Luna.

THE RIDE TO SCHOOL was longer than usual. It was the first day of senior year, but it just meant another year of trying to get through stressful classes and people I've been trying to avoid my entire life.

Last night was Senior Scribe where the incoming seniors meet in the library at midnight to sign their initials on a set bookshelves that many other generations before them had done as well. I skipped the whole thing, though. Mainly because it was a full moon and I had to stay in all night. But, I think even if I had the choice to go, I wouldn't. Since the fourth grade, I haven't felt like I belonged to any part of this class. Then again, I've pushed everyone away so I guess that's a good thing.

Arriving to school long before the first bell goes off is a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I get front row parking everyday. Curse because I'm here for almost thirty minutes before school starts. I've done this ever since I've been able to drive and it's hard to break the habit. I sit in my truck and wait for more people to show up so I don't have to be the first one in the school.

I look down at my outfit. A long sleeved, jean material shirt tucked into a leather skirt. The skirt went down to the mid thigh of my pale legs. My black and white converse clad my feet as per usual. I almost hadn't worn this outfit since I try to not wear shirts that clash with my pale blue hair. Although I don't necessarily get the whole big deal about senior year when all I want to do is get out of here as soon as I can, I wanted to wear something I'd never worn before. That was my challenge for my last year.

For the next fifteen minutes, my nose is stuck in the latest book I bought. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Normally, I make it a point of reading the book before watching the movie but Logan Lerman was calling my name and provoked me to watch the movie. When I found out the person who directed it was also the person who wrote it, I didn't feel so bad. If anyone was going to follow the story line, it was going to be the author.

Once multiple crowds began to walk past my truck, I decided it was time to head inside. I climbed out of my truck with my bag hanging off my shoulder and my book in my hand. A new, but familiar, stench fills my nostrils as I take a deep breath to prepare myself for the day ahead. The usual smell from Scott and the rest of werewolves was still there since I could see all of them from where I was standing. None of them even looked my way, but why would they? They have no idea what I am. There's no way for them to know since I had the ability to mask my scent so no one would be able to tell I was a werewolf. It was something my family had used for generations especially when the Argents were still hunters.

My eyes glance over everyone in the parking lot with my nose turned up. Using my sense of smell, I try finding the source of the familiar scent. I couldn't place where I'd smelled the scent before. After a few seconds, the smell disappeared and I assume it's because they must've went inside.

〰〰〰

I'm the first person in my AP Biology class which is a relief since I can pick a seat in the back. The teacher, Mrs. Finch, is quick to notice.

"I hope I don't make a mistake in letting you sit back there. Will you be able to keep up?" She asks as she writes some notes on the blackboard.

"I'll be fine, thanks," I reply with as little bit of snark as I can. She nods and purses her lips when she turns back to the paper on her desk. I drop my bag next to my seat and place the needed supplies on the corner of my desk. My book is open in front of me and I prop my head on my hand to read while I wait.

Within five minutes, most of the class is filled along with Lydia, Kira, and Scott sitting at the front of it. No one dares to sit next to me which is what I expected to happen. I've been a hopeless cause to these people ever since freshman year when they tried everything to become friends with me. I don't know why they had the sudden urge to be my friend after five years. It was probably my unusual hair color that attracted people like a bug to a light.

Deeming the page I was on a good place to stop, I tuck the book in the front pocket of my bag. As I'm bent over, the familiar smell returns. The odor hits my nostrils ten times as hard as the first time and suddenly I'm jerking up in my seat, scanning every person until my eyes catch the back of a boy's head. The scent is stronger in his direction and I'm sure it's him I've been smelling.

It was clear the smell was of a werewolf, but it was like a smell mixing with one I already knew. A smell I had already familiarized myself with years ago. But it didn't make any sense. The only werewolf scents I was familiar with that far back were of my family and I knew none of them were coming back anytime soon. So, who was it?

For the first time in forever, I want someone to look my way. I need to catch a glimpse of his face to see if I actually know the person and I haven't lost my mind from deprived human interaction. Out of desperation I almost throw my pencil at the boy, but I know it'll be obvious it was me.

"Luna!" I watch the boy's entire body tense up at the mention of my name and look towards Mrs. Finch. "Do you know what vitamin is absorbed in the stomach via parietal cell production of glycoprotein?"

It's a common test question, so it doesn't take long for me to remember and respond.

"B-12." The expression that overtakes her face is one of surprise and gratitude.

"Well, looks like one of you know you're in the right class. Anyone else?" She glances around the room. The boy raises his hand confidently and others are quick to join him. I stare at him, hoping he'll turn to look at me. Just when I think he's about to, he is actually just coughing into his arm or cracking his neck.

The rest of the class period I try not to stare at him, but the smell only gets stronger and it's making me want to plug my nose just so I won't have to smell it. Mrs. Finch is going over the class syllabus which only increases my urge to glance over at him. At one point I take my book back out to read. It works for a solid five minutes before I'm looking up at him again. Seriously, I need to get a hold of myself.

I'm startled out of my seat when the bell rings and I look around to make sure no one had caught me. My eyes land back on the boy, his smell still as strong as before, but he's already grabbing his bag and on his way to the door. I sigh and pick my own bag off the floor to stuff my books inside. As I pull the strap over my shoulder, I can feel someone's eyes burning into the top of my head. I glance up and the boy is standing at the doorway staring directly at me.

As soon as we lock eyes, I'm back to being a little girl who wore pigtails and snuck out into the woods with her best friend. Her best friend who moved away when they were in fourth grade. Her best friend she lost because she couldn't control her shift during a full moon and chased him and his sister in the woods. Her best friend she knew for sure wasn't a werewolf the last time she'd seen him.

The hairs on my arms stood straight up as chills racked through my body. My body temperature seemed to drop fifty degrees and left me shivering as bad as I did that night. Our eyes can't seem to turn away from each other and from his body language, the same thing was happening to him that was happening to me. It was almost like we were paralyzed from seeing each other.

The only thing that appeared to break our trance was when someone knocked into his shoulder on their way out of the room. He glared at the kid, glanced back at me, then walked out of the room like nothing happened. I fell back into my seat trying to catch my breath as if I'd gotten the wind knocked out of me. My hands were trembling, but it was only following along with the rest of my shaking body. I couldn't make it stop. It was like I'd suddenly been dunked in a tub full of ice and my body temperature couldn't rise back to normal.

Only one thought made its way through my mind.

Theo Raeken was back in Beacon Hills.

A few minutes pass and my breathing returns to normal. I grab my bag and make my way passed Mrs. Finch to the door. It was now my free period and I normally went to the library to read, but the new found information that my old best friend was back in town ended all intentions of reading. I follow Theo's scent to examine how much of him will be familiar to me. There was no chance of me being able to speak to him. He definitely won't want to hear anything I have to say.

Although, what would I say to him?

Hey! Its been awhile! How ya doin'? I'm sorry about what I did that night. Wanna hang out?

Yeah, not a very good conversation starter. Especially if he's spent the last eight years trying to forget what I had done.

Theo's scent leads me to the outside of the boy's locker room and since I couldn't just barge in, I focused my hearing. Three voices I recognize fill my eardrums. Without thinking about it, I know it's Scott, Stiles, and Theo. Their heartbeats tell me they're having a normal discussion and nothing is going awry.

When I start to listen to their voices again, I hear Scott say, "It wasn't an accident. He wanted to turn you." They must be talking about how Theo was bitten.

"Right. So why aren't you part of his pack then?" Stiles asks, his suspicion was understandable. Theo literally popped out of nowhere.

Theo's voice had tone of urgency as he answered, "Because by the time of my first moon, he was dead."

I stepped away from the door slightly in shock. For some reason, I'd assumed his family and mine had left town together. I figured they'd decide to stick together since our mother's were so close. But if the alpha who bit Theo was killed, there's no possible way my dad was the one to bite him. Someone would have had to go through my entire family to get to him.

Before I let my imagination run wild with that thought, I listen in to the conversation again.

Theo's talking again, "I've been by myself this whole time." He pauses. "Everybody knows that lone wolves, they don't make it on their own." My eyebrows furrow together in confusion.

I don't know if I should feel sorry for him or angry he had the nerve to say such a thing. Does he not remember I've been a lone wolf since I was nine years old? I've had to survive on my own for eight years and even when a pack arose in town, I stayed on my own. Not one person knows about me and I've managed just fine alone-- even with the uncontrollable shifts during the full moon-- without anyone's help. I'm living proof lone wolves can make it on their own.

The bell rings over head, and I'm suddenly aware of the wolf claws digging in my palms and the glowing eyes in the reflection adjacent to me. I can feel blood slipping through my fingers to the floor. The smell of wolf was becoming noticeable since I was losing control and couldn't mask my scent. If I didn't get out of here now, all of the werewolves of Beacon Hills High School were going to know about me. So I did what I do best.

Run.

I know in the story description I put that I'm going to update every two weeks on a monday, but I noticed I should probably put the first chapter up instead of just the prologue. So, here you go! I hope enjoy. Please vote or comment letting me know what you think!
- chelsie

word count: 2181