An Assassin's Guide to Family

Chapter 33: Present

---------------- Percy's POV: -----------------

*RING RING*

I nearly jumped out of bed at the sound, the loud vibrations combined with the bad music made me want to rip my ears off. I sat up quickly, the motion tensing my muscles much too tightly.

My eyes were bleary with exhaustion, I blinked rapidly as I tried to get a good look at my room. Where the phone was ringing from I really couldn't see, all I knew was half the side table was illuminated with an awful light, interrupting my much-needed sleep.

I turned, spotting my black-out curtains to the side of me, the color barely being shown by the light from my phone.

I rubbed my eyes before throwing my hand to my side, slapping the top of the table before I came in contact with the phone. I wrapped my fingers around it before pulling it up to my eyes.

"Jason Grace"

I sighed, shaking my head as I brought the phone up to my ear trying to cough the sleep from my voice.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY PERCY!!" The phone hadn't even picked up for more than a second, the loud yelling forcing me to pull the phone from my ear as I heard small poppers go off in the background. When it stopped I slowly put it back to my ear.

"Huh?" I asked, the whole thing not really clicking with me. It was much too early for my mind to be doing any sort of thinking. I'd been too busy lately so sleep was a blessing.

"I said, happy birthday Percy! I know 12 am is a bit early but we just wanted to make sure we gave you a proper celebration."

My birthday?

I put the phone on speaker, pulling the phone away from my ear I looked at the date displayed on the screen. August 18th. I blinked a few times as I let it sink in.

I was 19.

I was 19 and I didn't even realize it was my birthday. I would've gone on thinking it was

I took in a shaky breath as I snapped back into reality.

"Percy? Is everything okay?" Jason asked, concern heavy in his voice. I nodded even though he couldn't see.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thank you so much, Jason, this means a lot." I heard a laugh on the other end, the relief loud and clear even through the screen.

"It's nothing Percy, I just wish we could come up and see you, but I'm sure you already have lots of friends you're spending your birthday with so we won't intrude." I furrowed my brows.

"'we'?"

"PERSEPHONE JACKSON!" I had to remove the phone again as more yelling ensued. I waited a minute before placing my ear back on the phone. "-I and the hunters have been looking everywhere for you and suddenly you're in Alaska! Seriously, the choices a seaweed brain like you makes are astounding." I felt a smile curl onto my lips at the voice.

"Thalia, always a pleasure hearing your lectures," I said, my sleepiness quickly clearing away.

"Well, I have a lot to make up for! You've been gone for 4 years now, I should be preparing you a 4-year long lecture but only because it's your birthday I'll refrain." I smiled, letting out a small chuckle as I pulled my legs into a crisscross position.

"How merciful, I see not much has changed since I last left." She scoffed.

"Yeah, I suppose. So tell me, Ms.Jackson, how is life in Alaska, the one place Artemis forbids me and my hunters from going?"

I shrugged, "it's nice, enough for me that is. How about you Ms. Pinecone face, is running the pack all it's cut out to be?"

"It's work but it's nice. We've had about 30 more girls join since we've last seen each other, lady Artemis continues to try and ask about you from the ones who lived in Alaska. You know she'll never stop trying to recruit you right? You'd be a leader."