Alpha's Prophesied Mate

The phone ringing startles me sharply out of my dreamless sleep, and I sincerely wonder why I got an iPhone in the first place. My ringtone never fails to make me curse out loud early in the morning. "Hello?" I called out groggily without checking the screen. "Wake up, Emily!" My younger sister screamed into my ear, and I checked the screen, wondering if there was any information. I missed, but didn't see a thing but some i********: notifications. "What is it?" I asked, turning on my back and wincing at the sunlight streaming through my window. I should get new curtains, preferably dark ones. "What do you mean, what is it?" Do you not know it's my birthday? I have been awake since midnight, expecting your call. "What happened? "Did you forget?" Of course, I forgot, but I definitely can’t tell my sister that; she’d probably have my head on the phone. "Come on, give me the benefit of the doubt," I said, "I couldn't forget your birthday even if I was a thousand miles away, let alone now that we're in the same city, I couldn't forget your birthday—" "Oh, stop it, Emily; now you are just rambling." She cuts me off with an accusatory tone. "Just admit it, you forgot!" I already know how negotiations with my sister go; she knew I was going to forget, and she definitely has something she wants in mind. "Kira, what do you want?" I interject. "Weeell, since you asked so politely, Iwantyoutocometomybirthdayparty," she rushed out in one breath. "I am sorry." "I didn’t get that." "I WANT YOU TO COME TO MY BIRTHDAY PARTY!" I sigh audibly and quickly go through my list of excuses to see which one would fit into this scenario; I can't find one in the 3 seconds I have to wait. "Well?" "What do you think? Before you say anything-" "It's at the new lounge on Fifth Avenue, LUNA; my friend got me some permits; also, it's after work hours, so you can’t use the hospital as an excuse; besides, I checked, and you are on a morning shift today and an afternoon shift tomorrow, so even if you have a hangover, you can sleep it off before you start work tomorrow." I sigh again, exaggerating this time around. "You must be feeling so proud of yourself right now; you seem to have covered all the bases." "I know you, sis, and I know your list of excuses as well; especially since we drafted them together," she says, smiling through the phone. "However, I hope you're not trying to set me up with anyone; I told you I wasn't ready for any relationship." "Emily, you are 25; it's been 3 years since your last relationship; I will admit it, Sean did a number on you, but that doesn’t mean you have to close your heart to love; you still- " "So, is this a matchmaking venture?" I asked, trying to be sure before I get involved with anything. "No" "Are you sure?" "Yes!" "Yes, you are sure, or yes, it is a matchmaking venture?" "EMILY! Yes, I am sure it is not a matchmaking venture, seeing as I know my sister is allergic to men.” "Alright then, I’ll come." I held my phone far away from my ear to avoid her ear-splitting scream. "OMG!!!! I am so excited; we are going to have so much fun!" "You know it’s because it’s your 21st birthday, right?" "Happy birthday, little sister; welcome to adulthood; you’ll hate it here." "Ha-ha, I know you are kidding." "P.S. If you don’t get up in the next 45 seconds, you will be late for work." I jump off my bed, not caring about my phone falling to the floor. "Hang up!" I screamed while rushing out of the bedroom, removing my pajamas haphazardly on the way to the bathroom, and I almost tripled. I right myself quickly and make my way. I live in a studio apartment that has a great view of the Central Park in Montrill. I know it sounds like Montreal, but believe me, they are two different worlds apart. The apartment came tastefully furnished with a state-of-the-art system, and the only reason I can afford it is because of my nursing job with one of the largest hospitals in the city. The apartment came with it, and it is one of the things I love most about my job, patients aside. I quickly fixed my waist-length dark brown hair into a messy bun. I don’t even try combing it as it is usually a hassle, I just wrap it up and make it work. Picking an outfit has been made super easy courtesy of my sister's organizational skills. She matches up my outfits for a month and gives me a roster, which I follow strictly. A quick look at the roster for the outfit for the day shows me a super cute frilly navy-blue blouse I just got, which makes my light blue eyes pop, and a nude three-quarters length skirt, which compliments my creamy skin and makes my none-existent curves seem like they could give Kim Kardashian a run for her money, paired with some dark brown flats and a cute brown sling bag. Checking the mirror quickly for anything I might have missed and applying a coat of lip gloss, I rush to the elevator, which takes its sweet time before arriving and has me bouncing on my heels impatiently. It is a sweet race in my trusty black Honda Civic to the hospital, which is just about 15 minutes away. "Hi, Sarah," I managed to huff out to the receptionist, almost out of breath from the race from the parking lot to the reception. "I don’t know if you can tell, but the hospital is huge on people coming early. I can’t keep covering for you, Emily. "You are five minutes late!" In hushed tones, she says: "I am sorry, baby girl." "Don't call me that; you know it's your third time this week, and it's only Thursday," she said. "What if I got you those lemon-flavored cinnamon rolls you love so much from my secret place?" I said this in a sweet, pleading tone. Sarah, our receptionist, gives me a look that often comes across as exasperation, but she would swear it was a death stare if anyone asked her. I return the favor with my best puppy dog impression, and for a moment we are two women staring at each other before we both burst into laughter. "You know I can't stay mad at you; fine." "I signed you the moment I saw your car in the parking lot," I said as I walked to the changing room. "Last chance though," she calls out after me. "Suuuure!" We burst out laughing again as I turned the corner and ran into my supervisor, who informed me of a patient needing my help in the emergency room. ************************************************************************************** In a dingy hut at the center of the forest, a man is seated on the straw-covered ground alongside a creature that takes on the shape of a woman; her lower limbs are hoof-like structures, which she crosses as she sits. A mop of uncombed hair rests atop her head, giving off the appearance of leeches in the dimly lit room. At the center of her head is an empty eye socket, the eye being played with by the cat-like creature in her lap, which, on closer inspection, appears to be a griffin. A creature of the night with the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle Skulls of different animals decorate the hut, with their other parts sitting in jars all over the shelves in the room. Different herbs hang from the ceiling in different states, some dead, some about to suffer the same fate as the dead ones. "I had no idea you could sit on my floor for such a gentleman; tell me quickly, why have you sought out my kind? "She hissed at the man. Through her four teeth "I have come to confirm the requirements for my immortality spell. I want to live forever. "No, I am going to live forever, and you are going to help me." He says it with an air of arrogance. She cackles mischievously. "Why. Do. You. Think. I would help the son of the man who found a way to kill my kind?" she enunciates each word. "Because YOU KNOW, even if my father died with the secret, if he could find a way to kill you, I could too." She screams at him angrily. "I wonder why you want to live forever anyway; have you forgotten the prophecy?" "PROPHECY BE DAMNED!" He exclaims, getting visibly angry; his pupils thin out, and his iris switches quickly to a pale amber color. "If you cannot help me, then say it; make known your incompetence." "I never said I couldn't help you, you younglings, ever impatient and quick to anger, but can you bear the risks involved?" "Fury, MAKE. ME. LIVE. FOREVER." he states with a face of resolve. She screams like a banshee, signaling her excitement as she steps into a secluded corner of the room.