Sure, my Dad had warned me not to go out looking for werewolves. But who am I to ever listen?
***
I stood still listening to the sounds of the forest, decked in my 'hunting' gear. Which wasn't much; my knife, a shot of wolf's bane and a flashlight, that remained tucked in my pocket. I wasn't here to kill werewolves, just to see one.
And with the arrival of the Argents, I knew something was amiss. My dad wasn't really keen on the whole werewolf thing after my mother. She used to tell me stories about La Bête du Gévaudan, the beast that terrorised France and the Argent hunter that killed it.
So I of course I tailed them into the woods, not like I was invited to Lydia's party anyway.
Listening to the tenuous footfalls, I attempted to follow them. Suddenly a body crashed into mine, knocking me square to the ground. Before I could even grunt in surprise, a hand was firmly clasped over my mouth. I thrashed under the figure, reaching to grab my knife but my struggles halted as I got a look at their face.
"It isn't safe out here." The man whispered, his dark hair obscuring his luminescent blue eyes from view as he looked in the Argents direction.
My eyes trailed down his body, did I mention he was shirtless? Because he was and pressing his body into mine. Even in the dull moonlight I could make out the lines of his abs, and the sweat that beaded on his skin. I felt a bizarre interest spark in my mind and if this man was sin, then I was doomed to attrition.
A twig snapped and in a blink of an eye, the shirtless werewolf was gone.
I lay still, my mind filled with the enigmatic man. I was going to find that werewolf.
***
I refrained from calling Scott about my new obsession with the mysterious werewolf. Not that he'd believe me anyway. Plus it was still night, I checked my phone to see a few messages from Allison asking if Scott was okay.
This would be a good time to mention, I was ninety-nine percent sure that Scott got bitten by a werewolf the night we went to look for the body. He was faster, stronger and no longer needed his inhaler. Especially the last day when Scott was suddenly amazing at lacrosse. No offence to him but he sucked at lacrosse like I did. Plus he even managed to smell the mint gum that I didn't even know was in my pocket and now he disappears during the party on the night of the full moon.
Which made perfect sense why the shirtless werewolf was there, he was stopping Scott from rampaging. I should probably go look for Scott when the sun rises actually.
I sent Allison a reassuring text that Scott was okay and hiding under his blankets in shame that he ditched her. Scott you owe me one.
I remember my Mom telling me about the Alpha, Beta, Omega cycle and how one could fall or rise to another. How she described each colour of eyes and what they meant. I still don't know how she knew, but I'm beginning to think she was something supernatural anyway. Or maybe even a hunter, but she talked about these creatures with such ease that I suspected not. Plus my Mom wouldn't even hurt the spider in the corner, let alone be out killing werewolves.
So my mysterious wolf man was not the alpha. So he couldn't have bitten Scott, and he's not who the Argents are hunting.
I set alarm early to go find Scott and I fell onto my bed. Exhausted as the adrenaline fled from my system.
***
Scott was fricken lucky that I was such a good friend. Going out searching for his fine ass at the crack of dawn. I was half-zoned out though as he ranted to me about feeling bad about ditching Allison.
