Zero returned to her house after finishing off her final mission of the night. There was much to be done tomorrow. She's have to get an early start, perhaps be up before dawn to get her equipment ready and she'd ask Elijah to join her as well.

Parking her bike in the garage, she came back outside to scope the territory of any unusual activity. Once, she secured the area and checked that the protective alarms were intact, she went to the front door. Unlocking it, she stepped inside to a dark house. She knew that her mate must be in bed since it was midnight now.

She shut the door behind her, when suddenly, the lights turned on and a loud canon went off around her. Instinctively, her hands went to the two guns at her waist to arm herself against the threat.

"Happy Birthday!" A voice she recognized very well surprised her.

Zero cursed under her breath as she took away her hands from her weapons. She shrugged off the confetti from her already blood sullied clothes. "What's going on?" she asked sternly.

Severin, her mate, stood in a white suit with a canon in his hand which was the one that went off. He had a chocolate cake on a tray with candles and her name on it. "It's your birthday today," he said as he ushered her inside.

Zero's temper rose as she looked down at the cake. "Severin, I told you I don't like celebrating my birthday," she said.

"Stop being stubborn," he said with his indigo eyes that were brighter than the rainbow candles on the cake. "It's your first birthday with me, I had to celebrate somehow since you wouldn't let me throw you a party."

Zero's past flashed in front of her eyes dampening her soul with the horrors she lived herself all alone. "Severin, I'm tired," she sighed.

"At least cut the cake with me," Severin asked.

"No," she affirmed severely. "Get rid of the cake and don't ever do this again." Zero strode past him to escape. She didn't return to her bedroom and stayed in the basement. She used the gym there and tore her body to shreds as she powered through the night by distracting herself. She'd never celebrate her birthday because it never mattered in the first place.

Dawn arrived and Zero was able to calm her mood. She didn't like her birthday and never would. Why didn't Severin understand that? She wondered as she showered clean and returned upstairs to talk to him about last night. She knew he'd be upset about it. Maybe, she was too harsh. She should apologize and tell him the real reason she didn't like celebrating birthdays.

But once she got up the stairs and went to their bedroom, Severin wasn't there. He wasn't anywhere in the house and she looked everywhere. She rushed to the garage and the car was gone. He would never leave without telling her and she had security with him at all times.

The front door opened then, Zero rushed to see who it was, but it was only Elijah. "What's wrong?" he asked her when he saw her desolate expression.

"Severin, he's missing," she said.

"Did you check his tracker?" Elijah suggested.

Zero completely forgot that she put a tracker on his wristwatch. She pulled out her phone and checked but the signal came from the bedroom. She rushed up the stairs and saw the watch on the table with a note.

Since I'm not even worthy of celebrating your birthday with you, then why don't you just have fun all by yourself, she read aloud hearing his posh English voice in her head. I'm going home. Don't come after me. Zero crushed the note in her fist.

"What does it say?" Elijah asked.

"Get the plane ready," she growled. He told her not to come after him, but Zero wasn't going to let a stupid fight separate them. She was going to get him back even if she had to drag him or tie him to the plane.

Dreadful hours later, they finally arrived to the countryside of London.

Zero felt as if there was a storm cloud over her head the entire car ride to the Salvatore estate. Finally, Elijah pulled the car up to the front door, she didn't even wait until the car parked to get out. She rushed up the stairs of the massive mansion and hastily approached the front door. She rang the doorbell and knocked a few times too.

The damn door opened.

Severin stood clad in white trousers and a blue cashmere sweater. He stared at her while leaning on the door with that charming air of confidence that only he could carry all the time. She lost herself to his glorious indigo eyes that were a brilliant purple under the morning sky. His rich, golden-blond hair was tousled by his fingers; just the way she loved it. The warm lights of the house sharpening the lines of his handsome face and his broad shoulders. He tucked a hand into his white pants as he held a stern expression on his face.

"You left," she managed to use words.

"I told you to not come looking for me," Severin spoke even-toned.

"You know, I can't do that," she responded as she took a step closer.

"Who is it, son?" Wayne Salvatore appeared at the door with his usual cheerful attitude. "Zero! Come in!" He brought her inside and Severin turned his eyes away while crossing his arms. "Elijah, son, welcome!" Wayne took them with him.

"Won't you take my jacket?" she asked Severin teasingly.

"It's quite chilly, why don't you keep it on," Severin retorted.

Zero grinned at him.

Wayne caught the tension between them. "Are you two fighting?" he asked.

"No," said Zero.

"Yes-" Severin affirmed. "We are."

"You're going easy on him," Wayne told Zero.

"You're right, if it was anyone else I would have killed them by now," she said.

Severin glared at her and walked off.

"Doesn't matter, you're just in time for lunch," Wayne said.

They were all taken to the dining room and Tom, Severin's little brother, also joined them in time. Zero was sitting across Severin who was avoiding her openly. However, he made sure that when she had finished her plate that she was given another serving because he knew of her large appetite. He was angry at her but not enough that he stopped caring.

After lunch, Zero tried to get a moment alone with Severin but he'd find any excuse to stay away from her. Standing on the balcony of Severin's old bedroom, she caught her mate walking towards the horse stables. She tracked after him and made sure he didn't catch her following him. He made his way through the staff and towards his horse. Snow was a majestic white horse waiting for his friend with enthusiasm. Once Severin was inside the stable combing Snow's white coat, she stormed in and cornered him. He couldn't run away now because she was guarding the door.

"How long will you stay mad at me?" she asked.

Severin continued to brush the mare.

"You can't ignore me forever," she remarked.

"Snow, did I ever tell you the story of when I ignored my father for a whole year when he told me I had to go to boarding school," Severin retorted and Snow neighed happily in agreement.

Zero straightened to her powerful height and put her hand on Snow's neck. "Snow, did I ever tell you that I'll do anything for my mate," she said as she stared at the mare's black eyes.

"But apparently she can't have a birthday party," Severin said.

Zero's heart ached as she noticed the hurt in her mate's voice. "I have a reason, Severin," she said.

"It doesn't matter," he said as he put the comb down and came up to the door, his eyes averted from hers. They were inches apart, their scent matching as their bond swam between them like an ocean. It was powerful as always.

"Severin," her voice was soft. "I'm sorry."

Severin's eyes shot to hers. "Sorry for what?"

"My birthday is nothing special," she said as her past flashed in front of her, it covered the beautiful eyes of her mate. "I-" her thoughts fell as she closed her eyes and turned away.

Severin left the stables without her.

For the rest of the day, Zero and Severin didn't meet or talk. She couldn't face him because her truth was worse than anything he could imagine. But she knew that keeping him in the dark about her life was also wrong.

After a walk around town and dinner, everyone went to bed. Zero hesitated in front of Severin's bedroom which never happened before. But she persevered and entered without knocking. Severin was sitting on the chair in front of the fire with a book open in his elegant hands. He was frowning sternly, which wasn't like him. He only did that when he was hard at work or thinking about his troubles.

Zero shut the door behind her and came over to him. She sat on the chair across to his own and faced him with regret in her eyes. "The day of my birth, I was found in an alley starved and sick," she said. Severin's eyes lifted off the book and onto her with focus. "Some man found me and took me to an orphanage where I spent the darkest days of my life. Most people can't remember much from their childhood, but I remember everything," her eyes fell to the laced fingers of her hands. "I remember the way people would stare at me like I was a disease. I guess I kind of was a sickness that no one wanted. I starved most nights and a gutter was the only place I found solace at times. I was a toddler when I cut off all my hair and pretended to be a boy so no one would look at me with intentions of rape or worse." Zero laughed a little. "I remember when my first birthday came around and someone asked me my name and I had no answer, since no one bothered naming a faceless orphan."

"Zero," Severin's voice was sharp with grief.

"A birthday is when where people celebrate you coming into their life," Zero continued. "I was never celebrated because no one knew about me. I despised the day of my birth because I spent years loathing my own life. There was nothing in my heart and I held onto so much hatred that I even stopped crying. I never begged anyone to care for me because I knew there was no one out there for me."

A heavy silence sank the room with tension.

"I hate my birthday because it reminds of the days I can never forget," she said. "I was alone, scared but had to fight. I wished for death to take me and I tried many times, but it never did." She got to her feet and turned away, leaning on the bed post. "Would you celebrate your birth if all you knew was hatred and survival?" She asked. "I never had a warm bed. I never had food to eat. I worked harder than children should ever be allowed. I was all alone on a planet where everyone had someone to laugh with or cry." A tear fell slipped from the corner of her eye and she swiped her hand getting rid of it. "My birth wasn't grand-" she laughed again- "it was a sad beginning to a very hard life." She turned and faced her mate whose eyes were heavy with tears. "Would you still celebrate this orphan's birthday when all she saw was darkness?"

"I'm sorry," Severin cried out.

Zero laughed at his teary eyes. "This is why I don't talk about my past," she said. "It only makes you sad." Severin's tears rolled down his cheeks. Coming up to him, she wiped them with her thumbs. "I didn't mean to make you cry." He got to his feet and hugged her.

"Your birth should be celebrated by the world," he confessed though his tears. "You stand like a guardian angel over this world and fight to protect everyone despite how they treated you." He looked at her eyes with truth in his own. "I will always celebrate your birthday because you came into my life as my greatest blessing."

A part of Zero's heart that had always been broken had repaired at the words of her mate yet again. He had that magic to him which healed her at every turn. He'd find something about her that had shattered in the past and mend it. The little girl that looked for people to love her and see her, finally had someone who celebrated her.

"I'm sorry I got mad at you," she said.

"No, it's my fault," he said wiping her own tears.

"No, no, it's my fault," she said.

"No, it's mine," he insisted.

"No, Severin, it's mine," she affirmed.

"No, Zero, it's mine," he retorted.

Zero stiffened at their behaviour and then laughed at them. "Come home, Severin," she asked. "That house is empty without you." She leaned into his hands. "I can't be there alone when I know you should be with me."

"Say please," Severin said while his lips hovered over hers.

"Don't push it," she said making him laugh.

They kissed softly, his touch healing her wounded heart and broken soul in seconds. She could find herself breathing again as he stroked her tongue with his own.

"There are still fifteen minutes until your birthday ends," Severin said.

There was a knock on the door. Severin opened it and it was Wayne with Tom and Elijah. They held a cake together. "Happy birthday, Zero!" They all shouted together as canons went off again.

Zero smiled at them realizing that she did have her family right here. All these people loved her and cared that her birth had happened. She blew out the candles, making her wish, and then cut the cake feeding a piece to her mate and then everyone else.

"Thank you for being born," he whispered to her before kissing her lips.

Zero's birthday wish was complete. The wish she always had in her heart and carried it for years. Family. She wasn't alone anymore. She found her family right here.