Sammy

"Samuel George Albright! Get your ass outta bed!" I heard my mother's loud voice come through my door.

"Oh god." I yawned as I dragged myself out of bed.

I walked to my mirror and stared at myself. My brown hair was messy, and my blue eyes seemed dark with sleep as I pulled open my drawers.

"Sammy!" My older sister, Jenna banged on the door, "You're gonna be late!"

"Late?" I thought out loud, "late for what?" I called through the door.

Jenna did not answer.

I groaned as I pulled off my pajamas and threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I went down the stairs as slowly as possible just to get on my mother's nerves. By the time I had reached the bottom of the stairs, Mom was standing there with her arm crossed, her eyes screaming murder.

"Samuel! How do you expect us to get anywhere on time? You do realize this is perhaps the most important day of your life!" She shouted in annoyance.

"What day is it?" I shrugged in genuine confusion.

"You are not serious?" Mom looked at me like I was stupid.

I shrugged.

"You forgott" she flung her purse toward my head.

"What Mom?" I cried, "What'd forget?" I shouted as she flung her purse at my head again

"Geez Mom, chill My older brother, Mathew chuckied as he walked by wife, Eliza, on hi am. Th Sammy! You knew he would forget! The kid forgets everything

1 know She calmed at once, "But I had hopes he wouldn't forget the day as important as this one."

I stared at them in confusion, Would someone please enlighten me?" I begged.

"It's your birthday, Samuel Came the gruff voice of Ralph, Jenna's CEO husband.

"What?" I gapped, "Nu-uh! You're joking mel

"No one is joking here Sammy, it's your birthday, and don't play stupid, you know what turning sixteen means Matthew's voice was serious.

It is not July 31," I said with determination.

Mom dug in her purse and pulled out her phone, shoving it in my face. It read 8:01 AM, 31 JULY 2000

"Oh, Shit!" I cussed under my breath

"Hurry your ass up! We are late!" My mom rushed out as she made her way toward the door.

"Momi Mom wait for mel" I shouted after her, grabbing my shoes as she walked out the door

She was already in the elevator when I managed to somehow catch up to her; despite her small stature, the woman was fast on her feet.

"I can't believe you forgot your own birthday." She chided me as the elevator descended down from floor 30 to floor 1. "Sometimes I don't even think I gave birth to you! You're always late and you always forget everything important!" She whisper-yelled.

"Not everything!" I whined in opposition.

"You forget to do the dishes, you forget to clean your room, you never listen to me, you are so stubborn it hurts, your grades are horrendous cause you never remember your homework, you forgot to go to the birth of your nephew, you nearly missed last years final exams because you forgot to set your alarm, and just today you forgot to wake up early because you forgot it was your birthday and you forgot it was test day." She continued to berate me as I hung my head.

I had to admit, the woman was right. I had a terrible memory, but that was probably because I never had been given the actual responsibility to remember something. We had maids, my mom or my brother or my brother's wife always made sure I woke up to do stuff, and my mom was so rich that I didn't have the worry about school because I would always have money. Not to mention, we lived in New York City, there were plenty of jobs that did not require a degree of any sort.

The ding of the elevator brought me back to my senses. My mom walked off first, as normal, and I had to speed walk behind her. She all but ran toward her SUV and I tumbled in after her.

"Now, as I was saying," she began."Oh shit," I thought, I had not really listened to her in the elevator after the berating.

"This test," she continued, "No matter what the result, Just know the me and your siblings still love you," I saw her hand grip the steering wheel.

I knew she was lying.

"No matter if you must be paired with a monster or if you must go far away. We still love you." Her knuckles turned white as she began to drive.

She was silent after that, but my mind focused on the facts. Ever since the creatures of the night came out into the light, the world had changed. I was only a baby when it happened, so I really had not witnessed anything...but the tell was that when the creature of the night came out, it was the wolves who came out on top of them all. There are very few positions of power now that are not held by a wolf...and some places--some towns, are solely for werewolves. About thirteen years ago, they came up with this test, a test that all sixteen year-olds must take in order to see if they are paired or mated with a supernatural creature. Despite having lived in New York City, the epicenter of mixed society, I had never actually met a supernatural creature, not once. My school was very exclusive--no supernatural creatures allowed to attend, and my mother, despite her demenor, was not a fan of supernatural beings. I knew it would bother her if I was paired with one, and god forbid, let it be a werewolf.

I wasn't sure why she didn't like them, and I wasn't sure why it was werewolves she abhored the most, and I did not ask.

I will admit to a little anxiety as we pulled up in front

I will admit to a little anxiety as we pulled up in front of my mother's hospital. She worked there as a well known orthopedic surgeon, but she was not qualified to run the test, she knew how to do it, every doctor had to know just in case, but she was not allowed to in this case...I was her son...it was a breach of ethics, not to mention against the law for doctors.

"Come on Samuel," she deadpanned as she parked in front of the hospital, "Let's just get this over with." I followed her through the double doors and watched as her colleagues eyed us.

"Hey Mary Ellen!" Some of them called and waved or whispered as she passed.

Mom waved at them or said hello and then their first names.

We crowded into an elevator with some other people in scrubs.

"What floor?" A man in front of us asked.

"The thrid floor please," Mom spoke up.

The others in the elevator whispered immediately,

"He's going for his test,"

"It must be his birthday."

"Hey," I felt a hand on my shoulder, "Happy Brithday kid, and good luck in pairing" A tall man with red eyes smiled at me.

I gasped; he had fangs were his canines would be, his red eyes--he was a vampire.

The elevator dinged and my mom grabbed my arm, ripping me away from the vampire and leading me into the third floor. There were words as soon as you excited the elevator, and they read MATING AND PAIRING CENTER, ST. BRIGID'S HOSPITAL, NEW YORK, NEW YORK.

"Oh god," I vocalized as we walked up to the reception desk.

"Oh Hey Doctor Albright!" An unsusully chipper woman greeted my mom, "How can I help you today?"

"My son has an appointment, it is his birthday." My mom whispered over the desk at the lady.

"Oh, what is his name?" The lady smiled at me.

"Samuel Albright, born July 31, 20XX." My mom spoke quietly.

"Right!" The lady stood abruptly, I gapped at how tall she was. "We will call him back soon Dr. Albright"

My mother only shook her head and shooed me to the waiting area.

We probably only sat down for five minutes before a nurse in scrubs came out.

"Samuel Albright!" She called.

I dragged my feet walking to her and she motioned for me to hurry up with her hands. I felt my mom push my back and I stumbled over my own feet a little.

"Have a seat in here Samuel," The nurse ordered, pointing into a small room. My mom followed me. "Sit up here dear, The nurse pointed to the table.

I sat up on the table and waited as took my blood pressure and temperature. She went out saying the doctor would be right in, but it took thirty minutes for anyone to show up. My mother was deadly silent the entire time, gripping her hands together in anxiety and anticipation.

"Hello there," a male doctor came in the room. His name tag read Dr. Warrick. He was short, like me, and smiled as soon as he saw me. "How are you today?" He asked.

"I-I'm fine." I answered with a slight stutter.

"So," Dr.Warrick began, "Are you nervous at all?" He smiled, pulling a manilla folder out of his lab coat.

"No..." I lied, in actuality I was a bit nervous. "I feel good."

"Well that's great." He opened the manilla folder, "Now I see here that it states both of his siblings tested negative, He looked up at my mom from the manilla folder.

She shook her head at him.

"Well then," The doctor stood up, this should be a breeze, he pulled a syringe out of his pocket.

"Hey wait!" I cried, "What is that for?"

"Oh this? I have to take your blood Samuel, for the test." He explained.

"I thought it was an eye scan!" I fretted.

"We have that too, but considering certain variables, I think the blood test, which is only twenty minutes compared to a week or two, is much faster." He smiled as he took hold of my arm and cleaned the area with alcohol. "This may pinch."

He put the needle in my vein and drew blood from me.

I squeezed my eyes shut until he lightly pat my shoulder.

"I'll be back." He smiled again.

My mom sighed heavily as we waited.

The doctor came back in only ten minutes, and the look on his face was one of excitement and shock.

"Well well," Dr. Warrick smiled as he sat in front of me. "This is a rare occurrence, but not unheard of."

"What is rare?" My mom spoke up suddenly.

"It appears that your son, Samuel here, has been paired."

"What?" My mom gasped, "You-You're sure?"

"Yes, the test in infallible." Dr. Warrick looked up at her with a serious face. "Now," he turned to face me, "Samuel, here is this folder with your pairs information."

He passed me the manilla folder, I read the name Nicholas Whitestone.

"Uh, doctor," My voice shook.

My mom cut her eyes at me, and the doctor smiled at me.

"Yes?"

"My-My P-Pair... I stuttered uncontrollably, "W-What is he?"

"He?" My mom gasped in anger.

"What is the color of the sticker by his name on the top?" Dr. Warrick asked sweetly.

I shivered as I spoke, "Black."

"Oh, that means he's a werewolf," He spoke cheerily, "like my husband."

I shuddered as my mother scoffed and left the room.

Dr. Warrick smiled at me and put his hand on my shoulder. "Your mate will be notified and a member of the local pack will be by your house, don't worry about it." He cooed as I rose up from the table and followed my mom outside.

"Mom!" I called after her.

She ignored me.

"Mom! Would you just wait!" I shouted at her.

She turned to me, "Samuel, get in the car."

"But Mom we have to talk," I began.

"Samuel. Car" She shouted.

I sighed and clenched the manilla folder in my hands. I climbed in the car after her and she sped away from the hospital. She didn't talk to me, and kept her eyes forward on the road. I stared down at the manilla folder I guarded in my hands and I could not help but shiver in nervousness....

I had been paired...with a werewolf...

Worst birthday ever...