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
Thanks for reading my first book! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Look for Nate and Kimia's story in Healing Hearts!
“What’s up?” My best friend, Kimia Graycort, nudged my shoulder as she sat down next to me on the bus bench. Her long brown hair was pulled out of her face in a partial ponytail. She was wearing a pair of high waisted denim shorts with a baggy led zeplin t-shirt tied in a knot on the side. She crossed her long tan legs and looked over my shoulder at my phone.“Nothing really,” I responded. “Just reading a web novel while waiting for the two of you.”“Ugh. Not another werewolf drama.” Kimia’s twin brother, Kamran, moaned as he sat on my other side. He had the same brown hair as Kimia, but stylishly cut so it barely brushed his eyebrows. He had on a pair of black basketball shorts and a white t-shirt.“Hey
Friday came too slowly for my taste. I loved spending time at the Braedon’s house, and it had nothing to do with Rose. Nope. I do not have a huge crush on her. Okay, so I’m in love with her. When we were younger, Kimi and I would both sleep in her room, but then puberty hit. Suddenly I was relegated to the couch, and I felt lonely. Still, I get to chill with Rose all weekend, provided the demon M&Ms don’t interfere with their torture devices and clown paint again.Mom was going over last minute details with Kimi, Mina, and I as we were all packing. Sarina was planning on going to the same university as Rayan, and wanted to get familiar with the campus. Gayl University is a small school in Northern Wisconsin that caters to our unique community.“Now, you two need to keep a close eye on Mina,” Mom was
We always have the same arguments when the Graycorts sleepover. We almost always end up with Mel Brooks movies on the first night with renting new releases on the other nights. Then there’s what to have on the pizzas. I like veggie pizzas, but all the Graycorts insist on having a meat lover’s supreme. We usually get both with a Hawaian for Mallory and Dad.The five of us were in the living room watching Young Frankenstein when Mina began to look a little uncomfortable. Her face was scrunched in pain. Almost at the same time, Kamron and Kimea inhaled and looked at her.“You okay, Mina?” Kimia asked.“Mmhum,” Mina nodded.Mallory started to notice her friend’s disc
Shit. I ran my hands down my face. My parents were going to kill us. Humans weren’t supposed to know about our kind. I don’t know how the hell we managed to keep it a secret for this long from our best friends, but now it’s all blown up! All because Kimi and I couldn’t keep Rose’s nose out of our business. Granted, she’s my dream girl, and if I had it my way she’d have found out before our wedding, but, still! Shit!“Yes, we are,” Kimi stated, “and we’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone. Kam, go get a blanket for Mina. I’ll need to talk her through changing back, and I don’t think you want to see your baby sister naked.”“She streaks around the house after she bathes,” I grumbled, but did what Kimi suggested. I grabbed Rose&rsq
Wait, what? Kill me? Kimia started giggling. “Kam’s being stupid. We wouldn’t kill you, you idiot.” I breathed a sigh of relief. “Humans taste disgusting.”“Kimi!” I stomped my foot as Kimia and Mina walked past me giggling. I followed behind them still a little bit in shock.My best friends are werewolves. My best friends are werewolves! How awesome is that? I tried to contain my excitement as we snuck back inside to get Mina’s pajamas. I volunteered as tribute to distract my sister while the wolves snuck into her room.Mallory glanced at me when I plopped down in my favorite chair. “Everything okay?” she asked.“Yeah,” I repl
The weekend practically flew by, and Sunday came all too soon along with Rina and my parents. Since it was a school night, Mr. and Mrs. Braedon all but shoved us out the door and back home. I guess they were sick of their house swarming with teenagers. Besides, I knew my parents wanted a full update on their youngest pup in person. Mina had called them on Saturday to let them know she had shifted, but nothing beats my mother’s live reactions.“I can’t believe my baby is a young woman!” my mother exclaimed during Sunday dinner.“She did really well, for her first shift,” Kimi smiled at Mina.I smirked at my baby sister. “She only called for you once, Mom.”“
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,” she said the second Rose closed the car door.“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 Ka
“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
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