Runt

One

"Keep up, Kayla!" My brother Gabe teased as he overtook me by a few paces, I pushed myself that extra bit further and gained first position again.
"Keep up Gabe." I repeated, crossing the finish line, enjoying the ironicy.
"Damn you. Lost to the runt, again." He muttered, causing me to grin wider, I was the runt of the family, but that didn't stop me.
"Not to mention that I am female." I taunted playfully, he growled in playful warning.
"That is enough teasing, both of you did very well, but it was not a race." Scolded my oldest brother Jay, he looked at me with hard eyes. 
"Live a little Jay." I retorted. "How will you find your mate if you can't have fun?" He bit his lip, a guilty look in his eye. I looked at Gabe, he noticed this too. "Spill." We said in unison.
"I have found my mate, but nobody is too know. Or else."I kind of expected him to try and convince us otherwize, I guess that it was just the pull between mates.
"Why?" I pressed on, giving him puppy eyes.
"Because I will tell in my own time." He turned on his heel and left, it was shocking how easily he gave up but I had to respect his decision, it was his, not ours.
"Drama queen." Gabe commented.
"I heard that." Jay shouted back. I smirked.

"So, how is the mate search?" My mother questioned Jay. I bit my tongue and kept my head down, hoping I could escape before I said something I would regret. But, just before I reached the door, my mother preyed on me, I felt her eyes looking at me and I raised my head slowly, and awkwardly.
"What about you Kayla?" I cringed.
"Not for a mate. Like Gabe and... uhh... Jay." My mother nodded. "I cannot wait until you fall in love, its a beautiful thing." I rolled my eyes and escaped to the safety of my bedroom, so that I didn't have to listen to how she and daddy met. She was so easy to fool, either that or she was pretty good at plahing dumb. On the bright side, she didn't pester much, but she sure as hell was annoying.

_*_

"Kayla, Kayla wake up!" I felt somebody shaking me by the shoulders and opened my eyes. I saw the beta, Maria, and knew what this meant.
"Im not going." I mumbled, turning over and burrying my head into the soft pillows.
"Your fathers orders. He says that you need to go to this party, it will help you socialize and perhaps find a potential mate." She replied, already bored with the subject.

"I already have a mate." I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm. Maria sighed, before pulling up the bedclothes.
"Up, now." She commanded. I groaned and obeyed. " It's a pool party. Your'e father said to wear these." She geave me a box and I I showed her out and changed. It was a turquoise bikini with a gold caftan skirt to match.

Every month, my Dad hosted parties to try and help me find a mate. To be honest, I hated this. I knew it was in his best interest to do what was best for me, but it just made me feel... trapped.
And besides, any other Dad would be protective, but mine was different, he was... Loose...
I slipped on some gold sandals, before emerging from the safety of my room. "Beau, just stop the frowning and you will be the
best." I just shook my head and made my way to the outdoor pool, hiding behind whatever I could on the way. 

"There she is!" Gabe opened his arms for a drunken hug. I just sped up walking and ducked under his arm. If I made It out alive, Dad was going down! I sat on a lounger, trying to ignore the blaring music and people. I lay my head back and released a stressed sigh. "You okay there, Princess?" I lifted my head to see a guy I had never seen before. He had warm eyes and a gentle smile, like all werewolves, he had muscles and looked tough, but this guy looked somehow gentle.
"Kay, I prefer Kay, and yeah, I dunno if I am okay?" I smiled, holding my hand out. Instead of shaking my hand, as I expected, he knelt down and placed a gentle kiss, like in a Disney film. I let the blush invade my cheeks, I didn't mind this, he was attractive and charming. "So, What's your name?" I asked.
"Blake Solo." He replied, sitting on the lounger next to me.
"I like that, Solo. Better than Moon anyways. How come I never saw you around here?"
"I just returned from the Alpha Training Academy. The beta's took me in as a pup, so... yeah."
"So your parents?"
"Dead." I was taken aback by his smoothness with it all, he must have seen this. "You get used to it, so, what about you?"
"Well, my dad keeps hosting parties to help me find a mate, I know he is trying to help, but it makes me... uncomfortable." I admitted dimly.
"It would do. I have to go. I will be on your guard troop so, see you around." 
"Sure." It may have only been a brief conversation, but it was a nice one.

_*_

I smirked as Gabe entered the dining hall, rubbing his head, his face pale. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing." My voice went higher in pitch as I hid a laugh. He narrowed his eyes, giving me the death glare, which I returned. Jay cleared his throat, "Serves your right for getting plastered, some pack females carried you home. You must be popular with the ladies now." I covered my mouth, preventing my chewed up food from leaving my mouth as I laughed. Gabe left the room in a huff, and a headache.

I opened Gabe's door and tiptoed into his room. He was asleep. Damn. I searched his room for a pen and paper and left a note, just incase he woke up when I was not available. I felt kinda bad, I'm not the usual sister.

Gabe,
Sorry for laughing, it was funny you gotta admit. I should never laughter at somebody in pain. See I'm not that mean!

Kayla x

"Princess?" I jumped as somebody whispered. I turned to see Blake.
"Oh, hi Blake. Sup?" I smiled.
"Your parents would like to see you downstairs. Also with Jay, he is waiting." I knew what this was about.
"Okay, be down in a tick. Wanna go for a run later?"
"Okay, meet you on the edge of the training field." I nodded and hurried downstairs.

I found my family sat in the royal meeting room. A brunette sat next to my brother, she was quite pretty but looked quite shy. Well, I would soon knock that out of her. I knew she was Jay's mate. 

"Kay, meet Sarah. Jay's mate." I looked at Sarah, she looked at me. Her eyes twinkled. "Hi, I'm Kayla, just call me Kay."
"Sarah. Nice to meet you." Her voice was genle and quiet, petite like her.
"They are having their mating ceremony in a week, your going to be... humans would say... bridesmaid." My mother said.
"It would be my pleasure. If its okay with you guys?" I looked at Jay and Sarah. They nodded.

Yay, I'm gonna be a bridesmaid!