Author Note: This is my FIRST novel and I would really love reviews! I think this is a good novel, but I haven't had many people actually review it. So in fact, I have no idea if people will actually like it. That's why I need reviews! I will try to keep adding chapters, about 1 or 2 every couple of days. But I also have school and work, so I might get a little behind sometime. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Where Your Loyalty Lies- Chapter 1

I didn't know he was following me. Not until he attacked.

I was late for a practice with Jameson, my mother's fault of course. She had come home drunk again and i had to clean her up before i could leave. All the while she was screaming at me to get out of her life. That she hoped i would get killed one day. Although, she didn't know that a world champion wrestler would have a tough time taking me down. Not to sound full of myself, but that's the truth. She didn't know a thing about it.

And that's how it had to stay. It was my father's choice to tell her about us. He chose not to. He wanted to wait a while; see if anything would get easier. He passed the secret onto me though, since i was born with the ability to shift, even though i was a half-blood.

But then he died, right before he could tell my mother anything. Jameson, his brother, has taken care of us since then. He taught me to hunt and fight, but my mother refused help. She spiraled down into a depressing drunken state. Her favourite thing to do nowadays besides drink was to beat on me. And i had to sit there and take it, never fighting back. Just because she couldn't know the damn secret.

I had wanted to meet up with Derek on the way to practice, but i was running too late. That disturbed me, even more than the stillness of the air or the darkness of the night. But just because he wasn't there, I felt vulnerable.

I passed his house without stopping, the feeling of unease growing stronger with every step. I cut through the deserted playground, children long gone and made a beeline for the forest. Jameson's house was still about 3 miles out.

The feeling escalated. I could tell that someone was watching me. I stopped to look around. Spruce trees, grey stone path, frost bitten grass. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Movement to me right. I whirled around and caught a blow to my shoulder. Pain flared, hot a stabbing. I sucked in a shocked breath and blocked the next blow with my arm. I jumped backwards to catch a look at my attacker. A young man, no older than 20, dressed in a dark hoodie and jeans. He had a crowbar in his hand. He turned towards me just as I jumped a second time. I landed on his back, shoving my fist into his throat. There was a crack and blood bubbled out of his mouth. He didn't even pause.

He threw me down, flipping me over his head and slamming me into the ground. He growled as I hit the grass. Actually growled. A deep, guttural sound blocked partly by the blood in his mouth. It was then I knew he wasn't human.

His eyes glowed an eerie yellow and his lips curled up into a snarl. He looked more canine then anything. One word popped into my head-werewolf.

I lay on my back as he slammed the crowbar into my chest. I heard, rather than felt, my ribs crack. The next hit connected with my skull. Blood blossomed above my right eye and ran down my face as hot, thick rivers of red. Spots appeared and blurred my vision.

Waiting for the final blow, sprawled in a pool of my own blood, and i felt as if i was falling. The edge of my vision was darkening, as if i were looking down a well. I was gasping in short pants, every breath was painful.

A nervous giggle slid through my teeth and i was rewarded with a burning sensation in my lungs. If i had listened to my gut, if Luke had been here, this wouldn't have happened. I wouldn't be lying here broken and dying in the grass.

I closed my eyes for what i thought would be the final time.