The Wolf Within

The Lake

**Star’s POV**

*BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP* the alarm clock blares as I peak at the time. 6:00 AM. Internally groaning, I push the button to make it stop. Silence once again enveloped me as I wrap myself further under my warm comforter, my mother comes bouncing into my room to draw my curtains.

“Ugh mom its too early,” pulling the blanket over my eyes to shield them “why cant I be homeschooled?”

Mom laughs loudly as she yanks on the end of the comforter “you wouldn’t be able to make friends!”

I scoff as I drag myself out of bed, grabbing my phone and walking into my bathroom to begin my day. Megan and Lilly have been my friends since we were mere pups. “You know I have the same friends since elementary school, right mom?”

“Yes dear, I’m just being positive is all,” she states while throwing my comforter over my bed. “Hurry now so I can take you to school on my way to the gym!”

My mom was very meticulous about staying fit, she even mentioned she was enrolling me into a training class with other teens from school, which my dad thought was a good idea. I didn’t want to be around anymore people from school then I had to.

After brushing my teeth, face and my black waist length hair, I walked back into my room to get dressed. Throwing on a black tennis skirt paired with a lavender sweater and my black ankle boots, I smiled at myself in the floor length mirror before putting on lip balm and heading downstairs.

My dad walks up and kisses my forehead wishing me luck on my last first day of high school, he pulls my mom flush against him and I walk away before they start kissing. I hear the front door shut softly after hearing my mom wish my dad a good day.

** Getting To School **

Pulling up to the high school my mom smiled, probably remembering her days as a student here. I hug her and quickly get out, spotting my best friends about 30 feet away. As I walk to them, I look around, seeing teens spread out on the lawn waiting for first bell. I can feel eyes on me as I glance around to try to find out who it could be. Two ocean blue eyes stare back into mine from across the lawn, belonging to the bad boy and future alpha, Mason Charles. I quickly look away towards my friends, focusing on the conversation at hand, birthdays. My birthday was coming up next week and my friends wanted to throw me a party. Seeing as I don’t have many friends and I’m not popular, no one would be interested in coming.

**First Bell Rings**

Once the bell rang, everyone started to flock inside and to their first class of the day. I have Chemistry and its on the second floor. While walking up the stairs I feel someone stick their foot out and trip me. Falling down and hitting the steps in front of me I look up and see none other then Mason. Quickly averting my gaze and jumping up to brush myself off, I apologize and walk around him as he laughs mischievously.

Finding my classroom I quickly picked a seat in the middle of the room and sat down. Other students trickled into the classroom while I got out my pencil and notebook. The teacher walks in, the bell rings signaling start of class.

**After School**

The bell rings and all the students flock out of classrooms and towards the front doors of the building. Some getting in cars, some walking and some taking the trails to the lake for a swim. Seeing my best friends standing to the side I headed towards them ready to walk to the lake. Its about 2 miles from the school so we started to walk and I pulled a speaker out of my backpack, turning it on and playing music to ease our minds.

Hearing the crunch of leaves behind us as we walk through the trail I turn around and nothing is there. Weird, I thought to myself but brushed it off. As a wolf our senses are heightened, so I know what I heard was real.

Finally reaching the lake I pulled a sheet I took from my moms linen closet and laid it in a shady spot on the sand. Looking around to make sure no one is watching me I pulled my sweater over my head to reveal a black bandeau bikini top with gold roses on one side. Sliding my skirt down to reveal matching bikini bottoms as I toss it to the side with my bag and sweater. I look up and smile at Lilly, because she is wearing the same bikini as me but in red and gold. People already think we should have been twins because we look so much alike, long pin straight black hair, bright emerald green eyes with fair complexion. The only difference is Lil is taller then I, standing at 5’6 while I am only 5’0. Being short and little like I am is very unusual for a werewolf, I am the littlest of the pack, not counting the children. However I am one of the strongest warriors in training despite my size. As we are laying on the sheet watching some of the other teens playing in the lake, splashing and screaming non sense, I feel sand fly all over myself and best friends. Looking up I see the b***h of the pack, Rebecca Daniel. She smirked before bouncing away towards a group of boys she was consistently with.

“I don’t understand why everyone likes her so much,” Lilly exclaimed, “she’s so rude!”

“They only pretend to like her Lil,” Megan stated flatly “they don’t want her to be mean to them too so they act like they like her.”

“She treats them like crap either way, she doesn’t care about anyone else’s feelings.” I spoke softly as I sat up and brushed sand off of myself.

** Some Time Later **

While packing up my stuff to leave I only had my skirt on and had not yet put my shirt back on when I felt a pair of eyes on me yet again today. Peaking up through my hair I can see Mason swimming in the lake, staring at me with, Rebecca holding onto his neck. Quickly pulling my shirt on and turning around I felt a pain in my chest and a sick feeling in my stomach. Brushing it off as the heat getting to me I wave bye to my friends and head to the entrance to meet my older brother, Micah, at his car. He was getting off of work at a bakery down the road in a few minutes, so I figured I wouldn’t call mom to come get me since we are going to the same place anyways.

Back at the house I walked through the front door and the smell of chicken parmigiana hit me like a freight train. My mother could be heard scurrying around the kitchen as she called out to my brother and I, “hey loves, I’m almost done with dinner so go wash up and set the table please!”

At dinner we talked about our days, my dad said there was another attack on our night shift warriors who canvas the borders by the rogues. At this point dad isn’t sure its just rogues because of how often the attacks have gotten.

My mom started asking about my birthday and was trying to plan a party with my friends since its my 18th she was thinking about inviting everyone from my school because she wants me to find my mate. I think shes more excited then I am at this point. After dinner I helped mom clean up before heading upstairs to shower and get ready for bed. As soon as my head hit my pillow, I was fast asleep.