Garmadon exhaled tiredly as he finished another load of laundry. Now he and Skylor were staying in Ninjago City he had to re-learn how to be human. Luckily for him, things like doing laundry, cooking, using electronics, and other household chores and items were like riding a bike; you never forgot how to do it. His only real problem was learning how to control his inner wolf again. Sometimes he could feel it crawling up to the surface and had to remind himself to prevent it. He wasn't perfect in managing it. On his first day, he almost attacked a poor postman delivering letters to their new address but managed to contain the wolf and pass it off as a nasty cold.

Thanks to the pack's connections, the wild pair had a chance at this life now.

Thankfully Garmadon already had a life in Ninjago City before he went wild and the fake information they had already made Skylor meant it wasn't too difficult to set things up. Garmadon and Skylor now had passports, social security cards, birth certificates, and bank accounts, and the Old Finnigan House was now listed as Garmadon's. Skylor was also reinstated into Ninjago High. She was supposed to be in today but he and the other adults decided it would be best to wait until after the full moon tonight. Something was different about her; Garmadon could feel it. He had felt it since Shade revealed the pack had abandoned them. There was something rotten about her now. He could almost smell it on her. Sadly, he knew what this was and his brother confirmed his suspicions last night.

Suddenly footsteps were stomping down the stairs and he saw Skylor walking into the kitchen. Normally he wouldn't mind so much, but his eyes narrowed when he saw the backpack slung over her shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

Skylor shot him a nasty glare as she opened the fridge. "Going to school."

"What? On the full moon?"

"Why not? The others are going, aren't they?"

"Yes, but none of them are a..."

"What? A morwal?" She snarled as she whipped around to face him. Garmadon couldn't stop himself from taking a cautious step back. "I heard you and your brother talking about it and I'm not going to wolf out in school if that's what you mean." She scoffed loudly. "You're not my father, I'm your Alpha; remember that."

"I've been abandoned, too, Skylor." He reminded her and she turned away. "If you cannot stay home for your own sake, then stay for mine, please?" He pleaded but she growled and in an instant she was in his face, her eyes burning bright and her fangs showing.

"You want to stay? Get a job! Unless you want us to starve!" She roared, gesturing to the empty fridge.

"I can't get a job."

"Then leave, like the rest of them! Or be Lloyd's father for a change, and stop telling me what to do!" She screeched before suddenly shoving him into the wall with enough force to knock the air out of his lungs. With a grunt of pain, Garmadon stood up and was about to chastise her but he saw she was gone. A second later he heard the front door slamming shut. With a heavy sigh, Garmadon went to make himself breakfast but quickly realized they had little to no food whatsoever.

Maybe Skylor was onto something about him getting a job...

Cole was starting to regret coming to school today. Between the fact he hadn't studied for a test today, Jay twittering away in his ear about his upcoming birthday, Kai's constant flirting despite Cole repeatedly telling him he wasn't in the mood, and now being forced to sit in an uncomfortable chair in a cold assembly watching as the school did a small press event for the recovered artifacts. After Skylor received the news that she had no pack and rejected the items Pixal took them and turned them in with Dareth and his items. The school board saw this as a great opportunity. So now Pixal, Zane, and Dareth stood in front of a table displaying all the items with the principal on one side of them and a member of the historical society from the museum on the other with a giant cheque between them as they all smiled for the camera.

Not everyone was happy about this, however.

Chad and Maggie were glaring up at the stage with contempt. That cash could have been theirs if they hadn't run off. Pixal and her boyfriend must have conned them with fake teeth and contact lenses. Why else wouldn't they run away like normal people? That should be Chad and Maggie's picture in the paper, not those freaks.

Cole was ready to fake some illness to get out of there when he suddenly smelled it. A glance around the room told him the others picked up on it too. He sniffed again and almost recoiled in disgust. It was a familiar scent, but something about it was rotten. The best way he could describe was how milk smelled right as it was about to spoil.

Suddenly the doors burst open and Skylor stomped in.

Reacting in a split second, Cole leaped from his chair and blocked her path.

"Get outta my way!" She snarled as slammed her fists against his chest.

"You shouldn't be here," Cole whispered as he started pushing her towards the door, but she dug her heels and refused to budge. "Do you know how dangerous this is? I thought we agreed you were going to stay at home."

"No, you and the others agreed! I refuse to be kept on a leash like some dog!" She shouted and some of the nearby students started taking notice. Cole saw this and in desperation, he tried to cover her mouth.

"Keep your voice down." He hissed, only to gasp in pain when she bit him. He quickly let her go and she hit him in the chest a few more times for storming off with a snarl. Fortunately, Cole was built like a mountain so her hits did little to no damage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for this generous contribution to the school!" The principal announced as he and the historical society member shook hands for the final time and the event ended. As soon as she had the chance Pixal got down from the stage and re-grouped with her friends who were now all gathered around Cole.

"I thought Skylor was staying at home?" She asked but no one had an answer. "Look, if she wants to be here-"

"It's not about what she wants, OK?" Kai glared. "The pull of the moon is too strong for her this month. Her scent's changed; she's got the morwal in her."

"The what?" Harumi frowned.

"The wolf inside's not Skylor's; not the one that we know, anyway," Nya replied but Pixal and Harumi still looked confused. "When a werewolf is really hurting, in pain, they change at the full moon and we need to lock her in a den tonight, otherwise she'll go hunting, and I don't mean for food." She explained and she and her fellow werewolves shared a worried look between them. They all knew the horror stories of a morwal and what they were capable of. This was where people heard all those horror stories about werewolves.

According to their history, morwals were the reasons werewolves had to go into hiding and become the stuff of legends and crappy romance novels for menopausal housewives. Back in the dark ages, it wasn't uncommon for people to die, some while they were still children. But just because it was a regular occurrence didn't mean that people didn't grieve, that they didn't feel the loss and pain. Then the full moon would appear and people would die. Lloyd remembered reading one of his uncle's books and reading a story of a grief-stricken werewolf who went mad during the full moon and wiped out a whole village in a single night. The burnings soon began after those incidents. Mobs of humans would go out and hunt werewolf packs, capture whoever they could whether they were men, women, or children, and watch them burn.

"I don't believe that; it's still Skylor, right?" Harumi asked in disbelief, but Jay exhaled with a sad look in his eyes.

"It's Skylor, but it's the morwal too and she doesn't know the difference so we need to get her out of school and into a den."...

There was a loud pounding in her head. It was like she had an entire marching band and someone was drilling into her brain at the same time. It was like torture but there was nothing she could do. She didn't need help with a little headache. She wasn't weak. Skylor started focusing on everything else to take her mind off the aching in her head. All of the other students were in their little worlds as they gossiped about their weekends and other mundane things, completely ignorant of how pathetic they were to her. She took a deep breath and almost gagged at the putrid stench of body odor, hormones, and cheap deodorant. She couldn't remember her classmates stinking this much.

Maybe it was the full moon making her senses stronger.

Or maybe her eyes were opened to how pitiful humans were and how they corrupted everything they touched.

Lloyd and the others finally entered the classroom and she clenched her whole body when they all saw her and approached. She knew what they wanted, but she didn't care. They were not her pack. She owed them nothing and if they wanted her to leave then they would have to make her. She almost laughed at that thought. As if these tame dogs and their human pets could do anything to a real werewolf.

Jay was the first to reach her desk and crouched down beside her chair.

"Skylor, please, tell Miss. Koko you're ill, and go home." He pleaded but her face scrunched up in disgust at this suggestion.

"You can't tell me what to do, you're not my Alpha." She snapped and saw Pixal flinch ever so slightly out of the corner of her eye. In a flash, Skylor whipped around to face her and gave the human a mocking little smile. "Scared of the big bad wolf, Pixal?"

"So what if I am? I still care about you." She stated, but everyone could hear the fear in her voice.

"Yeah, we're your friends, your pack," Cole added.

Skylor rolled her eyes. "I'm not your Alpha, your fear's not my problem, and I'm done pretending to be someone I'm not."

"That's the morwal talking, not you." Lloyd insisted and Skylor snarled in annoyance. When it looked like the pack was going to keep trying to convince her to leave, Koko entered the classroom and everyone had to return to their seats. Skylor was happy about that and was hoping the pounding in her head would suicide now.

"Now, I guess you'll all be wondering where that money's going." Koko started after she took attendance. "Seeing as our various sports teams have been whining for the last three years, about the lack of proper sports facilities, you will be pleased to know that the whole lot is going on gym equipment." She said and the whole classroom erupted at the news. Koko sighed loudly, having expected this sort of reaction.

"Hey, That's not fair! I found those accessories! Shouldn't I get to choose where the money goes?!" Dareth shouted over everyone.

"Take it up with the school governors, Dareth." Koko shrugged and with that, she moved on to the school work. "Now, Skylor, I know you found out about this last minute but have you found anywhere for your work experience?" She asked and sighed again when Skylor shrugged in response. "Does anyone have any suggestions?"

"How about the soup kitchen? She'd probably fit in there." Chad joked, getting a few laughs from his friends, and Skylor whipped around to glare daggers at him. Her friends watched her carefully but there were no signs of her transforming. Koko quickly managed to defuse the situation and the bell rang. Skylor was out of her chair and speed-walking down the hall before her friends could even stand up. Fortunately, Kai, Harumi, and Zane had their next class with Skylor and promised to keep an eye on her.

Art was their next class so they were all hoping for a quiet time. After all, how could someone get angry at art? Skylor found a way, however. It all started when the art teacher had them all gathered around and gave them an assignment.

"It's not about what things look like, it's about using form and color to express how you feel." The teacher explained as she made her way around the class, examining every artwork her students were making. "Ah, a nice contradiction, Kai; a romantic idyll with crocodiles." She smiled when she saw Kai's painting. It was he and Cole were sitting in a row boat in the middle of the lake, but there was one problem.

"Er, they're ducks, miss." He corrected. The teacher's mouth opened in shock but she couldn't find the right words and made a graceful exit. She continued her rounds until she stopped beside Skylor and her eyes widened when she saw what Skylor was painting. It was the painting of a wolf. It was incredibly detailed and looked like it was painted by a professional, but there was something about it that made the teacher uneasy. It could have been the obvious blood lust in its eyes, or possibly the giant razor-sharp fangs opened for an attack, she didn't know. Sensing eyes on her back, Skylor whipped around and glared at the teacher, whose breath caught in her throat.

"That's, um... interesting." She complimented with a tremble in her voice and walked away. Across the room, Dareth was painting his picture when Chad suddenly 'accidentally' walked into him, causing Dareth to spill paint all over his picture, ruining it. Chad 'apologized' through fits of giggles. No one was buying it, not even the teacher, but without proof of intent there was nothing she could do. With a sigh, she dismissed the problem and instructed the students to continue working.

This didn't matter to Skylor.

Without warning she suddenly grabbed Chad's painting and slammed it over the bully's head, making it rip. She wasn't done yet though. Grabbing a jar of bright orange paint, she dunked a large brush into the jar and started painting all over his face.

"What are you doing?!" He gagged as Skylor forced him to the ground and continued to paint until the teacher and fellow students finally dragged her off him...

Where had Koko gone wrong in her life? Seriously, what has she done in a past life to have to constantly deal with disobedient and entitled children and their horrible parents? She became a teacher to educate children who would hopefully grow up to be someone important who would make this world a better place. If she wanted to become a family counselor she would have gone to medical school. Yet, despite her frustrations and countless sleepless nights, Koko knew she wouldn't change a thing.

She was the teacher who would stay for ninety minutes after school to help you catch up, to help fix your project for another class, or even to listen to you cry about your parent's divorce. She was the teacher who brought extra school supplies, food, and clothes for her students who weren't fortunate enough to be able to get their own. Yes, she wasn't changing the world, but she liked to think she helped change her students' lives, even if for a day.

That being said, Koko was at her wits end with Skylor's behavior.

"You've hardly been back for three days, and I'm already contemplating suspension! But that's not really going to help you catch up with your school work, is it?!" She shouted while Skylor glared daggers at her. "You're in detention, every single night until I am satisfied..." She started but trailed off when she noticed the black veins slowly creeping up Skylor's neck. "Wait, is that a tattoo on your neck?!" She exclaimed and Skylor's eyes widened and tried to cover the marks with her hand.

Fate appeared to be on her side, though, and before Koko could investigate the marks Dareth suddenly rushed into the office. Koko's anger turned to him but he didn't give her a chance to shout at him.

"I', so sorry, Miss Koko, but I thought you'd want to hear the full story." He panted, having run up right after class was done. Although she was still annoyed, Koko gestured for him to continue. "Chad's been bullying me; he ruined my painting and Skylor was just sticking up for the underdog, so I think Chad should get punished, not Skylor." He explained. Koko hummed in thought and she looked between the two students. She was quick to figure out they weren't lying and she sighed.

"Well, I applaud your loyalty to a fellow pupil, and in return for supporting her, you have the honor of joining her in detention tonight."

"For what?!" He cried.

"Barging into my office without knocking."

"What about Chad?"

"Oh, he'll be joining you too, now get out," She then turned back to Skylor. "and if that is a tattoo-"

"Um... it was just some paint, I wiped it off." She replied nervously and when Koko looked at her neck she was satisfied to see that the black veins were indeed gone. By now, she was ready to call it a day and just wanted a bit of peace.

"Please, just organize your work experience."

"Already sorted; she's doing it at my Dad's karaoke bar." Dareth smiled, much to Skylor's surprise. Koko didn't care, however, and was just happy that Skylor had finally gotten her work experience and shooed them out of her office, in desperate need of a break.

"You didn't have to do that," Skylor said as she and Dareth started walking away from the office.

"You didn't have to stick up for me; think of this as a thank you for helping the little guy when no one else would." He smiled, but it was weak and he sighed heavily. "Man, I wish I was tough like you." He muttered quietly, but Skylor heard it, and she grinned...

As another door was slammed in his face Garmadon was ready to give up. After Skylor had left Garmadon gathered up his forms of ID, one of Old Man Finnigan's suits - which surprisingly fit the old werewolf comfortably - and headed into the city to get himself a job. He had been applying to every job he could find at fast food restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, and gas stations but no one wanted him. It might have been his age or his lack of apparent experience but no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't get work anywhere.

He did have work experience.

The first was when he was Lloyd's age and he would work as a barista in his father's tea shop or helping out at the dojo. He knew that Wu had kept them open all these years but he knew better than to try and apply there. For one he may want a job but he wasn't desperate enough to beg his little brother for one. The other reason was because he was certain that if Misako heard he was trying to work there she would kill him. She frequented the tea shop and as per the agreement when the pack allowed him and Skylor to remain in the city he would stay away from his ex-wife as much as possible.

The second was as a history teacher at Ninjago High.

As he walked away from his recent job rejection, Garmadon cried out in surprise when something suddenly slammed into his side and knocked him to the ground. Looking up he saw Koko standing over him in shock, a cup of coffee spilled at her feet.

"Oh, Mr. Chen!" She cried and he had to stop himself from flinching. He still wasn't used to being called that. "Sorry, I didn't see you there; here let me help you." She said and made to help him up to his feet, but he brushed her off.

"It's quite alright, accidents happen after all." He coughed, brushing the dust off his suit. "How is Skylor settling back into school?"

"There have been a couple of incidents but nothing major to report." She replied, making Garmadon frown, but she changed the topic before he could ask for more details. "So, where're you off to in such a nice suit?"

"Just trying to find a job; now that Skylor and I are staying in the city longer than intended I wish to provide us with a stable income." He explained and chuckled bitterly. "Sadly, it seems that no one is interested in hiring me."

"I'm sorry to hear that, maybe I could help you find work?" She offered. "What does your résumé say?"

"Résumé?"

"You know, your résumé?" She asked but he still gave her a confused look. "The short written summary of your previous careers, qualifications, and education?" She pushed harder but he shrugged. She sighed loudly. "Ok, I think I see the problem here; let's grab another coffee and head to the library, and with some luck, you'll be raking in the money in no time." She smiled and before he could decline she was grabbing his arm and dragging him in the direction of the library. Garmadon didn't have the spirit to pull away.

What did he have to lose anyway?...

Dareth didn't know whether he should be concerned or downright terrified as Skylor poked and prodded him. After they had left Koko's office, she had suddenly dragged him into the nearest girl's restroom and started to 'toughen up his image' as she called it. Dareth was scared at being caught in the girls' room but Skylor ignored his worries, saying after she was done no one would bother him again.

"Now, what are you?" She asked after putting on the final touches.

"Top dog and the top dog doesn't let anyone push him or his pack around," Dareth growled, trying to look intimidating, but even he could see that it wasn't working. Skylor either didn't notice or she didn't care, she simply smiled with pride at what she had done to him. The moment was ruined, however, when Nya suddenly barged into the room. Her mouth was open to say something, but her words died in her throat when she saw Dareth and she froze.

"What are you looking at?" Skylor snarled at the inturder. That snapped Nya out of her stupor and she stepped further into the room.

"Um, why is he in the girls' room?" She asked, gesturing to Dareth, who was blushing madly and was too mortified to speak. Skylor didn't say anything either and continued to glare at her fellow werewolf. "Look, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Well, I'm busy." She growled and before Nya could argue, Skylor was grabbing Dareth by the arm and dragging him away, making a point to shoulder shove Nya so hard she fell over. Nya was indignant and snarled as she shot to her feet and chased after them. By the time she found them, though, they were sitting at a table in the middle of the crowded cafeteria. Seeing that she couldn't talk to Skylor without causing a scene, Nya located her friends and went to sit with them.

Skylor sensed Nya's retreat and smirked in satisfaction. Those tame pets were finally learning who was the alpha here. She was going to be running this territory and she knew they wouldn't fight her. They would see that she knew best. She was the alpha werewolf here, and no one was going to-

"Not here!" She roared when another student suddenly tried to sit next to her. The student let out a squeak of fear and quickly scurried away before Skylor attacked her. Some other students from nearby tables turned to see what the commotion was but she didn't pay any attention to them.

"Chill out, Skylor, you're not in charge." Dareth scolded, not knowing he just said the worst thing at that moment. In an instant, Skylor turned to him and gave him a burning stare. "What's wrong?"

"This food is disgusting." She spat as she stabbed at the slime on her plate she still kept her hateful gaze fixed on him.

"So... you excited about working at the bar with me, Kai, and Nya?"

"I'm not serving people."

"What's wrong with serving people?" He asked but she refused to answer. Having enough of her attitude, Dareth's eyes narrowed. "If you're gonna be like that then go find somewhere else for work experience." When he said that Skylor's eyes widened in a mix of shock, anger... and fear.

Had she just been abandoned again?

She glowered at him and gripped the fork so hard the metal bent.

"I wouldn't spend a day serving dirt like this to people like you." She hissed and suddenly threw her ruined fork into the food. "No wonder all you humans are pathetic! You're pumped full of this!" She shouted and without warning she grabbed her and Dareth's plates and marched over to the lunch lady. "Hey, you! I wouldn't feed this to a dog!" She yelled at the old woman, who didn't seem to care about her little outburst. This just pissed Skylor off even more. "I'm making a stand here, for all of us! We want real meat, not this slime!" She bellowed and threw the plates at the lunch lady.

The old woman cried out and ducked just as the plates sailed past her and shattered against the wall.

Skylor wasn't down yet, however. She started grabbing handfuls of food and smushing them onto people's heads and into their faces. Students tried to fight her off but she was faster and stronger. A member of the rugby team charged at her but in a shocking display of strength she suddenly picked him up with her bare hands and launched him across the room and he crashed into a table.

A wide grin split across her face. Adrenaline was rushing through her veins and she loved it. This was what she was missing. The thrill. The power. It was all intoxicating.

"Skylor!" Someone suddenly shouted from behind her and she whipped around to see the principal glaring at her. That seemed to snap her out of her blind rage and she looked around in horror at all the angry and terrified looks she was getting. Unable to handle it, she took off running. "Skylor, come back here!" The principal called out as she ran past him but she didn't even slow down.

"I'll go get her!" Kai exclaimed and chased after her. He followed her through the halls and out into the courtyard. He followed her over the fence, through the streets, and into the nearby woods. By some stroke of luck, Skylor tripped over something in the grass and stumbled, making her slow down enough for Kai to catch her. He tackled her to the ground and pinned her down.

"GET OFF!" She screamed as she thrashed and bucked under him, snarling and biting at the air.

"Skylor, calm down, it's alright!"

"No, it's not alright!" She shouted but her angry snarls soon descended into wailing sobs. "What's happening to me?" She sobbed and tears started streaming down her face. Sensing that it was safe to let her go, Kai got off her and they sat up against a large tree. "You guys were right, I can't control it anymore." She whimpered and stared at her trembling hands.

"Only this full moon because of what happened."

"This isn't me; it's like another wolf has taken over." She admitted and turned to him with teary eyes. "Am I evil?"

"No, just in pain." He replied and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She exhaled and leaned into his warmth.

"I thought I'd won them over, that the pack was on my side, but they hated me because I failed them."

"No, they failed you." He insisted.

Reluctantly she pulled away from him and looked Kai straight in the eyes. "Lock me in a den tonight; promise me you'll do that."

"I promise." He smiled and they shared an embrace. After a while, they took off back to the school, and with their enhanced speed, they made it back in record time. As soon as they entered the building they were ordered to go to the principal's office. When they got to the office it was clear the principal was furious and if they didn't fix this mess quickly Skylor was going to get expelled. He dragged the pair into the office and demanded an explanation.

"You see, a few of my Dad's friends were traveling with us but they left us and stole all of Dad's money he was in such a state and I just couldn't cope." She explained and kept her gaze on the desk in front of her, refusing to look him in the eye. The principal listened intently and sighed after she finished. He did consider calling the police but decided against it for now.

"I understand that you have been through a tough time, but this doesn't let you escape from detention, though." He said and Skylor nodded in understanding, relieved that she wasn't getting kicked out of the school. "Before I forget; your father's going to be working as a substitute teacher here." He smiled and both Kai and Skylor's eyes widened. While Koko was helping Garmadon with his resume she learned about his previous teaching job she spoke with the principal about him working at Ninjago High. He was a little hesitant at first but eventually relented and after a quick background check Garmadon was employed at the high school.

"That's... great?" Skylor shrugged, unsure of what to say. After that the principal dismissed them. The rest of the school day was most uneventful aside from the few students who were staying out of Skylor's way, not that she blamed them. She knew she had a lot of apologizing to do before the students and teachers trusted her again. The school day soon ended and Skylor was escorted to detention where Dareth, Chad, and Maggie were already there. The three of them were huddled around a table discussing something until they noticed her.

"Um... I owe you all an apology." She murmured. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused."

"Water under the bridge." Maggie smiled sweetly, much to Skylor's relief. The wild teen wasn't done yet though.

"Dareth, I'm sorry for what I said, and I'd love to work for you if you'll still have me." She added and after a moment he nodded and Skylor smiled. Detention went off with little to no trouble after that and it was over faster than Skylor had expected. After it was over the teacher held Skylor back to discuss when her next detentions were and kicked the others out.

"I can't do this." Dareth suddenly said to the pair when they were in the hallway.

"What!? She deserves all she gets." Chad snarled but Dareth shook his head and quickly walked away. The two popular kids let him go, making a mental note to get back at him for it some other day and waited for Skylor. They didn't have to wait long as a few minutes later Skylor was exiting the classroom and heading for the exit without acknowledging them.

"Skylor? Wait a sec!" Chad called out, making her stop and turn to them. "We just wanted to say, we really appreciate your apology, but the only thing is the lunch lady's really upset and she's thinking about quitting."

"I'll see her tomorrow."

"No, but, she's here now; she's cleaning up and she's always the last to leave," Maggie explained but Skylor still looked unsure. "She's been here years; you owe it to her."

"Where is she?" Skylor sighed and Chad and Maggie smiled as they led her towards the cafeteria. They pointed to the kitchen and Skylor went inside, but she couldn't see the lunch lady anywhere and made to leave. It was too late now, though, because as soon as she was in the kitchen Chad and Maggie rushed forward and slammed the metal doors, locking them. Realizing she had been tricked Skylor banged her fists against the door and demanded to be let out, but they laughed at her.

"You think a few words are going to make up for what you did?!" Maggie cackled over Skylor's yells.

"Yeah, you got off easy!" Chad agreed. "Don't worry, we won't leave you in there all night." He added with mocking sincerity.

"You don't know what you're doing!" Skylor cried but it was no use. She could hear their laughter fading as they walked away until it was silent. Desperately she ran around the room looking for another way out, but there was nothing. She was trapped in the school kitchen and the full moon was fast approaching...

"So I'm thinking lots of blue fireworks! Oh, and food! And party games because everyone loves party games!" Jay rambled on and the others resisted the urge to groan. He had been going on and on about his upcoming birthday for the last few days now and they were sick of it. Yes, they could understand he was excited, who wouldn't be? But there should be a limit to how much he could talk about it.

Seriously, he had been going over every detail when they came to the Yin Yang Cafe to meet with Skylor.

They had spent the whole day discussing where Skylor was going to stay tonight. Zane's den was out of the question. Lloyd had offered but Morro pointed out his family. There was no way Misako or his uncle would ever let a morwal loose in their den even if it protected the secret. That them with Jay's den. It was far from the city and it was just him using it. Jay didn't want to risk his parents' safety in case Skylor managed to escape, but what choice did they have? So Jay agreed, but under the condition that Ed and Edna stayed somewhere far away from the junkyard that night.

Better to be safe than sorry.

"Wait, won't you guys freak out at fireworks?" Harumi asked.

"The loud bangs do make us uncomfortable but it is manageable, and I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Walker will only order pet-friendly fireworks," Zane explained. As Jay started babbling about his birthday again, Lloyd's phone buzzed with an alert. The moon would be rising in a little over an hour and Skylor was still nowhere to be found. Lloyd was about to relay his concerns to the others when Dareth showed up at their table, looking nervous.

"Hey Dareth, what's up?" He asked and just like that the dam burst and Dareth went off in a panicked mess.

"YouhavetounderstandIdidn'twanttodoitbutIwassomadatSkylorandthenChadandMaggiecameupwiththisplanthatIknowwasbadbutIwasn'tthinkingclearlyand-"

"Woah, woah, woah! Slow down, and what was that about Skylor?" Cole asked and Dareth explained more clearly. When they heard where Skylor was they were all terrified. Without saying anything they all got into their respective vehicles and sped towards the school.

They could only hope they weren't too late...

Skylor felt like she couldn't breathe. The moon was rising and with it so was her wolf. It was clawing to the surface with a rage she had never felt before. She tried to push it down, but that only made it angrier. She could feel herself growling between breaths. She couldn't think straight. Everything was going a hundred miles an hour. She started racing around the kitchen, throwing any cutlery, pots, pans, cups, and plates she could reach to the floor and making them shatter on impact. Catching a glimpse of herself in a reflection she could see her black veins and her glowing yellow.

She was running out of time.

All of a sudden she heard footsteps approaching and a part of her hoped it was her friends. But then she heard the laughing. It was Chad and Maggie. They had returned to rub her embarrassment in her face. The rage was back and this time she didn't try to stop it. Why should she? They brought this on themselves. She wanted to break their bones. She wanted to hear their screams. She wanted to claw their faces off. She wanted to tear their throats out.

She wanted them dead.

"Learned your lesson yet?" Chad laughed and held up a pizza box. "Say sorry now, and we'll give you a slice of pizza." He offered with a sneer, making Maggie laugh. Meanwhile, the pack had finally arrived at the school. They lept from the cars and ran for the doors, but in a flash, they all felt it. Looking down at their hands they were all horrified to see their veins turning black. Lloyd looked up at the sky and saw the full moon rising.

They were too late.

Thinking on his feet, Lloyd turned to Harumi and Pixal.

"Make sure she stays in there! And remember, it's not Skylor's wolf!" He shouted and before the two humans could say anything he and the others took off for the nearby forest before they transformed. The two girls watched as their friends disappeared in shock, but steeled themselves and ran towards the kitchen.

"Is that sorry I heard?!" Chad jeered but Skylor wasn't listening anymore. She could feel the change starting. With a pained gasp, she collapsed onto her hands and knees and felt herself transform. In an instant the angry teenager was replaced with a snarling, bloodthirsty wolf who was slowly creeping up to the door, waiting for its prey to open it. On the other side of the door, Chad and Maggie were starting to get bored when Chad, who was still pressed up to the door, heard something. His eyes narrowed and he leaned in closer.

Was Skylor growling?

Officially done with this prank he gripped the handle and was about to open the door.

"STOP!" Pixal and Harumi suddenly screeched as they came racing into the room, body-slamming Chad away from the door and pressing themselves against it. Chad and Maggie looked at them like they had lost their minds.

"You can't let her out yet!" Pixal shouted, trying to get her breath back. "She hasn't... She hasn't learned her lesson yet."

"Yeah, you're not the only one she's abused," Harumi added. "Don't worry, we'll take over from here." She offered and although they were weirded out they didn't want to stay any longer and speed walked out of the kitchen.

"So, what do we do?" Pixal asked once they were sure Chad and Maggie were gone. Harumi thought about it for a minute before she pulled the door open. Pixal spluttered and forced the door shut again. "Wait! What are you doing!?"

"That's Skylor in there, and I'm not going to leave her on her own!"

"But that's also the morwal! You heard what Nya said."

"She's just scared; maybe humans can do what werewolves can't," Harumi suggested but didn't wait for a response and carefully opened the door. She took a quick peek inside but even with the lights on she couldn't see anything. Inhaling deeply, Harumi cautiously squeezed into the room with Pixal right behind her. They closed the door behind them to stop Skylor getting out and proceeded to walk around the kitchen, looking for their friend. Their pace was a crawl and their ears were open for any sounds.

Suddenly something clattered to the ground, making Pixal jump and Harumi gasp. Before they could move there was a sound of claws scraping against metal and with no warning, something slammed full force into the door behind them. They both froze, too scared to move.

Then the growling started. It was coming from behind them.

At first, neither of them dared to move, terrified that if they did they would be killed. It was Pixal who took the first step and slowly she turned around, with Harumi following her lead a second later. They looked down and saw Skylor in her wolf form growling up at them. In the blinding lights of the kitchen, they could see every single horrifying detail. They could see the raised fur along her back, her stiff and tense body posture, the bared teeth, and her direct, intense stare. It wasn't a matter of if she was going to attack them, it was a matter of when.

They had to calm her down and fast.

"Skylor? It's all right, it's only us." Harumi whispered, but the wolf snarled and crouched down, ready to strike. Harumi refused to show fear. They were going to show Skylor they were here for her like they said. To not appear confrontational, they both stared at the ground rather than her and slowly lowered down so they weren't standing over her. Skylor's growl intensified and she stepped towards the duo. Instead of panicking, Harumi and Pixal lowered their heads in a sign of submission and respect. Skylor approached them cautiously and sniffed their hair. She circled them for a few minutes but they didn't move.

They stayed like that the entire night.

As soon as the sun rose the next morning Lloyd and the others ran into the school and straight for the kitchen, petrified at what they might find. Morro and Zane were the first to make it to the kitchen, worried for their girlfriends, and Morro practically broke the door down. They rushed in but skidded to a stop by what they saw.

Harumi, Pixal, and a now human Skylor were all cuddled together against a cabinet, fast asleep...

Skylor smiled as she took in the fresh air and warm sun on her face. You wouldn't think a junkyard would have fresh air, but then you wouldn't know Ed and Edna Walker. It had only been a day since the full moon and everything was already better. Using their skills, Jay and Pixal easily hacked into the school's security feed and made a few alterations to the footage. Now when the staff found the mess in the kitchen they would check the video and find a black screen waiting for them.

At first, they wanted to alter it to make it seem like Chad and Maggie trashed the kitchen, but Skylor wouldn't let them. She was still feeling guilty about what she could have done to those two if they had opened that door. True they were both assholes but they didn't deserve to die for it. So at Skylor's request, Jay and Pixal erased the footage. When the wrecked kitchen was found there would be no evidence and the mystery would never be solved.

That allowed the pack to focus on more important things, like Jay's birthday. They were all gathered at the junkyard to go over all the details once and for all in hopes that Jay would finally give them some peace.

"Sweetie, stop filling up on soda or we won't have enough for the party." Edna scolded as she pried the rest of the cans out of her son's hands and put them in a cooler, sealing the cooler with a padlock to be on the safe side.

"But Mom they're so fizzy!" He cried but was ignored.

"Kai, I made some lemonade before you kids arrived, why don't you go get please." She asked and Kai headed for the trailer. He went inside and found a tray full of glasses filled with fresh lemonade. He grabbed the tray and was about to leave when a buzzing came from a panel in the back of the trailer. He examined it and saw that it was signaling that someone was at the gates and buzzing to be let in. Leaving the drinks, Kai went to answer the call.

"So, what's everyone got me?" Jay asked with an excited grin, but they all remained quiet.

"Sorry Jaybird, you'll have to wait for the day." Nya smiled as she kissed him and laughed when he started pouting. "Don't give me that look, it's only two days away."

"But that's still two days away!" He whined and everyone laughed at his antics.

"Jay..." They all turned to see Kai slowly approaching. Immediately they could tell something was off about him. He was noticeably pale, his eyes were wide, and there was hesitation in his step. He looked like he had seen a ghost. "There's s-someone asking to see you."

Jay, oblivious to his friend's state, brushed this off and turned back to the others. "If it's the guys delivering the bouncy castles then just tell them it leave them by the door and I'll sort them out later."

"I think you'd better go see." Kai insisted. Jay, still not sensing everyone's concern, shrugged and went to see what was so important. He opened the gate and the world stopped.

Standing before him was a man in his mid to late forties. The man was tall, well-built, and dressed in white-and-red clothing. He had greying black hair that was slicked back, dark blue eyes, and a thin mustache. As soon as he saw Jay, the man flashed him a dazzlingly white smile.

"Jay?"

"Dad?"...

NEXT CHAPTER: While getting ready for his birthday, Jay is in for an unexcepted surprise...