Chapter 1: Life Sucks

I wonder . . . what would my life be like if I were human?

Sometimes, I think that life would be so much easier.

But things just don't work like that do they?

I frowned as I stared out at the ocean, or big body of water, whatever it was. The waves were rough, lapping at the shore like they were angry. I bet that this gray water would be freezing if I dove into it, but . . . my body temperature was, like, ten degrees above average. I've all but forgotten what it's like to be cold.

So, you're probably wondering who I am, right? Looks like introductions are in order. My name is Alana Miller. I am a sixteen-year-old, bitter, smart-ass, girl, who, until recently was human.

,Until I became a werewolf.

Yes, believe it or not folks, I'm a wolf! Not the ones Hollywood depict, though. No full moon, no silver bullets, no randomly killing people like a madman (though it could happen) I'm just a girl who changes into a big furry wolf.

Lucky me.

A fierce gust blew, whipping my long hair about madly. I could tell a storm was coming; I had noticed how the animals were unusually quiet and I just kind of knew. I hoped it would hold off for a bit, let me find a place to hunker down.

Where was I anyway? I didn't pay attention when I got here, but that may be because I came via forest. No road signs there. I knew I was up north, I think, but that didn't really help. I lifted my gaze from the ocean and looked around me for a hint on my whereabouts. Hmm . . . oh, hey! A sign! My eyes, which were a lot better now ever since I . . . changed or whatever, zeroed in on the sign. It was a brown, beat-up looking wooden thing, like it had endured many violent storms. I made out the chipped white letters:

Welcome to La Push Beach.

La Push . . . yeah, never heard of it. At least I knew of my location now, accomplished something for the day. Yay for me.

I sighed, bent to pick up my shoulder-bag, and slid my arms through it. I wanted to go find a place before this storm hit, my instincts told me it was going to be a bad one. After one last look at the ocean, I turned and walked down the slope that led to the cliff that looked out at ocean.

I just turned sixteen, so I had no drivers license, I had no car. I'd always wanted one; hell, what teenager doesn't? But, I discovered that running around as a giant wolf is so much better. It's a rush. I wonder if that's what NASCAR driving is like?

I came across a small little village, made up of small little houses. There were only a few people hanging around, and even they were anxious to get inside. Lucky humans. They had a place to go. Some people shot me a curious look as I walked down a street. I knew I must look like what I was; homeless, on the run, desperately needing a shower. No one said anything though, and that was just fine.

The wind was picking up now, and I felt a few raindrops splatter against my skin. Guess the storm wasn't holding off. Wonder if I'd have to sleep out in the woods, curl up under a tree in my wolf form. Jeez. That's what I did for the past two nights. After a while, it gets kind of unappealing.

I wonder . . . was it possible for me to be with humans, now that I'm a werewolf? When I changed, on the worst night of my life, that was the last time I'd been with humans. I had felt so strange before it happened, and then bam, goodbye human, hello giant dog. It's not like it happened in front of people; I was a little bit away from them, but that was the last time I'd been near them for a long time. I've been drifting about like a lost spirit now.

Now, don't go taking pity on me, else just stop reading my pathetic tales, or I'll stop recounting them. I'm only doing this 'cause I thought someone might be interested in hearing a lost werewolf's tale.

It was true, though. I was lost. I didn't know where to go, because I had nowhere to go. Back home? Sure, live a life with my depressed dad after the Incident. A relative? My family is on the screwed up side; either they're barely able to get food on the table, have too many kids, of have a job that basically is their life. I'd be a ghost just as much as I am now.

No, I was better off like this. Wandering about, maybe letting a stranger help me out a bit, then leave and just go.

As lost I was in my inner-musings, I was on red-alert. Just a tad bit paranoid. Hey, i've seen crime-shows, I've seen what happens to runaways. I had my guard up, using my sense of smell and hearing like crazy. They were most keen senses, and I've been depending heavily on them. I could track someone down if I wanted, I just had to catch their scent. I could hear someone's approach if they were following me . . . it came in handy.

So, maybe this werewolf business wasn't so bad?

"Hey!"

I gave a small start, but kept walking. That voice, they might not have been talking to me. I'm not only person out here. Right? I quickly glanced all around; oh, shit, I was the only one out here. So, that person probably was calling me, but I really, really hoped not.

"You! Girl!"

You, girl. Wow, what a way to call someone. Nice. I heard feet running in my direction, same direction the voice had been coming from. Warily, I turned.

A boy, a teenager, probably my age, was sprinting up the gravel-path from a small, two-story house. Hello, he was a shirtless boy. This guy was only wearing cutoff jeans! Was he crazy, it was like, thirty degrees out. Wasn't this human cold?

I noticed that he was taller than me, and I was pretty tall for my age. He had short, cropped black hair, dark brown eyes, and his skin color was a russet-shade like mine.

Shirtless-Guy came to a stop a few feet in front of me. I stared at him, my expression neutral and guarded, betraying nothing about me.

Okay, what do you want? I thought, a little irritated, wondering if he'd speak first and what he would say.

"How come you're out here?" the kid asked. "Storm's coming; you should be heading inside."

Well, there's an issue with that . . .

"I know there's a storm coming. I'll find a place, don't worry." I frowned. "Wait . . . why do you care? Who are you? Why are you even talking to me?"

Detective Alana, that's me.

He didn't seem surprised by my hostility, or my demanding questions. He grinned and extended a hand. "Oh, I'm Embry. Embry Call."

I didn't shake his hand, just eyed it up. Who was this guy, and why was he concerned about me? I mean, if it was only about this storm, that's one thing, but now he's all introducing himself and stuff, like we're going to get to know each other.

The kid, Embry, obviously was waiting for my introduction. I debated about it, but decided if anything happened, I could just get out here, run away as a wolf. No one would be looking for me then, in that form.

"I'm Alana," I muttered. "I was just passing through here anyway."

Embry lowered his hand. "All right, so where were you going?"

"Away from here."

"And that is . . . ?"

"Look, it doesn't concern you!" I snarled, feeling my explosive temper flare. "I don't know you, you don't know me, so why the hell are you still talking to me?"

Now, a normal person would have either backed off, muttering apologies, told me to cool down and relax, or start swearing right in my face. I expected this guy to do just that, but no, he stood there, and . . . damn it, he smiled.

"Well, you're right about me not knowing you, but I do know this." he glanced around quickly, like he thought someone was near. "You're new here, and you don't know what you're doing."

I resisted growling at him. It was possible for me now. "What makes you think that, wise guy?"

Embry lowered his voice to a whisper. "Because I know what you're going through. You're not human, you're a werewolf."

Out of all the responses that I had been expecting from him, that had not been it. I felt my neutral expression fade away and wondered if my jaw was dropping to the ground. How did he know? Was it possible to tell that I was one, a werewolf? It's not like I had tufted ears atop my head, or a furry tail hanging out of my pants. I was pretty sure 'I'm a wolf!' wasn't tattooed on my forehead, so how did Embry know?

I thought it best to play it dumb, act like I didn't know what he was talking about. For all I knew, he was pulling my leg.

"You're crazy," I said, trying like hell to sound casual. "What makes you think that I'm a . . ." I trailed off, unsure how to say it. It's kind of uncomfortable, stating that you're a human when you aren't a human, but you try to get people to believe that you are one. Wow, not only uncomfortable, but complicated. Hmm.

"It's your scent," he stated. "Plus, no one else is walking about, calm like you are, when there's a possible hurricane coming. Believe me, I know a werewolf when I see one."

Congratulations, I thought with sarcasm. This was just getting weirder and weirder, and today had started off fairly normal. I come to this place, this La Push area, then a half-naked boy comes up to me, and states that he knows of my . . . condition.

Well . . .this was certainly a WTF moment.

"Listen, Alana, I do know what you are going through. I'm . . . " again, he looked around, probably making sure no one was eavesdropping. I doubted it, the wind was positively howling now and thunder was booming away. Embry looked at me with wide, earnest brown eyes. "I'm a werewolf, too."

My mind instantly rebelled at this, refusing to accept it. Maybe this guy was crazy. Maybe he watched The Wolf-Man too many times. Maybe he didn't take his medication. But, why was it . . . that I felt that . . . he was right? Why did I think that I really was face-to-face with another wolf, someone like me?

"You're a wolf," I stated faintly.

He nodded. "I am. I changed a few months ago. Alana, you're not alone. There are others like you, like us. I know that this sounds weird, believe me, I know, but you don't have to run away anymore. You don't have to run from yourself."

He'd lost me. "What?"

"I've been where you are."

Right, because he was a werewolf too. Right, right, gotcha. If I actually believed this stuff, what would happen? What did this kid want, what was he up to?

"Embry . . . what is it that you're doing? What are you?" I asked, my voice steely and unwavering.

This kid, this freaking kid, extended his hand and smiled again, revealing white teeth against his dark skin. Some little bitter part of me questioned myself, wondering if I could trust him. If he was like me, and if he'd been where I am now, well, maybe he was . . . I dunno, nice?

"I'm a person who can help, Alana."

I stared at him, a thousand questions reeling in my mind. Maybe Embry had answers to those questions.

I wouldn't know unless I trusted him, or listened to what he had to say. So . . .

Surprising myself completely, I allowed myself to feel a small bit of help and nodded and closed my hand around his. I hope I won't regret this.

"Well, okay, then."

So, this is my first attempt at a Twilight-esque fanfic. I don't know if it's good or bad, I'll only know if I get reviews. So, PLEASE REVIEW! :)