A New Friend

Rose-

Sundays were my days off from training, unless I had steam to blow off.  So like every other Sunday, I slept in late.  The sun was shining brightly through the balcony windows as I scrunched my eyes at the light.  I gave a yawn and climbed out of bed.  Barely awake I head for the toilet, nearly tripping over my thrown clothes and shoes.  I give another yawn before heading downstairs to grab a snack before going back to bed for some extra zzz’s.  I am bent over with my head in the fridge as I look for my string cheese.  Ugh, I hate when mother rearranges things in here.  Griselda knows exactly where I like my string cheese to be so I can find it fast.  “Ahem,” I hear a man’s voice I do not recognize from behind me.  I jerk my head up fast, hitting it on the roof of the fridge, “Ouch!” I mutter as I stand up straight and meet the disgusting gaze of that creepy Alpha from the meeting.  I flush with anger, “What the hell are you doing in my house?”  “Roselia!” my mother scolds as she enters the kitchen, “You need to be nice to our guests.  James will be staying with us for the next week,” she says as she smiles at James.  Is she serious right now?  “Excuse me?  When did you decide this and why was I not consulted or even given a heads up, so I wouldn’t be walking around in underwear when people are here?” I was fuming at this point.  I usually sleep in booty shorts as it can get very hot in my room, so here I was parading around with my ass cheeks hanging out and James was enjoying the show.  My mother’s eyes look to my bottom in realization, “Oh well, I’m sure James doesn’t mind.”  My mouth literally hangs open.  Did my mother really just say that?  I look to James who has blushed and is snickering silently.  I slam the fridge door shut without breaking my mother’s gaze.  I walk out of the kitchen as quickly as I can and back up to my room.  I quickly get dressed in the baggiest clothes I could find and head back downstairs, making sure to leave my hair the bed head mess that it is.  I see Griselda flipping pancakes, “Griselda, where is my string cheese?”  Griselda’s eyes widen, “Ahh señorita, I’m sorry.  Luna Raquel was cleaning yesterday.”  She turns around a quickly finds my cheese buried beneath some tortillas.  I roll my eyes knowing my mother hid them that way on purpose.  “Thank you, Griselda,” I say with a smile which she returns.  “De nada, señorita.  Breakfast is almost ready,” she says.  “Oh Griselda, it smells delicious, but I think I might gag if I get another whiff of that mutt,” I say and Griselda stops a giggle short as it surfaces.  As I’m walking back to my room I realize I can still smell James’s horrible stench coming from the dining hall.  Ugh, I need to get out of this house, I cannot be stuck here all day with this guy.  I decide to go for a walk and snack on my cheese.  Garrison sees me leaving through the back door and hurries behind me.  I roll my eyes as he catches up to me, “Couldn’t we have at least stayed for breakfast?”  I could hear his stomach growling and I fight the urge to give up one of the two string cheeses I have hidden in my pockets.  “I wouldn’t have been able to hold anything down anyways, with the stench coming off of that mutt,” I say sarcastically.  “Mutt?  James is an Alpha,” Garrison retorts.  “He smells like one, could’ve fooled me,” I reply.  Garrison sighs as we head into the forest.  Today was Sunday, an idea was forming in my mind.  Tonya always holds her yoga classes Sunday mornings on Bent Hill.  What better way to get rid of Garrison than by strolling right passed the downward dog position?  I smile deviously to myself and shift our walk toward Bent Hill.

As we grow nearer, I can hear Tonya giving her lessons on how to properly stand wide with your toes pointed outward not in and bend your back pushing your butt out.  I walk right around behind all the women who now have their backsides on full display for Garrison who cannot pry his eyes away.  “Hey Tonya, mind if I join in?” I ask as she shakes her head, gesturing to an open spot next to Stephanie.  I jump right in and begin mimicking the positions.  About twenty minutes later, Tonya signals it is break time and Garrison takes this opportunity to talk to some of the girls who have formed a small circle around him.  Taking the opportunity, I sprint for the forest.  When I look back, Garrison is still talking to the girls and I am in the clear.  I spend the rest of the day walking in the forest when I reach the edge.  I am about to sit down when I hear something, almost like crying.  I decide to look for the source, I walk around some big rock formations and my flesh nearly jumps out of my skin.

“Ahh!  Goddess, you scared me!” I say to a she-wolf I find sitting down with tears streaming down her eyes.  I recognize this girl as I stand in front of her to get a better look.  “Aria?” I say, thinking it was the Beta from Black Blood Pack.  She quickly wipes her tears away as she realizes I recognize her.  “Hey it’s ok, I don’t know anyone who knows you,” I try to say comfortingly.  She nods her head, “Roselia, right?” Her broken voice asks me.  “You can call me Rose,” I say as I take a seat on a rock across from her.  “Do you often come out here to cry?” I say, trying to break the tension.  She lets out a small chuckle, “Lately, I have.”  I don’t want to pry as it isn’t any of my business and I honesty don’t care about her problems, but I was trying to kill time before I had to go home, so I decide to make small talk.  “Is it this whole, marriage thing?” I ask.  She nods her head, “I have already found my mate, but my parents insist it is the law.”  I am a bit interested by her response, “Like your Fated Mate?” I ask her.  She nods her head and I don’t realize my mouth is hanging open.  “Is it really that hard to believe?” she asks on the verge of tears again.  I close my mouth quickly and fix my face, “N-no, no of course not.  It’s just a bit..well it’s rare, is all.”  “Oh, but I know it’s true Rose.  I can feel it, I can feel this immense pull to be near her.  When our skin meets, it tingles all over, like tiny shocks of electricity.  And her smell, oh my goddess, she smells like vanilla and cream, can you imagine?  I’ve never smelt anything so intoxicating!” her face was glowing as she spoke of her mate.  “I’m sorry, did you say HER?” I ask, still not being able to register it.  “Yeah that’s the other thing, my mate is a female,” she says while fiddling with the grass beneath her.  I clear my throat, “Well.. It’s not unheard of.”  “For Fated Mates, it is,” she says very softly.  “I told my parents and they shut it down.  They said I needed to bare children and give an heir to our pack, so they want me to choose between the males,” she sighs heavily.  “Well, you can always bring it up to the Council.  Fated Mates is something pure.  The Goddess does not make mistakes,” I say to her with confidence.  She brings her green eyes up to mine, holding my gaze.  “I’m afraid they’ll say no,” she replies sadly.  On impulse, I stand up from my rock and before I knew it, I was sitting next to her with my arm around her shoulders, “But at least you will have tried.”  Another idea formed in my head, but I was a little nervous to suggest it.  “But, you know.. there are a lot of male-wolfs, who wouldn’t mind sharing a bed with…two she-wolves,” I blush as she leans sideways to look me dead in the eyes.  A smile forms on her mouth and she bursts out with laughter.  Her laugh is contagious as I find myself laughing with her.  As her laughter dies down, a seriousness falls upon her face, “Rose..I’ve always known that I was attracted to females, even at a young age.  I’ve never been with a man.  I don’t even know if I would like it,” she whispers.  I raise my eyebrows at her and give a sigh, “Well, I can’t help you there.  I’ve never been with anyone.”  “What?  Not even, like experimenting?” she asks eagerly.  “Goddess, no.  The men in my pack are such dogs, seriously.  It’s disgusting.  I’ve seen them run through the girls in my pack and I would never let their tainted pollen near my flower,” I say as Aria giggles.  “You call your vagina, flower?” she asks, nudging my shoulder with hers.  I laugh and blush a little, “Look, that’s what my mom called it, so that’s what I call it.”  We passed the rest of evening talking about our packs, men, and woman.  I noticed the sun starting to set and decide to head back before my parents sent out a search party.

“I need to head back before they worry, but it was really nice meeting you Aria,” I say to her sincerely.  She smiles and gives me a hug which I oddly return.  “Thank you Rose, really.  You’ve helped me a lot today.  I hope we can stay friends,” she says.  “Of course! You can never have too many of those,” I say, not wanting to reveal that I really had none.  I watch as her black curly hair blows with the breeze and her warm green eyes fix on mine.  She turns around and walks back through the forest.  I sigh and start walking back to the house.  When I arrive, Garrison is standing outside on the porch.  “You think you’re so clever,” he says as I shrug.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say as I enter the house.  “Rose!” my father calls from the sitting room.  Unwillingly, I force my legs in that direction.  I stand in the door way as James sits with my mother and father, playing charades.  “Come join us,” my mother beckons.  “No thanks,” I wave my hand dismissively.  I turn and walk straight up to my room.  “Don’t worry, James.  She’ll warm up to you,” I hear my father say.  I roll my eyes and get ready for bed.  Tomorrow, James would be joining me at training and school.  It was going to be a long day.