Running out of Time (#Wattys2017)

Friendship Never Ends

The next two weeks passed in a blur. Most of the day I would just sit around the house and watch TV or read. More often than not though I would go to a bar or a club at night.

Lance would stop by the house with his daughter and she was the sweetest thing in the world! Alice's mate Troy came over for dinner one night. Everyone was laughing despite the fact that one of the seats was empty. Everyone was laughing despite the fact that in another two and a half months another seat would be empty. After almost five years we were almost a family again.

Neither Ryan or Clarke made appearances at any of the bars or clubs I hit up. For that I was thankful since anytime the three of us were in the same place Ryan tried staking a claim to me. I was walking down the street one day when I heard the most familiar voice. "Haven't you kicked the bucket yet bitch?" A woman with blonde hair was walking in my direction. "Not for another nine weeks dumbass. God, you would think my own best friend would know my birthday." Lexa ran up to me and grabbed me in a hug so tight I couldn't breathe.

"How dare you not come see me the minute you get home! What did you meet some new fancy friends in Europe?" Even in my trips around the world I could always count on Lexa to remind me who was my best friend first. "Not in Europe. I did meet this one girl in India though. She taught me how to make the most wicked curry there is." For just the slightest moment Lexa gave me a very serious stank eye before both of us bursted into laughter.

"You are coming with me tonight and we are going to karaoke over at Lunar." Lunar was the club where Lance met Angelica. It was also where I had that run in with Alpha Hunt. It also just so happened that the club was run by werewolves "Do I really have a choice? Lexa we both know if I didn't you would basically kidnap me and force me to go." Lexa didn't even deny it as she looped her arm in mine. It had been so long since I'd seen her. We actually ran into each other when I was in Amsterdam three years ago.

"So, how's the mate search coming?" Lexa tended to avoid the mate subject, but being the nosy friend I am I pushed it. "It's going. I feel so close to finding him. I'm just pissed that dumbass is making you break your promise." You know how two best girl friends are more like sisters than friends? That was Lexa and I. When we were five we promised to be each other's maid of honor. Since everything with Ryan she always referred to him as dumbass.

"What about you Lilly? Any potential second mates?" I just had to laugh. How do I tell her that Ryan was trying to convince me that he was sorry?" Never in his wildest dreams would I take him back. "Lets see, we have Ryan who has ascended to the official Beta role who is trying to apologize but that's about it." The cringe in her face though! "Come on Lexa, I'm not that stupid."

"Alright." She said in relief. "Lets go get ready and I'll pick you up at seven." Since the club was like half an hour away I easily agreed and was back home and showering within fifteen minutes. I went through the motions of choosing an outfit and putting on makeup blindly. I didn't even realize I had on a pair of ripped shorts, a black sleeveless crop top, and a green jean cover that had thicker tank top sleeves until I was winging my eye liner. The minuet I realized it I reached for a three necklace set. One of which was a choker.

Now, Lexa was that person who when she said she was coming at 7 really meant 7:15. Dad was waiting at the bottom of the steps when I was leaving. "You going to a club tonight?" My mom's death took a toll on him. In just a few weeks wrinkles that hadn't been there before lined his eyes. "Actually I'm going to sing at Lunar's karaoke night with Lexa." Dad just dropped his face to the floor. "Is it too much to ask that you at least keep your eye out for him while your there? Lunar is famous for mates finding each other."

I hate seeing Dad upset like that. All I could do was give him a hug. "Dad, you know I made my choice. You and mom supported it, and I'm sorry that it isn't what you hoped for. It was what I needed though. Yes I know you have to bury another family member in two months, but at least I'm going out after finding who I was meant to be." He wanted to say something but was cut off by the sound of a horn. "That's Lexa. I have to go." As I walked out the door I kissed his cheek. "Love you Dad!"

Get this, Lexa was waiting for me in her Lexus. The ride over was silent except for talk about what songs we were singing tonight. In the past I've been known to be obsessed with show tunes. Heck, the night before my rejection Lexa took me to a Broadway karaoke night to celebrate my birthday. "We have to sing our song though! I swear to the Moon Goddess if you don't sing it with me the nine weeks you have left will come so quick you wouldn't see it."

Of course she didn't mean it so I had to laugh. "I didn't expect to get out of this night without singing it." Even as we pulled up we saw that the club was packed. Karaoke night was always a hit or miss here. Either a ton of people came or it was ten. Tonight, it was the former. Lexa had trouble parking but we cleared the bouncer.

Some human dweeb was up there singing karaoke porn as we walked in. By the way, when I say karaoke porn I mean Journey's "Don't Stop Believing". Like seriously, every single time you go to karaoke at least one person sings that song. "I'm going to get us some beer." And just like that Lexa left me alone.

So it fell to me to claim the last empty table by the stage. During the singer switch Lexa came back with the beers and more people crowded around us. "Our song is already in." My beer never touched the table before I raised it. "I'll drink to that." Just as quick as my mood was lifted, my wolf started perked up in a sad way as she caught the whiff of a very familiar cologne.

"Ugh! I'm three seconds away from killing Jules!" Every single God damn time that asshole was in the room my wolf pussied out. Lexa was a bit confused. I loved her, but she could be a bit slow. "Dumbass just walked in." And to my personal delight he was following the man in the black t-shirt. "With a certain Alpha." Lexa raised her eyebrows in a suggestive manor. "You don't understand Lexa. It's not cool. Ryan still acts like he has some claim over me when Alpha Hunt is around."

"Maybe he shouldn't have rejected you then." I couldn't even get my  argument in because she dragged me up to the stage since it was our turn to sing. Now, every group of friends has that song that they claim as theirs. Mine and Lexa just happened to claim "Wanna Be" by the Spice Girls. It had been a few years since we sang this song so the opening was a bit rough. By the time we got midway through the first verse we got back into our groove.

As the song ended it was a bittersweet moment. It just set in that we just probably sang that song together for the last time. When we got off the stage Lexa pulled me into a tight hug. "I'm going to miss you." Now, I hadn't cried about my death in nearly five years but I had to choke a tear back. "I'll miss you too." The strangest of things happened. Lexa broke the hug and looked around. "He's here."

"What are you waiting for? Go find him!" In all reality I could just shift and run home. Lexa always hated running so I was surprised when she took off like a bullet to find him. I wasn't so lucky as I saw Ryan coming towards me. "I need a drink."