Austin's POV
The voices of my pack members echo through the hall as they raise their glasses in unison. "Happy Birthday!"
Family, friends, and visiting Alphas from neighboring territories have gathered to celebrate my twenty-first birthday. The weight of what I'm about to announce sits heavy in my chest.
Isabella moves closer, her voice barely audible above the celebration. "You've got this," my sister whispers before melting back into the crowd. She's the only one who knows what I plan to reveal to my father and Ezekiel tonight.
"Austin!" Samantha's voice cuts through the noise as she barrels toward me. At thirteen, my youngest sister still believes she can launch herself into my arms like she did when she was five. I catch her reflexively, though my back protests the impact.
"Getting a little heavy for this, Regina," I grunt, setting her down gently.
Her face scrunches into a pout. "Percy never says that when I jump on him."
