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.”
<
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.
Shit! Just as I was getting up the balls to ask Rose on a real date, Kimi goes missing. I mean, partying 101: Don’t leave sight of your friends. Sure we live in a small town where everyone knows everyone, but that’s also the drawback. We know that there are going to be people here who would take advantage of a situation just for shits and giggles. It’s why the three of us always go to parties together, stay together, and don’t drink the booze.Rose had my hand in a death grip as she led me into the dining room. There were solo cups, bottles, and cans on the dining table as well. Some girl was gyrating on top of it to the cheers of the teens around her. I barely glanced at her to make sure it wasn’t Kimi. I sniffed the air again, and caught a faint whiff of my sister. She smelled of her citrus body spray, deodorant, and Kimi musk. I can’t describe it a
I’m not sure how long Kimia and I were in the bathroom before Sarina showed up with a backpack. Kimia had emptied her stomach, and I had been making her take sips of water while using a damp cloth on her face. She looked terrible, and even I could smell the foul stench of vomit and alcohol.“Ugh. This is bad, but I’ve seen worse,” Sarina said as Kamron let her into the bathroom. “We need to get her cleaned up. Kam, you’re the guard. Rose, we need to get her into the shower. Help me get these clothes off of her.”Kamron closed the bathroom door, and Sarina and I got Kimia’s clothing off of her. Together we put her into the bathtub and ran the water. Sarina then plugged the sink and started filling it with warm water and broke a tide pod into it. She tossed me Kimia’s clothes.
Rose and I began the walk home with Kimi between us. I thought back to our time in the laundry room. It was nothing but pure comfort, but it was exactly what we both needed. I might have even kissed her if she hadn’t hopped off the dryer.“You know,” Rose began, “You guys are a little bit like a pack from one of my books.”“Really? I don’t see it,” I said, trying to be cheerful. Kimi glared at Rose.“Yeah. When trying to avoid trouble with your alpha and luna, you called you pack beta.” I glanced at Rose and saw a teasing smile.“Idiot,” Kimi mumbled.“I called my big brother, not
I didn’t sleep well the night of the party. I kept having to help Kimia to the bathroom. I trust Sarina’s judgment about having Kimia drink a lot of water to flush what was left out of her system, but it was damned inconvenient.“Rose,” Kimia woke me up with a hoarse voice.“Humm?” I said not moving from my trundle bed.“How did we get home last night?”“We walked. Sarina drove the car back.”“Oh.” She paused for a few moments to think it over. I was starting to drift back to sleep when she said, “Why did Rina drive the car back?”
Mom and Dad had put Mina and Mallory to work while we were gone. They’d decorated the backyard, and had a table set up with different dishes from the local Chinese restaurant, Kimia’s favorite place. They’d ordered large quantities of both white and fried rice, sweet and sour pork, both chow mein and lo mein, beef and broccoli, cashew chicken, and walnut shrimp. Then, because Kimia loves chocolate, a homemade chocolate cake. My stomach growled when I saw the spread. We invited Nate and his family to join us. The Graycorts have sort of adopted Mrs. Mactire and her sister since they moved to Aspen Falls. Mr. Graycort seems to like Nate, but is unsure about Jimmy and Saoirse. I don’t blame him. Nate’s cousins can be a little much. After we’d gotten our food, we’d all settled on blankets around the yard. The parents had the chairs. I
The scent of her arousal was amazing! Better than her ovulating! Hell, if we didn’t just get some of the worst news possible, and if our houses were empty, I would have taken her back and made love to her. Just worshiped her body. Fuck!“I love you, Kamron Amaruq Graycort.” Her whispered words shot straight to my heart. I spun her back around to face me. I searched her eyes, and found nothing but the truth there. I couldn’t resist! She loves me! I kissed her soundly, and lost myself there until Kimi’s howl brought us both back to reality.I groaned, “We should get back.” She nodded and we left for the house. We got there about the same time Dad, Ray, Rina, and Kimi got back. Kimi came up to Rose, and nuzzled her. She got down, and just hugged Kimi. I did, too. I may not have really like
Susan, Mallory, and I spent the night before the trial at the Graycorts. Somehow we had managed to talk their parents into letting all eight of us sleep in their TV room. Rayan even pointed out that there wasn’t a need for condoms if two twelve year olds were in the room. Nobody would do anything too risque. It had earned him an eye roll from his mom, and a head slap from his dad.It was around ten at night when the doorbell rang. Rayan was the one to answer it.“Can I help you, officers?” his voice filtered in from the front door.A gruff masculine voice answered. “Is this the residence of one Kimia Graycort?” I looked at Kimia, and she looked confused.“Is this about tomor
Ray came home from Gayl two days before the trial. Can I just say how nice it is to have another male in the house? Dad was alright, but nothing compared to Ray. He’s my big brother, and he can wrestle, unlike Dad.“Brotha!” I greeted him when he came through the door with Dad.“Sup, pup?” He dropped his bag and gave me a hug.“I am so glad you are back home,” I said, putting an arm around his shoulders. “You have no idea the torture I’ve been through.”“Right,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You landed Rose, and you’re talking about torture?”“Speaking of gir
I was beginning to hate our legal system. The detective shows are very misleading. The shows make it seem like everything is resolved within a week, but in reality, it takes months! Months! During that time, Kimia’s attackers are out on bail. It just isn’t fair. Well, from my point of view anyway.School was coming to a close, and I was looking forward to Susan and Rayan coming home for the summer. Sarina was looking forward to it as well, but I think she plans on biting both of them for not telling her about their relationship, and that Susan knows the Graycorts are werewolves.“Is Nate throwing a party for the end of school?” Sarina asked on the way to school the day before the last day of school.Kamron nodded from the front seat of Sarina&rs
I got a text from Kimi to meet her in the main office. I was a bit confused as to why she’d be there. It wasn’t till I opened the door to the office, and saw my sister and my girlfriend in their gym clothes that it clicked. The evil bitch is in their gym class. Fuck.“What happened?” I asked them.“Rose punched Kirsten,” Kimi whispered. I looked over at Rose, and she was angry. Angrier than I had ever seen her before. I could almost feel the hostility radiating off of her. It was kind of sexy.“Seriously?” I asked in awe.Rose glared at me. “The bitch had a video, and she was showing it to her bitchy friends.” Just like that, my hardon went soft. 
“We’re back!” It was after lunch when Mr. and Mrs. Graycort brought Kimia home. They came to our house because they knew we were anxious about seeing Kimia looking alright. Mrs. Graycort gave my mom a hug. “Thank you so much for taking the kids in a pinch, Harold and Georgia.”I practically tackled Kimia when I saw her. “Can’t breathe,” she gasped.“We are always available to help, Lus,” Mom said, hugging Mrs. Graycort.Dad gripped Mr. Graycort’s shoulder. “You are family. Mi casa, es su casa.”“Coffee?” Mom asked.“Please!” Mr. and Mrs. Graycort answered.&
The ride home was quiet. I don’t think any of us knew what to say. Nate was up front with Rina while I was in the back with Rose nodding off on my shoulder. I knew I was exhausted. Seeing Kimi open her eyes and swear at everyone was a massive relief. I knew she’d be okay after that. My anger had gone down to a simmer, and I just didn’t want to think about it for a while.“She’s going to need a lot of unconditional love, and no egg shells,” Nate’s voice filtered from the front.“How do you know so much about this?” I asked him. It was weird. Just being a bartender wasn’t enough to give someone that kind of empathy.“I just know people who had similar experiences, and I saw them deal with it,” Nate went si
Everything was dark, but I could still hear sounds. There was a beeping, and my mother was there along with Rina. I just couldn’t move. They were talking to someone. Kam? Rose? No. Nate. Why is my mom talking to Nate? Where was I?Okay, I needed to think. I couldn’t move, my family and Nate were around me, and the last thing I remembered was what? Argh. My brain was not working. I could feel myself slipping away and back into where? I’d been floating. I remember the feel of vines. No, not vines. I really needed to open my eyes.“When do they think she’ll wake up?” Rose. Rose was here.“She could wake up anytime, but they said that rest and fluids would help her the best,” my mom answered. So I was asleep. Ish. Well, I was