ori kept polishing her knife while I just stared at her, wondering what she was going to do with it.

"Well, to be more accurate, I'm your hunter."

"Are you here to kill me?"

"A werewolf was killed at five twenty-four ten miles from your house yesterday. Gunshot to the head."

"Who was it?"

"Doesn't matter. My superiors thought it would be smart to assign every hunter a werewolf to guard." It sounded like she was forced to do this.

"But aren't hunters usually-"

"Hostile towards werewolves? Yes."

"I was about to say older. You look like you're in middle school." She was tiny, probably no more than five feet.

"I'm fourteen." She said in an irritated tone.

"They sent a freshman to guard me? Seriously?" I laughed out loud. Did they run out of hunters? Was this the best they had?

Tori wasn't amused.

"Back to what's important, a truce had been declared between the hunters and werewolves several years ago."

"Really?"

"My mom told me that werewolves aren't the enemy. But I'm still having trouble seeing that." She paced around my room, stopping by the mirror at my vanity.

"Okay," So was she going to kill me or protect me? What was the deal?

"I'm not here to kill you, if that's what you're wondering." She glanced at me from the corner of her eye. She was kind of annoying me. Why should she be forced to do something neither of us wanted?

"Sorry but I don't need a babysitter. Besides, I doubt you even know how to use that knife."

With a swift flick of her hand, Tori threw the knife straight at my head.

I ducked a split second before it punctured the wall behind me.

"Wha-What the hell was that for?" I stammered, staring at the knife that almost killed me. My heart thumped like crazy against my ribcage, the rush of almost dying hitting me quickly.

She didn't apologize, just walked over to me and yanked the blade from the wall. Wow, way to ruin the paint.

"I'll see you around." Before I could stop her, she opened the window and jumped down two stories.

"You know, you could've used the front door!" But by then, she'd already blended in with the night.

It took two hours to calm my heart down and finally go to sleep.

.•*•.

"Don't forget, you're getting your wisdom teeth taken out after school today!" Mom reminded me quickly as I grabbed a cup of juice and chugged it down.

"Who's driving you there?" Dad asked, since neither of them could drive me to the dentists and back, work and all.

"Taylor." I'd already asked her a week ago and she'd said she would. Hopefully, she didn't forget.

"We'll be home at six so don't leave the house."

"Do you think I'd go somewhere after my surgery? I'm gonna be hyped up on wacky gas, anyway," Which is basically the same as being drunk.

"Like you need wacky gas. You're wacky without it." Dad chuckled and I made a face.

When I arrived at the school, Stella had found a new seat next to Jesse. I glared at them as I walked passed them but they didn't seem to acknowledge me. I sat alone, watching them from the opposite side of the room as they chatted it up.

I couldn't help but listen in on their conversation.

"So, are we going to do that again?" Stella barely whispered.

"You liked it?" He was smiling, that stupid loaf of bread, "I didn't think guns were your type of thing."

Guns? What the hell?

"I was kind of scared but you helped me calm down."

"That werewolf got what he deserved."

I remembered what Tori said about the werewolf who was killed. Gunshot wound to the head.

She wouldn't.

Stella would never kill someone, she was eighteen, for God's sake!

Or would she?

"Who's ready to conjugate some verbs?" Ms. Lawrence asked the class, trying to get everyone's attention.

Although I was insanely distracted, I actually gave the teacher my attention. For, maybe, twenty minutes before Stella asked to go to the bathroom.

I raised my hand, "Ms. Lawrence, can I go to the bathroom?"

"In Latin?" Crap.

"Uh, can I go to the bathroom? Please?" I repeated anyway and the class laughed at me.

"Make it quick." She shook her head but I saw the ghost of a smile on her face.

I spotted Stella down the hallway, opening the door to the singles bathroom.

"Stella, wait!" I ran to catch her before she locked the door. She saw me but decided to close the door anyway.

I barely made it, pushing against the door with my right shoulder.

"Ohmygod," I shot her a look of disbelief that she'd just tried to shut the door on me.

She whipped around angrily, "What?"

I was so tired of her.

"Tell me the truth. Did you and Jesse kill that werewolf?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I know about the gun. I heard your conversation with Jesse just now!"

"That was a private conversation! I didn't do anything!" She screeched.

"Stella!" I yelled back at her and I felt my wolf stir.

"Fine," She trembled and broke down into tears, "Fine, fine, fine! Yes, I was involved with the werewolf's death-"

"Ohmygod, Stella-"

"But it wasn't me! I didn't kill him, Jesse did, I was just there." Stella admitted, grabbing some paper towels and dabbing them under her eyes.

"Why? I thought you hated Jesse?"

"I do. But you know that saying, keep your friends close but your enemies closer? Jesse's the enemy, his parents are all into killing off the werewolves, they actually funded a lot of them. They were behind at least five, including the one Jesse killed."

"How do you know?"

"They aren't exactly quiet about it." She shrugged and I couldn't believe it.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" I asked.

"No."

"When did this even happen?"

"Before the field trip. I was so mad at you and I thought-" She cut herself off, instantly looking at me, "Look, I wasn't mad that you were a werewolf, I was mad that you didn't trust me enough to tell me."

"What was I supposed to say? Did you do the homework last night- oh by the way, I'm a werewolf?" I quipped and she smiled, her eyes finally dry.

"Fine, I'll give you that."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Stell."

"No, I'm sorry that you had to say sorry. I've been really stupid, haven't I?" She smiled weakly and I pulled her in to give her a hug.

"Yeah but I forgive you. Just barely."

"Let's promise to tell each other truth from now on."

"Actually, there is something I have to tell you. . . Taylor and Jesse are dating. I think." I mean, they've only gone on one date but that counted, right?

"I know."

"Wait, what?"

"Jesse and I are best friends now, remember?" She gave me a cheeky grin.

"You're not mad nobody told you?"

"No. Taylor can have him."

After Latin, it was all smooth sailing.

My life was almost back on track. I was back together with my friends, back together with Roan, and finally asked out on a date with Asher. Everything was out in the open.

I just had to survive my last class: gym.

I changed in a record ten minutes and as I waited for Roan to show up, Laurel walked up to me.

"Lia, can you cover my shift on Saturday?"

"What time? Oh, wait, I have something that Saturday."

"Oh,"

"Sorry, I would if I could," I felt kind of guilty because Laurel didn't tell Asher what I did. And I have a feeling that she was the one who ended their relationship.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Asher making his way towards me. Laurel noticed and quicky left.

"Hey,"

"Hi,"

Ms. Ham used her whistle to shut everyone up, "We're playing badminton, everyone pick a partner."

"Lia," Asher grabbed my arm, already claiming me. I looked at Roan, who partnered with Laurel since she was the only one without a partner.

Sorry, I mouthed to him.

It's fine, he mouthed back.

"I'll get our racquets and birdie," Asher offered and I smiled at how sweet he was.

I had everything I wanted.

Then why did something feel missing?

.•*•.

"Come on,"

"Come on what?" I asked, all loopy from the gas. I kind of just closed my eyes and stayed where I was. I liked sitting.

"Lia- you know what, it'll just be easier if I carry you."

"Then please do."

Roan hooked his arms underneath my legs and lifted me out of the car. Apparently, Taylor had to stay after school because of cheerleading so she called Roan to take over.

God knows why she chose Roan of all people.

"Where are we?"

"Your house. If I leave you alone you'll probably hurt yourself or something. Plus, I want to take a video of you and put it on YouTube." Yeah, I got none of that. He put me down for a second to get the key under the rug and unlock the door.

"Nice house." I looked around. It kind of looked familiar.

He chuckled, "Thanks." He brought me over to the couch and set me down gently. He sat down next to me as I tucked my legs under my butt and tried to take out all the dentist stuff out of my mouth but it was stuck.

"Ow, my mouth hurts!" I groaned, something stinging deep inside my mouth, "I want drugs!"

"You already had all your drugs in the car, remember?"

"No, I want more!"

"I can get you some ice-" He started to get up but I grabbed his arm.

"No!"

"Make up your mind, woman." He sighed as I forced him to sit back down.

"No!" I whined, completely out of it. Then I realized something. "Ohmygod!"

"What is it?" He asked, tensing.

"One of my eyes is missing! I can't see out of this one!" I covered my right eye to show him but he just chuckled. "I'm being serious!" I wailed.

"I know you are. That's what's so funny."

"I hate you." I tried to stick out my tongue but my cheeks were so engorged that I could only get half of it out.

"I love you," He replied back and I studied him.

"Are we dating?" I asked and he nodded, kissing my forehead, "Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"But you hate me."

"I don't hate you."

"Well, I used to hate you," I mumbled, "But you grew on me. Like a rash."

"I'm a rash? How romantic." He scoffed and I burst into laughter. Then I got very serious for a second, really wanting to know the answer.

"Are you in love with me?"

He looked away from my eyes.

"You know I am."

"That's hilarious." I started laughing hysterically again, which turned into uncontrollable hiccups.

"You know. . . You know the only reason I liked him was because he was cue. I mean, cue. Ohmygod, why can't I say it. Cute. That's it." I hiccuped.

"I'm assuming you're talking about Asher?"

I nodded rapidly like my head was on fire.

"And you know, Laurel is actually pretty nice. You know, all I want is for him to be happy. He deserves to be happy-"

Roan pressed a finger to my lips.

"I don't want to hear you talk about another guy." I blinked. He looked kind of scary.

"Sorry. Right, you're so. . . Right." I was so left.

He narrowed his eyebrows into a v, "Right."

Suddenly, I got a good idea and leaned over to kiss him to wipe that frown off his face. I pouted when he moved away from me but he just grinned like the Cheshire cat.

"Sorry, I'm only attracted to women with wisdom teeth."