Return of the Bad Boy Alpha

Party Woes

Naomi

“I am so excited,” My twin sister Elena squealed. We were sitting in our parents' rooms, getting ready for a party. “Aren’t you excited, Naomi?”

“I guess. It’s just a party,” I mumble. I wasn’t happy about getting dressed just to sit in a crowded room to eat food. Parties weren’t my thing. I preferred reading in a quiet place. If I did do something social, it was board games in the Common room at the packhouse with my best friend, Grayson.

“Mom! She is being boring,” Elena squealed as our mother was trying to fix her hair.

My mother, Maureen, was like Elena. She liked going to parties and often helped our Luna plan whatever event the pack was having. “Elena quit picking on Naomi.”

I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a light blue dress that hugged my body more than I was comfortable with. I preferred hoodies and jeans. Mom wanted me to dress up just in case I met my mate somehow. I wasn’t ready for a mate. I am still in high school.

“Are you girls happy to see your brother?” Mom asked.

“I am,” I speak up.

My older brother Bryant had been sent to a military school nearly six years ago after he and his friends were responsible for burning down the old packhouse. One of the future alphas of the pack was the ringleader of my brother’s group. They were always getting in trouble, and burning down the packhouse was the last straw. Bryant comes home tonight. We have seen very little of him the last six years, and I am looking forward to seeing him.

“I wonder if Chance will like my dress,” Elena says out loud. The beta’s son, Chance, is also coming home. Elena has had a crush on him for as long as I can remember.

“What’s not to like?” I blurt out.

“I know right,” Elena smirks. My twin and I could not look more different. Elena took on our mother’s looks. Thin and tall with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Everyone notices Elena, especially the males. That made our father, Allen, crazy. He is the Delta and head warrior of our pack Ghost River.

I look more like my father with my long curly brown hair and brown eyes. I am a bit shorter than Elena and a little on the chunky side. I’m not fat and do warrior training and keep up just fine. I am just not that thin. However, I get called fat by the mean girls at school. Not that I care.

“Okay, you are done, Elena.” Mom declares. “Your turn Naomi,” She smiles sweetly at me.

“Mom,” I groan. “Do I have to wear makeup? I hate how it feels.”

“Quit griping,” She pats my arm. “I’ll keep it subtle.”

I sit quietly and wait for her to be done. As she finishes, there is a knock on the door, and my father walks in.

“Are you girls ready yet? Bryant is going to be here any minute,” He says. “You look beautiful, Maury,” He says to Mom. Dad is a tall, handsome male with curly brown hair like mine and brown eyes. He is wearing a pair of blue slacks and a white shirt with a blue jacket.

“You don’t look so bad yourself, Al,” Mom walks over to him, and they embrace and then start to kiss passionately.

“Ew,” Elena squeals.

Our parents pull apart, and Dad looks at her. “Hey, missy, I love your Mama,” He kisses Mom again.

“I have to finish getting ready, Al,” Mom says to Dad. “Girls, wait downstairs. We’ll be right down.”

“Are you going to have s*x?” Elena yells out.

“Elena!” Mom chastises her as I walk out of my parent’s room.

I head down the stairs of our modest home. Years ago, we lived in the packhouse, but we moved into a three-bedroom house after it burned down. I had to share a room with Elena even though Bryant was gone. It felt suffocating at times, especially as Elena often had friends over. I spent a lot of time sitting at my computer learning about history and playing games like Warcraft.

I sat on the couch, and Elena plopped beside me moments later. She flipped on the TV and flipped through the channels. Of course, she left it on Teen Mom. I shook my head. How she and I were twins boggled my mind.

We watched TV in silence until our parents came down the stairs. Mom was wearing a pretty pink dress and had her blonde hair in a bun. “Okay, girls, let’s go,” She said to us.

Elena and I followed our parents out to Dad’s Cherokee. We climbed in and rode in silence to the packhouse. Elena started getting restless. “Hurry up, Dad,” She said. “My wolf is acting weird.”

Dad looked at her through the rearview mirror. “Is she now?”

“Yeah, she is pacing around and whining.” Elena looked out the window.

“What about you, Naomi?” Mom chimed in.

I shrugged. My wolf Ruby was silent. She wasn’t the most active wolf anyways. “No, she is acting normal.”

Mom turned to Dad, and I could tell they were mind linking each other. We reached the new packhouse, and Dad parked the car. Elena was practically out of the car before Dad had it in park. “Elena,” Mom called to her.

I slunk out and walked with my parents. We stopped at the front entrance where a black Escalade had just pulled up. Elena was jumping up and down excitedly. Alpha Darryl was waiting with Luna Janice, their son Maximus, and their daughter Phoebe. Beta Franklyn was also there with his mate Olive. They all greeted us.

Greyson walked over to me with a grin. “You look like a girl,” He snickered while I elbowed him. “If I weren’t gay, I would so jump you.”

I elbowed him again. “Gross, Grey.”

The door of the SUV opened up, and I watched as my older brother, Bryant, climbed out. My parents ran right over to him. He looked taller and bulkier than I remembered him. He towered over our father even. “Hey everyone,” Bryant said as our Mom hugged him.

“I missed you, my boy,” Mom said to him.

Dad patted his back. “You look good, boy.”

“Thank Dad,” Bryant said and then hugged Elena. “Happy Birthday, little sister.” He said to her. I bit my lip. I was always the one they left out. Bryant held onto Elena for a moment longer, and there was a loud growl from where the Beta family was standing.

I looked over to see Chance glaring daggers at my brother. His eyes were solid black as he marched over to us. Bryant looked at him with confusion as he released Elena. “What the hell, bro?”

Chance punched Bryant and then pulled Elena into his arms. “Mate!”

Elena looked at him wide-eyed for a moment before smiling. “I knew it!” She squealed. “I accept. I accept.”

I heard my father and brother both groan. “Well, you have always been like a son to me anyway,” Dad said to Chance. He stepped towards the future beta. “Hurt my little girl, and you will lose your head.”

“I understand, Allen,” Chance smiled as he held onto my sister. Chance's parents walked over and began talking to my parents.

“Hey Naomi,” Bryant said to me. He pulled me into a hug. “I didn’t forget about you.”

It felt nice to be hugged by my brother. I missed him. He was one of the few people that tried to understand me. I wasn’t overly social and outgoing like Elena. I preferred the solitude of the library or my secret spot. “I miss you, Bry,” I said to him.

“Happy Birthday.” He let me go, and the Alpha and Luna approached us.

“Congratulations on finding your mate, Chance,” Alpha Darryl said. “Magnus didn’t come with you?”

Bryant and Chance exchanged glances before Chance sighed. “The king invited him to be a part of a new elite warrior group. I don’t know the details, but Mag was all for it. He said he would contact you all soon.”

Alpha Darryl nodded and then walked away. Luna Janice sighed. “He was hoping Magnus would come home.”

My mother hugged her. “He will be okay, Jan. You know Magnus.”

The Alpha’s daughter Phoebe walked over to me and handed me a gift bag. “Happy Birthday, Smelly Pants.” She smirked.

I mock glared at her. Phoebe is my other best friend. “Thank you, Maggot Breath.” I snarked as I took the bag from her.

“Open it,” She urged.

“I’ll wait,” I said back.

Phoebe punched my arm. “Open it,” She insisted.

Rolling my eyes, I pulled the tissue paper out, revealing a gift that made me gasp. “You didn’t.”

“I did.” Phoebe laughed.

“What did you get her, Pheebs?” Greyson looked over at us.

I pulled out a stuffed Cthulu like elephant. It was something I had wanted forever but didn’t quite have the money, and my parents said it was too creepy. Besides history, I really liked Halloween and spooky things. “I love it,” I say as I drop the bag and hug my new stuffie.

“What is that, Naomi?” Mom asks and I show it to her. She frowns and looks at Phoebe. “Really?”

I laughed at my mother’s reaction. “I love it, Mom.”

“OF course you do, Naomi. My creepy girl.” She sighs. “Let’s go inside and get the party started.

I nod as she walks away. “Let’s get this shindig over with,” I say to Phoebe and Greyson. We walk past Chance and Elena, who are making out.

“So, Elena and Chance? Who didn’t see that coming?” Phoebe snorted.

Greyson sighed. “I was so hoping that Chance played for the other team. Oh well, a gay can dream, can’t he.”

I put my arm around my best friend. “You will find him, Grey. I mean, you are so damn hot.”

“Well, duh,” He says with a giggle. Greyson and I have been best friends since kindergarten. Other kids picked on him for being weird. I accepted him because I am weird too. Greyson is the Gamma’s son and will become Gamma in a few years.

As we walk into the packhouse, my wolf suddenly comes to life. She starts pacing as we reach the ballroom. Music is pumping, and I can smell the food laid out. My stomach gurgles with hunger as I smell buttered popcorn. “I smell popcorn,” I say to my friends.

Greyson sniffs the air. “I just smell the food over there,” He points to the buffet.

I shake my head and look around. I soon spot Joshua Rogers staring at me intently. Ruby urges me towards him as he comes to me. Joshua was the quintessential football-playing jock. He was very popular at school and had half the female population hanging off him. He had a new girlfriend every other week. He ran his hand through his black hair as he stared at me. I would admit that he is hot. But really not my type. He walks up to me, and the scent of popcorn is overwhelming as I feel the urge to look him in the eyes.

‘Mate!’ Ruby declares, and I groan.

“Mate,” Joshua mumbles. He grabs my hand and pulls me out of the ballroom. We walk in silence outside. The sparks from his hand on mine feel like nothing else. We get outside, and Joshua looks me up and down. “Damn, you look beautiful tonight, too.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself, Josh,” I say to him and kick myself. Why was I acting like this? He isn’t my type. It must be Ruby. She wants him as she is panting like a horn dog in my head. But Josh did look good in a pair of blue jeans and a black button-up shirt.

“Look, Nicole,” He starts.

“Naomi,” I correct him. Ruby whimpers. She is a bit offended that he didn’t know my name despite having gone to school with each other since preschool. I feel a little depressed that he doesn’t seem to know who I am.

“Who?”

“My name is Naomi, Josh. We have known each other since preschool.” I tell him.

He sighs. “Right, sorry. I, uh, I forget that you are Elena’s sister sometimes.” He scratches the back of his neck nervously. “But truthfully, I have a girlfriend that I am really into.”

“Jessica Smith?” I ask, and he nods. Jessica Smith is the typical cheerleader mean girl type. She liked tearing me down any chance she got. Elena sometimes hung out with her and wouldn’t speak up in my defense. I hated her, honestly.

“Y-yeah,” Josh replies. “Anyways, we are in love, and I don’t want to dump her. So I have to do this.”

I knew what was coming. “Get it over with then,” I say as Ruby whines sadly in my head. She knew what was coming too.

“I, Joshua Lee Rogers, reject you Naomi Monroe as my mate.” He says, and I feel pain in my body.

I double over and wrap my arms around my stomach. I gasped and took a deep breath, and looked Joshua in the eye. “I, Naomi Kathleen Monroe, accept your rejection,” I say and watch him howl in pain. He stumbles away from me as I sit on a bench. Tears fall as I try to get past the pain. I don’t’ even know why I was upset. It would never have worked with Joshua anyways. I don’t know how long I sat on the bench crying before feeling a hand on my shoulder. I flinched.

“Naomi,” Greyson’s reassuring voice said to me. I looked up at him, and he frowned. “What happened?”

Tears were still streaming down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them off and shook my head. “Bad night,” I say to him.

He wraps an arm around my shoulder and pulls me close. I rest my head on his shoulder. “You don’t need to say it. Who hurt you?”

“Joshua Rogers,” I reply. “I’m not good enough for him.”

“Did that fucker reject you?” Greyson snarled. “I am going to kill him.”

I could feel Greyson tensing up. “No, Grey, don’t. Just forget about him. He isn’t worth it.” I say sadly.

He sighed. “He wasn’t right for you anyways,” He wipes another tear from my cheek.

“Thanks,” I smile at him. We sit for a few minutes before he urges me to go back to the party.

“Show that asshole what he is missing,” Greyson pulled me to my feet and forced me inside.

We entered the ballroom, and a slow song was playing. I saw Elena dancing with Chance. They looked so much in love already. Then I saw Joshua dancing with Jessica. My bully had an evil smirk on her overly made-up face. Greyson pulled me onto the dance floor, and we danced. After the song ended, we went to the buffet. After getting our food, we sat at a table with Phoebe and my friend, Kimberly.

“What happened?” Phoebe asked as Greyson, and I sat down. “Your eyes are all red.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“Who am I beating up?” Phoebe snarled.

“No one,” I tell her. Phoebe being the Alpha’s daughter, is a formidable fighter and could probably kill Joshua or rearrange his nuts.

“Naomi,” Phoebe drawled. “Tell me what is wrong.”

“We won't tell anyone,” Kimberly says.

I take a deep breath as Greyson grabs my hand. “I met my mate, who promptly rejected me.”

Phoebe and Kimberly both gasped. Phoebe touched my other hand. “Who the f**k is dumb enough to reject you?”

“Joshua Rogers,” I say at a near whisper.

Phoebe stands up with her fists balled up. “I’ll kill him!”

“No,” I grab at her. “Forget about it. I-I’m okay with it.”

“Naomi, he rejected you for Jessica.” Phoebe glared at the dance floor. “Please just let me beat him up a little?”

“No, Phoebe. J-Just forget it. I don’t want a mate, anyways,” I say between bites of food.

Phoebe sighs sadly. “Oh, my poor Naomi.”

We finish eating, and I am getting ready to leave when my Dad comes over to me with Alpha Darryl and a familiar older man. “There you are, Naomi,” Dad smiles at me.

“Naomi, your father tells me that you are the perfect one to help us,” Alpha Darryl starts. He gestures to the Elder. “You know Elder Murray, correct?”

“Of course I do. He is the Keeper of the Archive.” I smile at the elder, who smiles back.

Elder Murray nods. “Your father and the Alpha told me that you love history. I want to retire soon, and I need someone to take over for me. None of the other youngsters seem interested. But the Delta here says you may be interested.”

“Me? The head of the archives?” I smile. “That would be awesome, sir.”

Elder Murray grinned. “You weren’t kidding, Delta.”

“My Naomi is the smartest girl I know. Hell, I think she is the smartest one in this pack,” Dad winked at me.

“Dad,” I snorted. “I’m not that smart.”

“You get straight A’s, Naomi. You are first in your class,” Dad kept laying on the praise.

“I would like to be your apprentice or whatever you call it, sir,” I tell Elder Murray.

He nods. “Then come see me Monday after school.”

“Thank you,” I tell him as he walks away with the Alpha. My father lingers. “Thanks, Dad.”

He squeezes my shoulder. “You will be great at it. I just know you will, Naomi.” He kisses my cheek. “I’m going to go catch up with Bryant some more.” He says and walks away.

I felt exhausted from the long day and decided to go home. I said my goodbyes to my parents and siblings. Greyson and Phoebe agree to walk me home. I tell them about the archives, and they both think it's funny. But I take it very seriously. Being the keeper of the archive is an important job. I would be working with Alpha at times. I would also be teaching a few classes here and there to the young pups at school. I remember Elder Murray coming to our school to teach us our history.

“Only you would be excited about working in a library,” Phoebe snickers.

“It’s the pack archive, Phoebe. It's very important.” I tell her.

“Whatever, Naomi. You are boring. But I love you anyway.”

We reach my house and stand on the porch. “I am exhausted, you guys. So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Of course,” Phoebe says while hugging me. “Goodnight and Happy Birthday.”

“Goodnight, Naomi,” Greyson says. He and Phoebe walk away from the house, and I run inside.

I shower and then throw on my pajamas before climbing into bed. It doesn’t take long to fall asleep where I dream about my future. One without a mate getting in the way.