Chapter 4
1253 Words
Elara pov:
"Again?"
I stared at the message on my phone in disbelief.
Aveline: I changed my mind. I don't like the silver-and-white theme anymore. Let's go with royal blue and gold instead. Make sure everything is changed before tomorrow evening.
I let out a slow breath and closed my eyes.
Of course she had.
After spending days finalizing the decorations, flowers, table settings, banners, invitations, and centerpieces... she decided to change everything less than twenty-four hours before the ceremony.
Not because she disliked it.
Because she could.
"Miss Elara?" one of the workers called nervously. "Should we continue setting up?"
I forced a smile.
"No... stop. Everything has to be replaced."
The workers exchanged exhausted looks but immediately got back to work.
The ceremony grounds sat on a wide open hill nearly twenty minutes from the pack house. It was where every wolf celebrated their first shift beneath the full moon.
Normally, preparations would have been finished days ago.
Not this time.
I spent the entire morning running from one supplier to another.
The flowers had to be changed.
The ribbons had to be changed.
The tablecloths.
The candles.
Even the cake.
By noon, my feet were aching.
By afternoon, my hands were covered in tiny cuts from unpacking decorations and tying ribbons.
Yet there was still more to do.
"Elara!"
I turned to see another worker hurrying toward me.
"We're short on blue fabric."
"I'll go get more."
"The florist says the gold roses won't arrive before sunset."
"I'll find another florist."
"The caterers need confirmation."
"I'll handle it."
Every problem somehow found its way to me.
As always.
I had barely taken three steps before my phone buzzed again.
I sighed before reading the message.
Aveline: Actually... I think white roses would look prettier than gold ones.
I stared at the screen.
Then looked toward the half-finished decorations.
Then back at the message.
"...She's doing this on purpose."
"I know she is."
I turned around.
Aroan was leaning casually against a tree with his arms crossed, while Isla stood beside him carrying two paper cups.
Neither of them looked amused.
"I was wondering how long it'd take before she changed her mind again," Isla muttered.
Aroan walked over and handed me one of the cups.
"Drink."
I looked down.
"...Hot chocolate?"
"You skipped breakfast."
"I had work."
"You skipped lunch too."
"I was busy."
He raised an eyebrow.
"So... you're admitting I'm right?"
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it again.
"...I don't like how often that happens."
He grinned.
"I know."
Isla laughed.
"You two can flirt later."
Both Aroan and I looked at her at the same time.
"We're not flirting."
Isla rolled her eyes so dramatically I thought they might disappear into the back of her head.
"Sure."
She reached into the bag she was carrying and carefully pulled out a small wrapped box tied with a silver ribbon.
"For the birthday girl."
I blinked.
"...You remembered?"
Aroan looked genuinely offended.
"Remembered?"
He placed a hand over his heart.
"Elara Mooncrest... are you questioning my professionalism as your best friend?"
Despite the exhaustion weighing on my body, I laughed.
A real laugh.
One that reached my eyes.
For the first time that day, the endless work, the aching feet, and Aveline's impossible demands didn't seem quite so unbearable.
Because no matter how difficult the day became...
I wasn't completely alone.
We placed the cake on a small table decorated with the few things we managed to bring.
Aroan carefully lit the candles while Isla stood beside me with the biggest smile on her face.
"Now make a wish," Isla said excitedly.
I closed my eyes.
For a moment, I forgot everything else.
I wished to meet my mother.
To finally know who she was.
To know why she left me.
To know if she ever thought about me.
And then I made another wish...
That no matter what happened in the future, Aroan, Isla, and I would always stay like this.
I wished that no matter what happened in the future, Aroan, Isla, and I would always stay like this.
That we would always...
A familiar voice interrupted my wish.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, sister. I forgot your birthday."
My eyes opened.
Aveline was standing right in front of me.
My unfinished wish remained in my heart.
Isla immediately rolled her eyes.
"It's okay," I replied softly.
I knew she wasn't being sincere.
"I was just so busy with the preparation and everything. I completely forgot it was your special day too."
Busy with the preparation?
Or busy making everything harder for me?
I had no idea what she was talking about.
Before I could say anything, Isla, being Isla, couldn't keep quiet.
"What do you mean busy with preparation?"
Aveline looked at her.
Isla crossed her arms.
"Because from where I'm standing, it looks like Elara was the one managing everything. So what exactly were you doing?"
Aveline frowned.
For a second, her eyes moved toward Aroan.
Then she laughed.
"Oh, I meant my dress and all that. You know how important it is."
Isla opened her mouth but I quickly gave her a look before she could say anything.
"Happy birthday, sister."
Aveline stepped forward and tried to hug me.
But before I could even react, her foot caught on the edge of the grass.
The next second, the cake fell to the ground.
And Aveline would have fallen too if Aroan hadn't moved quickly enough to catch her.
"Are you okay?" Aroan asked, holding her steady.
"Yeah... now she is," Isla murmured.
Aroan gave her a sharp look.
Isla immediately looked away.
"I... I'm sorry, Elara," Aveline said, looking at the ruined cake. "I really didn't mean it. I'm so sorry."
"Unbelievable," Isla whispered.
I lightly hit her arm.
"It's okay, Aveline."
It wasn't okay.
Not really.
But what could I do?
The cake was already ruined.
Aveline tried to take another step, but her expression changed.
Her ankle was hurting.
Aroan immediately noticed.
"Can you walk?"
She shook her head slightly.
Without hesitation, he helped her toward the car.
Before leaving, he looked back at us.
"Give me a little more time. I'll be back."
I nodded, not knowing where he was going.
A few minutes later, Aroan returned.
But this time, he wasn't empty-handed.
He had a box of cupcakes in one hand and a healthy meal in the other.
I stared at them in surprise.
"I couldn't get you a real cake this time," he said with a small smile, "but we can still celebrate."
We didn't have any more candles, so we simply shared the cupcakes together.
And somehow...
It felt better than the cake I had imagined.
After that, Aroan handed me the meal.
"Finish it."
I looked at him.
"Are you ordering me?"
"Yes."
Isla immediately pouted.
"What about me?"
"Let's share," I suggested.
But Aroan shook his head.
"No."
I looked at him in disbelief.
"No?"
"No. You are eating the whole thing."
Isla pointed at herself.
"Excuse me?"
"She already had dinner," Aroan said.
Isla frowned.
"How do you know?"
Aroan looked at her seriously.
"Because you're a foodie."
She gasped.
"That is offensive."
"It's true."
Then he turned back to me.
"You are the only one here who didn't eat properly today. So you're going to finish every single bite."
He crossed his arms.
"And that's an order."
I couldn't stop the smile that appeared on my face.
For once...
Someone cared enough to notice.
- Writer
