Reborn To Defy The Alpha-Chapter 83: Jason’s Birthday

Jason practically bounced down the hallway, feet light and heart even lighter. Today was his birthday. Finally eighteen. Finally a chance to discover his mate. Finally a hope of leaving the suffocating grip of his aunt. He kept skipping as if the ground itself cheered for him. The past few days had been oddly peaceful. Marta had not shouted at him, not given him a cruel look, not even brushed against him with her usual venom. Maybe the beta’s warning had worked. Still, he could never relax when she was around. He wanted out. He needed out.

Ellie. His heart warmed at the thought of him. The beta always seemed to look out for him, and Jason could only pray that the moon goddess would see fit to make him his mate. He stopped mid-skip, stomach twisting. What if fate had other plans? What if he ended up tied to someone who didn’t care for him, or worse, someone powerful and cruel? A stern Alpha. A beta who wouldn’t understand him. Someone who would lock him into another cage. Jason’s lips pressed together, jaw tightening.

He pressed his palms together and muttered a silent prayer. "Please, goddess, please let it be Ellie. Even if it is not him, please give me someone safe and kind. No... let it be Beta Ellie, I beg you."

Taking a deep breath, he continued forward, his steps steady this time. He reached Rhea’s door and knocked lightly. No response. He knocked again. Silence. He pressed his ear to the door. Nothing. Just as he was about to knock a third time, something sparkly and colorful exploded against his face. Shiny ribbons and little confetti stars rained down, clinging to his hair and shoulders.

"Happy birthday!"

Jason froze, blinking, before realizing Rhea and Tavian were behind it, grinning like he’d just walked into a trap of pure celebration.

"You remembered?" he asked, a stunned laugh escaping.

"Of course we remembered," Rhea said, mock offense in her voice. "Why would we forget the biggest day of your life? Come on, we prepared a lot for you."

She tugged him inside. Jason stumbled in, and his breath left him entirely at what he saw. Rhea’s room had been transformed. Gone was her usual red-and-black obsession. Instead the entire space shimmered with sky-blue decorations. Streamers draped from the ceiling and balloons clustered in every corner. Silver paper moons hung along the walls. Even a banner above the bed read: Happy Birthday Jason.

Jason’s chest tightened. Sky blue. His favorite color. She remembered that too.

His eyes stung before he could stop it. A tear slid down, then another. He covered his mouth, overwhelmed. "When... when did you do all this?" he whispered, voice catching.

Rhea exchanged a look with Tavian, both suddenly shy under his reaction.

"This morning," Rhea said with a shrug. "I made Ellie pick up the decorations yesterday. He wasn’t thrilled, but he did it."

Her voice was casual but her eyes glimmered with pride. Tavian nudged Jason’s shoulder lightly, already grinning at the tears.

Jason blinked rapidly, tears welling in his eyes. "I can’t believe you...you did all this for me."

No one had ever tried this hard for him before. Not once in his life. And here he stood in a room transformed just to celebrate him.

Rhea’s expression softened, the usual sarcastic bite gone for once. "Jason, you are our friend. You deserve to feel wanted at least one day in your life."

Tavian nodded like a bobblehead on caffeine. "Yeah. And also, you bake the best cookies in the entire pack. We are investing in future desserts."

Jason sniffed a laugh, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He tried to hide how much that meant to him, but subtlety had never been his gift. His whole face was shiny with gratitude.

Rhea walked over to the small table she had set up. It was covered with snacks she clearly had no idea how to arrange because everything was either stacked too high or scattered like a tiny food explosion. There was even a crooked cake with a big number eighteen candle stabbed in the middle like someone had won a fight with it.

"Sit," she ordered gently, flicking her fingers at a cushioned stool. "Birthday boy gets the first bite."

Jason sat as if his knees might give out, staring at every detail, the bright blue ribbons swirling around the window, paper lanterns shaped like little wolves, a handmade card that looked like someone had wrestled the glue instead of using it. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

His heart hammered with Happiness. "Thank you," he whispered, voice trembling like it might break if he spoke louder. "Both of you. I... I don’t know what to say."

Rhea rolled her eyes, trying to look annoyed and failing completely. "You can start by blowing out that candle before it melts into a puddle of sugar."

Jason leaned forward and closed his eyes just for a moment. He blew out the candle and smoke curled upward.

Tavian clapped loudly. "Congratulations. You are officially old."

Rhea smirked, leaning her elbow on Jason’s shoulder. "And I heard you get to find your mate when you turn eighteen, right?"

Jason’s face turned the exact shade of the pink frosting smudged on the cake. "I mean... maybe."

Tavian waved his hand casually. "Yes but not exactly. I didn’t find my mate on my eighteenth birthday. That was two years ago and I am still tragically single." His dramatic sigh earned an eye roll from Rhea. "But Jason might get lucky. Today could be the day."

The thought made Jason’s stomach twist, part excitement and part dread. What if it was someone awful? What if fate hated him? What if...

Tavian bumped his shoulder playfully. "Do not kill the vibe. I am not crying over it or anything. The Convergence ceremony is coming up. Someone is bound to fall desperately in love with me there."

That made them all snort and suddenly the room felt light again. Hopeful.

Rhea grabbed a small box wrapped in shiny blue paper and thrust it into Jason’s hands. "Here. For you."

Jason looked between them with big round eyes. "You...you got me something?"

"Open it," Rhea said, trying to look bored when she was actually bouncing on her feet a little.

He peeled back the wrapping carefully. Inside sat a pair of brand-new blue sneakers. He paused, surprised by how much he instantly love it.

"I love it," he breathed, voice small with awe.

Rhea beamed. "I’m so glad. I had no idea what to get you, so I took a wild guess and went with those."

"No, seriously, I love it." Jason blinked hard as his eyes burned again. "Thank you. Really."

"My turn," Tavian announced, handing him a soft package that jingled weirdly when Jason shook it. Tavian’s sly grin made Jason suspicious.

He opened the newspaper wrapping and paused. Baby clothes. Tiny shoes. A little rattle.

Jason stared. "Why... why baby stuff?"

Tavian slapped his knee, dying with laughter. "I am preparing for the future! If you find your mate today you might get pregnant tomorrow. Better to be ready."

Jason’s entire face went crimson. His mind instantly pictured Ellie holding him, kissing him and... nope. Abort thought. Shut it down.

"Ooh. What are you imagining over there, Ason?" Rhea teased, poking his cheek.

"N-nothing!" he yelped, voice cracking like a panicked squirrel. Which only made them howl laughing even louder.

"Stoppp," Jason whined, covering his face. "I am going to suffocate from embarrassment."

Rhea wiped fake tears from her eyes. "Fine. We will stop. For now."

Jason peeked between his fingers just in time to see Rhea exchange a look with Tavian, mischief turning into anticipation.

"There is more," Rhea said, stepping back with a gleam in her eyes.

Jason blinked. "More? What more?"

Rhea popped up from the bed with a sudden spark of energy and headed straight for her wardrobe. Jason’s gaze trailed after her without even meaning to, confusion painted across his face. Tavian sat back, hands clasped behind his head, grinning like he was watching his favorite drama unfold.

Jason shot him a pleading look, quietly asking for answers, but Tavian just gave an exaggerated shrug.

Rhea swung open the wardrobe doors and reached inside, pulling out not one, but two neatly wrapped gift boxes. She turned around slowly, enjoying the suspense a little too much.

Jason’s jaw dropped. "More gifts?"

"Not from me," she replied, smirking like a cat with a secret mouse.

Jason frowned, trying to process that. If not from Rhea or Tavian... then who? He glanced between them like one of them will just tell him who it was from.

Rhea sauntered back and set the boxes on the bed in front of him. Jason stared, brain working overtime. His voice came out small and bewildered. "Who would get me a gift besides you two?"

"Ellie the Beta," Rhea said, far too casual.