My Werewolf Mate is a Nerd

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

“Jammmmm-iiiieeeeee!”  I yelled over and over making my way through a sea of teens.  I’d been looking for her for 15 minutes and couldn’t find her.  I had text and called, and I was being ignored. Then I saw it.  Out in the garden was a flash of hot pink, I saw Jamie’s tank top.  She was being engulfed by a pair of strong, muscular, hot looking, tattooed arms and making out with someone.   Her hands were entangled in a black head of hair. She was right.  She must have found her mate.  For a moment I was jealous.  That was the reaction I wanted with my mate.  I mean, I was excited for her and mad that she left me alone with an emotional Zander, after she was the one who had spilled the beans to him. 

I stormed up and tapped her on the shoulder, her blond curls blocking the view of who she was with.  She finally broke her kiss and pulled away.  AIDAN!  A million things ran through my head.  Ew, ew.  I just though my brother had hot arms!  Barf! My brother was my best friend’s mate?!  When did he get back to town?  Why hadn’t he told anyone?  And Aidan and Jamie sitting in a tree…K-i-s-s-i-n-g…

“Oh MY GOD!”  I screamed.  “Ew, Ew, Ew” I shook my head.

“Laney, I can explain!”  She looked guilty.

Aidan grinned.  “Hi, sis!  Look who I found.” 

“You two are gross!”  I waved my hand and turned around to leave.  Jamie jumped up and chased after me.  “Don’t be mad, Lane, Please!”  she said.  I stopped.

“I’m not mad.  I just can’t believe it.  By best friend and my brother…But this is just weird.  I mean we grew up together.”  I said.

“I know…isn’t it sweet.”  She said blushing and looking over her shoulder at him.  “He went away to train and now he’s back, and so Hoooot.  Look at those tattoos.”  She said touching her neck and running her hands down her body. 

Vomit in my mouth.  My brother, hot?  Yeah right! 

I looked beyond her back to Aidan, who just waved at me to be a jerk and smirked.  “Mom is going to kill you when she sees those Tattoos!”  I called to him.  He rolled his eyes.  “Ok…well, I guess I’ll let you two get back at it.”  I said.  “I’m going to leave.” 

Jamie looked hurt.  “Aren’t you happy for me, Laney?”

“Yes, just why’d you have to be paired to my brother.  He smells.”  And I rolled my eyes.  She gave me a small smile.  “Do you want my car?”  Jamie asked handing me her keys.  I shook my head no.  “I’ll be fine.”  I said. 

I walked away from the house.  When I got far enough away, I took off my clothes and stood there in the woods.  I concentrated on the voice in my head, ‘Let it happen.  Be calm.  This will hurt, but I’ve got you.’ The voice of my inner wolf, Scarlett said.  This was the first time I have ever shifted.  I concentrated really hard on the wolf voice in my head.  I felt a tightness grow within me, then the pain of bones snapping and joints popping. Finally, there I stood, in all my glory.  I had transformed into a wolf.  But there was no one around to share in my new form.  ‘Go to him.’  I heard Scarlett say.  ‘Our mate’. 

We took off on a full run. Scarlett could run like the wind.  She was strong as she leapt over trees and spanned streams.   This was exhilarating.  I never felt so free. Before I knew it, we were in Joey’s yard.  Scarlett paced excitedly wanting to meet him.  ‘How do we get him to come out?’ I asked Scarlett.  ‘We wait, if he doesn’t come out, we howl.’  Hmm.  Makes sense, I guess. 

We turned our head and listened as the knob to the back door turned.  Scarlett sniffed the air.  ‘It’s him.’ I told her.  ‘I know that already.’  She replied in a testy tone.  Scarlett hunched down in the shadows.  Joey came out holding a bag of trash to put in the trash can.  When he got halfway across the driveway, Scarlett jumped out at him playfully.  Except Joey was caught off guard.  He screamed and threw the trash bag at us.  “Here take it!”  he yelled and ran back towards the house! We managed to dodge the bag as the contents exploded all over the driveway.  It smelled horrible.  Scarlett raced to beat Joey to the door and stopped him. 

“Who are you?” he cried.  “What do you want?! Please don’t hurt me.”  Scarlett was unrelenting.  I on the other hand was annoyed that he was so easily scared.  Scarlett forced her snout between his arm and nuzzled his hand to get him to pet her.  Finally, Joey gave in and rubbed his hand across our soft black fur.  Scarlett was engulfed in happiness and wagged her tail.  The feeling sent enjoyable ripples of excitement down our body.  Scarlett stood on her hind legs and began licking his face.  Laughter broken through the night and Joey playfully accepted our affection.

 Then something changed.  “Laney?!  Is that you?”  Suddenly he seemed angry. “Get off me, Laney! I told you I want you to leave me alone!”   Suddenly I shifted back to my human form.  Except there was a huge problem.  I was NAKED!  Something I hadn’t fully thought through when I decided to shift and go on a run.  There I was as naked as the day I was born, in front of Joey Evans!

I crouched down and tried to cover the important bits.  An arm stretched across my breasts and another across my nether regions.  I had never been so embarrassed in my life.  “Don’t look at me!”  I hissed.  “I’m not!”  He said looking up.  “I should probably go inside.”  He said.

“What? You can’t just leave me here like this!”  I said. 

“You should’ve thought of this before you shifted and came here.” He shrugged. 

“Please, Joey. Can’t you at least get me a blanket or something?”  I pleaded.

“Ok but stay here.  I don’t think my mom would appreciate a naked girl in my room.”  He went inside and came back out in what seemed like an eternity…but was only a few minutes later with a T-shirt and a blanket.  “Here.”  He handed me the things.  The T-shirt was almost too small on me.  It stretched tightly over my rounded chest and it was clear I was cold. I wrapped the blanket around by bottom like a skirt, it covered my nakedness and for that, I was grateful.

I hadn’t realized it because the embarrassment was so intense, but I was now sure that Joey had been staring at me the whole time I was trying to dress.   I looked up at him and he quickly turned away and his face was red.  This is not how I wanted to be naked the 1st time in front of him.  But then again, maybe this was a good idea.  Had my nakedness helped stir up his feelings for me? 

“Welp, Have a good night.”  Joey said heading inside.  He was about to shut the door.  “Wait!”  I called out. 

“What now?” he said opening the door back up.

“Could you drive me home, please? I don’t have shoes and it’s a long way.”  He sighed. 

“MOM! Can you please get Laney home?” 

Mrs. Evan’s walked into the room.  I saw she was in her pajamas and I wanted to die.  “Goodness, Laney.  Are you ok?”  She was very concerned, more than her son had been.  “Yes, sorry Mrs. Evans.  My evening has been a little crazy.” 

“Come in, Dear.  I’ll get dressed and drive you home.”  She held the door open for me.  I stepped inside.  “Could I please use your restroom?”  I asked.

“No!” Joey snapped.

“Joseph Michael Evans!  DO NOT BE RUDE!”  Mrs. Evans scolded him he stormed off to his room and slammed the door.  Mrs. Evans rolled her eyes.  “I’m so sorry, Laney.  You have to forgive his behavior.  I think he’s just really confused and trying to work somethings out.”  She smiled warmly at me.  She motioned me to the bathroom off of the kitchen.  I looked at myself in the mirror and my hair was a hot mess.  There were twigs and leaves stuck in it.  “What in the hell” I whispered and pulled things out and smoothed it down. I walked out just as Mrs. Evans was returning.  “Ready?” she asked.

I nodded and smiled.  We got in her car, and she began driving to my house.  “I’m really sorry.”  I said again. “I shifted for the first time tonight, and it didn’t go as planned.  I didn’t realize what would happen when you shift back, and you don’t bring clothes with you.”  I sheepishly looked down. 

“I understand.  This is an exciting and confusing time for you young wolves.”  She smiled like she was remembering something.  “My first shift was very special, except I had Joey’s dad with me.  We shifted for the first time together…”  there was a sadness in her voice.  Silence followed for a few minutes.  I wasn’t sure what to say to console her.  Finally, she spoke.  “You need to give Joey some time.  I know it’s hard to be apart from your mate, but he come around eventually.”

“I wanted to stay away, but my wolf felt the pull.  She brought me to your house to see him.  She needed to meet her mate. But…as you know…it didn’t go well.” 

“Just give him a little time.  I will keep working on him.”  She smiled at me.  “I’m sure as soon as he is able to shift, his wolf will not be able to resist your wolf. What’s her name, by the way?” 

“Scarlett.” I said. 

“That’s beautiful.”  She said.  Scarlett appreciated the compliment as well.  ‘I like her.’ Scarlett said.  ‘Me too’ I responded.