Lily stood petrified by the sink as the lock down alarm shook the walls. It wasn't the quiet thrum of the normal school bell for the sensitive-eared supernaturals, but a shrill shriek to alert everyone. She heard her class mates run through the halls. Depending on who or what threat was in the school the same procedure applied for Nova High; if you can get out unnoticed, do so, or hide and wait for the alpha's pack to arrive and snuff out the threats.

Who was attacking the school?

This was a school filled with supernaturals being taught by some of the most controlled, strongest teachers they could find from around the world. There was power in these walls, history too. So who would dare try to take it over? It was impossible for a human.

Human. The word clanged through Lily, making her stumble and lean heavily on the wet sink. No human could take it over - it had to be a supernatural.

She heard some of the students whimpering outside as they hurried along. No one checked the bathroom. All Lily could do was listen on as her school ran past her to safety. She was frozen.

The footsteps died down. The only thing she could hear was the alarm and her racing heart.

Hesitantly, Lily let go of the wet sink. She took a step towards the door. She couldn't hear much on the other side, especially with the alarm blaring.

Then she heard something; the scampering, shuffling of someone. No. Multiple, at least two people, maybe three. Lily didn't bother to consider that they were teachers searching for stragglers.

The hairs on the back of her neck went up and her feet remained planted. Her hands rung together, the moisture spreading over the tips of her fingers. The invaders were moving past the corridor slowly.

Lily focused, not breathing, not moving. She heard their deep inhales, the creak of the floorboards under their heavy bodies.

As they neared the door Lily carefully took a step back. One eye on the door, she scanned her surroundings. There was nothing for her to climb, the walls were smooth. She couldn't hide in the stalls, they would be searched first.

She was trapped.

Lily took another step back as they neared the door. Their deep draws of breath were closer. Her skin crawled. Her heart pounded. Lily's body was a rush of adrenaline and anticipation.

Clutching the sink again as they were outside, Lily braced herself. For something. Anything.

Her eyes burned, a flaring pain that sizzled down her neck and body. Lily knew her eyes were no longer brown, but the grey Alice drew on her picture. Her inner creature was out and ready for whatever the attackers were going to do.

Her fists coiled up as they stopped moving. The air was charged, tension clogging Lily's throat. Lily heard nothing but the lock down alarm, like it was counting down the seconds before the door was kicked down and they found her.

The alarm could be heard from outside the school walls, where all the students had gathered at the front gates. They were quiet, huddled against them. The teachers surrounded them protectively, watching the school for any movement, but Mrs Khan was going around and double checking everyone was accounted for.

Jack was scowling next to Claire, who was listening for any kind of gossip, and Karen, who was still clutching her school binder.

"Did you really bring your binder out with you?" Jack asked the vampire, who flushed.

"I... I have all my notes." Karen muttered, but Jack didn't push her anymore. Claire tucked her wild ringlets into a bun, frowning.

"No one knows anything." She grumbled. "What's going on in there?"

"Do you want to go in and find out?" Jack said.

Claire scoffed. "I'm just saying, do we even know if it's a real lock down? No one's seen anything, and from what I heard no one saw anyone push the alarm."

"Wasn't the principal in his office?" Karen asked.

"No, he was on the other side of the school in a teacher meeting." Claire said with absolute confidence. She was the principal's daughter, after all, she knew his schedule better than his assistant. "No one was in his office."

Jack frowned, scanning the area. Her hands were fidgeting in her pockets. She couldn't keep still. It made no sense; an alarm pulled by no one, Karen bringing her binder out with her, and Lily's weird dim mood at lunch-

Lily. Jack realised, eyes now looking for a red-headed shy girl. She'd left during break, muttering about the bathroom. Jack stepped away from Claire and Karen, who were trying to get her attention, asking what was wrong.

Jack couldn't see Lily. She did spot the three werewolf girls who had followed Lily into the bathroom, her supposed bodyguards. Jack ignored everyone's looks and got up in their faces.

Laura stepped off the wall to peer down her nose at Jack. "What do you want?" She said, pretending to be bored.

"Did you follow Lily into the bathroom?" Jack demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about-"

Jack shoved her into the wall, Tricia and Renee immediately jumping up to protect their friend, but Jack didn't make another move.

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me Laura, did you follow her?"

Laura stared the witch down, but shrugged. "Yeah, so what? We didn't touch your girlfriend, relax. We left, like, a minute later."

Jack let the comment slide. On a normal day she would have snapped back but something like panic was beginning to cramp in her chest. "Did you see her leave?" She asked instead.

Laura stilled, piecing together what Jack was asking. "No, but I'm sure she's around here somewhere-"

"She's not." Jack snapped, fists clenched. "You're a real great bodyguard."

Laura was left opening her mouth, guilt plaguing her, but Jack stormed to the edge of the crowd, closest to the entrance without being in its sights.

"Jack, what are you doing?" Claire called, running after her. Karen stumbled along, putting her binder down by their bags and chasing the witch. "Jack!"

"Lily's still in there!" Jack shouted. She flicked the switch in her chest and that bright green magic stretched out with a groan. Jack's eyes were a vivid hue as she turned to her friends, fists clenched over glowing rings. "When the wolves get here tell them to follow the trail, it'll lead them to Lily."

Before they could say another word, Jack fell to her knees, bringing up her magic, and slammed her palms to the earth. She heard the students shout, stumbling away, as her magic unfurled from her fingers and fanned out, shooting into the school entrance.

"What's she doing?!" Mrs Khan called, weaving her way between students with her clipboard still gripped in hand.

Claire clamped onto Karen's arm as she watched Jack pour her magic into the tendrils now running into the school. "Lily's still inside, Mrs Khan, she's finding her."

Mrs Khan's eyes were wide. "Oh no." She eventually said, as she heard the low rumble of wolves running through the forest towards them. Pack wolves. They were finally here, and she wished they weren't too late.

Jack's jaw was clenched as Andrew, in wolf form, lead his wolves to the door but stopped when he saw the magic pouring into the school. His eyes snapped to Jack who was grinding her teeth together. The magic quickly merged together into one single thread of a pulsing green vine.

"They're at the end of the line." Jack spat, staring the alpha down. "Hurry!"

Lily was tense against the sinks. She heard the rustle of clothes on an outstretched arm, fingers jostling the bathroom handle, when she heard a slap on a shoulder.

"Hey!" A deep voice shouted before they sprinted off, running away. Lily let out a shuttering breath as a glow emerged from beneath the door. A bright green vine raced under the light of the door and a tendril shot into the bathroom.

Witch magic. Lily remembered, remaining still as it brushed her ankles. A spear of light raced along the magic, almost like it was flaring in delight. Lily's eyes were still burning grey as she flicked her gaze up to the door.

The hinges creaked as it swung open but no one greeted her. The witch's tendril of magic still danced on the floor but it was now pulsating. It was showing her the way out.

Lily took a step forward, careful to keep her shoes from squeaking. She didn't know where the invaders were, somewhere down the left corridor leading to the cafeteria. She peeked out, hands on the door arch.

Her eyes still glittered as a primal stillness swirled in her blood. Her free hand moved on its own accord, turning in the air. Moisture from the sink ran over her knuckles and settled in the cracks and wrinkles on her palm in clear still lips of water. As Lily stepped into the hallway, they didn't ripple.

She stood in the silence. The lights shut off, cocooning the hallway in darkness. Pale sunlight still shone in from the windows behind her but the only glow came from the witch's bright trail and the sparkling from her eyes, like two small stars.

Lily took one step forward before her hand flinched, the water rippling over her palm.

Someone's coming.

Lily stared ahead of her where the witch's light lead around the corner, but the light was blocked as three large men appeared. They must have looped back around after going into the cafeteria. She was out in the open.

The invader's eyes glowed a deep gold when they saw her. The hallway was swimming with white, green, gold lights but it was thick with tension. Lily didn't move a single step, her hand still out in the air, and eyes burning brightly.

The man in the middle stepped forward, the light from the window catching his face. He was filled with awe and delight at the sight of her. His smile was drawn into a cruel smirk.

Lily recognised this wolf, this rogue. The instant she did her eyes snapped back to their normal brown with a gasp from her lungs.

The rogue's grin widened. "You remember me then?" His voice was hoarse as he let out a chuckle. "You left a few bruises on me."

Lily gulped. He was the wolf who fled when she attacked the others, the ones trying to kidnap Alice last week.

"She's not here." Lily said, eyes darting between the three. She fought three werewolves before, she could surely do it again. She just needed her eyes to burn, her inner creature to surface again.

"We're not after the alpha girl," the rogue laughed. "We're after you."

Lily's heart dropped, sinking into her stomach. "Me?" She blurted.

The main rogue stepped forward, the other two clenching their fists ready for a fight. "Yuric's been after something like you for a long time, little river." He stretched out a hand. Lily scowled, stumbling back away from his touch.

"You come with us now and no one gets hurt." He snarled.

Lily clenched her jaw as she stared the three down. She could fight them, she could take them, she just needed her creature. Come on, come on.

She didn't know what to say back to them. The witch's trail was still glowing at her feet, touching her ankles, meant to guide her to the entrance of the school and back to the safety of the teachers.

Lily took a breath, to do something, when a deep snarl echoed in the corridor behind the rogues. They spun around to deal with the new threat.

Lily turned on her heel, snapping the witch's magic on her ankle, and sprinted towards the cafeteria. Away from the rogues.

"Hey!" The familiar rogue shouted, ordering his followers to deal with the wolves running towards them while he raced after Lily. The pack had arrived, the school's security for when lock down's occurred, with not a second to spare.

Lily tuned out the snarls and sounds of a fight behind her, bursting through the cafeteria's double doors. She heard the heavy footsteps getting closer behind her. With the other door too far away, it would round back to the fight anyway, Lily sprinted towards the windows by the tables, wishing it was just like the movies and she'd shatter the glass and not bounce back.

Adrenaline raced through her body as she felt the rogue breathing down her neck. Lily jumped on the table and charged towards the window, holding her hand up to protect her face. With a deep breath she jumped at the glass.

The rogue behind her crashed into her body, the pane shattering under the impact of them both. Lily felt panic spike through her, her skin burning, sizzling. Her eyes shifted, her creature emerging as she landed on the ground.

Her shoulder and back took the brunt of her weight and the rogue as well. As soon as she landed the rain fell across her body. It kissed her sliced skin, her face, and instinct shot through her.

With her wet hands Lily shoved the rogue in the chest. He shot away from her, the sheer force of the push churning up the dirt and grass beneath him, rain shooting off him as he collided with the air. The rogue flew across the school's oval and slammed into the tree, shattering the bark like it'd been struck with lightning. It exploded everywhere, shooting to the rain clouds above her and past Lily, slicing open skin on her arms and legs, almost missing her face.

The rain poured down harder as Lily began to hyperventilate. Her body was scraped from the glass and bark, bruised, but she couldn't look away from the rogue she'd shot away. She was frozen, like a rock sinking in a raging sea in storm. Everything tuned out as Lily tried to regain her ability to breathe, to think, worried that the rogue would get up. But as time went past and he remained unconscious by the trunk of the bare tree, Lily began to slowly calm down.

She was soaked by the time she registered someone was approaching her. Lily snapped her head to the sound, bracing for a fight. She recognised Mrs Khan immediately and the witch teacher jolted when she saw her, soaked and lying in the muddy oval. There was carnage all around her - the earth had been ripped up in a line from Lily to the unconscious rogue, bark covered the entire oval, glass scattered and glimmering from where she'd jumped through.

Mrs Khan stared at Lily's still glowing eyes. Within a few blinks, they faded back to their normal brown, filled with fear. After a heartbeat, seeing Lily's chin wobble and tears begin to form in her dark eyes with relief, Mrs Khan raced to her.

"Come on Lily." She grunted as she lifted her up, putting Lily's arm over her shoulder as a crutch. As she did so, Lily heard a deep snarl echo through the school's halls and a yell that was cut off with a wet crunch.

Something cold settled in Lily's bones as Mrs Khan quickly made them run back the way she had come. Lily jolted against her as the teacher raced to the front gates where the entire school was surrounded by pack wolves. She saw a light green shimmer over them all like a dome. Almost unnoticeable, but Mrs Khan pushed them through it.

"Move!" Mrs Khan shouted, students scampering out of her way. "We need a healer! Now!"

Pain echoed through Lily's body as Mrs Khan set her down, the area now clear. Her fingers gripped the earth beneath her as fairies peered over her with bright, violet eyes. Lily didn't see the teachers pushing the vampires to the other side of the crowd, away from the smell of her blood. The rain was washing the scent of it away quickly but they didn't want to risk anything.

"It won't work!" She heard someone shout. Tears raced over Lily's face as she recognised Karen's voice, and quickly she ran into view with Claire in tow. She must have underestimated her injuries because they gasped when they saw her.

Karen had brought a human first aid kit. "Magic doesn't work on Lily, you need bandages."

As the fairies quickly tended to her cuts and scrapes, Lily was quickly overwhelmed. They placed the gauze over the deep lashes the glass and bark had made; a stinging pain now thrummed around the wounds when at last the adrenaline died in her body. Bandages were wrapped a few times over her left leg glass wounds, two more on her right from the bark. Her left arm was lined with gauze, and only one patch on her right bicep. They'd just stuck some stitches on her right cheek when Lily cracked.

"Please - stop! Just, stop!" Lily waved them off, ignoring the burning pain now simmering under the gauze. "I'm fine!"

Mrs Khan gently held her shaking hands as Lily stood up. Her legs were sturdy beneath her but exhaustion gripped her tightly. Lily was hunched over as she took some deep breaths.

"It's okay Lily, you're safe." Mrs Khan said before glancing over her shoulder. Lily turned to follow her gaze and saw wolves exiting the school. Some were limping, and a couple of them had blood lining their muzzles. It was the last wolf to exit though that had some of the werewolf students standing and applauding.

Alpha Andrew was in wolf form - a deep brown wolf with black feral eyes. His gaze swept over his pack, pausing to take in Lily's bandaged body, before settling on someone sitting at the other side of the crowd.

Lily knew instantly it was Jack. She was kneeling with her hands splayed in front of her, rings shining from the rain and the gleam of power. That bright, luminescent green; the same green that had found Lily and lit up the way. Her eyes were open, glowing slightly, as she took in the wolves emerging from the school.

Lily moved to go to her, Karen stayed back to help clean up and Claire pulled any information she could get from Mrs Khan. Lily left the witch teacher with the fairies - she'd thank them later - Jack's eyes dimmed to their normal mischievous shade. Lily noticed the green dome around them evaporate.

Protection. She realised. Jack's magic was protecting the others while the wolves went in to get the invaders. To find them...to find her, following the glowing trail she'd laid down.

She'd never heard of witch magic at this level before. It was usually natural magic, trained onto the earth, but this? This was impossible.

Andrew quickly moved away, shifting privately to change into spare clothes, and emerged again. The others with them had changed back too - Lily quickly spotted Ryan approaching the other wolves. He hadn't been apart of the wolf charge into the school, he'd been sitting with the rest of the students and had called his alpha when the alarm had sounded.

Andrew, however, walked past his canine comrades and stood at Jack's feet at the same time Lily reached her.

"Thank you." Andrew said to Jack, who stood and stared him down. Her hands were trembling slightly, probably from overusing her magic, but Jack stilled them. Or tried to, they still wobbled a little. "The trail worked like a charm."

Jack shrugged. "'Was a piece of cake."

Andrew managed a smile, blue eyes lighting up. He was about to respond when he noticed Lily standing next to Jack, specifically the abundance of gauze she had on her body.