Chapter 2

Luke

Howard called me from farther down the beach. He was with Lilly, his long-time girlfriend, and they were talking, sitting on a washed up log. I immediately made up my mind that I didn't want to stay long to prevent myself from becoming a third wheel as I headed down the beach towards them.

"Where are you going?" he asked me.

"Just looking for someone to hang out with," I said, meaning that I wanted someone to run with in wolf form.

He understood and nodded. "Well, man, I'm busy right now," he said, nodding to Lilly sitting beside him.

"Hey Lilly," I said.

She smiled and nodded.

By default, no one should know that we were werewolves. It's a secret all of us have kept from everyone for forever. The only ones who know are our fathers, since they were in the same boat as we were. So naturally, Lilly didn't know anything.

Lilly and Howard have been together for quite some time. They're getting serious, and sometimes Howard believes that she's the one, that somehow he imprinted on her. But we know that isn't true. The legend describes a deep passion, a deep belonging to be with this person, no matter what. From being inside Howard's head, we know he hasn't imprinted. No one denies his love and devotion for her, of course, but the legend implies something deeper than anything anyone has ever felt for something.

"Kevin's at home right now, but Peter and Gerard should be around here somewhere, if not hanging out already," Howard suggested.

I nodded and walked away, leaving him with Lilly. I knew I should have checked first, but I saw Howard before I had the chance to phase, so I checked with him first.

I moved to the trees far from the two of them before I stripped down and phased. The familiar shudder ran through my spine. It hasn't always been easy for me, but through the years, I've gotten used to it, and it becomes natural now. Just a part of me.

In seconds, I heard Gerard's voice in my head.

Hey, he said.

Peter in here? I asked. I started running through the trees trying to get to where Gerard was.

No. He had to get some more clothes. He ripped through his last pair of sweats, he explained.

Why?

Then I saw it in his head.

You found a trail? Why didn't you howl? We could have all been on it! I vaguely smelt the stench of the vampire in his head, shuddering at it.

Calm down. It turned out to be days old. When we figured that out, Peter went back to get more clothes. When he came back, then we would have called.

Oh. I was getting closer to him. Show me where this trail was.

When you catch up with me.

Through the trees, I could see Gerard's black fur galloping through the forest. As I met up with him, he turned west and led me to the trail. Before we were even there, I smelt the stench of a bloodsucker and memorized it for future preference. My nose wrinkled in disgust as it filled my nostrils when he brought me to the trail itself.

Disgusting, I snorted.

And frightening. We haven't come across a trail so strong and so close to home in months. We need to warn our fathers, Gerard said.

I nodded. This was frightening. There's only one reason for a trail to be so close to a town and that is for feeding. The fur on my back bristled at the thought of it.

Calm down, Luke. We'll catch him, Gerard assured me.

But you said this trail was days old. He could have fed already!

I'm back. Hey, Luke, Peter said as he phased. He started running straight towards us. Although he was far away at the edge of town, he would be here in a matter of seconds.

At the sound of Peter returning, Gerard prepared himself to call the others. He threw his head back and howled, the sound slicing through the woods towards the others. Soon enough Kevin joined us, then Howard coming in last, taking a while to probably make up an excuse and get away from his girlfriend before phasing.

What did I miss? Kevin asked as Howard listened, both breaking into a sprint to get to us.

We found a trail, Gerard said calmly.

What? Kevin growled.

A trail? Are you sure? Howard asked.

We're perfectly sure, I said. Come and smell it for yourself.

Peter had already arrived, and Kevin and Howard appeared soon after.

Disgusting! Kevin howled when he took in a whiff.

That's a few days old, Howard observed unhappily. We'll have to patrol more often.

Damn right. We have to find this leech and destroy it. Kevin rumbled.

It probably already fed, too, Peter added. We'll need to keep our eyes open around town to find out if anyone knows who it was.

This made everyone uneasy. Nobody liked to hear that a vampire escaped our notice, and had the chance to feed.

Anybody up for the task? Gerard asked, looking for volunteers for town patrol. Of course he couldn't do it because he had to stay in wolf form just in case. So it was up to the rest of us.

Everyone stopped talking. Nobody liked town patrol, so we all kept our mouths shut. Town patrol meant walking around town on foot, sniffing around with our less-sharp human smell for the bloodsucker's trail. We all wanted to run with the rest of the pack.

Well don't all jump up at once, Gerard said.

When the silence continued, Gerard sighed. Well we know it wasn't in La Push because we would have smelt that. So someone will have to patrol Forks and perhaps farther up the road to Beaver. We want to be sure we get this one.

Everyone continued to say nothing.

Okay. Luke, you'll patrol Forks, Gerard decided.

I whined in protest, but couldn't defy him. His alpha force was kicking in.

Kevin, you take Beaver.

He whined even louder.

The rest of us will spread out around the forests. We need to catch this leech.

Reluctantly, I made my way south to Forks as everyone else ran their separate ways. Kevin's attitude was far worse than mine, since he especially hated patrolling in town, and he especially didn't like Beaver.

Get over it, Kevin. Do your job, Gerard chided.

Kevin sighed. Like I have a choice.

Gerard ignored him and continued barking out orders to the others. Peter, take the north side. Howard will take the east side to and past Forks. I'll take the south side.

Got it, Gerard, Howard said.

I ran along with Howard for a while until he broke off to sweep around his assigned patrol area. I continued on to Forks and soon phased out, my mind becoming quiet again, when the first houses came around.