Chapter 4: Shifting

Waking up to the amazing smell of bacon coming from the kitchen, I stretched and a big yawn left my mouth.

Wait… it’s Saturday!

It’s my birthday!

I turned eighteen today, and tonight at midnight, I will get to meet my Siren.

Feeling excited about today, I rushed out of the bed and went to the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth.

Changing into my white flowy dress and shoes, I rushed out into the hallway and was abruptly stopped as I crashed into a brick wall that wasn’t normally there and fell on my ass.

“Ouch,” I grumbled from the floor.

Hearing chuckles, I raised my head to see it was my brother.

“Not funny, James.”

“Oh, little one, but it is,” James said, still chuckling.

He pulled me up while still laughing at me. “That is one way of waking up and celebrating your birthday,” he said.

I glared at him, but he just ignored it.

“Happy birthday, little one.” He pulled me into his big bear hug, and he kissed the top of my head.

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I snuggled into his chest. “Thank you, J,” I spoke softly.

Walking together downstairs, I was immediately engulfed in a warm hug from my dad.

“Happy birthday, my sunshine,” my dad said.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

He squeezed me tight, almost making me lose my breath.

“Can you do your old dad a favor, princess?” he asked me.

“What daddy?”

“Stop growing up already,” he said seriously.

The whole room erupted in laughter upon hearing my dad's grumbling complaint.

“Come now, Jonathan, give me my baby so I can kiss her too,” my mom said. She approached us with her arms extended towards me, making my dad unwillingly letting me go.

The next thing I knew, I was wrapped in my mother’s arms. “Happy birthday, sweetheart.”

“Thank you, Mom.”

We kissed and took a seat at the table where there was delicious food laid out, waiting to be eaten.

“Mom, are we feeding a whole village?” James joked, already piling up his plate with some eggs.

“It’s a special day today, James, and since we have a lot of work to do for today and prepare everything, it means I won’t have time to cook, so eat up well as you will be helping out as well.”

“What? But why? I have practice to go to.”

“No practice today, no excuses. It is Ollie’s special day, so everything else is secondary today,” my dad interrupted.

James turned towards me and winked. “Guess I get to spend some more quality time with you today then.”

“No pranks,” my mom said without looking at him.

Grumbling under his breath, he stuffed his face with food as my dad and I chuckled at them.

After our celebratory family breakfast that was filled with joking and teasing and making plans for the day, my mom and I went to the main hall where the party would be held.

The main hall was a big restaurant called The Diamond Shell that was right by the ocean. There was a fantastic view of the ocean from the large hall, which was completely glassed in.

“We’re here!”

A loud announcement rang out from my two goofy friends, Mandy and Annie. We hugged each other as they wished me a happy birthday, feeling excited about what today was.

Taking boxes out of the car, that were brought in by a couple of women from our flock, we all started decorating the place with ribbons, fairy lights, flowers and banners while the heavy lifting was done by the men who set up the tables where my mom had instructed them to, as well as tall flower arrangements, chairs and such. By 4 p.m. we were done, everything was set in its place and ready for the party, which was to begin at 7 p.m.

We rushed back to my house so that Mandy, Annie and I could get ready and change for the party. We put our new dresses on and added accessories and shoes to our looks, and Mandy did all of our makeup.

“Stop fidgeting around, Ollie, or I will poke your eye out by accident.” Mandy gave me a stern look as she was making a wing line.

“Or you will make her look like a raccoon,” Annie teased, getting a glare from her.

I chuckled at them.

While I waited for her to finish, I felt my palms begin to sweat. I was nervous, but of course I wouldn’t admit this to anyone. In just a few hours I might find my mate and everything would change.

I have always dreamed that I would have a bond just like my parents.I watched how the love and care they had for each other never fades after all these years, and I wanted to be that happy and complete too.

I imagined when I was little that we would meet on a beautiful starry night on the beach.

For a long time, I had a crush on Tyson, and only Mandy, Annie, and Lizzy knew about it, but my secret was safe with them.

The football team was returning today to be a part of my birthday party, and knowing that he would be there made me nervous.

Would we have an instant connection when we saw each other again, when my Siren woke up, would she call up to his?

Tyson is the soon-to-be Alpha of the Cromwell flock. Their flock has been part of a family flock with the Azores for centuries, which is the flock my family leads.

He is a year older than my brother, and he still hasn’t found his mate, so Mandy thinks it is because his mate Siren is still too young. And since mine is awakening tonight, in Mandy’s words: “It is a great possibility that you are his mate.”

It is true, as he is an Alpha, and I am an Alpha’s daughter, and usually, the same ranked shifters get to be mated. Every now and then would be Beta to an Alpha and rarely Gamma to Alpha or to a Beta.

“You’re ready. Take a look.”

When Mandy said that, I turned to my dresser to see in the mirror how she did her magic on me. It was perfect, just the right amount to keep me from looking like a scarecrow.

As we finished everything up, we slowly walked downstairs to be greeted by my family, and of course, who else was there, Tyler and Max.

“Oh, you all look so beautiful, ladies.” My mom gushed as she took the camera and snapped pictures. Laughing at her enthusiasm, we all stood and posed for her.

“Come on, Elizabeth, the party will start without us, dear,” my dad spoke, laughing at my mom.

“Unless the camera breaks first from all the clicking,” James said under his breath.

Smacking my brother on the back of his head, my mom said, “Be nice.”

Rubbing the back of his head, he added, “Sorry, Mom.”

We all left the house and went to The Diamond Shell.

It was already packed with people and music could be heard playing as some couples were dancing to the rhythm.

Once we were inside, I was dragged from person to person as they hugged, kissed, and congratulated me. My cheeks burned from smiling so much, but I was having so much fun, and I was so happy to see that so many were here to enjoy this time with me.

Tyler took me dancing, and we were goofing around as he was making up new dance styles.

“May I cut in?”

As soon as I heard his strong, gruff voice, I knew who it was.

“I wondered when you would come back,” Tyler said as he smiled and gave Tyson a bro hug. “I see some eye candy that can become my next conquest.” Tyler smiled mischievously as he strode to the buffet table where a young dark-haired girl was.

“He won’t ever change,” Tyson said, laughing.

I didn’t say anything as I was taking him in. He was gorgeous, tanned, tall, and bulky in all the right places, with dark brown hair and baby blue eyes.

His blues met mine as a smile appeared on his face.

I could feel my heart beat faster at the sight of him.

“May I have this dance with our birthday girl?”

His hand was extended in an invitation for me as I felt a blush rising up onto my cheeks, and I wasn’t able to say a word.

When I took his hand, he led us further onto the dance floor. His arm wrapped around my waist, bringing us closer together so we started to dance without exchanging a word.

As it was getting close to midnight, I started to feel nervous.

“You look beautiful tonight, Ollie,” he whispered into my ear. I felt his breath tickle my skin, making goosebumps form on my skin.

“Thank you,” I said shyly to him.

The next moment, my father rose at the podium. “Everyone, it is time.”

The excitement was felt in the air as we all went outside to the beach.

Everyone started to undress and enter the water, and I knew I shouldn’t feel shy as we are shifters and all, but here I was, taking off my clothes fast and rushing in the water, not stopping until it was up till my shoulders.

Everyone was waiting for the moment the moonlight would touch my skin and awaken my Siren. Afterwards, we would all shift and have a celebratory swim as a bonding ceremony.