The Claim ✔️ *Editing*

7. You Call This A Party?

The rest of the week was rather boring. I continued my same routine every day. I would meet Titus in his office and we would work separately.

Today was Saturday and my birthday. Which meant no more work, thank goddess. Titus had yet to make an appearance. If I'm being honest, I don't think he even slept in the house last night. After dinner, he just...disappeared. His scent was very faint. Alex was the one who woke me up this morning. And when I went into his room his bed was perfectly made. Showing no trace of him sleeping there the previous night.

He was acting strange. I was definitely going to call him out on it later.

The pack was throwing a little party for me today. So, I decided to look halfway decent. I straightened my hair until it was pin straight. I wore a pair of black ripped jeans and a white shirt with a black leather jacket. I paired the outfit with my favorite pair of black heeled boots, that stopped at my ankles. I applied bright red lipstick and mascara.

I walked to the pack house with my head held high. I couldn't let it show that Titus's disappearance played an effect on me. Alex was the first person to pull me into a hug when I entered the dining hall. "Happy Birthday Brinn! You feel old yet?"

I smiled. "Thanks Alex. And no, I don't feel old." I got several more 'Happy Birthday's' as I sat in my usual seat.

Everyone slowly directed their attention towards Titus's empty seat. I was anxiously awaiting his arrival. But something deep down told me he wasn't coming. When Ryan entered the room with a straight face my suspicions were confirmed. "You may all start eating. Alpha Titus will not be joining us this morning." Everyone stared at each other as whispers begin to erupt throughout the room.

I stared down at my untouched breakfast. At that point I knew, Titus was ignoring me. He made that quite obvious.

Alex placed a hand on my back. "Hey, you okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah." I grabbed my fork and begin eating my pancakes.

***

The rest of the day I spent watching movies on Netflix with Alex and Ryan. It was fine for a while but eventually, the third wheeling made things awkward. So I left. I was on my way back to Titus's house when my phone started ringing. I smiled when a picture of Carter displays across the screen. "Hey."

"Happy Birthday!" I chuckled as I entered the house.

"Thank you Carter. I was starting to think you forgot." I closed the front door then walk towards my room.

"Of course not." He scoffed in disbelief.

Somehow, my feet lead me to Titus's door. I was standing directly in front of it, when his scent hit me. I knew he was here or at least had been here recently. "Brinn?"

I looked down at my phone and realized I was still on the line with Carter. "Yeah uh, I'll call you back."

"Um...ok. Bye."

"Bye." I hung up the phone and shoved it into my pocket. Before I could have a second thought I swung the door open. I let out a sigh as I was met with an empty bedroom. "I love you Titus but sometimes you are such an asśhole!" I shouted at the air. slamming the door shut, I walked into my room.

I got a couple more calls from my friends back home wishing me happy birthday. Along with my brother and my parents. I was having a pretty chill day. Aside from the whole Titus thing. But I wasn't going to let that ruin my day.

Alex walked into my room holding a white rectangular box with a ribbon on the top. I shook my head. "Alex no, I said no gifts." I loved getting gifts when I was little, but now that I was older I much preferred money.