Their Simple Kind of Love

Katherine The annoying sound of my alarm roused me from my dream. I opened my eyes and groaned while smacking the alarm to shut it off. I lay on my back for a moment contemplating if I wanted to get up or not. It was the first day of my senior year of high school. I wasn't sure how to feel about that. Eventually, I rolled out of bed and walked into my bathroom to shower and do my morning routine. After my shower, I went to my closet to pick out my first day of school outfit. I was considered popular at school even though I didn't care about dressing in designer clothes or keeping up with the fashion. I just treated everyone with kindness, and they responded. My father Jonathan is the beta of our pack, Whispering Pines, a large pack located in the forests of central Arizona. As the daughter of our pack's beta, I felt it was my duty to treat my pack members well and set an example to others. There were a few that didn't respond to my kindness, like my stepmother. My father married her less than a year after my mother Caroline was killed during a rogue attack. My father was a mess after my mother died, and somehow Marilyn swooped in and manipulated him into marrying her. He said he was in love, but neither my brother nor I believed it. We were both convinced witchcraft was involved. Marilyn treats me like crap behind my father's back. I have tried to tell my father what was happening, but Marilyn always makes herself sound like the victim. So I would end up grounded. My brother, Tim, had tried defending me, but he would get in trouble too. So we eventually just found a way to ignore Marilyn. "She's not worth it, sis," Tim would always say to me. Marilyn was trying to boost the status of her daughter Wendy in the pack. Luckily, Wendy was nothing like her mother and secretly hated her mother's efforts. Marilyn is convinced that Wendy is James's, fated mate. But Wendy confessed that she is a lesbian and has no interest in the future alpha. James is my brother's best friend, and he has been like a second brother to me. The last year or so, he became more protective of me, which I found odd, but he wasn't overbearing about it. His sister Michelle found ways to get him off of my back. Michelle and I are best friends since forever. I put on my favorite pair of distressed jeans with a black long-sleeved shirt and my jean jacket. I brushed my shoulder-length dark brown hair and chose to leave it down. I then put on a necklace that had belonged to my mother. It was a horse head on a simple gold chain. Finally, I finished my outfit with my worn-out black sneakers. Grabbing my bag, I walked out of the closet just as someone was knocking on my door. I opened it, and my brother was leaning in with his usual grin. "What?" I said to Tim. "I was just making sure you were up," He replied to me. My brother towers over me, standing at 6'4", the same height as our father. He has short black hair and hazel eyes like our mother had. A lot of the pack females swooned over him. Today he is dressed in black slacks, a white button-up shirt, and a black jacket. "I take it that you are going to work with Dad today?" I asked as we walked down the hallway of the beta floor. We used to live in a regular house in the territory. Then Dad married Marilyn, and the house wasn't good enough, so she insisted we move into the packhouse. It wasn't terrible; I just missed the coziness of our home. We walked into the private living room. The top two floors of the packhouse are reserved for the alpha and beta families. The two floors are private apartments with a living room, a large kitchen, six bedrooms, and an office. The kitchen was rarely used because Marilyn didn't cook. Marilyn was sitting on the couch reading a magazine while smoking. She was wearing a tight dress and had her bottle-blonde hair in a tight braid. She looked up and more or less sneered at Tim and I. "Good morning Marilyn," My brother tried diplomacy with her. I could hear the sarcasm in his tone, though. "You look ready to help your father this morning, Timothy." She said to him My brother nodded. "Well, yeah," He snorted. My father would step down as beta in two years, and my brother would take his place. Our father was also the CEO of the pack's construction business. Tim would take over that position as well. Marilyn's cold blue eyes looked me over. "You know, Katherine, if you keep dressing like trash, no male will ever want you." I looked down at my clothes and then glared at her. "My sister isn't trash," Tim snarled and took a step towards Marilyn. He hated her more than than I did. "I didn't call her trash, Timothy. I just pointed out that she dresses like trash," Marilyn cooed and looked past us. Wendy stepped into the room, and her mother smiled. "See how Wendy is dressed." I looked at my stepsister, who was wearing a dress that a barely appropriate for school. It was well above her knees and very tight. Her breasts almost spilled out of the top, and it was bright red. Wendy's blonde hair was in a braid-like her mother's. She had thick makeup on her face. "You look fabulous, Wendy. James is going to love that," Marilyn stood up to inspect her daughter. Tim snorted. "James and Uncle Nate won't be back till tonight," Tim explained. James and his father were at an alpha meeting. We called him Uncle Nate rather than alpha because he was like an uncle to us. Uncle Nate and our Dad were best friends, just like Tim and James. "Well, the other females can look at their better. Wendy is going to be the next luna of this pack. I know she is James's, fated mate. I can feel it." So Marilyn spoke while I could tell Wendy was uncomfortable. If only she knew her daughter better. "Hey, is everyone ready for breakfast?" My Dad said, walking into the room. He stopped next to my brother and patted his back. He stood the same height as Tim. He has dark brown hair and light blue eyes like mine. He is wearing a nice suit today. "I am," I raised my hand. My Dad laughed, "You are always ready for breakfast, Katie." I shrugged. "Well, it's not as good as what Mom used to make," I said while Marilyn shot me an icy glare. She hated it whenever Tim or I mentioned our mother. "But the omegas do make good grub." "That they do, Katie," He pointed towards the stairs. "Shall we go down?" He walked past us with Marilyn on his arm. Tim and I gave each other an eye roll before following them. Wendy trailed behind us. I looked back at her. "Hey, Wends. I have some extra clothes in my backpack if you want to change once we get to school." Her face brightened as she nodded. "Thanks, Katie," She smiled at me. She hated the way her mother made her dress. She wanted to wear simple clothes like what I wore, but Marilyn is convinced that making Wendy dress like a hoe would make James want her more. James is a typical male alpha. He likes beautiful women and has had a few girlfriends over the years. But since he is getting closer to being alpha, he is more focused on finding his fated mate, so he no longer sleeps with random females. James is the quintessential handsome man that every girl in school swoons for. Even I notice how good-looking he is. I also like how James isn't conceited or arrogant like some other alpha males I have met. He treats everyone down to the omegas like equals. His father, Nate, taught him to treat everyone in the pack well and remain loyal. Alpha Nathan does not tolerate bullying of any kind in the pack, and James follows that lead. I will admit that I have always had a crush on James. We reach the bottom floor of the packhouse, where the common areas are. The dining room is large enough to contain almost the entire pack. Though usually only the unmated warriors and omegas eat in the dining room. The rest of the pack have their own houses for their families. There is a large table for the ranked members. I spy Michelle and my other best friend Tony, the next gamma of the pack, and sit by them. My Dad and Marilyn sit near Aunt Kristen, our luna and Gamma Michael, and his mate Lisa. Neither Lisa nor Aunt Kristen like Marilyn, but they are nice to her for the sake of pack unity. "Hey Michelle, Tony. Are we ready for senior year?" I ask them. Tony shrugged. "I can't wait for it to be done." He mumbled. Tony never liked school. He wasn't bullied or anything as the future gamma. He just didn't like sitting still for hours on end in class. "I can't wait to go to college," I said. I was excited to be out on my own for the first time away from the pack. I have been accepted to Northern Arizona University. I wanted to be a therapist because I like helping others through grief or a crisis. Therapy helped me tremendously after my mother died. It helped me move forward while still being able to grieve. The omegas began setting platters of food in the center of the tables. I dug into some bacon and french toast. I glanced over at Marilyn, who put a tiny amount of food on a plate for Wendy. My stepsister is nearly eighteen, and her mother still feels the need to plate her food for her. Marilyn wants to make sure Wendy doesn't overeat. We are werewolves, so we have a fast metabolism, and getting fat is rare for us. Still, Marilyn freaks if she catches Wendy eating more than she is given. My Dad has tried helping Wendy, but Marilyn screams that he shouldn't tell her how to raise her daughter. "Hey, Katie, do you want to play Halo tonight with us after James gets home?" Tony asked me. "No, I think I'll pass. I'm going to hang with Michelle and Wendy tonight. We need some girl time," I told him. "So, who's turn is it to drive?" Michelle asked. We all had our licenses and cars. But we often carpooled together. Tony shrugged. "I can drive if you want. Showing up with three ladies in my car always looks good for me," He snickered as Michelle, and I rolled our eyes. "Hey Wendy, are you hitching a ride with us to school?" He asked my stepsister. She started to say something, but Marilyn cut her off. "She doesn't need to be seen in your jalopy, Anthony." Gamma Mike glared at her. "Jalopy? Sorry, it's not a Mercedes, Marilyn. But Tony and I put a lot of work into that car. It's cherry." Mike referred to the "Whatever. It's just not a good look for the future luna to ride around in an old car." Aunt Kristen burst out laughing. "You are still convinced that Wendy is going to be my son's mate." Wendy flashed me a sad look. She hated the way her mother acted. I flashed her a small reassuring smile. Wendy preferred women over men. She likes James as a friend but nothing else. "I can feel it, Kristen," Marilyn smirked. The Luna shrugged. "Whatever you say, Marilyn." We all finished our breakfast. Tony tried to get Wendy to come with us. But Marilyn insisted on driving her to school in the Mercedes she made my Dad buy her. I wished my father saw the real Marilyn so he would divorce her and kick her out of the pack. Wendy could stay, but Marilyn is toxic as hell. I said goodbye to everyone. Aunt Kristen wished me and the others a good first day. Then she told us about the BBQ party we were having for dinner to celebrate Uncle Nate and James's return. I couldn't wait to see my other brother. I rode in the front seat of Tony's dark blue '69 Dodge Charger. The stereo was blasting out a Slipknot song that Michelle and I were headbanging to. Once we got to our school, I headed first thing to my locker. Wendy's locker was close by, and I wanted to give her the clothes I had in my backpack for her. "Hey Katie, sorry about my Mom," Wendy said as I opened my locker. "You don't have to apologize for your Mom, Wendy. We all know what she is like," I told my stepsister as I pulled the clothes out of my bag and handed them to her. "There is pair of jeans and a t-shirt with horses on it. Kind of dorky but-" "I prefer dorky," Wendy chuckled. "This is just ugh," She indicated what she was wearing. "I don't know why my mother thinks I need to dress like this at school." She opened her locker and put a few things in it. "I'll see you at lunch, alright?" I nodded. "See ya." I smiled as she walked away. I then headed to my first class with was American Government. I walked in and sat next to Michelle. Then cringed as Ben Hudson walked in. He is the future alpha of Phoenix Moon, one of the neighboring packs. Our high school is on the edge of the territory, and Alpha Nathan allows the kids from the neighboring packs to attend our schools. Ben Hudson is the complete opposite of James. He is a womanizing, arrogant asshole. I made the mistake of losing my virginity to him last year at a party. That made him think I was his even when he had numerous other females hanging off his arms. "Katie Ford, my love," Ben said as he sat behind me. "Are you ready to go steady with me this year?" He whispered in my ear. Michelle shot me a look as I shook my head. "No, Ben. I am not into being with a man who can't keep his hands off of other women." I explained as I tried to keep my eyes forward. "I am not a one-woman kind of man, Katie. I need a good strong luna to help me lead, but I don't want to be stuck with just one female." He explained. "You are such a slimeball, Ben." Michelle sneered at him just as the bell rang, and our teacher Mr. Figureroa walked in. Ben growled lowly at Michelle. My friend didn't like him mainly because he and her brother were rivals. After class, Ben followed me towards my next class, English. "I wish I had every class with you," He mused next to me. I glanced at him as he ran his hand through his brown hair. He looked at me with his grey eyes. I had to admit that he is a handsome male. A lot of the females swoon for him but not me. I stopped at my next class. "See you around, Ben," I said to him and ducked into the room. Tony and my friend Freddie were in this class. Freddie is the daughter of our pack's head warrior. She is one of the best warriors we have. I have seen her take down my brother, a beta, during training. Freddie's family is unique in that they are werecats. Freddie's father Malachi shifts in a majestic black leopard while her mother shifts into a caracal. Her mother, Janice, is one of our pack's doctors. Freddie, whose full name is Frederica, shifts into a golden lioness. My wolf loved running through the forest with her lion. Freddie is very tall and thin. Those who don't know her assume she isn't very strong, but I have seen my friend eviscerate rogues. "Hey, Kates," She hugged me as I sat next to her. "I missed you." She had been away from the pack for the summer visiting her mother's family. Werecats didn't usually live in packs as werewolves do. They lived in small family prides but, for the most part, were solitary. Alpha Nathan somehow became friends with Malachi and invited his family to live in our pack. "How was your vacation?" I asked her. She had gone to South Africa to visit some relatives. She looked at me with her yellowish cat-like eyes while pressing her broad lips together. " I learned some new fighting techniques." My eyes widened. "That's bitchin. I would love to see your new moves." Freddie cracked her knuckles. "Alpha Nate is going to let me train some of the new warriors a few times a week. So I'll be showing them off then." "Cool, can I come?" I asked her. I trained a few times a week. I didn't think I was a strong fighter. But as beta blood, I was much stronger than the average warrior, and I hoped I could defend myself during an attack. "I'll have to ask," She replied. The bell rang, and the teacher Miss LaRue walked in and began the class. Hours later, it was lunchtime, and I walked into the cafeteria with Freddie and Tony. We walked over to our usual table in the corner with our food. Michelle and Wendy were already waiting for us. "Hey Freddie," Michelle greeted her. "How was Africa?" Lunch is usually my favorite part of school. My friends and I let loose by laughing and joking around. We allow just about anyone to sit with us. The rest of the school day went by with no drama, but I was happy to be headed home. I rode in the backseat of Tony's car while he and Michelle sang along to some old John Denver song. When we got home, I walked into the house and almost ran into a hard chest. "Whoa, there," I heard James's familiar voice and looked up into his smiling face. My breath hitched as he looked even better to me for some reason. My wolf stirred in my head as I looked him up and down. His dirty blonde hair was almost to his shoulders which annoyed his father. He had let the stubble on his face grow into a bit of a beard, and his hazel eyes sparkled at me. He is wearing a ripped muscle shirt that shows off his tattoos and muscles. He was also wearing a pair of khaki board shorts and tattered flip-flops. "Were you just checking me out?" I shook my head. "Uh no. It's not like I have never seen you before," I tried to play it cool. "I guess I just missed you." He pulled me into a hug, and my wolf, Zia, howled as I took in his scentof sandalwood. "You have no idea how much I missed you, Katie," He said while I pulled back and looked him in the eyes. I felt a strange compulsion to kiss him. Like some instinct, we leaned into each other and almost kissed when my brother interrupted us. "Dude, were you trying to kiss my sister?" Tim nearly shouted, and James released his hold on me and ran his hand through his hair. James shook his head. "Uh n-no. W-we were j-just s-saying hi. Right, Kate?" I nodded and looked away from James. I couldn't believe I almost kissed him. The strangest part was how sad Zia was when he let me go. My heart was racing against my chest, and I felt light-headed. 'Why am I suddenly so attracted to James? He is like my brother. I can't be attracted to him,' I told my wolf, and she let out a laugh-like sound. Then, it occurred to me that I was turning eighteen in a couple of weeks, and that meant I would be able to detect my mate. 'Wait, is James, my mate?' I asked Zia, and she said nothing. It would be weird to me to be mated to someone that was like a brother to me. "Katie," I heard someone say my name. "Katie," My brother shook my shoulder. "Earth to Katie." "What, Timothy?" I snarled at him. "You spaced out there." "Right, I am going to my room now to start my homework." I brushed past Tim and James. "See you guys later at dinner." I waved to them and ran up the stairs. I ran into my room, slammed the door, dropped my backpack on the ground, and then leaned against my door and sunk to the floor. "Is James Brody the future alpha of this pack, my mate?" I asked no one in particular.