So, about this chapter: I wanted it to be a Keri/Callum one, but a few days ago I realized that what happens at the end of their chapter doesn't fit the timeline as it would shift the mood to one I don't want for Horace's birthday. At first I thought about posting the chapter without the ending, but it actually fitted it so well that I decided to instead move around the chapters I want to have in this book. It will take me a bit to figure out the new order, but I didn't want to deprive you of your S&R dose this week so I made up some new content to upload while I work on the new timeline.
I hope you'll enjoy it!

And speaking of new: here's a brand new POV...

Until now, Kennedy had been replying straight away, but it took a few moments before his final message arrived:

Maybe...

I sent him a "yeah" and tapped on the Home button of my phone, removing the message app before I put the device on the windowsill.

Maybe...

Was it just me or was Kennedy avoiding me the past few days?

I had always envied the boy.

He was strong, decisive, outspoken... Free. Kennedy wouldn't allow his father to boss him around, to plan out how the boy would spend every minute of every day for the rest of his life just so he could achieve a goal said father had failed to do so.

Even if the boy didn't want to achieve that goal.

I would, of course, be honored if I were to become the pack's Alpha one day, but I wasn't particularly looking forward to such a future. Perhaps it was because of my dad: I was so used to taking orders as I've done for the last almost sixteen years, that it would feel odd if I had to be the one to issue them.

My Beta and the Council would be there to aid me, but the main responsibility would fall on my shoulders... And I was no leader.

Kennedy was.

Kennedy who didn't hesitate and who everyone in the pack - save for my dad - adored.

Kennedy who for a while kept sending me "maybe" whenever I'd tried to make plans to hang out with him even though he'd been the one to reach out to me and to encourage me to spend time with him and his friends.

I'd been so happy then, finally hanging out with my peers, instead of training or studying pack history and shapeshifter customs as per ordered by my dad. A chat father had had with our Alpha had also helped; how - I wasn't sure, but after she'd summoned him, he'd returned pale-faced, shaken and thoughtful.

And then he'd started to give me more freedom.

The power of the Alpha, I guessed.

I was thankful for it now, even though back then I'd been worried about my dad and was pondering going over to her house and asking for an explanation.

But a couple of days later things began to work out.

I was allowed to celebrate my sixteenth birthday at the pub, with the whole pack, instead of at home with just my parents.

I was very reluctantly allowed to spend time with Kennedy and his friends on our grounds.

I was even more reluctantly allowed to stay at the human side of town as dad called it and spend time with humans after school.

And now that might be gone.

And for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why.

Had I insulted Kennedy or the other kids?

I couldn't think of anything I'd said or done for them to be angry with me.

Maybe they just got bored of me.

I wasn't good with communicating well with people my age, so maybe they thought I was no fun.

I picked up the phone again and dialed Billy. He answered after only a single ring:

"Hey!"

"Hey." I cleared my throat. I'd spoken to him many times and we'd even played soccer together, albeit on opposing teams; I should have no problem talking to him now. And yet...

Kennedy had included me into his hang.

He was the one who usually invited me to go out with them and on the rare occasions when I'd initiated it, I'd always called or texted him. This was the first time I was going to ask a person other than Kennedy about going out.

And Billy was a human person.

While I'd been going to school with humans for years, I'd never gotten close to any of them. I realized that in many ways they were the same as us; they couldn't shapeshift and some customs were only restricted to our species, but otherwise we were pretty similar.

And yet, here I was hesitating, my heart beating in my chest and my palms beginning to sweat.

"So... What did you want to say?"

I took a deep breath before I replied:

"I was wondering if you'd like to hang out? With me?" Before he could even respond, I blurted: "Without Kennedy."

"Oh, erm..." I could hear him gulp.

So that would be a no.

Apparently I was only welcomed in their group when his best friend was the one who'd brought me.

I'd suspected that for a while, but it still hurt.

I was really starting to think that the gang liked me, at least a little.

Especially Billy. He'd always been nice to me and often complimented me on my goal keeping skills. He'd even encouraged me to hang out with them saying "Yeah, you should" and "Come on; it will be fun" when I'd hesitated to accept Kennedy's invitation to play with them.

Perhaps he'd just been polite; he was that type of person.

"I have something to do right now," he said, not bothering to come up with a good excuse and just sticking to 'something'. "Maybe in a couple of days?"

Again with the maybe... I had to restrain myself from sighing.

"Sure," I replied. "Maybe."

Someone else spoke, their voice far away as if they were some distance from Billy... Was that Kennedy?

"Look, I have to go now," Billy went on. "I'll text you when I get back."

After a moment's hesitation or maybe because I hadn't answered, he added:

"I'll tell you about this soon, okay?"

"Okay," I slowly enunciated, wondering what 'this' was.

"I'll text you later," he reassured me again and hung up, leaving me utterly confused.

Kennedy had said he was busy, yet I was almost certain that the faint voice I'd heard in the background had been his. This made sense if they didn't want me around anymore and went out just the two of them, but then why had Billy repeatedly told me that he'd text me later?

It could be because the boy was considerate and while he may not like me, I didn't think - and I hoped! - he didn't dislike me either.

But then again, he'd promised to tell me about 'this', whatever 'this' was.

Why not now?

Why all the secrecy?

If it was something I wasn't supposed to know about, why promise to tell me later?

Was it something I wasn't supposed to know about right now?

Something the two of them were hiding at the moment, but would reveal later... Something like a surprise connected to something that would happen soon...

I pushed away from the window and flung myself on my bed, stomach down.

The only thing I could think of that was happening soon was...

I buried my face in the mattress.

No! Don't think about it! You'd be disappointed if it ends up not being true!

But against by better judgment, I couldn't help but finish the thought: a surprise for my birthday.

Kennedy knew better than to try to sneak in Billy to my (Riley aside) werewolf-only party, so could it be that they were shopping for a present together?

But what kind of a present took days to buy?

Maybe it was something they were making?

I'd seen Kennedy help fix things around his parents' house and yard, but I had no idea if Billy was handy when it came to DIY.

Maybe it was something simple that required to be colored and the only reason they'd spent days on it was because they had to wait for the paint to dry...

Or maybe I was putting too much thought into this.

Maybe it had nothing to do with me and my birthday.

Maybe they just wanted to take a break from me.

Yeah.

Probably.

My phone buzzed and I swiped the screen to unlock it and read the message I'd just received:

Chronologically, Horace's birthday is in (very) early March; when do you want it to be?

If you have a birthday on a date that is in the first week of March, I could give it to him!

Now, about the chapter: what do you think about Horace's POV?

Are you happy I included it?

Have a great time wattpadding and please give the chapter a VOTE if you enjoyed it! 😺

PS: Did any of you watch the live stream of WattCon yesterday?

Maybe I missed you in the chat?