July 22, aka the greatest day of the year, my birthday. I tried to talk Paul out of a big party, but he wasn't listening. He said my birth was something that should be celebrated as often as possible.

"Come on," I said, trying to talk him out of the party that started in two hours. "It's not like 17 is even that big of a deal."

"You're birthday will always be a big deal to me," he said. "So you better get used to it."

"I really hate you sometimes," I said, smiling to him at the end so he'd know I was kidding.

"Love you too," he said, very terribly faking offense. "Seriously, babe, is that what you're wearing?"

I was dressed in a hand-me-down t-shirt and old yoga pants. Although the party only consisted of my dad and the pack and some tribe members, I figured I might wanna dress better, but where's the harm in annoying your boyfriend just a little.

"Yeah. Why? Is there something wrong with the way I'm dressed?" I asked.

"No, you look beautiful and all, but don't you normally dress better than that for parties and such?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes at him and went to search for something to wear. "Don't worry about it. I'm changing."

Over the course of the next hour and a half, I straightened my hair, applied a full face of makeup, and got dressed in a pair of jeans, a white v-neck t-shirt, and a pink plaid button down that I left unbuttoned.

"Come on, beautiful," Paul said. "We've got things to do, people to see, places to be."

I rolled my eyes at his antics as we headed out the door into the fairly warm July air. The drive to the beach was silent, which is a miracle considering Paul was with me. The best part about having my birthday party at the beach is that Bella can't bring her bloodsucker along.

The party was great, and the guys all pitched in to buy me tickets to a Mariners game. I screamed a little, well a lot actually, when I opened the box.

"Four tickets," Paul said. "The two of us, your dad, and Billy."

"Thank you guys so much," I said, receiving a chorus of "no problems".

My dad and Sue got me a picture of Paul and I from prom in a frame as well as the money to redecorate my room. Billy insisted upon paying for part of my redecoration as well. They said that since I wasn't going away to college I ought to at least make my room look different.

"Guys, this wasn't necessary," I said. "You all do so much for me to begin with. Especially over the course of the last several months. I really appreciate it all."

"Well, it's because we love you," Billy said.

"And you have such a positive impact on our lives that we don't know what we'd do without you," Emily said.

"Well," I said. "I love you all too. And thanks again for everything."

That night, Paul drove me home and insisted on staying. Dad, who was starting to actually like Paul, said that he could stay with me for tonight.

"My turn to give you your present," Paul said, reaching into his shorts pocket. "Close your eyes."

I did so, and felt him take my right hand and wrap a bracelet on it. "Can I open my eyes?" I asked.

"Go ahead, babe," he said. On my wrist was a thick dark silver leather bracelet with a wooden tribe symbol tied to it.

"It's the color of your fur," I said, recalling the few times if seen him in wolf form.

"It's a betrothal bracelet. It's kind of like the tribal version of a promise ring," Paul said as I sat next to him on my bed. "Billy helped me make it."

"It's absolutely perfect," I said. "Thank for this, and everything you did for me today. I was wonderful."

"You're welcome, babygirl. I love you," he said.

"I love you too, Paul Ethan," I said.