"Emma, grab the last bag in the trunk please?" Spike asked her daughter.

Spike looked good for her age, really good. She was in her forties now, and was headed into their new/old house. They use to live here, moved away, and had come back.

They had lived in this town since Emma was born, until she was 10. They had left because people were figuring out the town secret… there were wolves, part human, part werewolf. And Emma's family were one of them. There was a pack of them actually living in this town, and many more families fled town too.

Nobody had found any evidence though, the silly 'rumour' was laid to rest but didn't stop the town from being famously known as the little Town of Amber, known for it's 'wolf' suspicions like the town of Rosewell was known for it's alien sightings. Even on the 'Welcome to Amber' sign had a moon spray painted on it. People still got chills when there was full moons and they heard howling in the distance.

So when they left, they only came back when it was safe 6 years later, when their Alpha had told them it was safe to come back. Emma was 16 now. She hadn't changed yet, as in, not a wolf. It seemed odd, as usual females in the pack would start the change when they hit their teens but Emma hadn't. Her parents, Snake and Spike, were both werewolves. Originally, her parents were from different packs, and they were known as the two wolves who settled a truce between their packs that then became one and became larger, stronger. So Snake and Spike were admired by many.

Rumor had it that Raditch, their alpha, had wanted the whole pack to come back to Amber because he was ready to step down. Emma's family was the last family of the pack to come back so now everyone was in town again, and having a party tonight, at their own house.

Emma grabbed about three other grocery bags from in the trunk. Her mother had gotten so much food and alcohol. Emma knew her parents were happy to be home, and frankly, it did feel like home for her too. She had missed her friends, especially her best friend, Manny, another girl from the pack who like most of the girls in the pack, had already turned. She hadn't ever made Emma feel not normal though for not. That's what Emma loved about her. Human or wolves, they were best friends.

Emma had a sister, Maya, who was two years younger than her. They were both blonde, blonde smart girls, and both very lucky for their beauty too. Maya had grown up a lot this summer and even Emma had noticed her changing not just teenager wise but anytime she got angry, she'd growl or her eyes would flash gold. That meant Maya was in the midst of changing. Emma didn't understand why she hadn't turned yet but Maya was already going through the change. It had made her feel worse nowadays about everything. Sometimes Emma thought even her parents thought she was a freak but it could just be her own shame talking.

Anyways, the pack still treated Emma like one of them. She was after all Snake and Spikes daughter. Sometimes the Pack had events, meetings or parties and Emma had to sit there watching all the wolves running in the forest. Emma at least liked that part, watching them run wild and free. At school, she was a big environmentalist and nobody understood why but found her passion for it cute.

"Emma!"

The blonde looked up from carrying her bags when she heard her name and a figure came jogging over, helping her with some of those bags and Emma laughed, "Thanks!"

Manny smiled grabbing some groceries. Manny had long brown hair and was a tad bit smaller than Emma, she was gorgeous though, and had a wild streak. She leaned over and hugged her blonde friend tightly, "I'm so glad you're back!"

"I think you've squished the eggs." Emma gasped a bit in the tight embrace but giggled with Manny when the brunette blushed and let go, following her into the house.

"I can't believe you guys are even living in the same house as before," Manny gushed, looking over the familiar entrance when they walked through and Emma led her to the same furnished kitchen. The same two metal stools they use to sit on as little girls sat by the counter.

"They rented it out when we left, but we kept it as ours." Emma explained. "Spinner was living here for a bit."

"Right." Manny knew that. Spinner was at every pack meeting. He was such a goof ball and he was Emma's older cousin.

Emma and her put the bags down by the island near the fridge. Emma blew the hair that fell into her face, "Mom got so much food for the party tonight."

"Where's Snake?" Manny asked, looking around and wanting to see him. They were like second parents to her! She had always visited Emma when she moved away and she knew before anyone that they were returning.

"Barbequing outside." Emma explained, "Mom's helping set out. And Maya is….god knows where." She laughed a little. It was cute to see how curious Maya was of the town. She had only been 8 when they left and barely remembered it. Now Maya was 14 going on 15. She had said she was going to take a walk hours ago and still hadn't come back but this town wasn't dangerous. As Emma had said, it was home. If anything, they were dangerous.

"She still upset about moving back?"

Emma paused to think about it. "Honestly, she seemed to hate the idea of it til we got here, as soon as we entered Amber, she was kind of.."

"Happy?" Manny guessed. She had that internal instinct too whenever she got back home from a trip or something. It just felt good to be around your pack and hometown. Maybe Maya felt that too. "Do you feel that too, Em?"

Emma was putting the milk away as she gave Manny a dull look, catching the brunette eying her skeptically. Emma closed the fridge and sighed, "Not in the way you are implying. I don't get any 'wolf' tinglings. It just feels comfortable to be home sweet home, I was born here." She explained.

Manny's shoulders slumped sadly. "sorry."

Emma leaned on the counter but avoided her eyes, "Nothing to be sorry about." She shrugged her shoulder with a weak laugh, "So I haven't changed yet, who cares.. it'll come."

"It will." Manny said positively. But she still wondered how come it was taking forever for Emma. The girls around Manny's age were starting to talk, the pack had heard rumors Emma hadn't changed yet too. They were starting to say things…

"Anyways.." Emma ran her hands through her blonde hair and forced out a smile, trying to forget about it. "Whose your boyfriend this week? We have tons to catch up on."

Manny laughed. "Nobody actually, I've turned a new leaf. I want something serious."

Emma made an 'o' shape with her mouth before giggling when Manny swatted her playfully. Manny was always so boy crazy. The back door then opened and Spike rushed in, carrying a plate of burgers and hot dogs probably from outside where Snake was cooking.

Manny muttered to Emma, "How nervous is she?"

Emma shared a look with her, "I don't know why, it's not like we were the only family who left 6 years ago." Manny nodded in agreement as Emma went on, "I think she just wants to make sure the pack is happy and they know we are still one of them. At least, they are."

Manny gave Emma look now. Emma was one of them despite what she thought. Manny hated that her best friend felt so different from them just because she hadn't changed yet. Emma loved school and Manny now understood why, at school everybody was all human. Emma fit in, and she felt 'normal'.

Manny then asked, "Did you hear the rumors Raditch might be stepping down?"

Before Emma answered, Spike had come in, setting the plates on the counter. "Manny," Spike warned, "Don't be caught saying those things about our alpha if it isn't true."

"Everybodys talking about it!" Manny insists, going to grab a hot dog but Emma swatted her hand. Spike would of done worse and even sent Manny a look. Manny put her hands up in defense, "It's for the party, I know!"

Emma laughed while gazing at her friend to her mother. She questioned Spike, "Isn't he getting old anyway?"

Snake had come in, wearing his BBQ apron and holding a spatula. He answered that when he heard it, "Who you calling old?"

"Not you, Dad. Raditch." Emma rolled her eyes to Manny who laughed and then embraced Snake who hugged her.

"Manula Santos is in the building!" Snake said happily. She was like a second daughter- erm, third- if counting Maya.

Manny sighed, pulling away from Snake, "I missed your bad Dad humor." She said.

"Hey!" He yelled playfully at Manny before seriously asking. "How do you make a kleenex dance?"

Emma groaned in embarrassment and Manny shrugged her shoulders, clueless. Just in time, Maya had come home and walked into the kitchen rolling her eyes. "Put a little boogie in it."

Manny did end up laughing, but Snake frowned. He wanted to be the one who said the joke! "Party pooper." He teased his youngest.

Maya sat down at the dining table and looked around. "I thought people would be here by now."

"They should be here soon." Spike replied as Snake took that cue to take out the beer case from in the fridge.

Manny smirked over to Emma after eying the booze Spike started to load up on the counter too next to the beer. Emma hid her laugh and the two then went upstairs to get ready.

"Can you believe we're in our last year of highschool next week?" Manny was happy her and Emma were finishing senior year together.

Emma nodded while adjusting the white tank top she put on with a black mini skirt. Her hair was cut in long layers and softly curled making a nice natural wave. She finished with some mascara and played with her hair in the mirror.

Manny laid down on Emma's bed, laying onto her back and sprawling her arms out. "I wonder what will happen when we graduate."

Emma turned and crawled onto the bed with her friend, laying on her stomach. "You mean, like college?" she played with her hands and seemed to go deep into thought. She had been wondering about that too. Most of the pack stayed in town their whole lives, she didn't think she wanted to. She wanted to see more of the world.

Manny turned her head to look at Emma with a snicker. "No. I mean, who will I marry? What will I do? Have I met my mate yet?"

Emma still found it weird to say the word 'mate'. Manny even caught her cringe. The brunette sat up, giving Emma a look.

"You still don't believe in mates?" she asked, "Have you looked at your parents? Or mine? Or hell, you should see your cousin Spinner around Jane Vaughn."

It's not that Emma didn't believe in it, she knew her parents had imprinted another and she couldn't even deny that the two were meant to be. They always had a pull toward another and they did everything together. There was no Spike, without Snake. And vise versa.

"I just find the word ..awkward."

"Maybe because you haven't felt that connection yet."

"A mate, is just like a humans 'boyfriend'. It's just a word, but sounds so.." Emma looked for the word.

"Permanent?" Manny suggested. "It's because it is. It's not awkward, it's romantic. A mate is forever. A mate imprints you when he knows you're meant to be with him and a wolf cannot imprint you unless you feel it too. So that's more than what humans can do, humans think they find their mate, and then they cheat, they lie, and they move on to the next one. A mate would never do that, a mate would do anything to protect the one it loves too. Being a wolf, we have that power and animal instinct to know."

Emma didn't want to mention yet again that she wasn't a wolf. So she changed the subject.

"So you think you may of met him?" Emma mocked with a playful tone, "The one?"

Manny laughed a bit at the question, sitting up. Emma sat up with her. Manny sighed and rolled her eyes, "If I had it my way, yes. But Jay Hogart still doesn't want me."

Emma eyed widened before she rolled them and laughed herself. "You're still not over that stupid crush!?"

Manny groaned, laying back down. "No." she muttered through the pillow she fell on.

Emma paused, remembering not only Jay, but his friends. 'The trio' is what the pack use to call them. Emma wondered if they were all still a group. The trio contained of three boys in the pack who always stuck together. Jay, Lucas, and Sean Cameron. They were always stirring up trouble.

FLASHBACK. .

The guys were 14 at this time, and they were spray painting the back of the mall building while drinking. It was October, and it was daylight. They never did seem to care about breaking the rules. They went to highschool with humans, but they liked to break the rules a lot at school too. Wolves and humans just didn't mix.

Jay and Lucas were more focused on the drinking part, while Sean liked to paint the town red (literally). Their signature paint job was of moons or symbols which only the pack knew what it symbolized. Some of the pack blamed the Trio back then for the possibility of people finding out about them because of those symbols. It was a good theory.

A group of girls from their school then walked by, giggling and whispering to another after eyeing the boys down.

"Nice artwork!" One said, eying the back of Sean's head but knew exactly who she was talking to even if he didn't turn around and continued to spray paint.

Who didn't know Sean? And it wasn't for being a nice guy, or for having a good reputation around town, in fact, he had a bad reputation. Maybe not as bad as Jay or Lucas though. He liked to keep to himself but not many people liked that. It was a small town, they didn't like secrets. Sean and the trio had many. The trio had a mysterious yet dangerous vibe when they were together, but the girls couldn't help but be attracted to that. Let alone they were good looking guys, they dated girls left and right.

Lucas ended up winking back at the girl. "Thanks." He gazed back at his lame stick person that he painted on the wall. "I think I give Leonardo Diccaprio a run for his money."

Jay had dropped his spray can to pick up a beer beside him and taunted Lucas before sipping it. "It's Leonardo Devinciyou idiot."

Sean glanced over from where he stood and laughed with Jay, earning a glare from Lucas. The girls giggled and walked away.

"Look," Jay taunted Lucas, "You scared the girls off."

Jay turned his head and laughed at Lucas until they all looked left when the back door of the mall opened. A security guard stood there, and his eyes widened. "Not you little punks again!"

He went to chase after them, grabbing his hit stick while doing so. Jay, Lucas, and Sean just laughed, taking off. The security called for back up and two other security guards came out of the mall to try to chase them. The trio jumped the parking lot fence easily though, wolf strength and all.

Some people yelped when the boys ran down the street, shoving by people and ran like lightening when they heard cop sirens but laughed harder. See? Trouble makers. They cut through the little shops on the street and ended up in the woods behind and ran like wild through the forest.

It wasn't long until Jay turned first, into a brown wolf and took off in the woods. Then Sean, who turned to a pure silver and white one with bright blue eyes. Lucas was last, looking over his shoulder and laughing out loud when one of the cops had stopped running, staring in horror to what he saw. Lucas then turned into his form, a big black wolf and he snarled before he took off too and away with the others.

...maybe it could of been their fault the town had found out back then about wolves but nobody would ever know. At least now everyone just thought it was a legend.

Meanwhile, the trio, still in their wolf forms, had cut through Raditch's back yard that faced the woods. This was their alpha's house- a big mansion actually, and there was a meeting today with the men of the pack so they had to be there anyways. Perfect timing.

Emma and Manny played in the back yard while their Dad's were inside, meaning when those three big wolves came walking into the yard, Manny gasped and Emma jumped up from where they sat. They were only 9 or 10 then.

Emma had fell while jumping in the leaves with Manny. It was after all, fall season. She had a cut through her jeans though near her left knee, and it was bleeding.

"Emma." Manny said, eyes wide. Emma just glanced at the three wolves coming closer and closer. "It's just the trio." Emma replied. She knew of them, seen them at meetings sometimes. "Emma!" Manny then said louder, noticing the black one (Lucas) coming a little too close and his fangs starting to show as he began to growl uncontrollably, his gold eyes were on Emma's leg that was bleeding.

The silver wolf's head turned, and snarled at the black wolf. Emma couldn't remember who was who. Sean? Jay? She barely knew them. They were older than her and Manny but she knew they were known as little trouble makers.

The blondes eyes now widened too, falling back when Lucas went to leap at her and Manny screamed. The black wolf cried out though when Sean latched his teeth into Lucas' neck to stop him and let go when Lucas yelped, cowering away and backing off.

"Lets go!" Manny exclaimed, pulling Emma up and she snapped at the brown wolf (Jay) who had been sitting next to her. "Bad!" she slapped him on the nose, getting a small yelp and then huff from the brown haired wolf.

He didn't even do anything! Jay would always remember that day as the time that Manny slapped him like he was some disobedient dog. It was sort of funny.

The girls ran back into the house, Emma was on the verge of tears, but looked back before going in.

It wasn't 5 minutes later when Sean entered the back door first of the 3, his head looking left to right but found the girls out of site.

"Dude you fucking bit my neck so hard!" snapped Lucas, coming in behind and just putting on his shirt. He put his hand on his neck but thanked god he was healing fast. He did grab a cloth though and put it on his bleeding neck.

Jay came in after and was still very shocked a little girl had actually slapped him on the nose. It was Joeys daughter, if he remembered correctly. Little fucking fire ball she was.

"You were about to go after Snakes daughter." snapped Sean. Snake may of not been Alpha, but he was right hand man and they would of been in SHIT, nevermind Lucas almost attacked an innocent girl. The trio were trouble makers, but not killers!

"Lets just hope their daddy's don't hear about it." Snickered Jay until they heard it.

"You three, get in here!" growled their Alpha from the doorway, glaring viciously and his wife Daphne beside him with her arms crossed. This, was Raditch. .and he had no time for the trio's usual bullshit.

Sean even glared at Lucas before leading them to the room Raditch led them to.

Manny, as a good tattletale should, told Raditch what had happened. The two girls hid up the stairs as the three were told to sit on the couch.

Raditch stood next to Joey (Manny's father) and Snake (Emma's father).

Joey was important as well to the pack like Snake was. He trained all the boys in the pack, trained them to be loyal wolves and tough. He taught them how to fight and how to be Alpha incase one day they were picked to be the next Alpha. He also trained them how to control themselves but it seemed Lucas still couldn't.

Lucas looked down from Snakes hard pointed glare. Snake said dangerously low, "You almost attacked my daughter?"

Joey was more calm, but you could see the anger in his eyes, "Lucas, you're not allowed to turn again until you're fit to control yourself. I'll be going on runs with you the next few months."

Lucas' mouth hung but he kept his mouth shut, gritting his teeth.

"You could of killed those girls!" Raditch bellowed. He continued to yell and punish as the girls on the stairs ran up the stairs and into the playroom with toys. Raditch had his own daughter, Darcy. She just wasn't here today.

"They got what they deserved." Manny chimed in with her nose up in the air happily and guided Emma to a barbie doll house. Manny suddenly bursted into giggles.

Emma had to giggle with her, "What?" she asked suspiciously, seeing Manny blushing through her laughter.

"I think Jay's cute."

Emma rolled her eyes, smiling.

"And I hit him on the nose!" they both bursted into laughter now. Emma then proceeding to play with Manny, but her mind kept replaying what had almost happened- keyword: Almost. She was a little thankful for Sean since then. Even if they never really knew another before or after that, since that's when the town started to discover the packs secret and Emma's family was one of many who moved away for their safety.

END OF FLASHBACK.

Emma smiled a little, looking back at Manny who was still in lala land. "I wonder if Jay's single." She said.

Emma laughed and reminded her, "You're still younger than him!"

"I'm almost 17!" Manny rolled her eyes, "And Raditch imprinted his wife when she was 16 and he was 22!"

"Ya but he had to wait til she was 18!"

"I'd wait for him." smirked Manny a bit cheekily and Emma just laughed.

"Ok Manny."

The door bell rang and the girls yelped, "They're here!"