I was running. It was still a little unclear to me whether I was running towards something or away from it. Either way, I blindly let my legs carry me through and over branches in the woods, never stopping or giving myself enough time to question what, if anything, was behind me. I didn't hear anything so I'm not sure why I was feeling so paranoid about it but when you live under the circumstances that I have it becomes a reflex to always assume you could be put in danger at any moment. I kept running.

Finally, I had reached my destination. It was on the rocks just beyond the town border, a cliff overlooking Beacon Hills. I let myself relax, not realizing just how tense I had been the entire run here. My shoulders fell and I breathed out, staring out over buildings and lights that looked like stars littering their own personal corner of the sky.

"Going out for a late night jog, are we?"

I whipped around with my arms out by my sides.

"I, uh, wanted to get some air."

He smiled.

"Of course you did." I didn't dare speak. It was true that I was comfortable around my alpha but when it came to even remotely doing something to step out of line or remotely disobey him… that was something I was not looking to do again anytime soon.

I swallowed and I could tell he heard it by the way his grin tilted.

"You remind me a lot of myself." He said, coming closer. My body had gone to being tense again, my shoulders pressed to my body and my toe nails digging into the inner soles of my shoes. I was only wearing a pair of ripped and faded jean shorts that rested just underneath my bellybutton and over the over-sized grey sweater that hung loose over one of my shoulders, and the air was still decently warm from the summer season yet I found myself caught in a quick shiver.

"You're adventurous, Kalel. You always want to learn, to discover. To see a picture bigger than the one you're given." He was beside me now, facing the town below. That's where I tried to fix my gaze. He didn't seem angry, but the reason I thought he had followed me may have been even more worrisome than that. The only reason I could think of was that it was because he had heard me leaving and it had something to do with a lack of trust. What did he think I was going to do? Run away? Where did I have to go? I had no one else.

"Although as the expression goes, curiosity did kill the cat." His voice had a whimsical tone to it. "You shouldn't go out in search of something you're not ready to find. Do you understand, Kalel?"

I wasn't entirely sure that I did. "I think so." I said quietly.

"I know you do." He said. With that, he turned and led himself back to the edge of the brush. "I'm proud of you for your ability to be so adventurous but if curiosity killed the cat, imagine what it would do to the werewolf."

With that, he was out of sight. I let out a sigh and let myself fall down to the ground, hugging my knees tightly to myself. I know I'm supposed to listen to my alpha and follow his direction, but I couldn't help it if I had questions. He was right, I wanted to learn. And sometimes that meant that I wanted to see a "bigger picture" than what he was just showing me. He was a good leader but I had always been a faulty follower. I knew I needed to try harder if I wanted to continue to be a member of this pack. I needed to find a way to gain that bit of trust I knew was lacking between us in our relationship. He had always been nothing but generous and patient with me and it was time that I returned the favor. The cluster of tiny lights blinked back at me. I had to find a way to prove myself to Deucalion.

I was studying my expression in the mirror. Ever since becoming a wolf, I had yet to notice any blemish or marking that teenagers were usually prone to, and my skin had acquired this pale glow to it that had allowed me to walk around without makeup without feeling like I was less than society's standards. Not like I really had much time to donate to society. With all of my training and with being cooped up in this house and all, I hadn't really done much interaction with anyone other than Deucalion, Kali, and the twins. I let the tips of my fingers brush down one of my cheeks. It sent confusing movements of emotion surging through my gut which I knew were only longings for contact. It had been nearly three months since I was turned and my human life had ceased to exist. It had been three months without any form of comfort from another human being; or as I should say from any living being. I straightened myself. It was something I had to go without, as my training suggested. Contact was risky and comfort for the weak. Neither or which I could succumb to.

My fingers ran through my long blonde hair all the way to the small of my back. I was convinced it had grown at least a foot, if not more since I had turned, but when I had brought it up to the twins they had said something along the lines of "well hair growth is a side-effect of becoming a werewolf you know" and laughed.

Slowly and I'm not entirely even sure why I did it, I reached my right hand out towards the large glass oval vanity mirror. The very tip of my fingernail was only centimeters away from its on reflection when there was a knock on the door. I straightened up and turned, just quickly enough to see Kali standing in my doorway.

"You actually knocked this time?" I asked, daring to even throw in a slight smirk. Kali didn't seem particularly amused.

"Yeah well, the twins might like walking in on you while you're getting undressed but that's not my forte. Deucalion needs to see you." He mouth was in a flat line the entire time she spoke. I stood up, pushing the stool back and ignored Kali as she looked me up and down.

"And were you just sitting there admiring yourself?" she teased. "I know being a werewolf and all heightens your physical appearance, self-confidence, the whole nine yards, but really there are more productive things you could be doing."

"What is there to do? I tried to go out last night and Deucalion followed me." I found myself saying it before I had time to think it over.

"And just why do you think that is? He's watching out for you, Kalel."

I rolled my eyes as I quickly pulled on my black boots. I didn't trust the nail-ridden floorboards in this place as far as I could throw them. "Why? Because I'm his current little prodigy?"

It was a moment before she responded. "You're special, Kalel. Like all of us. We're here because we're unlike any other werewolves. We're stronger as a pack."

"So does that mean I never get to see the light of day outside of these walls again?" I asked.

Kali smiled. "I think that's what he is going to talk to you about."

That immediately caught my attention. It was like I was being let off of a leash. It would be a miracle if Deucalion let me venture out by myself; he let the twins do it every day and here I was left in my room with nothing better to do than to stare at my own reflection. My brows had both raised and I was out the door past Kali before she had time to say anything else.

When I got to the door of Deucalion's office, my hand flittered out and I knocked lightly on the wooden frame. Surprisingly it was open, as he was expecting me.

"Come in, Kalel." He said. Doing so, I took a seat in the chair across from his desk. I was never entirely sure what he did in here because I could never remember seeing any papers or anything spread out on his desk, but I knew that also went along with his character. I only came in here when invited and Deucalion was one to only show you something if he wanted you to see it. Controlling wasn't the word, but neither was protective.

"Kali told me you wanted to see me." I blurted out quickly and then holding my breath. Come on, say it. I thought to myself. Tell me I'm free to go out during the day time. Tell me I can go out and feel the sun instead of admiring it from behind my window.

He smiled. "You sound eager." He said. My fingers were crawling around each other in my lap. "Well she said it might have something to do with you allowing me to go out. During the day time."

"I figured three months was a decent enough span of time for you to go test the waters on your own."

If I could do a cartwheel I probably would have. Hell, I was a werewolf; I probably could do a cartwheel now if I wanted to. Instead I tried to contain my excitement as I sat there across from my alpha.

"However, there is a condition…" He trailed off. My heart fluttered. A condition?

"What's that?" I asked, still eager. I almost didn't even care what it was; I was ready to go out and put on my human façade if that meant that there would be other people around me.

"I need you to keep tabs for me, to… be my inside eyes." Deucalion started. "You're enrolling in Beacon Hills high."

"As a student?" I asked. To a werewolf high school sounded like such a far off task.

"Ye." He continued. "There is a select group of individuals you need to watch in on. Now, you're a smart girl, Kalel. You wouldn't have made it to here if you were not. I need you to make smart decisions."

Both hands were gripping the armrests on either side of me and I was leaning forward. "I'll do whatever you ask of me." I said. My memory flashed back to last night on the cliff's edge. This was exactly what I needed to get Deucalion's full trust. He was trusting me in doing this task for him and I was going to do it and soon I'd be able to help in recruiting and defending and whatever else Kali and Ethan and Aiden did when Deucalion asked it of them.

"I'm so glad to hear it." He said, smiling at me. "Now listen closely because there is quite a range of individuals you should be focusing on…"