It’s a relief to go to school after a night around my unfiltered mom. Rose, Kimi, and I ride to school with Rina, but take the city bus home while Rina drives to her after school job. Of course, Rina, being Rina, thinks it’s funny to threaten Rose once she’s in the car.
“I’ll eat you if you spill to anyone.”
“I’ll just slather myself in Bath and Body Works lotion. Kimi says it tastes disgusting. Besides, what’s the point of broadcasting that you like to turn into a hairy beast and shit in the woods? Nobody would believe that someone as prissy as you would do that.” My Rose has guts, I’ll give her that.
“I do not shit in the woods. I’m not like Ray or Kam. Besides, you have one thing right. I wouldn
“Whoah,” Kamron stopped in his tracks.“I smell it too,” Kimia said also stalled.“What? What do you smell?” I asked, wondering if it was me, but dismissing it almost immediately because they would have said something in the car.“I think there’s a new student, and that student is like us,” Kamron said with wide eyes.I almost couldn’t contain my excitement. More werewolves at my school! I could just squeal! “You can tell just by the smell?”“Yeah,” Kimia responded, “and he’s not related to us.”&l
Nate Mactire. From Boston. His mother doesn’t approve of his cousins’ vocations. He made my Rose blush. Okay, so she’s not my girlfriend, yet. I guess I can’t claim her as mine, but I really want to make her blush like that! And of course she smells amazing! Any wolf worth his salt can tell she’s ovulating. Her hormones are tantalizing. If I hadn’t spent years as her friend, and around other ovulating women, I wouldn’t have the control not to jump her! I’ve decided I don’t trust Nate. Despite what he said, I would bet my fortune he’s getting away from the Irish mobs. I have this theory that all mafias are run by wolves. They keep leadership and membership “in the family,” they get violent in big cities because they can’t shift whenever they need to, and really only listen to their leaders. Dad used to tell me bedtime stories abou
Nate is such a flirt! I loved it! Nobody has ever so blatantly flirted with me that way before. He and I had science together with Kimia. I had texted her from homeroom about Kamron’s behavior. She wasn’t surprised. Apparently, Kamron likes to be our favorite guy. Weirdo. She was already sitting in her seat when we arrived. I caught her checking out our new wolf in town, and smirked at her.“Nate, this is Kam’s sister, Kimia. Kimi, this is Nate.” They waved at each other. Nate chose to sit behind me, and I sat next to Kimia.“Rose texted me that you moved here from Boston,” Kimia started the conversation.“Yeah,” Nate raised an eyebrow at me. “Ma wanted to get me away from some family she thought were bad influences
PE is one of the few classes Kimia and I felt we could chat freely. Our teacher had us do stretches and laps for the first half hour before inflicting whatever sport is in season on the class. Kimia and I never felt very sporty, but we weren’t overweight either. Stretching and jogging was always fun with her. “So,” I began. “So,” Kimia encouraged. She was super annoying when she knew I wanted to talk about something but also didn’t want to talk about it. “What do you think of Nate?” “He seems nice. What do you think of him?” I blushed. “He seems very affectionate.” Kimia threw her head
The rest of the day went by fast. Thankfully I didn’t have any more classes with Nate Mactire. I was looking forward to going home. Rose was already waiting at our bus stop when Kimi and I got there. I don’t know how she makes it there so fast, but she is always the first one there. I signaled Kimi to keep quiet and snuck up behind Rose. She had her phone out and was looking way too engrossed to be just idling scrolling through social media. I peeked over her shoulder, and saw exactly what she was so focused on. It was one of her web novel apps. “The shift was more painful than I had imagined! I wished my mate would find me so I could survive this first transformation. My bones broke and rehealed themselves almost instantly in their new form, but the pain lingered. Where was my mate? What was he or she doing?
Kamron and Nate arranged for Nate and his mom to have dinner at the Graycorts on Thursday. I had made two big pans of brownies, and added caramel icing to one of them. I know from past experience that Kamron and Mr. Graycort will eat almost an entire pan by themselves, as can Kimia and Mina.I’d gone over early on Thursday to help set up and prepare Mrs. Graycort for the Mactires. I’d somehow managed to get Mallory to stay home, but I had to have Mina eat at my place and make a double chocolate cake for the M&Ms.Mrs. Graycort is one of the coolest people ever. She just says what she thinks as it pops into her brain. She had me set the table and asked me all sorts of questions about Nate and his mom.“So, is he cute?” She asked.
Nate was so uncomfortable at dinner! Welcome to my house, bitch! Still, I was surprised his mother didn’t know about Gayl University. Maybe I shouldn’t have been, but I’ve been pretty sheltered here in Aspen Falls.“They seem nice,” my mom said after the Mactires left.“I’m surprised she allowed a sixteen year old to work in a bar, but I guess things are different in Boston.” my dad said.“I almost felt bad for Nate when his mom found out he could go to a university filled with wolves,” Kimi commented.I laughed. “I know! I don’t think he had any long term ideas.”Rose
I was excited for Nick’s party. I had permission to spend the night at the Graycorts, and Kimia and I agreed to get ready together. It was our usual plan since my parents were a little stricter than hers. Plus, we shared accessories, even if we weren’t the same dress size.I could tell she was nervous. She kept changing and debating on what to wear. I was in a sleeveless floral dress with a denim jacket and ankle boots. Kimia kept pulling out dresses, skirts, and tops. It took Kamron pounding on her bedroom door telling us to hurry up for her to finally decide on a black mini, a red tank, and a sparkly black bolero jacket. She slipped on some sparkly black flats, and we were out.Mrs. Graycort stood at the door with a small box in her hands. I love her almost as much as my own mom, but she is very inappropriate.