks at me as the water around her starts to glow a soft purple color. “Wow that feels so weird” she says and looks directly at me as her eyes start to glow purple, then slowly fade to a bright blue, onto a vibrant green I have only seen in dragons, blood red of a vampire, then onto a golden hazel color of the Bear and finally back to her violet eyes rimmed with sparkling silver of the Fae. The water feels like it's charged with energy. She looks at me and as our eyes connect hers go stark white staring as if looking through me. “The true nature of the Guardians will be revealed in time. The Moon Goddess, Hecate and Mother Spirit have set into motion those that are needed for the fight ahead.” She says as her finger touches my chest and I feel a deep burning sensation, not painful but odd and almost rejuvenating. “Your Protector's gifts will continue to manifest as needed, trust your instincts and protect your secret until the time is right. Not all who come forth are friends and others will become powerful allies. Be yourself and everything will work out for you and Timber” Her eyes glowed before settling into their normal violet color.

“That was weird, I feel strange” She said as I caught her before she fell back into the water. Zy looked at me as she placed her hand on my cheek “Why couldn’t the moon goddess have given me you…..I wanted it to be you” she said before her head lulled back. I turned to carry her out of the water and see her Grandma Mavis standing on the beach a short distance away. I looked at her, unsure of even what to say. She softly touched Zyanna’s hair and looked at me “I see you have been marked as a Protector young man. It will be challenging, hiding your speed and strength especially in training." She said looking at me with a soft smile.

“What did Zy mean when she said she wanted it to be me?” I asked. Her Grandma signed heavily and looked at Zy’s sleeping face.

"She overheard her mate talking, and he is planning to reject her. She is going home this afternoon to find him and accept the rejection. Her family is then moving to our pack. Alpha Xander is ready to accept them, and I don’t foresee any issues with their Alpha stopping the transfer at this time. The family means nothing to him. He still views them as Omega’s” She studied me for a moment before continuing, “She loves you; she has since she was young but don’t let on that I told you young man” She smiled as she patted my cheek. “You have a great role to play in all of this so trust the process even if at times it is hard to understand” She then turned to leave the beach. I looked at Zyanna in my arms, her beautiful face looked so peaceful with her mane of red curls spilled over my arm. I laid her down on the blanket by the dying fire and wrapped her in my arms. The moon goddess made a mistake and if her mate didn’t want her, I knew I did. I looked at the starry night sky with its bright moon and prayed to Selene to please gift Zyanna to me. I knew deep in my heart it really was supposed to be her all along. I watched her beautiful sleeping face. Timber had strangely been silent during all of this evening, I thought, as I slowly drifted to sleep.