The King & the Stable Boy

BONUS: The King's Mate

Noah

"Happy birthday!" my friends and family screeched, egging me on to blow out the candles.

I laugh at their foolishness, blowing out the candles, wishing what every twenty-one year old wished for. A mate.

Cody and Jacob share a mischievous look and before I can even question them, Cody grabs my arms allowing Jacob to grab my legs and I'm being dragged off, away from the family gathering towards the woods. Knowing where the two bastards were taking me, I began to squirm, all my efforts in vain as they tossed me into the small pool of water that laid beyond our parent's house in Gaia.

I gasp for breath as I resurface, glaring at my brothers as I get out.

The two laughed hysterically at my misfortune and I ran towards them, hugging Cody, causing the fully grown shifter to screech like a pup.

When we returned back to our family each of us was properly wet and our mother glared at us.

"You better not drip on my floor." she warns.

My father gently puts his hands on her tense shoulders shaking his head at our shenanigans.

"You boys went and got wet without me?" a voice says, disappointed.

I turn to see my best friend from back when we still lived in the castle, Samara standing there, her arms crossed, as she fake pouts.

I open my arms and start towards her but she throws a hand up.

"Don't you dare! Otherwise I'll take Ramos and go."

I stop my teasing and go for a handshake with Ramos who grins at me.

"Happy birthday, Noe." he bids, revealing a present. I thank him and open it, seeing a stationery set. "For your practice."

I give him a nod of understanding, feeling an arm sling around my neck.

"Can you believe it? Little Niya here's joined the law firm." Jacob coos.

"He's pretty cut throat too. Hasn't lost a case yet, and it's his first year."

"He's learned from the best." Jay adds, earning himself a high five from our brother.

I roll my eyes at the two, but hold my tongue. I couldn't have made it through law school without their guidance. When I began, Jacob was a year into his practice, and Cody was just getting out of his apprenticeship. They both worked their asses off to get their firm off the ground all while helping their little brother and I couldn't tease them for that. I owed them my career.

"Matthews Law is on the rise." I admit.

"On the rise? Everyone in town is trying to become a client of yours while they can still afford it!" dad boasts, making the three of us grin.

It was us who bought them this house, once we were doing okay. It must've been two years ago, my apprenticeship was with an older gentleman who was on his last leg and heard the name Matthews and hired me on the spot. He payed well where most wouldn't pay at all and my brothers and I pooled some of our savings to get ma and pa out of the raggedy hut we all lived in when we first moved to Hemming and joined the Wolf Cry pack.

We gave them reason to be proud. My father would often retell stories of people recognizing them both on the streets and someone remarking at how well their pups were doing. There wasn't a prouder man in all of Gaia.

Hours later I found myself sitting on the floor of the largest guest room, now turned into a blanket wonderland as we'd made one large make shift cot on the ground, sat facing my two best friends.