Moon Falls

Chapter 1 | Moon Falls

Moon Falls wasn't known to most people. It was one of those small towns that sat in the middle of a forest with a weird name that people usually laughed at when they saw it go by on the highway sign. It was quiet, secluded.

Perfect for the two wolf packs that lived there.

Moon Fall High School sat in the center of town. It was an old, red brick building with a slightly faded white sign and a big field out back. The field was probably the highlight of the school. Most of the residents couldn't remember the high school changing much in their entire life time.

On that particular, sunny autumn morning, there was nothing particularly out of the ordinary about the school. Yellow rays of light shined on the browned leaves as they drifted to the ground, tipping back and forth through the air until they finally hit the ground.

The sun seeped through the window, falling on the shockingly bright red hair of a slight girl who sat on the windowsill and watched as the students milled by.

She was a waifish thing, thin and petite with a mass of vibrant ginger and fair skin. Her big, pale blue eyes held a piercing knowingness and her nose was both round and angled like her face, all bundled up in a mischievous smile and a thick Irish accent.

There she sat, legs crossed underneath her, fingers fidgeting with the beam of light that fell on her knee, just watching. Always watching.

Her head tipped to the side, bright eyes focused on one point on the floor as she listened. She slipped from the windowsill as three familiar faces turned the corner. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she seemed to disappear as she circled between the wolves.

"Well I didn't think you were going to show up after what happened yesterday," she bubbled, lips pulling into a mischievous grin that took over her whole face.

"Rua," Holden deadpanned, sharing a look with his fraternal twin Hayley who stood next to him. They held enough similarities, the defined cheekbones of their family, cupids bow lips, a faint spattering of freckles over their nose and hair that couldn't decide whether it wanted to be the brunette tones of their older siblings or the light blond of their younger ones.

"What?" the girl asked defensively, light on her feet as she danced around the still walking trio. "I just figured after a weekend of talkin' smack that you guys wouldn't be bothered dealing with the Stones."

"You better not be playing games, fairy," Hayley warned, eyes flashing amber for the briefest of moments as she used the word like a curse.

"I like my games but I also like my gossip and all I'm wonderin' righ' now is what 'mongrels' like you are doin' here. Their words, not mine," the fairy wondered, slowing her bouncing so the three came to a gradual stop in front of her. This was right where she needed them.

"Those little mutts called us that?" the youngest growled, the words rumbling around his chest as his nose twitched. Camden didn't have the tan that most of his other siblings sported, his fair skin matched the lighter tones of his carefully styled hair.

Rua nodded, rocking back on her heels. Werewolves. They were all too easy. A few select words and they were already rearing for a fight.

"I overestimate them every time. I think they can be civil but then they go and pull some crap like this and show just how pathetic they are." Hayley clenched her fists at the same time Holden did, the two of them sharing a glance. Their backs straightened. Rua could hear them too.

Normally, it was the two Stone siblings walking into school together. Their clear, fairer toned skin and dark chocolate hair matched while Thea was all rounded cheeks and Jamie was marble sculpted structure with his cheekbones. But on that particular day, they were joined by a third, a tallish, lithe girl.