Chapter 1

Wolf among men

I look in the mirror. My reflection peers back at me, smirking. My short black hair stands on end from rolling out of bed. My Navajo tan is hidden by my long sleeve shirt and jeans. I realize how absolutely average I look… Except for my eyes. They're neon green. I scowl at the mirror, but my reflection still smirks back at me, taunting me. How will you screw up this school little Hok'ee? Little abandoned one, why don't you just give in? I shake my head. I will be normal. I won't mess this up.

"Hok'ee, your breakfast is ready," my sweet adoptive mother yells from downstairs.

I grumble about hating that name and that she should call me by my middle name, Gavin. I proceed to slide down the mahogany stair rail, knowing what mom would say.

"Gavin! That's mahogany!" she snaps her long blonde hair whipping around as she scowled at me with her motherly stare.

I laugh, grab my toast, and run out the door, not forgetting to tell her I love her.

The school looks haunted. I stand outside the decrepit red brick building and finish my toast. Thoughts of passing students float through the air like feathers, ready for me to grab. I don't, of course. None of them seem interesting enough.

"HI!" a tiny girl's voice rings clearly through the clutter of voices outside the sad looking building.

I keep walking through the crowd, knowing it couldn't be for me. She's yelling at her boyfriend or some friends. Someone grabs my arm and I freeze.

"I'm talking to you."

It's the same voice. The voice belongs to a tiny brunette girl with a pixie cut and blue eyes. She maybe comes up to my shoulder, and I'm 5'11.

"Sorry?" I mumble, a little befuddled by her sudden gesture.

She looks me over and stops at my eyes. I resist the urge to flinch. "Are those fake?" she asks, her baby blue eyes piercing mine. I shake my head no. She still has a hold of my arm and people are starting to stare. I nervously squeak. I flinch as I realize it was a mouse squeak. She does the last thing I expected anyone to do. She laughs.

"I'm Maggie," she says, her voice clear and smooth, almost like a bell.

"Hey," I say back, still in awe.

"You're not going to tell me your name?" she asks, clearly annoyed.

"You still have a hold of my arm…"

She lets go, and looks at me expectantly. "I'm Hok'ee Gavin Clark," I mumble. "I go by Gavin."

"What does Hok'ee mean?" I realize that she's genuinely curious.

"It's a Navajo word for abandoned. I was adopted…" I grumble, scratching the back of my head.

"That's awesome. Try and find me at lunch. Bye."

And just like that, Maggie is gone. I walk into the old school and attempt to find my first class. The irony is that my first class is myths and legends. I sigh as I walk into the class. A dark haired man sits at his desk, eyeing his new students. His eyes make direct contact with mine, and a shiver runs down my spine. He clearly works out, and his eyes are almost black. His hair is slicked back, and he keeps his eyes on me for longer than I like. I sit, and he stands in his Italian suit and shoes. I grind my teeth a little. This class will not be fun.

"I am Mister Black, and this is Myth and Legends. If you are here for an easy A, leave now." His voice is a low growl, almost predatory. To my surprise, a boy actually gets up and leaves.

"There's always one," Mr. Black says with a smirk. "Any others?"

We all look around, and when Mr. Black feels that no one else will leave, he begins writing on the board. "We begin with Greek mythology. Page two hundred and ninety-four. Get your books and then I'll take roll."

Roll has always been an issue. All the mis-pronunciations followed by an awkward, "I go by Gavin."

Mr. Black calls out my name correctly and then asks if I go by my middle name. A little shocked, I nod. He mumbles something, then goes on with role.

Its lunch time and I'm trying to find an empty table. There are already rumors circulating about me. You don't have to be a mind reader or a skin walker to figure that out.

Maggie's voice rings from the crowd, "Gavin! Gavin! Over here! Can you hear me?"

I sigh and walk towards her table. Her table is just girls and none of them are making eye contact with me. "I'm just going to sit by myself…"

"Bull shit. I saved you a chair." She pulls out the chair and pats it.

I look around, and the girls are quiet. I sit awkwardly and eat. Eventually conversation starts around me, and I keep quiet. I have a place to sit, and I'm content with that.

"So… Gavin, where are you from?" someone besides Maggie asks.

I look up from my fries. "I was born in Texas, but I've traveled all over the U.S. I just came from Kentucky."

"All the way to California? Why?" the girl asks. She's a tall blonde with pretty brown eyes. I find myself stuttering as I realize how cute she is.

"M-my mom found a b-better job over here."

"What does she do?" the girl inquires as she leans forward, her slightly immodest shirt presenting a little too much information.

"She's a nanny," I say, turning red.

She nods, and Maggie mumbles something. "So what's your name?" I ask.

"Caitlin Greene."

"Cool."

The rest of lunch is spent in awkward silence that could only be brought on by a teenage skin walker.