Chapter 1

This is the fourth church I've been to this month, and the largest by far. The youth group alone is huge, yet I still don't feel like I belong. I know I can easily get into a group of girls, but I'm more comfortable around guys than girls. I feel I can be more myself around guys than girls.

I'm still trying to find my way through the church it's the first "Greenhouse" (that's what they call their youth group). It was right after it, Lilly, Cara, and I were playing in the gym. All of a sudden a guy comes up and steals the ball from us and won't give it back. So knowing Cara like I do, she goes after him and hits him hard. All the while Lilly and I are laughing our heads off. Cara comes up and says what a jerk that just sets me and Lilly off again. Later I found out his name was Kyle Smith. This church may have jerks, but I like it. We didn't try any other churches after that everyone was getting settled nicely.

A couple of months later, the greenhouse is going on the fall retreat. It's the first one I'll be going to. After we got there they spilt us up into groups. It was my groups turn to do the high ropes course. I hate heights, so I sat out. There's a guy next to me he turns and starts talking.

"Hi I'm Solomon, Solomon Michaels. May I ask who you are?"

"You may I'm Hazel Summers, but you can call me Haz."

"OK"

From then we talked about all types of things hobbies, food, pets, and many other things. The lunch bell rang time to leave. He's with another group. So we have to depart form each other and say good bye for now.

After dinner, I start walking back to my cabin. The girl's cabin is set on top of a really steep hill. I'm not looking forward to walking up when all of a sudden I hear someone calling Haz, Hazel. I turn and see Solomon running toward me.

"You want to go for a walk?"

"Aw sure, why not"

"Ok"

We turn around and start walking back to the campus. We were walking for about 10 minutes when I really look at him. He has short black hair his eyes are an amazing smoky gray that I have never seen before. It's cold out side so he is wearing a Florida state hoodie, and a huge grin is spread across his face. Wow! I like it a lot.

By the time, we are making our way back it's almost half past seven. When I realize it's almost time for worship. I turn and start running toward my cabin. I yell over my shoulder "almost time for worship got to get my bible save me a seat". I hear his response as I turn the corner "I Will".

At this point I'm running full speed up the hill, but not watching where I'm going. What happens I fall and can't get up I twist my stupid ankle what stupid timing. There are some girls and an adult going down for worship. The adult sees me and rushes over to see if I'm ok. She puts and arm around me and helps me to get on my good foot. We start walking, but not to worship to the nurse's office. I spend the next forty-five minutes there while the nurse wraps my foot up. They think I may have broken a toe or two. The whole time I can only imagine of Solomon waiting for me. Finally done they give me crutches and send me to worship.

It was near the end of worship when I finally limped in. looking around I found Solomon. In the back of the room with an empty seat next to him, he turns his head probably for the hundredth time looking for me. He finally spots me and beckons me to him. As I take the empty seat next to him he whispers.

"What happened?" his face going down to my foot and back to my face

"I tripped on the hill. They think I may have broken a toe or two."

"But are you OK."

"For the most part, it will just take me forever to get up the hill now."

"I can help you with that."

"How"?

"I'll carry you up the hill."

"Sure, I guess one condition through."

"What"?

"I'll tell you later, OK"

"Fine, but for now lets listen to the rest of worship."

"OK"

As we sat back and listened. I notice most of the girls are watching me. I don't care what they think. I am just trying to figure out what the one condition is going to be.

By the end of worship every thing was back to normal, except my foot still hurt. Solomon and I walk outside once there. We start walking to the hill and Solomon stopped at the bottom of it waiting for me to talk.

"Aw I haven't figured out the one condition is yet, sorry."

"Just tell me when you do ready to go"?

"Yeah"

"Get on then"

"On What"?

"My back, come on."

"OK"

He slung me on his back very easily, with out much help from me. I felt very comfortable up there looking down on him, him looking up at me smiling. That wide grin I love so much. Man he could run up a hill fast. It's like I don't even see the ground under us at all. Then it was over.

He slung me gentle off his back, but quickly guys aren't allowed up here. He turns to me with a loving look in those smoky gray eyes of his. Then he lifts me up, but this time like a baby and kisses me on the forehead. He set me down with out another word and ran away.

When I am about to go to my cabin I felt a presence. I looked around, but nobody was around everyone was already in their cabins. Not knowing what I was feeling with a sigh I turn and head into my cabin.

I didn't see him at all the next day, not at worship, the activities, or the meals. I was beginning to believe it was just a dream. So I made my way back to my cabin, on my way I felt the presence again looking around I still found nothing. I kept going just a little faster this time. When I entered I saw something on my bed. I hurried over it is the hoodie Solomon was wearing yesterday. Picking it up slowly to examine it a note fell out onto the floor. Picking it up off the floor I read it slowly

Dear Haz

I'm sorry I couldn't be there today. I miss you so much I got into trouble last night for coming in late last night. They were watching me all day to make sure I didn't do anything else against the rules, but I will still meet you at the hill tonight.

Love

Solomon

I read it three more times before finally folding it up and putting it in my pocket. After I did that I ran to my sister's cabin and told them everything.

Later that night, after dinner and telling my sisters everything, I caught myself constantly looking around for him each time someone pasted. Then when I almost lose hope to see him before tonight. He turns up with a sad look on his face. He's searching for someone to hoping it's me. I stand up. He spots me and my favorite grin spreads across his face. He starts toward me I just stand there frozen watching him come closer. When he reaches me he lifts me up in his arms and starts walking in the direction he came away from everyone.

We are far away from people and entering the woods. I hear crunching noises behind us he assures me it's just him making the noises. I put it off for now. Trying to relax now, I look up at the sky no clouds just a full moon over us. After wondering for a while I ask finally.

"Where are you taking me"? I asked confused.

"Some where safe, away from me", he sounding worried.

"But, why away from you"

"It will just be safer this way"

"OK, safer, but why just tell me."

"I will tell you tomorrow OK" he said annoyed "Just for right now stay where I put you it will be safe there for you."

"Fine I'll stay put, but what if some one comes looking for me"

"I have already cleared it, so no one will come looking for you except me."

"But, How"?

"I will explain everything at once."

On that note, he walked throw a wood door with me still in his arms. I looked around as he continued to walk deeper into the room of what I could see it looked like a log cabin. Solomon began calling Grandma, Grandma where are you. Solomon's grandma came out the closes door to us. She started talking to Solomon like I wasn't even there.

"Solomon, why did you bring her here?" Her eyes shifting to me and back to him

"Because I want her to be safe and away from me I care about her." He argued back.

"Why shouldn't she know what you are?"

"I will tell her everything first thing tomorrow, but for now can she stay here, please." He pleaded this time.

"Fine, I will watch over her, just for tonight."

He turns to me and this time says.

"You understand this is for your safety, correct."

"Yeah, I guess."

"OK, I'll clear everything up in the morning,"

"I'll wait till then." I assure him, but still confused

"I got to go, see you in the morning," he said with a sigh and left.

I stared after him as he went down the hall. Then out the door into the cold with out a jacket I still have his. While I was thinking what he meant I felt the unseen presence again. I couldn't dwell on it for long his grandma was calling me.

"Kid, kid what's your name."

"Hazel"

"OK, Hazel you will sleep in his room. Do you have a change of clothes? And you can call me Grandma Michaels."

"No, he brought me here with out warning."

"That's OK there is some spares in his dresser that may fit you."

"OK, does he bring girls here often?" I ask confused

"Nope you're the first. If you're asking those are his mom's old clothes."

"Oh opps sorry for asking"

"Its ok no more questions he will explain every thing in due time. Dinner will be done at 7 I will call."

She went back through the door she came through, probably the kitchen, and left me alone. I made my way down the hallway, after a couple twists and turns. I came upon a door with the letters S M on it. I figured it was his room. I entered looking around it was basically a Florida state room, but it was strange there are two beds. On the night stand between the two beds, there's the picture he took of me yesterday already in a frame. I sat down on the neater bed and noticed a note. I opened it and read.

Be Safe

Those two words are the only ones there. I read it again. I pulled out the other note looking it over as well. They don't match this note's hand writing is too elegant then the first. I thought about it for a while and gave up there can't be two guys. I put both notes in my back pocket and laid back, not really to my surprise I went to sleep.

I woke up to the sound of my name being called. I rushed out of the room and right into grandma Michaels.

"Child, I have been calling for a while."

"Sorry, about that I was a sleep."

"It's ok, dinners done."

"OK"

"One more thing there's extra brushes and tooth brushes in the bathroom."

Dinner was good, it was steak, more on the rare side, and mashed potatoes. After dinner, I helped with the dishes. She showed me where the bathroom is and told me to take a shower and go to bed. The last thing she told me before leaving me alone was breakfast at 8.

I took a quick shower, brushed my hair, and my teeth. Wrapping myself in a towel, and went to go find night clothes. I entered his room once again wondering why there are two beds. I went straight to his dresser. Searching around in the top drawers I found nothing, but I felt the presence again. Going to the bottom drawers I finally found clothes that would fit me. I slipped them on, they fit just right, going to the bed I slipped under the covers. Thinking of my weird day and what would I tell my sisters as I drifted to sleep?

When I awoke in the morning, I couldn't remember how I got there. Then all the memories came flooding back, all the wonderful memories of him. I got up and dressed and headed for the kitchen. As I entered the kitchen, it smells of berries and chocolate.

I grabbed a chair and watched as Grandma Michaels works around the kitchen. A door shut behind me I'm far to interested in watching grandma Michaels work to turn and see who it is. Grandma Michaels turns around with a smile on her face, but she isn't looking at me she is looking past me. I hear the most wonderful voice and before I know what I'm doing I'm getting up and running toward it. I run into arms with out looking up I think they are Solomon's arms, but then I finally look up. I'm not in the arms of Solomon, but of Kyle Smith. Then he lifts me up into his arms and runs with me out the door.

We're running at full speed in the woods. I hear Solomon behind us I can't get free from his grip it is too tight. Then we come to a sudden stop at the edge of the woods. He suddenly leans forward and kisses me whole heartedly on the lips. He pulls away and sets me ever so gentle on my feet and begins to walk away

"Whoa, wait a second", I yell.

"What?" he asks innocently

"What is all of this and why are you here."

"Solomon will explain got to go"

"But, why did you kiss me.""I like you why else C, yah babe"

On that note he turns and walks in the opposite direction. Solomon comes running up with a disgusted look on his face. He turns to me this time with a pleading look on his face.

"Let me explain everything to you as best I can ok."

"Shoot"

"Here goes and I will explain about Kyle to.""Yeah I was wondering about him."

At this point we started back at the cabin. When we saw a knocked, over tree, we sat down on it and Solomon began.

"Oh here goes I have a really lone blood line maybe centuries old. And I have another blood line, well it's not really a blood line it's more like a brotherhood.

All the eldest men in my family turn into Werewolves at full moons. We are born with it. It isn't just that we also have powers speed, strength, and some even have extra gifts. However, we can only use the speed and strength near a full moon, but if some one has the extra gift he can use it anytime. When the full moon is out and we change, we give ourselves more to our senses. That is the time we are most vulnerable.

That brings me why I brought you to my grandma's house. I knew you'd be safe. You see we start to change at the age of 10. We don't have complete control over ourselves for many, many years. I have had this curse for 7 years and I'm still no where closer to controlling it then 7 years ago.

My mom died giving birth to me. When I started changing my dad said he couldn't handle me. So long story short he sent me to live with my grandma.

Now I will explain about Kyle. He isn't my brother my blood, but you could say by species. There are two families with the curse and his is the other. Did you notice my door had S M on it and that there are two beds? We share that room have ever since I can remember. That's it any questions.

"Just one really"

"What?"

"Why is Kyle into me? Are you going to let him win or are you going to fight?"

"That's more then one question."

"Are you going to, answer"

"Yes"

"Then go ahead"

"I don't know why he's into you and I will fight if you want me to."

"I do"

"OK, I better get you back now you have a long day tomorrow."

He lifted me into his arms and started running. Just like every other time I felt the unseen presence. I think I finally know what, or should I say who it is, Kyle Smith. It seems he has sort of been watching over me or stocking me, but I don't know which.

Solomon came to a sudden stop outside my cabin, wow! We reached it already. He look down at me and kiss me whole heartedly, but some how I didn't fell anything like I felt when Kyle did it. He set me down then he was gone almost as fast as he came.

Once he was gone Kyle finally came out of the shadows. I wanted to sit there and ask him questions about everything, but I knew people would start to look for me. So I took one last glance of his long dark hair and mysterious dark green eyes. And turned and walked into my cabin to tell my sisters every thing.