Hi, my name is Meredith. I'm seventeen years old, a soon to be graduate from Silver Valley High School, and an only child. My parents died three years ago, but I've been living with my best friend, Maggie, ever since. I enjoy hiking, reading and writing, and hunting. Oh, and I'm a werewolf.
The mysterious belief that werewolves turn into hairy, vicious beasts when there is a full moon is garbage. I'm able to shift into my wolf form whenever I please, and I'm not a raging beast with no self control. As a werewolf, the human and wolf parts of me are able to act as one. When I'm in my human form, I can call on my wolf and heighten my senses, such as enhanced seeing and hearing. When I'm in my wolf form, I'm still able to reason and think like a normal person.
Maggie comes from a long bloodline of gypsy healers. Her mother was sent a vision and found out that my parents were going to die, so she warned them. Before they died, they explained to me what I am. I had always felt a little different, like there was another side to me. I'm not sure why my parents decided to hide this from me for so long, but it's not like I'm ever going to get the chance to ask them now.
My parents were, of course, werewolves as well. They were true mates, something that I don't fully understand, but their souls were bonded together. My mom had markings similar to tattoos that matched my dads like a puzzle piece, and she carried his bite mark-whatever that meant. I'm not sure how it happened, but when my mom died my dad immediately followed because of the whole 'bonded soul true mate love thingy'.
Other than Maggie's family and I, there's no other supernaturals in Silver Valley, South Carolina. I've had to learn to control my wolf, just like Maggie's had to learn to control her powers. Sometimes we go out deep into the forest where nobody can see us and try out our special skills. There's nothing more exhilarating than the feeling when my body shifts into my wolf form, or the feeling of the wind against my fur as I race through the trees.
I look at myself in the floor length mirror in my bedroom. I'm somewhat tall, standing at 5'7, and I've got long, dark brown hair that is currently curled to soft waves. My eyes are a bright shade of blue, and take on a more fluorescent shade when I call on my wolf to enhance my eyesight. They also glow when I have strong emotions, but I've learned to control that.
Today is graduation day. I wear a simple floral dress that is a nice shade of pink. I picked this out in honor of my mother. It is something she would have chosen. I sigh, I still miss my parents, but the aching had since subdued.
"All ready?" Maggie asks, stepping into the doorway. Maggie is a gorgeous, tall legged, sun kissed skin blonde. I smile and nod.
"Yeah. Just thinking about my parents." I say and she gave me a sympathetic smile before embracing me in a warm hug.
"They would be so proud of you, Mere." She says softly. I close my eyes. I know they would be, they were always proud even at the smallest thing. I just wish I could hear them say it.
I pull back and straighten out my dress. "Come on," I grin, "it's time for us to graduate!"
"Are you serious Meredith! He was so into you! Would it kill you to just say yes to one guy that asks you out?" Maggie scolds me. On our way back to the house we had run into a guy name Tyler that had graduated a year before us, and when he asked me out I politely turned him down. It's not that he wasn't attractive or rude or anything, I just didn't see the point in dating when I was about to go off to college.
I laugh and roll my eyes. "No," I say with a smirk, "but it might just kill them." I wink at Maggie earning another comment.
It was Maggie's turn to roll her eyes now. "Oh come on, you wouldn't hurt anyone."
"No, but I'm a werewolf. That's not the easiest thing to hide in the world. Plus, supposedly there's another werewolf out there that is my true mate. Wouldn't want to betray the real deal now would I?" I say sarcastically.
"Really Meredith. You honestly think that your true mate is out there and just waiting around for you, not even dating just for the fun of it?" She asks seriously. I pause to think about it. She does have a point, and even though I tell myself I don't care, a small part of me seethed at the idea of my mate messing around with another girl.
"Maybe. Maybe not." I say simply, sitting down on my bed.
"Girls," a familiar voice sounds with a knock. It's Amy, Maggie's mother, and she looks unusually worried.
"Hey mom, is everything okay?" Maggie asks cautiously.
Amy hesitates. "Maggie, go wait in the kitchen for me. I'll be there in a minute," She orders, taking on an authoritative tone. She's usually very laid back and calm, something really must be up.
Maggie glances warily at me before slowly walking out, turning her head to me one last time before leaving.
"Amy, is something wrong? You look upset..."I say. Amy pauses, looking at me for a few moments before speaking.
"I have a letter for you," she begins, "its from your parents. They wanted me to give it to you to read the day you graduated. I have some things to discuss with Maggie, but please come to me when you have finished it." She hands it to me, and I gasp slightly. It is just a piece of paper, light as a feather, but it's something my parents have touched. Something they had wanted me to read. I take it, but waited for Amy to leave to unfold it.
Meredith,
I've written this letter several times before, but I can never seem to express the amount of pride I have in you. You have always been so understanding, even when we told you what you are, you took it like the bravest soldier in battle. I hope you continue to hold on to your courage, your optimism, and your compassion. You will need these qualities to keep you strong in the days to come.
When Amy told us of the prophecy foreshadowing our death, we made arrangements. There's so many secrets we haven't told you, and I can't risk telling them to you on a piece of paper. It wouldn't be right anyway. Tomorrow you will leave Silver Valley and travel to Romania, where you will stay with David Lupei, the Alpha of the Romanian pack, and his pack at the pack mansion.
You must be feeling very confused right now. You've never been exposed to pack life. For reasons that need to be kept secret for time being, we had to leave the pack before you were born. David and knows and understands why. We are referred to as lone wolves, but that is not the life we will have for you. Werewolves deserve to be in a pack. We are just as much wolf as man, you and your wolf need to be in a pack environment just as much as any other werewolf.
David will teach you the way of the pack, and you will learn how to embrace your wolf in ways you would have never thought imaginable. You'll learn more of true mates there, and I pray that you will find yours one day very soon. You are going to make someone very very happy, Meredith.
There's so much more that needs to be explained, but I'm running out of time my sweet girl. David will be able to guide you and answer any questions you have as well as questions you don't even have yet, and he will be someone you can trust in the days to come. I ask that you have patience, all will be revealed sooner or later. Maggie will be traveling with you. While she is not a werewolf, she is a gypsy healer and healers are very important to a pack. She too will be a mate to a werewolf, though it could be days or it could be centuries before he finds her. Her mother will be explaining things to her right now as you are reading this. Mere, I know you are scared. I know in the days to come you will be filled with the happiest light and the saddest darkness, but I again ask for you to draw on your courage and strength. You are a very special girl.
You will be safe with the pack. You can trust them, they will become your family. Pack protects what is theirs, and you will soon be apart of their pack. But remember, just as they will protect you, you are expected to protect them. Everyone must take care of everyone in a pack, in a family.
We love you, Meredith, and we are so proud of you already.
Love,
Mom & Dad
I stare at the letter, completely and entirely in shock. A small part of me is mad, furious that they decided my life for me. I had plans to go to college, become a writer, and live out my life. Now everything I had ever dreamed of is about to change. Then again, I still feel like a part of me is yet to be discovered. Wolves were meant for packs, so maybe I could find myself with this new opportunity. Maggie will be there with me anyway, and if there was anyone who could help me get through this it was her.
I stand from my bed and walk to the kitchen to see an equally shocked Maggie sitting with her mouth wide open. She rushes towards me as she noticed my presence and stares at me.
"D-Did it explain about...did it tell you..." she fumbles for words momentarily and then quietly whispers, "we're moving to Romania?"
I nod, unable to speak. Amy pats our backs and says, "I'll leave you girls to talk."
"What did the letter say?" Maggie asks after a few silent moments.
I exhale, "Apparently my parents arranged for me to live with the Romanian pack before they died. They use to live with the pack, but for some reason they had to leave before I was born. Then she told me there's some secrets that I supposedly have to figure out and while I'm there I've got to learn to be a werewolf, whatever the crap that means. Like, how do you 'learn to be a werewolf', I already know how to call on my wolf senses and shift into my wolf form. What else is there to learn?"
Maggie shrugs. "I guess how to fight and stuff. I'm not sure. My mom told me something kind of similar. Her and my father left the pack with your parents before we were born. I'm suppose to be the pack's new healer and they consider me to be sacred. I'm not too sure how I feel about that. But you know, it's whatever." She rolls her eyes, clearly not pleased with the news.
I grin, "Hey my mom wrote that you're going to have a mate. As in your very own, flea infested furball!" Maggie glares and swats at me with her hand.
"Oh shut up. You have no room to talk. You'll be fawning over some guy claiming he's your mate in a matter of days." She retorts.
"Not likely." I mutter, annoyed. I don't want a mate. I'm too independent for that, and I didn't like the responsibility of someone's life being bound to mine.
"Whatever. I guess we should probably go pack, my mom said our flight leaves at seven tomorrow morning." Maggie sighs.
"Ugh," I groan, "yeah, your right." I shake my head and head back to my room, ready to pack away the life that was soon to be in my past.