Page 73 of Outnumbered

Chapter

Twenty-One

“Caleb? Riddick? Triston? Branson?” I called as I walked through the seemingly empty house.

After our afternoon practice I had gone to shower and change, but when I came out, everyone was gone.

Fear grew in my chest, making me start to panic. Closing my eyes, I looked at Caleb’s connection and started following it through the house. It led me out to the front door. I opened it and peeked outside, listening for sounds of fighting or danger. Hearing none, I continued tracking Caleb, walking across the grass and heading towards the woods.

Suddenly, his location changed and it led me back into the house.

Confused and worried, my brows furrowed as I walked inside of the house and towards the dining room.

“Caleb?” I called.

“In here,” he called back from the dining room.

Exhaling in relief, I pushed open the door. “Thank goodness. I was starting to wo?—”

“Happy birthday!” several voices shouted.

I froze and blinked at the crowded dining room where balloons, a banner, and bright table decorations were laid out. In the center stood a large three-tier cake with candles burning.

Tears sprang to my eyes and my hands went to my mouth.

Caleb, Branson, Triston, Riddick, Jolie and her mates, Leona and her mates, Dan, Katar, Kara, Emrys, Ezio, and Kieran all wore birthday hats and smiled at me.

“Uh oh, I warned you she might cry,” Kara said.

Jolie rushed over, hugged me, and kissed each of my cheeks. “Happy birthday, Ember.”

“How did you know?” I asked. “I’d forgotten.”

“We had your birth certificate, remember?” Deryn reminded me.

“Your pack has been planning it for weeks,” Kieran said as he walked over and hugged me. “Happy birthday, Em and Em.”

I hugged him back. “Thank you for coming. How are you?”

He smiled. “I’m good. Thank you.”

Caleb put a birthday hat on me, being sure not to snap the elastic band beneath my chin, and wiped beneath my eyes. “Happy birthday, beautiful.” He kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear, “Great job tracking me. I had to run outside because you were getting too close to discovering us before they finished setting up.”

Laughing softly, I turned and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

“Come blow out the candles,” Triston urged. “The wax is going to get all over the cake if you wait too long.”

I walked over and looked at all of the smiling faces of people I had grown to know and care about over the past several months. People I considered an extended family. I smiled wide. “Thank you all for coming.”

“Make a wish,” Riddick said.

I shook my head and blew the candles out. “I don’t have anything to wish for. I’ve got everything already.”

Triston kissed my cheek. “Happy birthday, gorgeous.”

“I’ll cut the cake,” Branson offered and with Riddick and Triston’s help, they cut and passed out slices of cake.

I sat down in the chair at the head of the table and ate the delicious cake.

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