Talk About the Direct Approach...

Chapter One: One thing that may change your life

I can tell you one thing that may or may not change your life forever.

Odds are, it probably won't, but I feel you should know.

If there was one thing I love, it's Ramen Noodles. I mean, I don't understand why college students are always complaining about having to practically live off them. If it's true, then I was going to be all set for college.

I pull my legs up and sit criss-cross applesauce on the swinging bench as I shove another forkful of noodles into my mouth. The birds are chirping happily, and it seems like the weather decided it's going to be normal for the day.

Here I am, in the tiny town of Creek Run, sitting on the porch, enjoying my meal. Thanks to the size of this town, I have the freedom of going outside looking like a bum without anyone to judge me. I'm in my oversized t-shirt and pink pajama shorts, and my dark brown hair is an unruly mess. If I were at my house, I would be shunned from society.

I'm here with my younger sister Trina for the summer. My dad moved to this tiny town ten years ago, and it's often where I've spent my summer. This year would be my last summer here since I was due to start college in the fall, so my dad said he wants to make it a 'special' summer. So far, it has been anything but.

Creek Run has very little to do, and my dad is often working, leaving me to watch after my boisterous sister alone. The population of this town consists of the elderly, the older middle aged, and many stray dogs. Therefore, I spend my summers without contact with people my age, unless I get on my phone, which has roaming service here.

And this is why I have never experienced a summer romance.

Besides our house, there are about five other houses on this street. Three of them are rundown, old, and falling apart at the foundation, while two elderly couples occupy the other two. Down the street is a tiny mom-and-pop restaurant that is the social hub of this town. Yep, six to seven customers a day. The only thing left here is a post-office and general store.

As you can see, this town is the summer hotspot.

A breeze comes by and brushes some of my hair back, as the soft purr of an engine reaches me. I look up towards the sound to see a sleek black sports car pulling in front of the restaurant. It's the newest thing I have seen in this town in a long time, and the object of my envy. That's my dream car, even if I couldn't tell you the name of it. It's a Mustang though, that much I knew.

What really catches my eye though, are the three guys who step out. Gorgeous guys, I might add. One in particular seems to stand out from the other two. He is- for lack of a better word- perfection. What every girl dreams she would find one day- long, tan, handsome, and fit. While one of the boys has blonde hair and the other dark brown, his is a medium brown color that seemed fitting with his skin tone.

Like he sensed me staring, his head snaps up and our eyes meet. I was transfixed in my spot, locked in his intense gaze, even at this distance. Like they describe so often in romance stories that I thought were a load of bull, there was magic in the air. Or maybe I was hallucinating from noodle fumes.

Whatever it is, it has my heart skipping a beat.

My cheeks then promptly turn red when I realize I have noodles still hanging out of my mouth that I have yet to actually chew.

"Macy! Daddy said to get in here and make some pancakes!" my twelve-year-old sister Trina shouts with that small southern twang I have no idea how she acquired. I suppose being in this town at a young age started affecting her, what with how most of these people talk.

My eyes flit from the mystery boy's to my sister, who had somehow stepped in front of me, her hand on her hip as she gave me a curious look.

"Right, ok," I mutter, looking over her shoulder once to see the boy going into the restaurant with his friends, but not before he sent one more look my way. I groan in annoyance at the interruption of my ogling and stand up, towering over my sister who has yet to hit her growth spurt.

"Why do I have to make them? You're perfectly capable of doing it."

"Because Daddy said to," she replies nonchalantly.

"How did dad tell you that if he's at work?"

"Pleeeeease!" she begs. I roll my eyes, but go inside the ratty old house to make them for her.

"Cinnamon?" I ask, knowing the answer already.

"Yes!"

*Cayton's POV*

"Babe, we're just going into Creek Run to grab some lunch. I'll see you soon. Yea. Love you too. Bye." Trenton groans and shoves his phone back in his pocket.

"Mate troubles?" Carter mocks from the passenger's seat.

"She has been keeping tabs on me ever since she thought I was looking at another girl!" Trenton complains. "I wasn't even looking at her like that! She was the freaking cashier!"

Carter and I both laugh. Poor Trenton, his mate was always on his case. However, they love each other more than anything so I guess that's all that matters.

"This is why I am in no rush to find my mate," Carter adds.

"Enjoy it while it lasts you two. Mates are the best and worst thing that can happen to you," Trenton warns us. I just shake my head. Unlike Carter, I couldn't wait to find my mate. I haven't found her just yet, but I know that as soon as I do that I will stop at nothing to make her mine. As Alpha of the pack, I needed a strong Luna at my side.

"Thanks for the tip." I park the car on the side of the road in front of a tiny restaurant. We were called in because some Rogues were spotted close to here and it needed taken care of. Now that that was done, we all decided to grab a bite and this was the closest thing to us.

We all step out and I catch a different, yet alluring smell in the air. It's a strange vanilla scent that has my wolf howling. For some reason, I felt the need to find the source. My eyes snap up and meet with the brown eyes of the most gorgeous creature I have ever seen.

She's sitting on a porch swing in an oversized shirt, her hair in a mess, and noodles hanging from her delicate mouth. Even so, she was breathtaking and in that moment my wolf starts howling, and I understand exactly what he is telling me.

Mate.

A younger girl steps in front of her, blocking my view of her. All I want in this moment is to run over to her and hold her. But Carter has other plans.

"Cayton, get your ass in here! You're paying for lunch!" I roll my eyes at Carter's complete lack of respect. He's my Beta and childhood best friend, so he felt he was exempt from showing me any form of respect. I don't let it bother me too much, because he's a good Beta and friend, even if he is an ass sometimes.

Regretfully, I turn and walk into the restaurant after throwing one last glance at my mate over my shoulder.

"You found her, didn't you?" Trenton asks with a knowing smile. Maybe it's the daze I'm still in that caused him to notice, but I didn't care. I'm feeling like I'm on cloud nine. I just nod my head and take my seat.

"Dude! What happened to living the bachelor life with me?" Carter says.

"You're on your own," I shrug.

"Just answer one question. Was she hot?" Of course that's all he cares about.

"Smokin'," I affirm.

We order our food and I eat as fast as I can, eager to meet my mate. Trenton and Carter take their sweet time though, which only serves to frustrate me. I want her, and I want her now.