Werewolf Compilations novel Chapter 81

I enter the kitchen with no enthusiasm to see my mother leaning against the counter. She looks up at me and smiles. "Hey, Rae. You hungry for dinner? I made salmon."

I nod and sit down at the counter on one of the stools.

"You know, I think you should get out of the house a bit. There's a gathering tonight, I think it might be fun to reconnect with some of the girls and make friends. I know it's for finding mates, but everyone just talks and dances. I think it would be fun for you."

She talks as if she's never met me before as if those years of me whining about such gatherings has left her mind. "I don't feel like—"

"Please, Rae," she says, giving me a genuine look. "It would mean a lot to me if you went."

Maybe it's because I've been cold to her these past few weeks or because she's been nurturing lately, but I surprisingly find myself yanking on that same gold, silky dress that I wore when I ran into James. I don't want to wear it, but the purple one from when I was seventeen doesn't fit anymore.

My mother is pleased by the sight of me, and the happy look on her face cools down my frustrations. She excitedly leads me to the door and waves goodbye when it is time for me to walk off. Once the door is closed I contemplate running off into the trees, but for a second I can't help but think that my mother could be right. Maybe I should try. Maybe the girls will be nice and bearable and maybe I may just have an okay time.

I make my way to the building, prepared for James to walk towards me with my Alpha and Luna, and I think to myself, if it did happen I may just run into his arms and kiss him.

As the many dreadful times before, the gathering room is stuffed with eager girls and frightened boys and myself. I drift inside and dodge many people, automatically heading for the corner table that so comfortably hid me from the crowd times before. Just as I make it through the dense group and the crowd starts to spread out, I hear something curse-worthy.

"Rae East?"

I look to the side and see her, that girl, that one, that possible Stacey. The black-haired girl who stood beside that other one some time ago. "Yes?" I ask, not going any closer to her than I already am.

"I haven't seen you in a while, though you gave up on these again," she says in a friendly tone, reminding me of how bad I am at this.

"Oh, well, I decided to give it another shot, I guess."