1

A year ago, I arrived in a town I honestly didn't want to come to. However, the things that happened and the people I met gradually became a part of my life. I hated, laughed, cried, and loved in that place, and now, I think I will miss it. I'll miss the lake, the forest. My home.

Graduation had been beautiful; we were all together. Anne, Thomas, Kayler, and I. The four of us went to the lake, sitting under the moonlight. Just us. Just love. And now I'll miss them. Especially Anne, who has been a good friend despite everything she went through a few months ago: Apolo's death, Thomas's lies, and all that. It was tough. But in the end, they're doing well. Canada will be nice for her.

About nine hours ago, we left the town. Kayler and I would be going to the same university in Waterville. Obviously, we can't be apart. I will study hospitality, and he... well, he didn’t really want to study anything but couldn't be without me. Or so he said. But in the end, he decided on business administration.

“Damn, it was about time.” I opened my door and got out of the car. My butt was sore from sitting so long. We didn't make any stops, not even to eat something. When I was human, that would have been a problem for me, but now it's different. My appetite is. And that scares me.

“Calm down, you’ll see how I’ll ease your tension when we settle into our new place.” Kayler got out of the car and looked at me mischievously. I glared at him, shaking my head. I admired the university; it was huge. We had seen the residences online a while ago, and they weren’t bad at all.

Kayler must have bribed the director to let us stay together.

He approached me and took me by the waist, planting a kiss on my neck.

I smiled.

“Will they have any welcome parties?” I wondered. It had been a while since I attended one.

“I don’t know, maybe yes or maybe no.”

“Well, let’s get the bags out. I’m dying of…” I stopped abruptly, realizing I was going to say “tired,” but I wasn’t really tired. This being a wolf thing is… awesome? — “Actually, I don’t have anything.”

Kayler laughed and went to the back to get the bags. I walked over to him.

“You still haven’t gotten used to it,” he murmured.

“Not really.”

There were more people arriving; girls passed by us, and I couldn’t help but feel some jealousy seeing how they looked at my boyfriend.

Bitches.

“Ash, how annoying,” I spat. I pulled out my bags and headed to the entrance. Our floor would be the tenth. The good thing is there’s an elevator.

I heard Kayler laughing behind me.

“Jealous,” he murmured.

“Pff, as if.”

We crossed the lobby and headed to the elevator. I pressed a button; we went up, and the doors closed.

“Do you know what I haven’t done?” he asked, setting the bags on the floor and coming dangerously close to me.

I looked at him disapprovingly.

“Ride the elevator?” I asked playfully.

He smiled sideways.

“No,” he took me by the waist and brought his mouth close to my ear, “making love in one.”

My skin tingled. Since Kayler and I had our first time, making love had been… pleasurable. We both had a lot of strength. I don’t want to brag, but I think my strength is superior to his. laughs

Okay, no.

At that moment, the elevator doors opened.

“Oops, we’re here.” I stepped out.

I had the key in my hand, number 32. I looked down the hall. Kayler’s footsteps were close behind.

“Someday, Carolina, someday.”

I laughed.

My phone started ringing. I put the bags on the floor, handed the key to Kayler to open the door, and took out my phone from my back pocket. It was Anne. I answered immediately.

“Hi, Anne, how’s Canada?”

Kayler opened the door and carried the bags in. I passed by.

“It’s incredible, it’s beautiful, Caro. I wish we could experience this together. There are so many forests.”

“That sounds great, but Canada was too far for me, and I didn’t want to leave my mom, you know. Plus, Kayler has his pack and life here.” I sat on the couch.

“I know.” She sighed. “Anyway, did you arrive at the university?”

“Yes, we just arrived. It’s big, nice, and it has forests too.”

Silence.

“I think Thomas needs me. Should I call you later?”

“That’s fine. We have a lot of work here.”

“Goodbye.”

I hung up.

Where did Kayler go?

I stood up, looking around. The living room was quite large, with a big sofa and two small ones. There was a coffee table in the middle too. It had a huge window overlooking the field. It had a kitchen, countertop, and island. The usual. I walked down the hall where the rooms were supposed to be. There were two rooms and two bathrooms. Seeing an open door, I went in.

Kayler was lying on the bed, his hands behind his head, using them as a pillow, looking at the ceiling. I leaned against the wall, giving the door two knocks.

“Do you think we’ll be okay here? It’s a new life, new people.” He looked at me.

I approached him, sitting by his side.

“I hope so.”

I’m more worried about myself than about him. I had lost control several times, but it’s been worse lately. When I’m under pressure, my eyes tend to turn green, like when I’m in wolf form. And that can scare people. Anne had seen it once. I can’t control it.

I fear doing something like that in front of people.

"I’m actually the one who needs to stay calm. Lately, I haven’t been able to control myself."

He sat up, looking at me attentively.

“Hey, don’t worry. I said I’d be here to teach you whatever you need. The first year is tough, but you’ll get through it.”

“How was your first year?” — it’s strange; I had never asked him that before.

“Well, I was eight years old, so…”

“Yeah, right.”

He cupped my face in his hands and gave me a gentle kiss.

Kayler hadn’t had an easy time either since Apolo’s death. He was his best friend.

We pulled apart.

“Do you want to go out for dinner or…?” he asked.

“No, I’m actually not hungry.” I admitted.

He frowned.

“You haven’t eaten since last night.”

Is that bad?

“I know, it’s strange, but I just don’t feel like eating right now.”

He looked thoughtful.

“Alright.” He stood up. “I’ll be back soon; I’m going to park the car.”

He left the room, and I heard the door close behind him.

I lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about all the unpacking I had to do. Well, actually, I had only brought two bags, and Kayler one. He says he doesn’t need that much clothing and that there are stores here. He can buy more whenever he wants.

I got up and went to the mirror. I tried to see if my eyes were changing, but that only happens when I’m under pressure or very angry. I don’t know. I headed to the kitchen; there was nothing obvious, so I went back to the living room. I looked out the window; the field was vast, with boys and girls everywhere. It wouldn’t be bad to take a walk. I left the residence in search of the elevator. There was a group of girls in it. I had arrived just in time.

We started going down.

“Did you see the guy in black?” one of them said.

“Yes, he’s super hot. I’m going to eat him up,” another responded.

Are they talking about Kayler? He’s the only one dressed in black.

“I told you he came down alone. I hope he’s still there,” the other added.

“But someone was with him. I didn’t see her clearly.”

“It doesn’t matter; she must be his sister or something.”

“Yeah, what will you do when you find him?”

“Introduce ourselves.”

The elevator doors opened. They exited, leaving me behind. I watched them head towards the exit. Kayler was leaning against the car, talking seriously on the phone.

Those idiots approached him, trying to get his attention. I clenched my fists. One, a tall blonde, extended her hand to him, saying something and smiling flirtatiously. Kayler took it. Ugh! He should have ignored them.

He crossed his arms to listen to what they had to say. I debated whether to go over or not. I decided on the former. They would know he has a girlfriend. I was getting worked up for nothing. I walked purposefully toward them, but just as I was about to reach them, I remembered that if I got angry, I might reveal myself. But I was already too close to calm down.

Kayler noticed me.

And they followed his gaze.

“Is something wrong?” I asked, ignoring them. “You took too long.” I positioned myself next to him, looking at those girls threateningly.

They looked at me as if I were a threat.

I could see a smile on Kayler’s face.

“These girls were kind enough to show me around,” he said.

“Very kind, I’d say,” I said with a forced smile.

“Hi, I’m Darla, and I imagine you’re his sister,” the older blonde said, extending her hand.

Sister, my ass.

“Can you tell them what we are, Kaylersito?” I turned to him. “Or isn’t it convenient for you?”

He looked at me as if saying, “You’re being mean.” He hugged me from behind, gave me a kiss on the cheek, and looked at the girls.

“This is Carolina Lane. My girlfriend.”

The girls’ jaws dropped in surprise.

“Really?” the older one asked with sarcasm.

I raised an eyebrow.

She cleared her throat. Seriously, she was getting on my nerves.

“Well, if you need anything, just call me, okay?” she said, ignoring me, raising her hand to touch his shoulder, but as if by reflex, I stopped her with my own. I held her hand tightly. Yes, I was pissed off.

“Carolina, stop.” He whispered. “You need to control yourself.”

The girl looked at my eyes, somewhat surprised, but I’m sure they hadn’t turned green or anything. They were black, like Kayler’s.

“Carolina…”

I let go of her.

She rubbed her injured area, gave me a stern look, glanced at the girls, and then they left. I turned to Kayler.

“What were you doing?” I asked.

“No, what were you doing? That’s dangerous. Even if you can’t help it, you need to control yourself, Carolina.”

He was right.

“I know.”

He walked around the car.

“Get in; we’ll go get something to eat.”

He got in.

I walked around the car too, opened the door, but before I could get in, my stomach growled. But I wasn’t hungry for hamburgers, pizzas, or any of that. My gaze fell on a solitary guy with his phone. I swear I could hear his pulse from here.

And then I realized what was happening. I was hungry. But not like normal people. I was hungry for a human.