A/N: Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! You are awesome.

I wish you all the best in the following year. Happy holidays!

Kim tiptoed into the house and took her boots off. She could hear her mother in the kitchen, talking to someone on the phone. "Well, I don't know, Bob, if I knew, I wouldn't be asking you now would I? I'm telling you; I had been waiting for her for a while and she just didn't show up. Then I went inside the school and asked, and they told me that all the students had gone home. She might have gotten a ride from one of her friends. But it's so unlike her, not to tell me anything about it. Has she told you anything? No? Are you sure? And I've been calling her phone, but she still hasn't answered. And I'm so worried."

Kim winced. Maybe if she went to her room and pretended she'd been sleeping the whole time? She sighed and went into the kitchen.

"Hi, mom," Kim said sheepishly. Her mother jumped from her seat.

"Oh my god, she's here, Bob! She's fine. Yes. Yes. Ok. I'll see you when you get home. Buy some milk," she said and promptly put the phone down. She gave Kim a once over, and when she was sure nothing was injured or broken, her eyes narrowed.

"Well, that was your father. He was worried sick, and so was I. Where were you?" Her voice was barely above a whisper but it still sent shivers down Kim's spine.

"At school?"

"I looked for you at school and they told me all the students had gone home. So, one last chance to come clean; where were you?"

"No, it's the truth, mom, I swear. I was at school, I was just... I was in detention."

"Detention?!"

"Yes, but it's not a big deal, I didn't do anything-"

"You didn't do anything, but you've somehow ended up in detention?! What exactly is going on with you, Kimberly? I can't seem to recognize you. It's about that boy, isn't it? That little delinquent, Tom's son? I knew I should have nipped that in the bud, I-"

"What are you talking about?! He wasn't even there! We don't even talk anymore! Paul has nothing to do with it."

"Then, what is it? Why are you doing all this? I thought that after your sister I would be able to relax a little, I thought my younger daughter was the smarter one, the kinder one, the more responsible one. Apparently, I was wrong. What about your college plans?"

"What about them?" Kim scoffed indignantly. "Can you calm down, please, it's one stupid detention, for crying out loud!"

"Yes, for now. But based on the choices you're making, the stubborn, headstrong attitude you've adopted... well, I can just say it doesn't seem you're on the right path. And don't get me started about your friends," her mother huffed.

"Oh, so, what, you would rather I was all alone? Spending days in my room, where you can see me at all times and control every aspect of my life?"

"Don't be rude, child, I am your mother!"

"And I am your daughter who has done nothing to deserve this kind of treatment! My only mistake today was not telling you I would be late, and that's it! So, I'm sorry for that, and about everything else, if you would kindly leave me to hell alone, thanks!"

"Kimberly!" Her mother gasped.

Kim's head was whistling; she was like one of those cartoon characters, seconds away from steam coming out of her ears.

"I'll be in my room," she muttered, leaving her gaping mother all alone in the kitchen.

"You're... you're grounded!" her mother shouted after her, but she couldn't muster up the energy to care.

"Whatever," she sighed.

"And, and... leave your phone!"

In a moment of pure idiocy, Kim took the phone out of her bag and just threw it over her shoulder, which was instantly followed by a slight cracking sound. She winced a little.

"You're sure not getting a new one, just so you know!"

"Are we done here? I'll be in my room," she said and went up the stairs.

Kim was sitting in her room, staring at the ceiling. How was this happening? Was this the worst day of her life? She thought so. It was the first time she was grounded. She couldn't believe it. She was a nice kid, the one that never got into trouble, the one with good grades, the one that your parents told you you should be more like. And now her parents took away her phone and she wasn't allowed to go anywhere for two weeks. Like she had anywhere to go, but still. And it was all thanks to Jared. And Paul, actually. If she actually thought about it, all the problems she was having circled back to one of those two idiots. Or both of them. Everything in Kim's life was just ordinary until they started meddling. She was perfectly comfortable with her boring, plain life and they had to go and ruin it. Their motivation for doing it was what she didn't understand. What did she have to do with anything? Jared mentioned something about a book he would lend her, that she would understand better once she read it. Kim scoffed as she looked at her bookshelf. If she had anything, she had books. She was pretty sure she owned whatever it was Jared wanted to lend her; he honestly never struck her as an avid reader. So, she sat in front of the bookshelf, eyeing every title. She skipped the romance and fantasy section, because it probably wasn't that. Both Jared and Paul had mentioned protecting the tribe and the community. So, psychology? Sociology? She didn't have that many nonfiction books, let alone any that had to do with sociology. She was about to give up and admit defeat to Jared's meagre book collection, but then a book caught her eye. It was an old one, slightly dusty and forgotten on the bottom shelf. Quileute Legends. Her dad used to read it to her when she was little. She eyed the book. Well, it was about their tribe. It was worth a shot. She started out slowly, but soon her eyes were flying across pages. When she finished the part about the wolves and the Cold Ones, she snapped the book shut. Jared was right, everything was clearer, she thought with dread. It all made sense now.

Paul and Jared apparently worshiped mythological creatures. Werewolves, to be precise. She shuddered. They were in a cult and Sam Uley was their leader.