Jessie's P.O.V
It has been almost a year now and I still haven't changed into my wolf. I had been trying for months after my birthday to change but I never did eventually, I gave up and tried to go back to life as normal, but my life changed considerably since that day. All of my friends had turned against me calling me an outcast, a disgrace and everything along them lines. As the months progressed they started to become violent during school hours they would push me into other students, slam me against lockers, play pranks on me and occasionally I would get a slap or the odd punch somewhere on my body. However, at home they were a lot worse. At home they didn't have to hide from the humans at our school so they could use their full strength on me. No one ever tried to stop it but then again no one ever gave me a second glance anymore, I had officially been casted from the pack. My parents have also changed. They no longer showed any affection towards me and they can't even look me in the eyes. When it all started I didn't understand why I was being treated in this way so I decided to do some research into it.
I snuck into my father's library which was connected to his office on the top floor of our house. I've always loved his library it was very peaceful and I loved the smell of all the books new and old. It was one of those typical library's that was very old fashioned, it had a dark red and brown carpet, dark brown walls, old, tall bookshelves which were stacked with books and a spiral staircase leading up to the second floor. I knew exactly what I was looking for and that was the book that the elders wrote about everything to do with werewolves. I only hoped that the answers I was looking for was in that book.
I climbed the spiral staircase not bothering to be quite as my parents were out like they were most nights; I was starting to think that they only went out to get away from me. I stopped at the top of the staircase and observed the second floor. Now where did my dad keep that book again? I thought to myself. You see before everything turned upside down in my life my dad would always bring me to the library and he would teach me about our kind; werewolves.
I continued on my mission heading towards the back of the library. I remember now where the book was hidden. There was a secret compartment behind the back wall where my father kept his rare, prized books.
I suddenly came face to face with the back wall. I scanned my eyes over the wall until they landed on a tiny lever which was invisible to the human eye. I flicked the lever with my fingers. The wall started to grumble and shake; I definitely don't remember it doing this. I quickly grabbed onto the nearest thing to me which happened to be a bookshelf and clung on for dear life. The wall continued to grumble in protest as it slowly began to reveal what I came here to look for. I let go of the bookshelf and slowly walked to the whole that the wall had created. I looked around the small, dark room searching for the book. On the side of I found a light switch, flicking it on I found that this room that I though was small was in fact huge! I looked around again searching. Then I found it. The book stood on a tall, elegant, carved stand in the middle of the room. I had found the book that would hopefully hold all the answers to my questions; The Book of the Supernatural.
~ * ~
I've been sat in the library for hours flicking through the thick book. You would've thought they could have included a contexts page or at least an index page, but no the elders had to make life difficult and make the reader go through every single page. I was being to grow tired and I could feel my eyes falling every now and then. I was about to give up until another day when I came across something interesting.
Wolves that didn't transform.
This looks promising, I thought. I stared at the title. I was finally going to find out why I didn't shift and why everyone now hated me. I eagerly started to read.
On the sixteenth birthday every young teen wolf was to shift for the first time. However, there are some among us that do not shift. It is to be believed that the reason why they didn't shift is because they are not one of us, and they are outsiders, they are a disgrace to their pack and the werewolf population. Most Alphas are horrified to find out that they have a weak link in their pack and either force them out of the pack or use them for pack duties so the other members can concentrate on training.
It is still unknown as to how these teenagers do not shift but the most likely reason that the elders can think of is that the moon goddess has not blessed these young children with the soul of the wolf.
I stopped reading unable to read on as the tears fell from my eyes and soaking the page. What could I have possibly down in my life that the moon goddess didn't give me her blessing? I did everything that my parents asked of me, I was kind to my friends and others in my pack, I was a straight A student and I never got into trouble. I was even more confused than I was before I started reading this book. I willed the tears to go away so I could skim over the page again. I reached where I had finished reading last time but I noticed that there was another paragraph that was written in smaller writing compared to the rest of the text.
The non-shifters who we consider outsiders usually stick around the pack for a few months after their birthday. The elders discovered that once they near their seventeenth or sometimes eighteenth birthday they disappear. We have yet to discover as to why they disappear. It could be due to the fact that they could no longer take it in the pack so ran away or the Alphas of the pack had had enough of them. It is still a mystery even to this day.
I was shocked. They disappeared? I was hoping that they simply ran away, I couldn't imagine any alpha killing off their own pack. It was just unheard of but I guess if 'my kind' was really a bother to the pack I doubt they would question their actions.
I placed the book back on the stand and left the room, closing the wall behind me. I had come here looking for answers but I have left with more questions. I guess the only question that was really answered was why everyone looked at me with disgust. The elders had told them that my 'kind' were not normal, unheard of and simply a human. No wonder everyone changed so suddenly you can never go against an elder. They were like the council of our kind and were thought to be the wisest of them all.
I couldn't get the last passage out of my thoughts. Seventeenth and eighteenth birthday... disappear... ran away... or killed. I was hoping that none of this was true as it was nearing my seventeenth birthday. I didn't want to be killed and I had no thoughts or desire to run away from my family. I guess I was still hoping that one day they would all come to accept me and welcome me back into the pack with open arms and everything would go back to normal.
I trudged all the way back to my room which was located under the house. I don't think you can really call my room and room it was more like a basement. In my room I have an old worn down bed, with a mattress that was uncomfortable and thin blankets covering my bed. In one corner I have a beaten, small wardrobe which contained all of my clothes. I was no longer allowed all of my designer clothes as the pack redeemed me unworthy so I had to wear worn jeans, plain t-shirts and trainers that were starting to feel too small on my feet. On the other side of my room I have a desk where all my school books were stacked. For lighting there was a bulb that hung from the ceiling and from time to time it would occasionally flicker and leave me in complete darkness. The wiring was starting to fall out of the ceiling and is dangling dangerously low. Other than that I had little possessions. My parents had given away the majority of my stuff to the younger members of the pack and they threw away all of my memories which included photos, videos and anything that reminded me of my old life. Before they could through all of it away I managed to grab a photo of me and my parents that was taken when we were on holiday in the Caribbean. That was the summer before my sixteenth birthday when everything was normal and we were all happy, when I was happy.
I flopped onto my bed and stared at the ceiling. I tended to do that a lot now. I would stare at nothing for hours, alone with my thoughts until sleep took over me.
I was brought out of my thoughts by the creaking of the front door opening telling me that my parents had returned home. I heard my father's hard, heavy footsteps along with my mother's light, feathery steps. They walked up the stairs and then a door slammed. They didn't even bother to say good night to me anymore or check on how I was. I let the tears out this time telling myself that I would be stronger tomorrow and with that thought I was pulled into the darkness.
~ * ~
Beep, Beep, Beep.
The sound of my alarm beeping woke me up from my surprisingly peaceful slumber. Ever since I was moved to the basement I had started to get nightmares about my parents and my pack. One night I woke up in the early hours of the morning sweating and shaking. I had dreamt that my parents had locked me down in the basement and left with the pack to another part of our territory. I had lasted a month without food or water before I slowly died thinking about all the happy times in my life.
My body was aching as I slowly got myself out of bed and to the bathroom. I stripped off my pyjamas and jumped into the hot shower with a squeak. Once my body was used to the high temperature I began to wash myself and my hair. The steaming droplets helped ease my aching body. I stood in the shower for a bit longer just enjoying the water raining down on me. Reluctantly, I stepped out of the shower wrapping a towel around myself and started to get changed. I was now wearing my blue faded jeans with a plain white top and a black jumper over the top and on my feet I wore my black trainers. I went back into the bathroom to brush my teeth and to try to tame my hair.
Now I wouldn't say that I was pretty but I wasn't ugly either, I guess you could call me neutral or average. I'm 5"7 with fairly tanned skin that I inherited from my father's side of the family and from my mother's side I inherited my sun kissed blonde hair and sparkling ice blue eyes. My body on the other hand didn't know what it was doing, I wasn't curvy and I wasn't fat. I was just me. I must say that I was thankful to get my boobs from my mother's side as on my father's sisters were near enough flat chested.
I combed out all the tangles in my hair and tied it up into a high ponytail before glancing at myself in the mirror one last time. I made my bed which didn't take long then I climbed up the stairs from the basement that led to the kitchen. I stopped at the door to listen to see if there was anyone awake yet. When I didn't hear anything I turned the door knob slowly and the door creaked slightly telling anyone that was around that I was here. As quickly as I could I rummaged through the cupboards searching for something to eat that took my fancy. Finally, I settled on a bowl of Shreddies and an apple for later. Once I finished my breakfast I cleaned up the mess I had made and put everything back where I found it.
Not even five minutes later I was leaving the house and starting my journey to my hell hole of a school. My walk to school was peaceful. All that surrounded me was the tress, the birds singing their morning melodies and the rustling of animals on the ground. The wind swirled around me and hit my face making me smile. I've always been at one with the outdoors. I didn't like to be cooped up inside all day, I'd rather be out exploring new places or just simply listening to the sound of nature. Unfortunately, peace always has to come to an end. My school was nearing. I could see the top of the roof taunting me that my torment was still to come.
I walked through the gates of Alpine Lake High School and instantly stiffened. I used to always love coming to school but then things change don't they? I hung my head low staring at the ground. I quickened my pace so I would get to the entrance of the school faster and before anyone noticed me. Luck didn't seem to be on my side today as I heard someone scream, "Hey! It's the loser!"
Cameron's P.O.V
Today is my seventeenth birthday and I couldn't be any more excited! Today is the day that my father will officially hand over the title of alpha to me and today is also the day that I will find my mate. My mate had to be strong, able to carry our pups, take care of the pack by my side and she most definitely had to be beautiful. I couldn't lead a pack with an weak, ugly mate now can I? My pack mates would laugh at me and it would ruin my reputation. No one would respect me. I had decided years ago that if my mate was not up to my standards I would reject her. My wolf on the other hand kept trying to convince me that we should accept our mate no matter what she looked like. I just laughed in response; he'd have to be mad if I was going to have an ugly mate. No way!
I was swiftly brought out of my thoughts as someone shouted, "Hey! It's the loser!" I glanced towards the weakest link in our pack Jessie Brown. She used to be so popular in school and I will admit that I had a bit of a crush on her for years but that quickly came to an end when we all found out she couldn't shift. Now she's at the bottom of the food chain. I don't know why I ever had a crush on that girl I mean look at me. I'm 6"2, dark brown hair that likes to get into my green forest eyes and not to mention my body is quite big from all the training sessions from being on the football team; The Warriors. The girls love to chase after a football player and I don't mind all the attention. It's a perfect match.
The wind whipped around my face wafting an enticing sent into my nostrils. I took a deep breath through my nose breathing in the sweet scent of strawberries and vanilla. It was so delicious I had to find out where it was coming from.
"Hey dude, snap out of it!" My beta Adam shouted snapping his fingers in front of my face. I shook my head taking me out of my trance. "Are you okay?" He asked. Adam is the second in command of the pack and is my best friend. He also used to be good friends with the outcast back in the day.
"Yeah, I'm okay" I answered him still slightly out of it.
"Are you sure? I've been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes." He laughed slapping me on the back.
"I'm fine" I replied bluntly. "I'll see you in class. There's something that I have to take care of." I didn't even bother to wait for a reply. I stormed off wanting to find the source of the mouth-watering scent. I walked through all the corridors of the school following the trail of the scent. I knew that I was close because the scent got stronger as if it knew that I was flowing it. I approached another turn and stopped. I knew as soon as I was around the corner I would find the source. Taking deep breathes I slowly rounded the corner only to stop dead in my tracks. There stood before me was Jessie emptying the contents of her bag into her locker. My gaze stayed glued to her side profile. As if feeling me gaze on her she lifted her head to face me, our eyes locked onto each other and it was like we were the only people left in the world. I saw the sides of her cheeks twitch as she smiled at me.
Mate! My wolf shouted to me in my head.