By the end of the day we’d all found ourselves loitering around the halls, still unpacking our textbooks into our lockers and getting ready to leave school for the day. Aria took a hold of my shoulder, pulling me down to her level so she could talk eye-to-eye.

- Sooooo. Later me and Simon were thinking after dance practice, we could all hang-out at the usual burger joint?

- Aria. I can’t.

- Oh why- Ooohh right.

- Why can’t you go?

I looked up, Eli was looking at me, confused yet interested in the reason behind my unwillingness to join their little hang-out. I stood straight after Aria let go of me, leveling my gaze with Eli.

- Full moon.

- Ah. I see. Do you not have control of your alpha then?

- Eli stop.

Aria pinched his arm, making him yelp, swatting at the smaller girl before looking back at me, expecting an answer.

- That’s not the issue. I just don’t like being around others when I’m transformed.

- Oh? Well, why’s that-

- ELI!

This time Aria hit him over the head with one of her textbooks, before throwing it into her locker, slamming it shut and giving me an apologetic look before dragging a bewildered Eli by his collar towards the exit, with Evelynn trailing behind them quietly. I simply watched them leave before I felt a presence right next to me, an annoyed huff could be heard.

- Who pisses in his cornflakes every morning? I mean, he’s been nothing but rude towards you for no reason since the first day-

- Simon it’s fine. I don’t mind-

- I know YOU don’t, but as your best friend, I. DO. That guy needs to seriously lay-off before I get pissed, and no one wants to be near me when I’m pissed.

- Simon. We both love Shawn and know he cries whenever he so much as accidentally squash a bug-

- That was ONE TIME-

- But. He can take care of his own fights. He doesn’t need us backing him up all the time. This is between him and Eli, not us. Respect that.

Simon looked at Caspar, a hint of anger still lingering before Caspar layed a gentle hand on his shoulder, immediately making Simon relax by the contact. I watched as Caspar gave him a small squeeze before letting go, and motioning for us all to leave for the day. 

As I got home I began to pack my weekend bag, extra clothes, sedatives, hunting knife, some basic first-aid stuff, flashlight, water and some protein bars. I heard a strong knock on my door, not bothering to answer as I knew he’d just let himself in anyways.

- You ready my boy?

- Yeah dad. I’m all set now.

- You bringing that with you?

He motioned towards my phone, which I’d pocketed earlier. I simply pulled it out of my jeans and layed it onto my nightstand, my dad giving an approving nod before leaving the room knowing fully well I’d be following him. We got down to our complex underground garage where my dad had his hunting jeep parked in one of our spots. We both hopped in, as were routine, before he peeled out of the parking lot and into the bustling streets of central Seattle. 

I leaned onto the window as I watched the buildings grow smaller and further apart as we left the city and entered more rural areas. A few hours passed in practical silence, with only a few sentences here and there, but before long we were finally in the wide wilderness, with nothing but thick forests wherever our eyes could see. We got to the dirt-road we were looking for, the one that trailed a few miles deep into thousands of acres, filled with forests, mountains and land that my dad owned, and had been used by our family for generations as pack-territory for full moons. This particular one was for direct family only, meaning my dad and me, and the ones before him. 

We quickly unpacked and set camp with the gear that was always neatly packed in the back of the jeep, tents, sleeping bags, things to start a fire with and of course some protection such as tasers, flares and my dad’s beloved guns. It didn’t take long before we’d gotten a nice fire going, and were cooking some food we’d brought with us, as it was never ideal to turn on a full moon on an empty stomach. 

There were a few hour’s left until midnight, but I was already feeling my body prepare itself to turn sooner. It wasn’t unusual for trained wolves to turn hours before the full moon, due to being trained thoroughly to turn according to feeling rather than time. My dad had already turned at will right after dinner, as we were of pureblooded decent, we had the unusual possibility of training ourselves to transform at will, something my father had been able to do for longer than I’d been alive. I was still in the early stages of that training, but there were expectations of me to succeed by my 20th birthday, just like my father had. I watched as my dad circled our campsite, scenting it incase any other animals got any funny ideas of trashing the camp whilst we were gone. His wolf-form never ceased to intimidate, he was a large looming shadow, black like the darkest of nights with eyes deep blood red and hints of amber. The eyes of a true alpha pack leader, my eyes would also turn such a color once I’d succeed my father as the pack leader.

It only took 30 or so more minutes before I too had turned, I saw a glimpse of pride in my father's deep dark eyes as he watched me turn earlier than the last full moon, clearly seeing my progress for each month. He motioned with his head to follow, and I did so, sprinting into action as I felt my wolf thrive after being woken up from its monthly slumber, muscles rippling and fur catching in the wind as I leaped through the trees and thundering deeper into the woods. 

It was during full moons that I truly appreciated my wolf, there was nothing close to the feeling of becoming what was otherwise closed off inside of you, tossing and turning to come out and thrive. The surge of power indescribable. I soon found myself having caught up to my dad, who was standing tall and proud on top of a cliff, looking out over his land, before flicking his nose to stand beside him. I walked up beside him, feeling him growl, a slow rumble that began to grow deep within his chest, I quickly caught onto him and at the same time we both howled into the night, declaring our territory and announcing our presence to the moon who was filling us with power. It was like a drug, pumping through my veins, making me forget, at least for the night, why I despised my dad and this pack, wishing I could run away and leave it behind in these woods, next to the old oaks and dead autumn leaves.