Chapter 1

(Sylvia's POV)

I ran as fast as I could towards the school. I was late, again. I stopped at the entrance, hands on my knees, breathing heavily. I still wasn't used to running so much, even if I enjoyed it.

My name is Sylvia Yvette Bush, or Syl, as my friends call me. I have straight raven hair that goes to my mid-back, and and bright, forest green eyes. My style is a bit different from the other people who live around here. I wear a lot of black, mostly jeans and t-shirts, but my shirts always have a design on them, usually some sort of nighttime emblem, such as a moon, stars, or owls. And I always where my necklace. I live in Stoneybridge, England with my friends the Smiths, Rhydian Morris, and my childhood friend Lowell, my giant Tibetan mastiff/Malamute crossbreed, who looks a bit like a giant fluffy auburn wolf with white markings.

I was an orphan from a very young age, only a few months old. My mother died in a fire protecting me, and I was found on the side of the road in a basket, with only my name on a piece of parchment, and a silver necklace with a full moon pendant. And Lowell was sitting beside me, he was only a puppy at the time, but he had a silver collar that had a piece of paper attached that said he belonged to me, and his name was Lowell. He never leaves my side. Unless I go to school.

I lived in the orphanage my whole life, yet I was never adopted. I assume it's because I have a bit of an attitude. It wasn't a bad orphanage, but it was terribly drab and boring, and I have a very adventurous spirit. So it was torture for me. I ran away when I was thirteen, and soon after came across the Smiths by chance. I was walking past their (I didn't know it at the time) house, when I smelled their scent, and it was so strong Lowell and I decided to check it out.

I should probably explain how I "smelled" them. See, I'm a wolfblood. I guess you could consider it similar to a werewolf, though I find that highly insulting. A wolfblood is someone who can change into a wolf, always on full moons once your old enough, and sometimes when your angry. I hadn't transformed until I met the Smiths.

So when I decided to investigate the strong smells, I saw two people in the backyard, running around in circles and leaping off of trees. They smelled a lot like I did, and I couldn't help but wonder if they were like me.

Suddenly, the girl, who had shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes, stopped running and sniffed the air.

"Rhydian!" The girl whispered as loud as she dared, yet I could still hear her.

The boy, who was bigger than the girl, and had blond hair that stuck up like an electrocuted hedgehog, also stopped running and looked at the smaller girl.

"What?" He asked, oblivious to her tense posture.

"I smell something." The girl said, her eyes scanning her surroundings. Her eyes finally landed on me, peaking over the fence. I quickly ducked and held my breath, slowly backing away, but I wasn't quick enough and the girl came running out the back gate, closely followed by the boy, whom she'd called 'Rhydian'.

"Who are you?" She asked, eyeing me curiously.

"Um..." I wasn't sure if I should give them my name, but decided it wouldn't really make a difference. "Sylvia Bush."

"Hello, Sylvia, my name is Maddy Smith, and this is Rhydian Morris." The girl said, gesturing to Rhydian.

"Hi..." I said nervously. "You smell weird." I blurted. Then covered my mouth with my hand.

Maddy laughed lightly. "Yeah, we do, but so do you."

I was about to respond with an angry comment when Rhydian spoke.

"Are you a wolfblood?" Rhydian asked.

I started. "Wh-what?"

"You know, a wolfblood," Rhydian said. "Someone who can turn into a wolf, has super-smell and hearing?"

I smirked, gaining confidence by the minute. "What's it to you?"

"Well, we are wolfbloods too, and we don't come across very many of them." Maddy said.

After a short conversation with them, I admitted I did have good hearing and smell, but I hadn't transformed yet. They really liked Lowell too, he's very sweet if he decides to trust you. Maddy brought Lowell and I in to see her parents and friends, who were inside. Her parents, Emma and Daniel Smith, were very welcoming, and Maddy and Rhydian's friends, who were not wolfbloods but knew that the Smiths and Rhydian were, Tom and Shannon, were also quite nice, though Shannon was a little untrustworthy at first.

So that was how I came to meet them. Since then, I have enrolled in their school, and have had my first transformation, a few weeks ago, and I have been living with them for about 7 months, and am already attached to them.

Now, back to the present.

I stumbled into the school's hallways, panting, but luckily everyone was at class at the moment.

Oh, dang it! Class!

I ran to my first class, history with Mrs. Russell. It was a good class to catch a few extra Z's. History bored me to death, with the exception of Norse mythology, which always fascinated me.

I creaked the door open a crack and peeked inside. Maddy and Shannon were in this class with me, and they glanced to the door and rolled their eyes at me.

I stepped in further and Mrs. Russell looked towards me with a stern expression. "Late again, Ms. Bush." She said, eyeing me with distaste. The other students merely glanced in my direction, going back to the quiz.

"Sorry Mrs. Russell." I said simply, taking a seat next to Maddy.

"I should hope it won't happen again, or you will be getting detention." Mrs. Russell said, plopping the quiz on my desk unceremoniously.

My nostrils flared in anger, but I calmed down and started the quiz. So maybe I couldn't take a nap this time, but there's always lunch.

I sat at the lunch table, eating an apple, whilst talking with my friends. Maddy, Rhydian, Tom, and Shannon all sat with me in a corner reserved for our little group, probably because it was the least convenient one. It was farthest away from the food and the bathroom, and it stood in a shady corner, that rarely gets cleaned, unless I cleaned it my self. I'm a bit of a neat freak.

We were currently just making small talk on various things, such as the biology assignment, the full moon, and the beginning of summer vacation, which was starting in just a few days.

I couldn't wait until I was out of school, I could do whatever I wanted this summer!

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Shannon. "-via? Sylvia?!" She said, waving her hand in front of my face ecstatically.

I shook my head and batted her hand away. "You just love annoying me don't you?" I said, starting on a clementine.

"Yep!" She said, smiling cheekily.

I sighed dramatically. "So what are we talking about again?"

Maddy face-palmed. "We were talking about going to town after school and getting a bite to eat."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "But... Isn't tonight the full moon?" I asked worriedly. The first time I transformed, I had been in the Smiths' den, because I didn't want to take any chances.

"Yeah, but we'll be back in plenty of time, Syl, it's no big deal. I mean, since when do you like following the rules?" Maddy had a point, I was a bit of a rule-breaker, I hated being tied down.

I thought about it for a few seconds. "Alright, fine. It couldn't hurt to get a bite to eat before we get locked in a cellar." I shivered.

Rhydian grinned. "Great! Tom, Shannon, can you guys make it?"

Shannon grimaced. "No can do, my parents are making me go to the opera with them."

Tom nodded. "Yeah, and I'm going to a football game with my dad."

"Alright then, it'll be just as three wolfbloods." Rhydian said, elbowing me lightly.

(4 hours later)

Rhydian, Maddy and I were sitting at a table in Bernie's, sipping beverages.

"So, now that I am fourteen and a full wolf, can you stop being so protective of me?" I said to Rhydian.

He feigned hurt. "What? But how could I let go of my dear little adoptive sis?" He gasped, giving me a pat on the head.

I pushed his hand away and banged my head on the table dramatically.

Just then, a fairly large group of teenagers entered the cafè, about 7 people.

I looked up and yelled to the store owner, who was currently in the back, "Hey, Bernie, you have customers!" Bernie and I were very close.

Bernie appeared and the people started taking their orders.

"So," Maddy said, ignoring the bickering of two of the people, a lanky Latino boy and a kind of buff, blond haired boy. "You feel like going for a run? I think Bernie accidentally gave me caffeinated tea." She said, tapping her fingers on the table and bouncing on the balls of her feet under the table.

"Sure," I said, I too was feeling jittery. "But let me finish my cocoa." (I had a thing for chocolate)

I drained my cup as quickly as possible and jumped up and started running in place. "Come on guys!" I said.

Maddy laughed and jumped up herself.

Rhydian just stood up casually. "Right, where are we going, young pups?" He chuckled.

I stopped. "Don't call me a pup!" I growled.

Rhydian shook his head exasperatedly. "Calm down, Syl, it was a joke."

I took a few moments to compose myself, and then punched him on the arm.

He sighed, he was used to my treatment by now.

The group of teenagers who had come in earlier were eyeing us curiously, and I realized they must have seen the whole thing. I growled at them. "What?!" I said angrily.

A brunette girl with choppy hair and kaleidoscope eyes looked a little shocked. "Erm. Nothing." She said quickly, and turned around.

I snorted and turned to Rhydian and Maddy. "Let's go."