Fierce Nervous Beta

Kissing Girls and Carmela

The house was spotless when a soft knock came from the front door. I wiped my hands on the dish cloth before going to open it. A very excited young girl about 16 or so is standing in the door way. She is vibrating when she hugs me. This takes me by surprise but I hug her back. She pulls away and looks overjoyed by my simple gesture.

"Hi. You're Nina, Bee's friend right? Well of course you are. You're so pretty and a future Beta no less. How lucky am I to be showing you around. The gods must really be smiling down on me. I'm so exited you're here. Oh, I'm Mia." She rambles.

"Hi. It's nice to meet you Mia." I manage to get in.

"Nice to meet me? You think it's nice to meet me? Thank you." She looks at me with bewildered eyes.

"Why don't we get going? I need to run past the bank and get a card sorted so I can get a phone, some new clothes and toiletries and then some groceries. And I am so exited to be going out to lunch with you."

"Then let's go!" She grabs my arm to lead me to a buggy and hands me the keys. "I can't drive yet but I'm learning, illegally." She whispers the last word.

"Who's care is this? It's so cute." I jump in and start the car. The radio come on and Lush Life by Zara Larson comes on.

"It's Bee's. She really loves this thing so you have to be careful." Mia warns me.

"I am an excellent driver." I smirk at her and pull out listening to her directions. It's true too. I got a perfect score for my drivers test I just don't drive real cars much because of PTSD from the accident. But driving a buggy on mostly dirt roads, that I can do. We drive into town where the roads are much nicer. Bee lives on the outskirts of the territory so it's about a 10 minute drive into town. We stop at the bank first to get an account up and running. Lucky for me Gina left the travel pack with the passports and emergency cards in it. The account is up and running a fair amount of cash in it. We then head to lunch at the cutest restaurant. The owner is so friendly and we quickly become friends. Mia and I then head to get me a new phone too bad the only numbers I know are my dad's and Matt's (for Gina emergencies) but I know by the end of the day the whole pack will have my number and sent me messages. We then head to the cutest clothes shops and I buy so many dresses and beach outfits as well as about a 1000 swimming costumes and flip flops. We then go food shopping and I buy the most delicious smelling fresh bread of my life. Mia decides we should walk around town a bit. We aimlessly wonder into shops and end up in the scuba diving and snorkeling shop and reception. I need a wet suit so I brows around a big.

"Need help with anything?" I very good looking guy offers.

"I'm good thanks. Just browsing for a wetsuit. Left mine at home." I joke and make a silly face to emphasize my distaste in my stupidity.

"That is unfortunate. What brand is it? I'm sure we'll have something similar." He asks but I stare at him blankly.

"I don't know." I start giggling in astonishment. "That's so bad I don't know because I wear it so often. It was a present and when you're 15 you don't care what brand stuff is. It's sparkley grey with pink piping if that helps?" I can't believe I don't know.

"It does actually. One moment." He goes into the back and brings out a wetsuit exactly like mine except it's sea green and has gold piping like my eyes.

"Like this one?" He smirks.

"Exactly like that one." I hold it and smile at him.

"Small right?" He asks with a knowing smile.

"Yes. You are amazing at your job!"

"Why thank you. I pride myself on knowing these things." He says with a mock bow which makes me giggle. "So what do you need a wetsuit for?"

"Snorkeling, scuba diving, just going for a swim. Actually, do you know of anywhere I can rent a boat from? I can't exactly bring mine and I'm not looking to buy one but I really want to take one out." I ask him nervously.

"You can drive a boat?"

"Yup. Got my license last year. I drive boats more than cars."

"This is perfect." He shouts and does an exited little dance like move. "Are looking for work? We need a boat driver for some of our outings. Would you be interested? The pays good and you get discounts in the store. It's pretty cool."

"That would be amazing. Driving boats for a living is the dream. It would only be for a short while though." I say extaticly.

"That's fine. That is just perfect. When can you start?" He looks so exited he might just jump out of his skin.

"When do you need me to start?"

"Tomorrow? 5am launch?" He looks at me nervously.

"Perfect. Where must I meet?"

"Here's perfect."

"And I don't need an interview. Does no one else want to meet me?" I'm a bit surprised by that.

"Who else would need to meet you except the owner. And he already has."

"Okay then. I'm Nina." I offer my hand for him to shake.

"JayJay." He shakes my hand.

"It's nice to meet you. I have to go but I'll see you here tomorrow at 4:30?"

"Perfect!"

"How much do I owe you?" I hold the wetsuit out.

"Think of it as a welcome to the crew gift."

"Thanks." I lift the wetsuit up with a small smile and head out the shop. Mia is waiting for me outside and we head back to Bee's so I can get ready for dinner.

~

I look down at my dress and smooth it like it might calm down my nerves. Alpha Kendrick said nothing formal so I'm wearing a short high waist A-line dress that looks like waves and strappy blue heels. The door opens and Luna Misa stands in the entry way.

"Welcome Nina." She says while giving me a hug.

"I would just like to say thank you so much for allowing me into your pack and your home Luna Misa." I hug her back.

"Please we don't do formalities here. Just Misa will do." She leads me into a dining room filled with pack members who are so kind and welcoming. By the end of the evening it's as if I've lived here with these people my whole life. Misa sends me home with left overs and drive in the dark back to Bee's. when I arrive there are people crowding around the front door and everyone is speaking so I can't hear anything. JayJay walks over to me.

"Hey Nina. Didn't expect to see you here." He leans towards me and shouts so I can hear him.

"Ja, I'm staying here. Why's everyone else here?" I shout back.

"The club should be open but it's not so no ones sure what's going on. We're waiting for someone to open now that Bee's not here."

"Oh that's me. Oops." I grab his arm and push to the front. Some guy stops me just as we reach the door.

"No cutting." He shouts and everyone that can hear him agrees.

"I can do whatever I want when I have keys." I shake the keys in his face and he moves out of my way. When the doors open and I flick the lights on people pile into the club. I turn the stereo on and people are already handing cups around. JayJay brings me a duo with what smells like beer.

"Thanks" I lift the beer and shout so he can hear me.

"No problem. Do you wanna dance?" He shouts back. I nod and we move into the crowd. I haven't danced sober in forever. It's so much fun. I'm so caught up in the music that I don't notice I've lost JayJay. There's a women that comes up to me and we start dancing together. After a while she leans down and kisses me. She tastes like alcohol and cherry chapstick but I don't mind as I kiss her back. Katy Perry was right it felt so wrong, it felt so right, don't mean I'm in love tonight. I can't believe I had never really kissed a girl before. There was so much I'd never done because of finding Oliver so soon. I'd never gone skinny dipping or been out to diner alone. I want to live befor I die and being safely tucked away at home with Oliver isn't what I want right away. I'm only…I look at the clock on the wall, 18. I'm only 18. Happy Birthday me. In exactly 7 minutes I will be officially 18. I pull away from the girl and walk outside where it's a bit quieter. There are people littering the beach outside but I find a little corner to myself. I look at the egg timer I'd grab and set. 3, 2, 1.

'Hey Doll. I'm Carmela.' My wolf appears. I can feel her in my mind and feel all my stress drain away.

'Hi. I'm Katerina but you already know that.' I say back.

'Yes. Katerina Iris Angelic Andreas-Finley. That's a mouth full.' We both laugh. 'I like Iris. I think I'll call you that.' Wow she's bossy but I like her already.

'How about a run?' I suggest.

'That is an excellent idea.' She purrs back.

I take all my clothes off and place them in a neat pile. I take a deep breath and think wolf. Before I know it Carmela is in control and I'm taking a backseat in my own body. Weird but good. She shakes herself and starts sprinting down the beach. We've collected a whole group of people who decided to join us. God this is amazing. This is heaven.