Doors slammed, feet stomped, students shouted. Sweat, Lynx aftershave, Hollister body spray. Grey walls, grey ceiling, red blazers.

Everything moved around Tessa, no it seemed to move through her as she plodded to Form. She'd been to the bathroom and splashed water on her face because that's what every main character in the movies does to help them think clearly. It didn't help. Her brain is a tornado throwing her round and round unable to grasp onto a single thought.

Not far from yours Tessa.

What if Keri had been closer to Tessa's than she thought? What if the beast she saw was Walter balancing on the wall? Or Tessa and her glowing veins? Or her mum with her alpha eyes?

People jostled past her, lockers slammed, the curling smell of cigarette smoke followed a year 7 teacher as they hollered for everyone to stop dawdling and get to class.

Hands grabbed her shoulders. The wolf is at her fingertips. She turns fingers ready to slash their throat, but it's Walter. His lips are pinched in a way which reminds her of their mother. Why did he have to play that stupid joke?

The thought riles the wolf within her, demanding answers, wanting to keep the pack safe. The wolf pushed at the edges of her skin trying to get free, trying to regain control of her. Propelling her into a nearby classroom Walter slammed the door and she clung to a desk to keep her standing. Take a deep breath in one...two...three...four out..one...two...three...four...

The wolf waited beneath the surface, it would never retreat completely on a full moon, but it was the best she could do for now. Turning to look at Walter made her breath hitch.

"You have got to get your wolf under control." Walter leans against the teacher's desk, glancing between her, the door and the windows. "You looked properly weird walking down the hall. What if a teacher stopped you?"

"Don't you dare lecture me about the wolf right now!" It took everything in her not to raise her voice. Not to shout she was right, that he shouldn't play stupid pranks on her. Instead her eyes burned something fierce whether from the wolf or the scathing look Walter gave her was undetermined. "You ran around half-transformed last night, you provoked me and mum to show the wolf. What if Keri got a picture of one of us?"

"What? She didn't get a picture of me."

"Oh, and how are you so sure? She could have been sat waiting anywhere for you. And she knew she wasn't that far from our house." Tessa took a deep breath forcing the veins in her pale hands to return to blue. "Keri's a smart girl, it won't take her long to put it together. Especially when we have to bail looking for her camera tonight when the bloody moon starts coming up. This is brilliant, we are screwed."

Throwing her arms in the air Tessa started pacing the length of the classroom, swallowing the rumbling growl in her throat.

"Tessa-"

"You know I always thought if our pack ever let the secret slip it would be my fault. That I'd accidentally wolf out in a maths exam or something. But the tables have turned, finally the pack's golden boy has screwed up. How royally you have screwed up as well-"

"Tessa!" Zooming around the desk he grabbed her shoulders forcing her to look into his yellow eyes. His wolf looked into hers and she hated how it made her breathing even out and her shoulders unhunch. Stupid wolf wanting the comfort of her pack. "It wasn't me. I only half transformed when I was already sitting on the wall. Keri couldn't have been there without one of us knowing. The wolf would have sensed a human nearby, it's like the smell of burning rubber when they come near a half-transformed wolf. And if we hadn't smelt her the alpha wolf would have been able to smell her for sure."

"But, but-"

"And Keri said her beast tried to attack. I can safely say I did not try to attack any humans last night. Only pesky little sisters who were taking too long getting firewood." Grinning, he let go of her. "How many times do I have to tell you not to be such a scaredy wolf?"

"You're the one who's always telling me to be more cautious." Smiling, Tessa took a deep breath and counted to ten. "If it wasn't you, then what did Keri see?"

"Like you said, probably a badger. There's no way it could have been a wolf, our family have been the only wolves on this territory since I was five. There's no way a new wolf could be here without the pack knowing about it."

"True. But what about when we have to go looking for her ruddy camera?"

"Are you seriously saying you are unable to sniff out the path Keri took last night and find her camera? What kind of a wolf are you? " A glimmer of mirth took over Walter's eyes and he stuck his tongue out at her.

"One who can kick your butt any day at tracking. I'll find that camera faster than you can say werewolf three times."

He smirked, clapping her on the shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about any of this, it is Keri Webber we are talking about. The girl has been crying wolf since she was six years old and she saw the Dudley's border collie rounding up their sheep. She's got a new monster every week, you see by next Monday she'll be talking about their being a siren or something in the village well."

Grabbing their bags Tessa sighed, her chest still heavy with the kind of worry which makes you check over your shoulder not once but twice before doing anything. Tessa wanted to believe Walter, but her wolf told her not to. She had the feelings things were only just beginning.