A Shifter Among Wolves

Prologue

The rain tapped steadily against the foggy windows, my eyes peering past the drops to take in our surroundings. The view outside was beautiful; we were driving on the road next to the forest on our left and steep cliffs on our right, giving us a nice view of the beach below.

I made a small mental note to come here once I've settled in the town, check out the forest and its surroundings. Traffic seemed slow around here, so it wouldn't be too dangerous to roam around these woods.

Although I was a girl, I was really into exploring and free running. I loved nature and I had a feeling that this place would grow on me. I could encounter a lot of wildlife here; learn a bit or two about them.

I looked back up when I realized someone was talking to me. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"We are almost there, less than five minutes." Katherine said, with a small smile on her face. "Then I can show you our house and your room. And you can finally meet our family." Her smile became genuine. "It's your family too." She looked back up the road, but I could hear her mumble "... can't believe nobody picked her out sooner....".

I smiled back at her. Given a week or two and I'd like her. I sighed while I thought about the live I left behind. I had lived in an orphanage for a few years now. The other kids would always point out that my parents left me behind for being a freak. I am supposedly the reason they fled.

It was partially true; my parents disappeared from the face of the earth around my twelfth birthday. They asked our neighbors to look after me for a while because they had to check on something. Mother had hugged me with tears in her eyes and father had made me a bag with clothes and a few gifts in them.

The book with natural elements was a gift from my dad, while my mother gave me her own necklace with a pendant shaped in the form of a tree. The sun would bounce of the branches and trunk before revealing the small emerald hiding in its roots.

The small dagger underneath all of it was ceremonial and reminded me of the wild flowing water in a waterfall. It had always been passed down in our family and apparently they wanted me to have it.

After that, father and mother left and never came back.

Eventually I was brought to the orphanage and stayed there for almost six years. People never looked at me when they came in for adoption, they probably heard the rumors from the other kids or staff about me being a freak, a child with 'special needs'. It was most likely why I had never been adopted, until now.

The cliffs were left behind us and we drove into the forest. We entered a clearing in the woods after a few minutes and finally drove into my new town. I looked around, slightly curious about this place. Katherine had told me a lot during the four hour drive from the orphanage to the town, telling stories about the town, who lived there, where we would live, and so on.

She giggled, suddenly nervous. "Well, here we are!" she said while stopping next to a very large house. The two-story house almost blended in with its surroundings, making me feel like it belonged there. "Wow." I muttered under my breath. I looked around to find similar houses like this scattered along the street, with the biggest just across.

"Do you like it?" Katherine asked, excited and nervous at the same time. I smiled at her while saying "Absolutely." Living close to nature in an enormous house with a room for my own? That was a dream that came true.

"I knew it!" She half-yelled while she stepped out of the car, leaving me slightly shocked. For a thirty-seven year old, she still acted very young at times. I stepped out of the car and took my small bag of belongings with me. She held the door open for me and I walked in, looking around with my mouth wide open.

It was just so big! The door in the hallway was open, showing me the lounge area that smoothly blended in with the dining room and I caught a glance of an enormous kitchen.

"Better than the orphanage eh?" she said with a laugh in her voice. I nodded, unable to speak right now. She walked to the stairs and waved her hand at me, indicating me to follow. She brought me to a room that had a view on the garden and forest behind the house. "Well, this is your room. You can put your stuff away in there," She said pointing at another door, " and your bathroom is over there-"

My head snapped towards her at the mentioning of a bathroom. "Wait, hold up, do I have a bathroom of my own?" I asked, blown away at the idea. She slowly nodded her head and I couldn't help it, I threw my arms around her while I giggled out loud. Kat just laughed and gave me a kiss on my hair before I quickly stepped back.

"I'll leave you alone for now. This is probably too much for one day." She said with a soft voice. "I have bought you some clothes, they are in your closet. She pointed again at the door next to the bathroom and then walked out of my room, closing the door behind her.

I slowly put away my few belongings and placed the dagger on the desk in my room. I picked up the book that my parent gave me and sat down on the bed, while I opened the book and read the message of my parents that was left behind on the first pages.

'Paige,

We are sorry to leave you like this but it is for your own protection. We have finally discovered the true nature of your gift and we were advised to protect it.

You are born as a very rare creature; a Soul shifter. You have the ability to learn the different forms of the animals around you, thus learning the secrets of its soul. We know that we were shocked when you learned your first form and changed into a wolf, but we understand now.

But, there are other creatures out there, supernatural like you that could help you to avoid the hunters, who destroy any supernatural beings they come across. We are going to set out a false trail, luring them after us.

Paige, please make sure that you guard your secret and do the most to learn other forms. Observe any animal you see, learn their form and the wisdom they can offer you.

If we do not return, our plan has succeeded and you will be safe, for now.

If not, we advise you to look out for any living werewolves. They might be strong enough to protect you.

We are proud of you, love.

Love you forever,

Your parents'

I sighed and looked up. I did what my parents requested and tried to learn other forms. I've devoured books about animals, snuck out of the dorms and observed them in the wild. Right now I had four different forms: the wolf, cougar, regular housecat and of course my human form.

It was easy to sneak out of the orphanage when I had learned my feline-form. The kids from my dorm tried to sneak out too but were always caught. They called me a freak ever since. Even the adults never knew how I got out. My best times where outside those walls, running around with a wild wolf pack or exploring the forest through the eyes of a mountain lion.

I couldn't place my finger on it, but it was almost as if the animals knew what I was, and respected me for it. As for now, I really needed to prepare myself to meet my new family. School would start in two days, so that would be interesting too. I sighed while standing up from the bed.

Walking over to the door next to the bathroom and pulling it open, I was surprised to find a walk-in closet. I picked some clothes up and hurried to the bathroom, suddenly anxious.

It was time to meet my new family.