NICHOLE

“Please come to the party? Pretty please with a cherry on top?” my best friend, Becky, says as she kneels in front of me on the floor, giving me her famous puppy dog eyes.

“I don’t even like cherries.” I reply laughing at her small form. Her light brown hair falls in curls around her shoulders and her blue eyes are shining with excitement.

“I know, but I’ll do anything to get you to go!” she says exaggeratedly, as she throws her hands in the air.

A chuckle leaves my mouth as I stand up from my bed, before walking into the connecting bathroom. A squeal of excitement sounds behind me, causing my chuckle to become a full-blown laugh.

As much as I don’t want to go, I still love to party. It always helps relieve some of the stress of going to college, more exactly medical school.

I’m in my last year of college, but not just any college. Werewolf college. Where you can go to learn almost anything you need to know to be a were.

I am going to become a doctor in the world. It’s like a cross between a veterinarian and a regular doctor, how weird is that?

But due to me being in college so long, I never moved out of my parents’ house, not like I’m here anyways, I lived on campus up until this last semester.

After showering, I throw on a pair of ripped skinny jeans, a red tank top, a leather jacket, and black knee-high leather boots.

Walking downstairs with freshly straightened hair, I find Becky lounging on the couch talking with my parents.

I go to open my mouth to ask Becky if she was ready, but am cut off by my mother, Carol.

“Nichole Ann Smith! Why do you have no makeup on?? It is the best part of getting ready?!!” my mother says, standing up and ushering me back upstairs and into my room.

See, my mother owns a beauty salon in the town and is big on makeup, but since I don’t wear much of it, whenever she gets the chance to do it, she takes it.

“Mom, you know I don’t wear makeup that much. I always mess it up anyways.”

Ignoring me, she sits me down before starting her whirlwind of beautification. What feels like hours later, but are mere minutes, she finally allows me to look in the mirror.

I have to admit that even a small amount of makeup, goes a long way.

The girl in front of me doesn’t seem like her usual shy, nerdy self but someone who’s outgoing and fierce.

“Thanks mom.” I say, as I wrap my arms around her, a smile gracing her face.

Walking back downstairs, my mother sits back down next to my father who is reading the newspaper, who gives me a wink before turning back to his articles.

I look over to find that Becky has found my mom’s famous brownies.

A clear of the throat has Becky jumping up from the recliner while finishing stuffing her face as crumbs fell down her body.

She drags me out the door, but not before saying, “Bye Mr. and Mrs. Smith! We will be good, also Nikki is sleeping at mine tonight!

“And sorry about the mess!” I chuckle at this. She knows my mother is a clean freak.

The drive to Andrew’s house is short and sweet thanks to Becky’s reckless driving. I swear this girl thinks she is in Grand Theft Auto or something.

When we arrive, Becky parks in Andrew’s garage. He specially cleaned out his garage for the party, so he said she could park in there. The celebration is for Andrew finding his mate, Caitlyn.

Yes, you heard me right, I said mate. We are, in fact, hundred percent werewolves. Sounds silly right?

Werewolves have always been myths, but ever since I was born, I’ve lived in a world of werewolves and humans.

Sure, vampires, witches, and others exist, but we all kind of live separate lives.

So, back to the topic. Mates are like your soulmate, your other half that you are destined to love and to be with forever.

Andrew was the first of our triangle to find their other half. Becky and I have yet to find ours.

I don’t really want one since I’m not really ready to settle down or start a family. I’m only twenty-four, the same age as Becky and Andrew. We have all known each other since middle school.

I secretly thought Becky and Andrew would end up being mates when they turned eighteen, but sadly my wish didn’t come true. See, when you turn eighteen you can finally find your mate.

Before that you wouldn’t feel the pull towards them, or anything really, since you don’t shift into your full wolf form until then. You only have the senses and power of a wolf until then.

Except for those with alpha blood, they shift at a young age in order to prepare for leading a pack.

An alpha is the person in charge of each pack, which is exactly what it sounds like. A bunch of werewolves that live together or near each other. Kind of like a community.

As Becky and I walk through the door, lots of yelling and banging can be heard coming from further into the house.

We share a worried look before charging into the house and crashing through the kitchen two-way door only to die of laughter.

Andrew is cursing like crazy as he runs around the kitchen trying to cook and prepare all the food for the party.

Oh, and don’t let me forget, the hot pink apron hanging around his neck that says, ‘kiss the cook‘. Caitlyn sits off to the side smirking and taking pictures on her iPhone.

Laughing, we join her at the table and just watch Andrew suffer.

“So, what’s happened now?” I speak up, knowing Andrew has been up to no good. Like usual. I warned him it would get him in deep doodoo one day.

“He decided to take pictures of me while I was sleeping…naked. After sex, to be exact. So, when I found out, I refused to cook the food for the party.” she says, smiling proudly.

Bursting out in laughter once again, we share high-fives with her as Andrew stops what he is doing and shoots glares toward us.

“I said I only wanted them for myself and it’s not like I got to keep them anyway.

“You made me delete them,” he says pouting, which makes Caitlyn get up and kiss his cheek before taking the pan and pushing him aside.

“I’ll stay in here and help Caitlyn, why don’t you two finish everything else?” Becky says standing up to go cut up the vegetables.

Nodding, I take Andrew’s hand and follow him to the alcohol room, which is the dining room packed full of every alcohol you can think of.

Finally, after we’ve finished the preparations and are all relaxing on the couch only to be interrupted by a doorbell ringing.

“Party time bitches!” Andrew yells, making Caitlyn smack him on the arm, while he just laughs and hits the button on the stereo remote.

Music starts blasting all throughout the house, causing a laugh to come out of my mouth at the song choice, Justin Bieber’s ‘Sorry’.

Andrew opens the door and people start piling in from different packs, all the way to humans who’ve overheard about the party.

Becky and I grab our previously picked out alcoholic drinks for the night, which consists of two bottles of vodka. One for each of us.

We open our bottles and clink them together.

“To a good night. Cheers.”