The Princess of Kaelmane

Chapter 4 - The Birthday Present

A subtle presence in my room stirs me from sleep, a familiar warmth hovering over me. A sweet voice sings softly, "Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday to you..." coaxing a smile onto my lips before my eyes even open. Aunt Jenna, she wakes me up like this every year on my birthday.

My eyelids flutter open, and I see her standing beside my bed, hands clasped close to her thighs, her upper body leaning forward, bringing her closer to my face. She beams at me, continuing her song, "Happy Birthday, All-Grown-Up-Lucas... Happy Birthday to you..." I can't help but roll my eyes. There she goes again...

"Good morning and thank you, Aunt Jenna," I say, pushing the blanket aside and sitting up.

She watches me with an expectant gaze but then releases a dramatic sigh. "Well, look at you... Officially an adult now. I suppose you won't be giving your old aunt a big hug like you used to,"

"Aunt Jenna!" I protest with a groan, "Please..."

Her face brightens with a grin as she stretches her arms toward me. Shaking my head at her theatrics, I lean in, allowing her to pull me into a tight embrace. She squeezes me warmly, then pats my back. "Now go get ready for school. I'll bring your cake on my way back from the office," she says with a wink. I nod, smiling, before pulling away and heading into the bathroom to start my day.

Before I know it, I'm by the front door, rolling my eyes as Aunt Jenna begins once more. "Who knows, you might even bring a girlfriend home tonight. You're an adult now, after all," she teases, leaning dramatically against the corridor wall.

"Aunt Jenna..! For heaven's sake!" I exclaim, rubbing my face in exasperation. She laughs, handing me my bag before giving me a playful shove out the door.

"Bye! Have fun!" she calls, waving cheerfully before closing the door behind me.

I shake my head and start walking, only to pause when something catches my eye. Across the road, the black-furred beast is perched by a tree, its crimson eyes fixed on me before it slowly retreats into the woods. A shiver runs down my spine as an unsettling feeling washes over me. I try to shake off the unease and continue to school.

________

As I near the school gate, I spot the gang waiting for me, big grins plastered across their faces. "Hey, Brooke! I wonder what today's date is," Grace says with a mischievous smirk.

"21st April," the short brunette answers with a grin answers with a grin, her eyes twinkling with playful intent. I smile sheepishly, scratching the back of my head as they continue their teasing.

"Hmmm... Is there something special about today, Lexi?" Grace asks, tilting her head in mock contemplation.

"Nope!" Lexi replies, popping a bubble with her gum. "Just a completely normal, ordinary, boring day."

"Yeah, that's what I thought..." the female blonde comments, her tone dripping with playful sarcasm.

Before I can respond, Mike suddenly wraps his arm around my neck, pulling me into a headlock. "How could you girls forget? This lil' kid is finally old enough to drink in a bar!" He ruffles my hair, and I quickly shove him off, rolling my eyes.

"Seriously? That's all that matters?" I raise an eyebrow at him, feigning exasperation. "Being able to drink in a bar?" The gang erupts into laughter, and despite myself, I join in. After the laughter dies down, they wish me a happy birthday once more before the bell rings, sending us off to our respective classes.

———

I hurry home, my mind already racing with the thought of getting ready before my friends arrive. "Should I wear the new shirt for the occasion..? Aunt Jenna bought me one a week ago..." I murmur under my breath, my gaze instinctively drifting toward the woods. No unusual beast is lurking this time. Relieved, I unlock the front door, step inside, and toss my bag onto the couch. Aunt Jenna won't be home for another hour, so I head upstairs, planning a quick shower.

As I take out a fresh pair of clothes, my gaze flits to the window. My brows shoot up at the sight. "Holy sh—" I curse under my breath as I come closer to the window. There, by the roadside the coal-black furred beast is dragging a 5-gallon water bottle with its mouth, the bottle bumping along with each determined step.

"Where did you even find that thing?" I wonder aloud, watching in disbelief as the creature hauls the clear plastic container into the woods.

This time, I can't just brush it off; the growing stack of unanswered questions is gnawing away at my peace of mind. I bolt downstairs and out the door, only to find the wolf has already disappeared among the trees. Curiosity gets the best of me, and I cautiously cross the road, edging closer to the forest.

As I continue to stare into the depths of the woods, shadows seem to shift, playing tricks on my mind. "Alright, alright, Lucas... This is a terrible idea. It's your birthday today, so forget this weird wolf business and just head back home!" I mutter to myself, trying to talk some sense into my overactive imagination. Nodding as if to agree with my own advice, I turn around, ready to head home.

Just 5 minutes later, my frustrated groans are echoing through the forest. "Great... Just great! Now I'm wandering in the woods, heading to Lord knows where because my stupid curiosity won over my rationality!" I throw my hands up in exasperation, shouting into the empty woods as I continue to follow what I hope is the trail left by that mysterious wolf.

"Why am I following it? Don't even ask! I have Clearly lost my mind!" I mutter, punctuating my frustration by kicking a pebble. With another exasperated groan, I flop down on the ground. "This is hopeless... I'm definitely going in circles," I grumble, picking up a random green leaf from the forest floor. "I swear I've seen it lying here at least five times!"

Okay...maybe staying with Aunt Jenna has made me just as dramatic as she is...

A sudden sharp snap of twigs cuts through the silence, startling me. My head whips toward the sound, my heart hammering wildly in my chest. Slowly, the source of the noise comes into view—a pair of crimson eyes, glowing ominously in the shadows, lock onto mine, piercing straight through me.

"Shit—" I gulp, my body tensing as I hesitantly rise to my feet, every instinct screaming at me to run.

"I-I...mean no harm..." I stammer softly, instantly feeling foolish for even attempting to communicate with the beast. Realizing how absurd this situation is, I cautiously try to take a step back, but the wolf's low, menacing growl stops me in my tracks. Its eyes bore into mine, intense and unyielding, before it turns around, taking a few deliberate steps forward. Then, it glances back at me, as if waiting.

As crazy as it sounds, I'm now convinced that this wolf actually wants me to follow it. When I hesitate, its growl deepens, vibrating through the air with unmistakable warning. I quickly raise my hands in surrender, conceding to the creature's demand. Without further protest, I trail behind the four-legged beast, my mind racing with questions about my sanity.

We walk in tense silence, the forest growing denser with every step. Suddenly, a crunching sound comes from under my shoe. I glance down, lifting my foot, and my eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

It's an empty bag of cheese puffs.

I lift my gaze to the wolf, which waits patiently for me to continue. I give a stiff nod and resume following, soon spotting more crumpled wrappers scattered across the ground. I glance at the wolf, as if expecting it to explain it all to me, but the beast simply halts by a stand of tall bushes, turning to face me with an unreadable expression. I swallow hard as it tilts its head towards the dense foliage, clearly urging me to go through.

Taking a tentative step forward, the wolf shifts aside, allowing me to pass. With no better option, I push through the tangled branches and emerge into a small clearing. My heart skips a beat, and I freeze at the sight before me. The first thing that catches my eye is my old blanket, and then, draped in it, a pale figure hastily drinking from the 5-gallon bottle.

Sensing my presence, the figure abruptly lowers the bottle, locking wide, light-blue eyes onto mine.