Chapter 1 - Lone Wolf

"I'm so sorry," he growled.

I just watched the black veins crawl up his neck and his bright yellow eyes looking at me pleadingly. Then he changed. I crept backwards until I was against the wall and stared, wide-eyed at the havoc his wolf was causing. He was jumping around, desperate to get out - wolves aren't supposed to be trapped, he was smashing things up and all I could do was watch.

"Rhydian!" I screamed as he smashed into another shelf making it fall into him. I had to do something, I had to calm him down somehow.

I had an idea.

I looked at him with purpose and reached out my hand. I knelt down, closed my eyes and willed them to change. I lifted my head up and stared with my yellow eyes right into his. The wolf obeyed me and calmed down when he saw my eyes. I took a deep breath with relief and when I looked back, there was a human crouching on the floor instead of a wolf. I glared at him and started pacing the darkroom, trying to think of an excuse for the carnage he had caused. What would I say to Tom and Shannon, and Mr Jeffries, and me Mam and Dad?

"I knew there was something about you," he said cautiously as I started to place thing back on their shelves, "but when your eyes went... It's true, isn't it? You're like me!"

"I'm not like you," I retaliated viciously, "I don't show off, pick fights and invade other pack's territories. You're a danger to us all, and the sooner you leave the better." I watched the excitement fall off his face as I spoke, soon to be replaced with anger again. Good. Maybe if I made him really angry he would just tell his family to pack up and leave and they would be gone by tomorrow.

Suddenly, the door opened. I had been so preoccupied with Rhydian that I had forgotten Tom and Shannon waiting outside. Tom walked in first, staring with horror at the state of the room. Shannon followed

"What happened in here?" she asked gently. Rhydian just gave one last saddened look at me and left the room.

"Let him go," I told Tom. Then with bitterness I added, "he doesn't belong here."

He paused and shook his head before running away.

I hurried out of school with her cruel words ringing in my ears. What did she mean 'I didn't belong here'? I could belong anywhere, that was one of the 'joys' of being a foster child. You belong everywhere because you don't belong anywhere. I knew running seemed cowardly but I did t care. How could she turn me away like that? We were the same. I sprinted until I couldn't think of anything except the air moving over my face. Running felt wonderful. I felt at one with the world, I felt as though I could see and hear everything, I was connected to the ground but I was flying, connected to the sky but was growing. I could carry on running until I fell of the earth.

I turned around to see the Ks strutting in to Bernie's like they owned the place. I rolled my eyes at them and ignored them asking Bernie where Rhydian was. I didn't care and didn't want to know. Until I heard Bernie telling them that Rhydian was the Vaughan's new foster kid. My eyes widened and I clarified

"Rhydian's in foster care?"

"Oh aye," Bernie replied, "must have been a bad boy eh, to get moved all the way up here for a fresh start"

I looked at the floor suddenly stricken. What had I done? He couldn't help being here. It wasn't his choice if he had been moved here by Social Services. Poor guy, all alone and the first person he found who was like him shouted and turned him away.

"Keep recruiting, I'll meet you in the woods" I told Tom and Shannon

"What?" They exclaimed as I charged out of the cafe. I ran outside and paused, sniffing around until I caught his scent. The chase was on.

I smelt her before I heard her. Then the footsteps behind me had a voice

"Rhydian!" She shouted

"Don't worry, I'm out of here" I carried on walking

"Don't, I was stupid, I'm sorry, don't go we can help you"

"Help?! I've had help. Counselling, Ritalin."

"We can really help. You need to learn to control your wolf self before someone gets hurt...Probably you"

"You're just like the rest of them!"

I turned and ran off again, kind of hoping that she would follow me. I didn't hear any footsteps though, and her scent wasn't following me. I just put my head down and carried on. I would go home, pack my bags and leave. I didn't know where I would go but I didn't want to see that smelly girl any longer.

I watched him run away in disgust, I know I was rude but I had just apologised and promised to help him learn about his wolf self. I hadn't known that he was in foster care. And anyway, he wasn't getting away that easily. I knew this area like the back of my hand. I turned off the road and started on the shortcut, hoping I would make it to the crossroads before him.

I ran until I was sure that she wasn't behind me. Then I slowed to a walk and started planning what I needed to take if I was going to run away. Suddenly, Maddy ran into the road in front of me. I huffed and let her walk over to me.

"I know about the Vaughans. I know you're alone," she pitied me. I didn't need more pity.

"So?"

"I'm like you, you saw that"

"You may be like me, but you think the same as them. You're just trying to make me better. But you know what? What I am, what I turn into, that is better. It's better than anything I've ever known and I'm not letting anyone take that away from me!"

"I'm not going to let you go!"

"Go ahead. Chase me, stop me. Use your wolfy powers and see how long it takes for someone to find out what you are, because none of your mates know your little secret, do they? I thought not. I've got nothing to lose here, unlike you"

There's was no way she would follow me now. I had challenged her and I was sure that she wouldn't take the challenge. I was wrong. I soon heard her catching up with me. I have always been faster at running than everyone else. I never had to try at school but now, running against this girl, I had to try. And it felt fantastic. I poured all of my energy into powering forwards but Maddy was still catching up with me. However fast I ran, she ran just a little faster. She had the speed where I had strength, but I had the advantage of knowing where I was going next. I quickly climbed a tree and waited. I saw her run into the clearing and watched her sniff as she lost my scent. I smiled as she peered through the trees, confused by my sudden disappearance. I whistled to her and laughed as I saw a smile return to her face as well. It suddenly struck me that she should smile more often, it lifted her whole appearance and made her really pretty. Then I jumped down and carried on running but our chase had turned from a hunt to play fighting. We were both laughing and leaping between the trees with glee. I hadn't let myself go like this since I discovered the wolf inside me in case he came out unexpectedly. I wasn't paying attention to our surroundings and when the ground suddenly disappeared from under me in a steep slope I just jumped. I pushed myself into the air, not knowing where I would land and wasn't surprised when I felt arms around my waist tugging me back towards the ground. We fell together and rolled down the slope until we reached the bottom where I landed on top of Maddy awkwardly and quickly rolled off her. We were both laughing and smiling until we looked up and saw all of the badger watchers staring at us with their cameras out.

"Sorry, we're late everyone. Seen any badgers yet?"

A/N: Hi, this is my first story and i have a few chapters already written so i will be uploading them soon. if you have read this then thank you and i hope you liked it. Please review as i then know what i can do to make reading this a more enjoyable experience for you. Also, please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes.

Thank you!