Blood of the Moon

First days are always nerve wracking. First days at a new school in an entirely different country felt like torture. Moving 3,500 miles seemed like a good idea at the time, but standing outside my new school was making me have second thoughts. Not to mention the fact that the schooling system was different here. I had finished high school over a year ago back home and had just started my last year of college, making plans for university. That's how it worked in the U.K. High school ended at sixteen and you went to college until you were eighteen. Now I was in the U.S and back to high school for my last year...again. It was a condition for me moving here, that I went to school and this was the closest one. My Aunt Leah was busy being a midwife and the female Beta, she didn't need me under foot as well. As if school wasn't bad enough the first time around and I had a feeling this would be no different. Though I had to admit I was glad there was no uniform required this time and so I was wearing dark blue skinny jeans, a teal strappy top and one of my cousins black and white checked shirts I had borrowed. My straight brown hair was trailing down past my waist and a took a deep breath to calm myself. Here goes nothing.  The morning hadn't gone too badly after I had found my first class. Aaron, my cousin, was supposed to show me around but of course he was avoiding me like the plague. At home we got on great, it was like a having a brother. But outside, he didn't want having a human cousin to drag his reputation down further then my presence already did. Not that I minded all that much. He was going to be Mason's Beta once they all turned 18. Which would be in about a months time and Mason should be back from his Alpha training by then. I had no interest in making friends with the popular kids, or any wolf for that matter. Honestly I had no real interest in making friends at all after everything that had happened. Shaking my head I stopped the memories before they could even surface. School was not the place to think about that. It seemed everyone here was more then happy to ignore me, except for the odd glance from Aaron, and I was glad. The hallway was full of people heading to lunch as made my way to my locker. Hearing laughter, I looked up to see a group of people all chanting and shouting at someone. Curiosity got the better of me and soon I had squirmed my way to the front of the crowd. Being small had it's advantages, but now I could see what they were laughing at. Who they were laughing at. A blonde haired boy was sat on the floor, gripping his chest. Tears flowed from his eyes and I could see he was struggling to catch his breath. The poor kid, why were they laughing at him. Quickly I knelt by his side, ignoring the shouts around me and cupped his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me. His brown eyes were wide but I was glad he didn't push me away. "Hey, It's okay. Now tell me all the colours you can see in my eyes." I kept my voice calm. He looked confused for a second and then tried to push me away. But I held his face firmly. "Name all the colours in my eyes and I'll let you go." He studied my eyes for a beat before he spoke. His voice coming out shaky to start with. "Gre..en,... br..brown, blue, gold, silver." It was always a good distraction as it confused everyone. No one could explain it and strangely no one even noticed until I pointed it out. "How?" His voice was practically a whisper and his brow was furrowed in confusion. "It's a mystery even I don't know." I smiled. " Now take a deep breath." He did I asked and took a shaky breath. "Good. Now I want you to breathe in slowly to the count of four and hold it for a count of seven, okay?" He nodded. "Breath in. One...two...three...four and hold it, two...three...four...five...six...seven." We repeated it again and it was clear to see he was now a lot calmer and no longer in the grip of a panic attack. I stood holding my hand out and he took as he stood on shaky legs. " I'm Tessa." I said, changing my grip on his hand to shake it. Tentatively he returned the gesture. "Cody. Thank..." Someone pulled me away from him. Aaron seriously? He grabbed my arm, making me face him. Ugh, he was such an arse in front of his friends. "What the f**k Tessa!" He yelled into my face. The muscle in his jaw twitched and I could see his eyes flickering between black and blue as he tried to control his wolf. Was he seriously that pissed that I helped someone? Or was it more to do with all his stuck up friends seeing it? His grip on my arm was painful. "Someone had to help him!" I shot back, yanking my arm out of his grip. "f**k off, Aaron!" I shouted as I walked away from him. I couldn't stand the person he became whenever anyone was watching. And I knew without turning around that everyone was watching. When I finally made it to my locker I swapped my school books for my latest read and headed to the cafeteria. I had a rough idea where it was from passing it earlier in the day and once I found it, I rushed for an empty table. I was not in the mood to sit with strangers today. There was one at the back and out of the way, just what I was hoping for. Sitting down I pulled out the snacks from my bag and settled down to read Villette.  I had just finished a chapter when someone sat beside me and an arm landed on my shoulders. I looked up to find a guy with a crooked grin. God it was always sexy when lads did that smile and this guy was no exception, with his messy brown hair and intense brown eyes. Everything about him screamed bad boy, especially with scar through his right eyebrow and the tattoos that littered his knuckles. "Can I help you?" I asked as I set my book down. Clearly there was no point in starting the next chapter now. "I just wanted to thank you for helping my cousin out earlier." He replied. His voice was deep and so sexy. "I'm not sure you should have stood up to Aaron though?" Seriously? As if Aaron would do anything to me. Okay, he had this morning but that was unintentional. I pulled the shirt down to show the bruises that were already appearing at the top of my arm. "Trust me, I'll make him pay. Unless I happen to forget to cover it, then his dad will do it for me." I laughed pulling the shirt back over my sleeve and caught his eyes changing colour. What made him so angry? Couldn't be the bruises, he didn't even know me. "Great another wolf." I muttered. He looked at me confused and his eyes narrowed. "You couldn't tell?" I'm human how the hell would I know. Wait, he should be able to smell that I'm human, but I was wearing Aaron's shirt so I smelt like him. That's why he let me borrow it, to keep male wolves away. The sly git. He couldn't act like he cared and then be a d**k to me in the same day. I took the shirt off. I really needed to buy a jacket. "Human. That should be obvious now." I replied, trying to keep my breathing steady as he came closer. His fingers brushed my skin as he moved the hair away from my neck, reaching down to sniff it. His hot breath on my skin made my pulse rocket. I hadn't been this close to a man since... no, I wouldn't think of him. I had promised myself I wouldn't think of him. Fingers trailed up and down my arm as he took a few deep breaths. Who the hell does he think he is touching me like this? "So where are you from, kitten?" He asked pulling back and slipping his hand around my waist. Wow, he was cocky. I noticed his eyes travel from my face to my chest and internally I face palmed. I had completely forgotten that I only put a thin strappy top on under the shirt. "England and my eyes are up here" I said as I turned to face him more, removing his arm from me and placing the shirt back on while he just smirked at me. Wolves naturally had a hotter body temperature then humans and I instantly regretted moving away from him. I hated being cold. A growl shook the room and I found Aaron storming this way this a face like thunder. Seriously, what now? "Get the f**k away from her Blake!" My eyes rolled. Now he wanted to play the protective cousin again. Blake just grinned pulling me closer to him. Was this really happening. Aaron growled as he came around the table and pulled me out of Blake's grip. "Get off my cousin!" Sighing I packed up my stuff and turned to leave. I could not be arsed with this. Someone grabbed my arm . Turning I found it was Aaron, of course, and he wasn't even looking at me. He was staring down Blake, who was looking at me. "Where do you think you're going?" Yanking my arm out of his grip for the second time today I glared at him. "Away from your pissing contest." I spat and stormed out of there. Seriously! What was wrong with him today? Though honestly he had always been protective of me around boys, he was never this intense. Especially in front of his friends. I was suddenly glad he didn't know why I had moved here, he'd probably lock me in my room.  The last bell couldn't come quickly enough and I practically ran out of the building. Aaron was somehow already waiting for me by his car, but I ignored him. No way was I getting in a car with him today. I could hear him shouting me but I just ignored him and began walking home. Okay, I was regretting that choice almost immediately. It was freezing out here. I was contemplating turning back when something warm and heavy was placed on my shoulders. A leather jacket. Looking up I saw Blake grinning at me as his arm went around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I should have pushed the cocky i***t away, but I welcomed his heat when I was this cold. He easily towered over me. "Miss me, Kitten?" He smirked. I just shook my head ignoring him as I could feel my cheeks heating up. Why did he have this affect on me? I had sworn off boys only a month ago and I wasn't about to let some cocky t**t get under my skin. He chuckled. "So how did you help Cody? No ones been able to stop his panic attacks before." I shrugged. "Well the breathing trick is something I learned from Yoga , but first I asked him to name all the colours in my eyes. It always worked when my best...for uhm... someone I used to know." f**k! I didn't want to think about her either. It was still too raw. Pushing the feelings back down I turned to look at Blake, the look on his face told me that he caught that slip up but quickly his eyes narrowed and he cupped my face in his hands, staring intently into my eyes. Too close! He was too close to me and I could feel my pulse quicken. Why did he have to be so good looking. My eyes flickered to his perfect lips that I really wanted to kiss right now. His thumb ran across my lips and I gulped before pushing him away. "Prick!" I shouted at him as walked away. What was wrong with me? I heard him chuckle again as his arm returned to my waist. "Oh don't be like that, Princess." I glared at him. His free hand rose in surrender and he pouted. I shook my head, trying not to laugh at him. We walked in comfortable silence for a while before he asked. "You don't sound like your from England." Here we go. I had heard this every summer. My eyes rolled. "There are more accents in England then posh or cockney. My common as muck sounding accent is Yorkshire." He leaned in closer, his breathe tickling my ear. "You don't sound common to me, Princess. In fact I find your accent a turn on." That was it. I burst out laughing. Blake just confused at my outburst, but I couldn't help it. "What?" "No one has ever said a Yorkshire accent was a turn on." I wiped the tears from my eyes and caught my breath." Seriously, at least say something believable." He quickly recovered and pulled me close to him again. "So what is a Yorkshire girl.." "Lass." I cut him off. "Yorkshire lass." I corrected. He raised an eyebrow at me but carried on. "So what is a Yorkshire lass doing all the way out here?" I shrugged. "My Aunt and Uncle live here. She's human and met my uncle while Uncle while travelling. I've spent most summers here since I was little, so it seemed like the perfect place to...uhm..."I sighed really not knowing how to end that sentence without getting into a conversion I really didn't want to have. Thankfully he didn't push it. "So that's how you know about wolves." He muttered. We were interrupted by my phone buzzing with a text. I didn't recognise the number but read the text anyway.  'Thought you should know that Jake and Sarah are official. It happened the day you left.' I froze. Everything started moving slowly as I felt my heart break again. Couldn't they just leave me alone! Why did they have to rub it in my face. He never wanted me. It was all fake. He was just using me to pass the time until she wanted him. Hands cupped my face, but I barely felt them. "Tessa?" Tears fell, I couldn't stop them. "Tessa, whats wrong? What happened?" Blake's worried voice cut through my thoughts and I remembered where I was. I ran. I ran until I slammed my bedroom door shut and collapsed on the bed crying. It hurt so much. That bastard still had such a hold over me. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? I gave him everything and it still wasn't enough. I wasn't enough. "Tessa!" Aaron's worried voice cut through my thoughts. "Tessa, what's wrong?" His voice was soft as he turned me to face him. I pulled out my phone to show him the message. His brow furrowed as he read it. "This about your Jake?" My Jake. That just made me cry harder and I shook my head trying to hold it together. "He was never mine." I whimpered. Aaron, I gave him over a year of my life. I gave him everything." I looked into his eyes, hoping he'd know what I meant. "Everything! He even waited 6 months for that! But I wasn't enough. I was never enough. He cheated on me with Sarah!" My best friend. Aaron's arms wrapped around me, holding me close. One arm rubbing my back. "That fucker!" He growled, pulling me closer. "Tessa, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me?" I just sobbed harder into his chest and he just held me until the tears stopped. "Come on. We're going to pig out tonight." A small smile played on his lips as he helped me up. We spent the night watching cartoons and eating our body weight in snacks and pizza. This was the Aaron I liked, the one I grew up with. Pretty soon I had almost forgotten why I had been crying as we threw popcorn and pillows at each other in a mock battle over the sofa.