The Lone Wolf

Chapter 2

The next day dawned too bright and altogether too early for Lydia. This was it, her first day of being the odd new girl, the outsider, but it wouldn't last long. She intended to be the queen of the wallflowers.

She pulled the covers over her head to shield her from the unforgiving light filtering in through the curtain-less window. She was content to simply lie in bed for as long as possible but it was the bright happy sound of her mother singing along to the radio that finally roused her from her comforting pillows.

Pulling herself up she quickly threw on the first pair of clean jeans she could find in the boxes and a plain shirt. She didn't bother looking in the mirror, simply concentrating and waiting for the familiar tingly sensation to wash over her before running downstairs to find her mom.

She found her in the kitchen holding a cup of coffee with her phone pressed up against her ear. "Really? That's fantastic," she chirped before seeing Lydia and quickly ended the call with a hurried "I'll call you back."

"What was that about?" Asked Lydia curiously.

Her mother's face lit up, "that was the local doctor's surgery. I have an interview with them tomorrow."  Her face was almost glowing, showing Lydia part of the other-worldly beauty her mother had had before her dad died.

She smiled, her mom hadn't smiled like that in months.

She had been the healer in their old pack... At least some things never changed. Her mother handed her a piece of toast and her bag before showing her out of the house. "it's your first day, you have to make a good impression." As Lydia reached the the sidewalk her mother called out behind her laughingly, "make friends!"

She shook her head and walked towards the town, "hey, Lydia, wait up!"  She turned to see Amie's curly hair bounced as she ran to catch up with her.

She came to a halt and put her hands in her knees out of breath, " man I shouldn't cut gym so often."

Lydia chuckled at her flushed face, "a werewolf who doesn't like exercise. That's new."

"Not exercise per say." She huffed, "just gym class I swear coach is a fricken demon."

"Well," said Lydia, her mood considerably lighter. " I guess I'm going to find out."

"Yeah." Amie's curls bounced as she nodded. "Now come on. Let's go."

***

The building before her was large and bland. Like the rest of the town it was surrounded by dense forest, the dark greens and browns a stark contrast to the fading grey cream of the school building.

Students milled around outside the glass door and dented cars were badly parked in the parking lot.

Amie walked towards the doors motioning for her to follow.

There was a group of about ten people outside the door. It was the shifters from before. Her shoulders stiffened as she moved quickly past, a strong intoxicating scent was making her head spin like a drug, and not a pleasant one.

She kept her hear bowed as a faint growl rippled through her. It was a command to stop but she was a lone wolf and had stopped taking orders a long time ago.