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 t

Ah, the first day of school. Junior year edition. Also, it’s the last year my new friends would be hanging out with me here. Fuck. Maybe I should have talked with a councillor about graduating early, too. If I did, then I’d have more time to work and save up for a down payment on a location for a club.  Ma thinks I ought to go to that wolf university and get some degree. As if that would help me make more money. I already know how to run a bar, thanks to my Uncle Micky back in Boston. Why should I shell out thousands of dollars for some prick to teach me what I already know? Just ask around Aspen Falls. My first party here, I ran it like I would my club. I was the bartender, and my two cousins, Jimmy and Saoirse, acted as bouncer and DJ. It would have been seriously awesome, if Kimi hadn’t been kidnapped by tha

“So, you’re going to leave us and be a hoity toity college man, huh?” Jeremy asked, handing me a beer. I was at his place waiting for the three musketeers. I’d just told them my new plans for the future. Damn my new friends.    “Yeah. The goodies talked me into it. They made a good point about needing a cook for the club.” I took a swig and waited for Saoirse’s reaction. The plans included all three of us. We were our own trio. We worked together back in Boston at Uncle Micky’s, and we had each other’s backs when shit went down.   They were there for me after Dad put me in the hospital for mouthing off to him. I was there when their dad cheated on their mom. They were the closest things to siblings I had, and the only family living in this assbackwards town that I’ve grown to love.  

So, I may or may not be stalking Kimia. I knew she had therapy today, and that she usually shifts after therapy. Not rocket science. I just figured that with Kam and Rose hooking up and being all coupley, Kimi would need someone to run with her. In spite of what we tell Rose, wolves do crave companionship.    I was surprised she let me fall asleep next to her, and glad she teased me when she woke me up. The woman needs some serious play. I did make sure she didn’t see me watching her enter her house. I even heard her, too. I wish I could say I was surprised by the mention of her being damaged goods. I wasn’t.    I ran home, and didn’t bother to cover anything when I went inside. Ma was cooking something on the stove, and didn’t notice my state right away. “What’s cooking, Ma?”  

Rose texted me saying she wanted a girls’ night, and she was sending Kam over to keep him away. I told my ma, and she made plans to meet Aunt Nancy at the bar on Main Street that had pool tables. I don’t get small towns. They only have one Italian place, no McDonalds, but they’ve got three dive bars all on Main Street.  At any rate, Kam arrived at my place, but he wasn’t alone. “What’s Horndog Harry doing here? I thought he bailed with his ma?” I asked when I opened my door to find Jeremy with Kam. “Screw you, Mactire. Not everyone can get lucky easily,” Jeremy grumbled as he pushed past me to ditch his stuff in the basement. I looked at Kam for an explanation. “His dad has custody this weekend, and he didn&rsq