The noise from the truck's stereo blasted as I sulked in the back seat of my dad's blue Chevy Silverado. The musician's voice rang through my head causing my head ache to sky rocket in pain. I ground my teeth in frustration. My parents sat in the front seats: Mom in the passenger, and my father in the driver's seat. I growled. My irritation slipping through my once stoic face.

"Dad! Please turn it off or at least down!"

"Why honey is it hurting your ears," my younger brother mocked in a sickly sweet voice.

"Carter stop taunting your sister," my mother warned.

I threw my head back banging it on the seat. The growing pain continued in my head.

I knew my dad wasn't going to turn down the radio any time soon. He was mad at me just like my annoying brother, and my step-mom. I was the reason we were leaving Nevada to stupid California anyway.

My brother didn't mind as much as my parents though even if he pretended like he hated it. Because in his mind we were going where all the hot babes were. His words not mine.

My parents were a different story though. I've lost their trust, I ruined their life Oh No! I've lost their respect, I've disappointed them all. Blah blah blah blah blah.

It wasn't like I actually meant to do it. Did they really think I was happy moving from my home town! Hell to the freaking No. But they were just too thick skinned to realize they weren't the only ones suffering.

I sighed heavily through my nose, and turned my head to look out the window. The landscape was actually quite breathtaking. Miles and miles of tall trees stretched out all around us. Not exactly how I imagined California, but I was very thankful. After all where else would I shift. On the beach? Ha-ha hilarious. Notice the sarcasm.

"You know, we wouldn't even be in the truck if it weren't for you!" Carter exclaimed.

"Yeah, Carter. I can see your in real pain," I said while gesturing to his pillow fort and his thermo filled with his girly latte.

He glowered at me and continued his rant.

"But your just a stupid girl! You ruin everything. I told you! I told you, you shouldn't have dated that stupid..."

All at once my eyes flashed bright gold, my nail grew into talons, and my teeth elongated. I turned, and growled at him, as I tried to rein in my wolf.

"Luna Trinity Lupine! Stand down right now before you ruin my truck!"

"Yeah! Like you ruin everything!" Carter barked.

Unable to control myself I let out another feral growl.

My dad pulled over onto the side of the road, and turned to stare at me. His eyes turned black as he focused his gaze on me causing me to subconsciously cower. He was alpha after all.

"Luna That's an order. Get out."

Hastily I unbuckled my seat belt, and scrambled to find the handle to the door. At that moment all my mind was screaming was 'get the hell out of the truck.' My feet hit the paved road with a thud. I grabbed my messenger bag from where I was sitting, and slipped it over my shoulders.

"We are going to the house sweetheart. When you're done just follow the scent. We're pretty close to the new house." My step mom said with false kindness.

She didn't know what she was talking about, and she was kidding herself if she thought she did. 'Follow the scent'? I wasn't a dog like she thought, and I sure as hell wasn't going to follow her rancid cheap perfumed scent.

I nodded my head, and slammed the door. My feet stepped backwards as my dad burned rubber leaving me in the middle of nowhere. But finally the blaring music disappeared, and I was left in silence as his large truck disappeared down the winding road.

"Screw you all." I mumble hotly under my breath.

I turned on my heel and saw that there was a rail to keep drivers from plummeting down the steep hill that lead to the thick forest. Skillfully I jumped over and began to carefully slide down the hill. I had picked up some speed while going down and to stop I had to launch myself up and grab a branch then fall back down.

The forest was quite breathe taking. The sun shone through the canopy casting golden rays all around me. I raised my hand to one and it lit up my palm. My hand was covered in dirt and slivers of wood from my hike dawn the hill and my encounter with the tree.

It was the golden hour of the day. Meaning the sun would be set in a little under an hour. Without my consent my mind drifted to my former best friend Kristy. She was into photography and I knew this was her favorite time of day to take pictures. She would have Shelby another former friend and I come to the forest and she would capture us in her tiny screen. A lot of them turned out really well. Well of course they did Shelby was in them.

Shelby was your stereotypical blonde cheerleader. I often found myself comparing my features to hers. She had dark blue eyes while I had a hauntingly abnormal shade of forest green. Her body was slim and mine was athletic. Shelby had a sweet innocent cute face while mine was regal and far too mature for a seventeen-year-old. She had all of the boys chasing after her while I had one. Had.

The thought of him made my stomach churn and I was forced to lean against a tree as my vision swam and my body shook with sobs.

It was their fault I was in California instead of Nevada. It was their fault my family hated me. Their fault I made the mistake and let my emotions take control. I hated them with every fiber in my body.

Angry tears freely ran down my face. My family hated me! All because of a mistake.

I sank down to the ground and broke down completely. My temple ground into the rough bark and my clawed hands dug into the pine and leaf covered ground as I tried to get control of my motions.

Did they really hate me? And over some small mistake? (Well it wasn't really small. More like huge.) Wasn't family supposed to love you forever and always. Not to mention unconditional?

The more I thought about it the more pissed I became. They weren't at all innocent! Maybe they hadn't caused the move to California, but at least I hadn't killed anybody. Not that I could remember. I couldn't remember that night. Most of the time I found myself wondering if I wanted to. If I had they should have still been understanding.

My inner animal paced inside me. Angry and hurt that our family, our pack wouldn't let us at least explain.

I undressed quickly in a violent rigid manner and only took a little extra time to undo my wolf pendant necklace. I angrily stuffed my clothes and my pair of boots into the bag.

The sun had already set and the only proof that it had been there was the bright oranges and pinks that littered the sky. They too were vanishing as they seemed to be sucked up by the dark night sky. The moon followed after. It was almost full and it lit up the night like a dull flashlight.

My eyes were turned a bright gold and the wolf inside me began to claw itself to the surface. My bones began to break and reset themselves while dark black fur spouted on every inch of my pale skin. Talons grew where my nails were and sharp canines filled my mouth. My body shifted into something more animal, feral, and beautiful, and once again I was in the form of my inner animal. My inner self and I reveled in the unique feeling only few people got experience.

With that thought in mind I took off deeper into the mist filled forest. My claws dug into the soft dirt as I tore through the nature in front of me. And for once in the past two weeks I felt stable again. Besides, wolves couldn't cry Not physically anyway.

Hours later I stood on the edge of a large cliff that overlooked the vast forest I soon found out was Beacon Hills national forest.

Emotions overcame my being and I did the only thing I could do to expel them. I threw my head back and howled into the night.

Wolves had many reasons for howling. Pain, victory, sadness, happiness, a signal, and sometimes just for the beauty in it.

I came to my senses when I could hear sirens and dogs barking. It was several miles away from where I stood but close enough for me to make sense of.

Without a second thought I began carefully maneuvering down the steep cliff. Several times I fell and I had to catch myself quickly. Each time I would remember how thankful I was for the thick muscle underneath my fur.

When I hit the ground I was hit with the scent of two males and from the hormonal and awkwardness I could literally smell coming off of them it was clear that they were teens.

I took off running towards the two and as their scent became more distinct so did the dozens of police men and wet dogs. It was then I noticed it was raining. I must have been so focused on finding the pair that I forgot to notice the weather.

As I grew closer I was aware of the beams of light from the flashlights of the officers and I was able to clearly see a boy pinned to a tree while the other one was on the ground practically getting mauled by a dog.

Suddenly a man called the other officer and dog off of the teen and he claimed him as his son. The two males talked and suddenly the older officer yelled.

"Scott! Scott you there?" he shined the light of his flashlight through the trees and I watched as the boy who was pressed up against the tree cringed and pushed himself into the tree even farther. He had curly dark hair that was wet from the heavy rain and he wore a light jacket.

I paid attention to him and blocked out the words of the two males. I was vaguely aware that they turned and marched off.

Suddenly the curly haired boy lurched forward and darted off into the forest towards me. Not that he knew I was there. I waited several minutes after he left to make sure no one was paying attention to where I sat. And when I finally determined the coast was clear I darted off after him.

When I found him he was staring at something with wide eyes. His face was sheet white and his face was scrunched up in fear. I could smell the fear and shock coming off of him in waves. Warily I followed his gaze to where he was looking and I saw I giant hulking black beast.

It was mutated to say at the least. It looked like a deformed wolf. It was almost mocking to my family.

The beast was staring right at the boy with its blood red eyes, and in a flash he was on top of the boy trying to make him his next meal.

I stood there in shock and surprise unable to move myself from where my paws were planted.

What the hell.

I shook myself from my surprise and sprung into action. The boy was clearly defenseless and to naïve to understand what was happening. I wasn't. I knew that it wasn't a wolf with rabies, but a man with the thirst of blood. There was a human underneath the grease covered matted black fur of his and I knew I had to save the boy.

I snapped at the thing's flesh trying to pull it off of the boy. The beast directed its attention to me. Instantly he lunged. It's claws dug into my skin as I yelped in pain. Once his jaw clamped onto my flesh I growled, and began tearing into it as well.

I could tell that the thing fighting me was acting on instinct. It had no training or experience it was slightly stronger than me. It was also an alpha, and apparently when it came to things that fight back he wasn't sure what to do. It was as if he wasn't used to being matched in strength. And that gave me the upper hand.

He let go, and backed up. I stood up, and began to shake in anger. The boy I had saved looked at me in shock, and horror. I snapped my teeth in his direction silently telling him to go. He turned, and ran like a bat from hell.

Turning my gaze back onto the beast in front of me we began circling each other. The beasts legs were longer than his front ones, and his snout wasn't fully elongated enough to be considered a wolf's. The thing almost looked like a wolverine or a badger.

In a silent agreement no man would be able to understand we lunged at each other. Both of us stood on our hind legs. Our front legs were wrapped around each other's neck as we tried to rip the throat out of our opponents neck.

I decided that the original way of fighting was not working so I tried a more human approach. I unwrapped my arms from his neck, and fell back down to all fours. The mutated creature was obviously caught off guard by my sudden, and totally unexpected movements. He began to fall because I was no longer supporting his massive form. Right before he fell to all fours like I had, I rammed my large skull into his gut. He gasped, and tried to suck in air. While he was occupied with his absence of air I saw the opportunity and seized it.

I tore into his fur and skin. The beast's blood poured into my mouth as I bit down harder. He growled and tried to get away from me, but I was still clamped onto him. The thing had enough brute strength to tear away from me leaving a large amount of flesh in my mouth. Hastily I spat it out. It landed several feet away from me.

I looked up at him. His side was covered in a dark red substance that reflected the moonlight. He put his weight on his back legs, and put his snout in the air.

A terrifying roar shook the forest. It took everything in me not to cower at his dominance. He was not my alpha, but even though that was true, his alpha status was more dominate than my beta status. I returned his call with my own horrific roar, challenging him.

I bared my canines at him, and pinned my ears. With one final huff he growled, and ran off into the thick forest's covering.

Once the mutated creature was out of sight I howled answering my father letting him know my location. When I was done with that I ran after the boy.

His scent was mixed with blood and sweat, and that frightened me.

What if he were dead. What would I do then? Then that fight would have been for nothing. I would have basically gotten my wounds for nothing. The boy had seemed scared shitless. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

It didn't take me that long to catch up with him. When I did I slowed down and didn't let him see me. He ran out into the road just as a red car passed. It swerved trying not to hit him. The car fishtailed and spun water up towards the sky. I looked up at the starless sky, and finally realized it was raining. I blinked away the water that had filled my eyes, and returned my gaze to the boys. He lifted his shirt and revealed a bite mark on his stomach.

My eyes popped open in surprise as another howl ripped through the forest. I gave the boy one last look and then ran to the new house my family had inhabited.