Tyler sat on her bed, staring intently at her laptop. Books, notes, and papers were scattered all around her, and her golden brown eyes flicked from the screen to the notebook before her. She groaned and pushed it away, scribbling another equation down. Tyler hated math.

She looked around, surveying her new bedroom. Before she'd moved in two days before, it had been her aunt's study-slash-guestroom. The room wasn't massive, but it wasn't cramped either. The large windows let in the moonlight, and the lamp on the table beside her gave off a warm glow that reflected off the wood-paneled walls. Across from the iron-framed bed were a wardrobe and a desk piled high with her aunt's books. The clothes she'd brought had barely filled half the drawers, and the small closet was practically barren. Tyler glanced over at the bags of new clothes her aunt had picked out for her. Eventually, she'd need to put them away.

A soft knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. Before she could say anything, Aunt Ellen stepped into the room, holding a large mug.

"You've been up here since you got home! How much homework did you have?"

Tyler shrugged, smiling. "Enough to drive me nuts, but I'm almost finished."

"Well, I've brought you some tea to help you relax." She handed it to her niece, who smiled thankfully, while looking around the room. She frowned and picked up the stack of her books that were still on the desk. "This weekend we're going to put all of these away so I can see what else I need to get you."

Tyler's smile widened as she took a sip of the tea. It was as if her aunt had read her mind. "You don't need to buy me anything else. I wear my workout clothes most of the time anyway."

Aunt Ellen rolled her eyes, shifting the book in her arms. "You are so your mother's daughter. Couldn't give a care in the world about how you look! But I'm going to change that."

"If you say so," the girl grinned at her aunt.

"Oh, and don't forget your other studies."

Tyler groaned and fell back onto her pillow. "Can't we start after I'm more settled in?"

"Better to start now." Aunt Ellen practically as she pushed a lock of wavy brown hair behind her ear. "Oh, and don't forget to water the plants in the window box."

"Ok." With that, Ellen spun and walked quickly out of the room, closing the door behind her. Tyler sat up and, with a sigh, went back to her homework.

Scott stood in the clearing, waiting patiently. The moon hung low in the sky, full and bright. He could make out every detail on the ground, and could hear the small animals rustling in the bushes. And he could hear Stiles groaning.

"I don't see why we couldn't have just stayed at my house. We don't really need to go out into the woods to find out more about Tyler." Scott ignored him, turning his head toward a sound. Isaac tumbled through the trees.

Stiles looked at his two friends. Isaac's eyes glowed yellow and his teeth jutted out of his mouth as sharp fangs. Scott's red eyes glowed just as brightly, his teeth just as sharp. Stiles stood to the side, looking completely ordinary compared to the two werewolves.

"I lost the trail" Isaac started. "I think she might've gone into the water—"

Before anyone could react, she was there, staring. Her green eyes glowed as they flicked from one person to another. Whiskers extended from her cheeks, and her mouth was twisted into a snarl around sharp fangs. Dark markings circled her eyes and ran down the sides of her nose. She wore the same outfit she'd had on at school, but her hair fell over her shoulders, and her ears seemed more pointed, sticking out from her hair.

"Tyler?" One ear turned toward the sound. It was definitely higher up on her head than it should have been, like a cat's ear. Tan fur covered it.

Tyler made no indication that she recognized her name. She sank down to all fours, her fingernails extending into claws. She crept around the three boys in a wide circle.

Scott stepped forward, letting a growl of warning slip from his mouth. Tyler hissed and snarled in response, her ears pressing flat against her head. She slunk into the shadows.

"She's still here." Scott growled to his friends. Isaac crouched beside Scott, staring into the darkness.

Stiles crept backwards, trying to stay out of the way. He shouldn't have come. He knew it; but he somehow always seemed to get himself in the middle of his best friend's werewolf affairs. A twig snapped behind him and he spun around. He lost his footing and fell into the dirt as Scott leapt in front of him, growling into the darkness. But they did not see Tyler.

Instead, the green eyes of a mountain lion stared back at them, and with a final screech and the flick of her tail, she disappeared into the trees.

There was a moment of silence as the werewolves listened for any other threatening sound, but all they heard was Stiles stand up with a grunt.

"So, were-cats, huh?"

Tyler's head throbbed. Sunlight streamed through her window and birds chirped happily in the cool morning air. The girl groaned and pulled her blanket over her head, feeling her sheet rub against her bare skin. Startled, she opened her eyes and peered down at herself. She hadn't remembered taking off her clothes before she went to sleep. And that meant…

"Shit." She mumbled, jumping out of bed. That was a mistake. Tyler stumbled, falling to her knees with a groan. Her mouth felt full of sand and her head was swimming. Bracing herself against the desk, she slowly stood up, looking at herself in the mirror.

"Shit." She whispered again, touching her cheek. Light scrapes covered her face and neck, and a line of dried blood ran from the corner of her mouth. Her body felt like lead. Tyler turned and glanced at the calendar hanging from her wall and stifled yet another groan. Last night was the full moon, and she hadn't even realized.

"This must be what a really bad hangover feels like." She mumbled as she pulled on an oversized t-shirt and shorts. She glanced in the mirror again and watched with relief and awe as the scrapes, cuts, and bruises completely disappeared right before her eyes. "Christ, if that was how they looked in the morning," she shuddered. She couldn't remember last night, but Tyler assumed wasn't a walk in the park.

"Are you up?" Her aunt called through the door.

Tyler grunted in response, reaching for the handle and yanking the door open. Ellen was in a long nightgown holding a cup of tea. Her aunt stood in shocked silence for a half a moment. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" She commented, pulling a twig out of her niece's hair.

She ignored the blood crusted in the corner of the younger girl's mouth "Go get ready for school. I'd start with a shower."

Tyler made a face and shuffled to the bathroom. She didn't bother turning on the light before cranking the shower as hot as it would go. Tyler stood beneath the stream of water in the darkness, letting it wash away the evidence of a night she couldn't even begin to remember.