My phone rang. I sighed, picking it up on the sixth ring, waiting until the last minute. "We need you again," the metallic voice said.

"Dad, I told you-"

"Be here in five." He abruptly hung up.

"... that I'm done for the month." I finished warily. I threw my phone in my bag and took a long drag of the cigarette in my other hand. I hadn't gotten more than three hours of sleep for ten days straight. I only wish it was because of a drinking problem or something interesting like partying every night. Like other teenagers.

I had already hit my quota. He told me I could have the last of the month off. Reluctantly, I started my old dilapidated car. Luckily, I was only at a drugstore nearby. They got angry when I came home late. Oddly enough, this was exactly where I spent most of my time. I wasn't allowed to smoke, I knew it was bad for me, and knew that I would for sure have breathing problems later. Smoking calmed me down. My breathing evened and I could focus on something else than the "family business". The drugstore was one of the only reliable things in my life. Always welcoming, it gave me what I wanted, every time: nicotine.

Pulling into my driveway, I saw my dad at the window. I mentally prepared myself for the inevitable speech that would follow. We've been here too long. Five months and 29 days. We never stayed anywhere longer than six months. No time for connections, no time for neighbors.

When I walked in, my parents were waiting for me on the old couch I think belonged to a great grandmother. Crinkley and musty, it was more placed for guests. We never actually sat on the couch or spent time in the living room in general, so this was weird- even for my family.

"If we're staging an intervention, I suggest we bring grandpa in here and mention that we've noticed our wine bottles disappearing suspiciously quickly."

My mom rolled her eyes. "Allison, sit down."

My parents were old. Too old to have a seventeen-year old. My dad was hard and grey, Methodical, logical, plotting, but loving in his own way. My mom was his balance, colorful, unconventional, and creative. She went to art school before she met my dad. Seeing the almost polar opposites in front of me was confusing.

'So…" I meandered. They looked at eachother and back at me. In perfect sync.

My mom folded and unfolded her hands. "We're moving back to Beacon Hills."

"Ok…" I wasn't surprised; sometimes jobs came up in the same city.

"And," my mom glanced at my dad,"we want you to head the project."I was shocked, I couldn't do anything but stare. In all honesty, I probably looked like one of those cartoons where the eyes bug out and the jaw drops to the ground. For years, I had been crafting and working until all my parents could see was perfection. And now it was finally happening. I was going to hunt my own werewolves.

You have to understand, up until right now, fantasizing about this moment was the only thing that kept me going. Through training. Through my life.

My mom explained, grinning,"We realized that you were getting older and it's time that you learned how to lead," she stuttered. "I- I won't always be around, Allison, and once that happens, the family will take orders from you."

At the time, I was so blinded by the fact that I would be giving the orders, that I had no room in my crowded mind to compute anything else.

I stood up, still shocked, "I promise. Promise I won't let you down." I could barely get it out. I was not about to destroy the chance that I'd been waiting for.

My mom laughed, snapping out of her reverie. "I believe you."

"C'mon we need to get to work," My dad's eyes were crinkling and I think I saw a small smile. But I can't be sure. It was just like him to not waste any time preparing.

This was the most exciting day of my life.

It was one of my most vivid memories.

Coincidentally, it was also one of the few times my dad was entirely wrong. Nothing could prepare me for this assignment and the actions that would follow.

Eventually, I think I broke every rule in the hunter code.

Eventually, my life would become hell.

But I guess you'll find that out soon enough.