~Chapter 1~

Watching the trees go by out the window, while everything moved quickly. The sun was being blocked by clouds, and it slowly got darker while we made our way in the Jeep through the mountains.

"How was school?" My mom asked me, making me take out my earphones and pay attention to the sounds around me.

"It was fine, I am slowly getting through it, and the lunch sucks. But it was fine." I kept my head leaned against the window, feeling how the cold winter frost froze on the outside of the cold glass. I had a huge bruise on my cheek, and my lip was busted up. But that wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I'm sixteen after all. I expect the pain I have to go through in school. I'm not one of the popular kids like the ones who made these bruises.

"Your face says otherwise, Lawrynce." She hissed. I could tell from the force in her words that she wanted me to look at her, so I did.

I turned my head to my mother, fidgeting with my phone in my hand, and twirling the cord attaching to my headphones.

"Who did this?" She looked at me, then back at the old snow covered dirt road leading to our new home in the snowy mountains.

"Just another kid. It's nothing, it will heal in time." I gave my mom a smile.

"Mhm, okay, but I still wanna know who the other kid is." She stated, while I looked back out the window at the trees covered in snow and ice. Some even had ice cycles from rain the night before.

"Miles.." I mumbled.

"Who?"

"Miles Winchester." I spoke up slightly.

"Oh? The Miles kid?" She questioned as I gave a weak nod, "I thought he was the best in your class? And I thought you said you were getting along with everybody. This is the third time we are coming home with you bloodied and bruised. Was he the cause of the last two?" Another question.

Shaking my head, I spoke, "No, Miles just started doing it because I was the class target this year. Next year will be better." Swallowing hard, I put a earphone in my right ear.

"So the others were caused by two other boys in your class?" I nodded, and tapped my finger to the beat of the music, "I'm sorry about that then, I will be telling Derin though." And with that I snapped my head back to her.

"You can't tell dad! He will beat me up as much as they did! He always tells me to fight back, and last time I came home I barely got away from a beating!" I retorted with a huff, "You can't tell him! Please.." My eyebrows furrowed, while I gave her a pleading look.

"Okay, I won't tell him. But just because I am not telling him doesn't mean I'm making up a story to save you. He's not as stupid as he can act sometimes, so it will have to be a good one." She took a few glances at me.

"I understand. Thank you!" Smiling to myself, letting out a breath of relief as I put my right Earphone in.

Thank god, she won't tell. Derin always says to fight back, but if I do, I will get expelled.. I don't feel like going to the principals office and explaining how I got beat up in the janitors closet..

"Go get a shower, and bring me the shirt you have on, it's got blood all over it. We don't need any clothes stained, again." My mom said walking into the small cabin after she unlocked the door.

"Yes Ma'am." We haven't been to this house yet, or at least I haven't. We had another house down out of the mountains, but my mom thought it would be best if we got one in them. I mean, it's not to bad, a good sized living room, my room was the room in the attic, with a window on the roof. It opened and closed, sorta like a trap door. There wasn't a lock though, might have to get that checked out. They moved all the stuff over when I was in school, and I stayed with my friend Stephen over the weekend. Stephen's house was like this one also. Even in the woods like this one. Actually, now that I think of it, I could probably walk to his house. Maybe two or three miles away, it's not bad. The service isn't bad up here either. But I wouldn't be walking and getting lost trying to find out. Ugh, Monday's are draining,...at least this Monday was over.

My bed was in the back of the long rectangle shaped room, my dresser was at the back near where the stairs led to a door that went into my room. Yes, it has four walls, it's pretty weird for an attic to have a door. It might as well be named an upstairs room.

I set my backpack down by my nightstand and then set my phone down on the nightstand, next I plopped down on the bed.

"Ugh, there's nothing to do.." I groaned.

Dad will be home soon apparently. I hear pots and pans clinking in the kitchen downstairs. So, that's a fine give away he will be home soon.

I sat up, moving to the edge of my bed, I looked around my room. The wood walls were lined with two stacks of boxes, both labeled "Lawrynce's Clothes".

Standing and walking over to the boxes filled with my clothes, I started to unpack. I searched the closet for hangers, it was empty. I ended up going down stairs to the laundry room, it was also the pantry. It was a pretty big room for a place to wash and dry clothes. The washing machine was on, mom must have started it. I grabbed a few hangers from the rack, taking them back to my room.

"How was your day, Adonis?" My father had just got home, I could hear them through the walls. I finally finished folding my clothes, and hanging quite a few of them up.

"Nothing new, just finished supper, and now I'm doing laundry. I just moved boxes back and fourth around the house, I guess." Her sentence ended with a sigh.

"Hm, alright. Where did Lawrynce run off too? He already out exploring? He's a adventurous kid, I wouldn't doubt it. Especially as much as he likes the wilderness.."He sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Keys clinked on the counter, I started to walk down the stairs. I just finished up with the clothes.

My dad turned to me when the stair creaked, "There he is." And his happy smile turned..well, upside down as people might say.

"Hey, I can explain!" I held up my hands when he started marching over.

"Explain how you got beat up at school again? Okay, go ahead." My dad was searching my knuckles to see if I had at least punched back. There would have been a bruise or two, maybe even a cut.

I scratched my arm near my shoulder, I was nervous. My anxiety was already hard enough on me. While I folded clothes, I found a good reasonably good excuse.

"I....I fell when people pushed me to try football, the helmet was to big and it busted up my lip.. and the bottom hit my jaw pretty hard.." My dads eyes narrowed, I could feel them searching my arms and then my legs. My hand on my arm tightened its grip.

He didn't have to say anything, I knew he saw through it. He grabbed my collar of the shirt I had on and drug me to his room down the hall. When the door shut he let go.

"You really think lying to me is okay?!" He yelled, making me flinch and take a few steps back, my hands found themselves behind my back when I hit a wall, "Where are you going? Did you honestly think I was that stupid?" He stayed near the door, his voice lowering.

"No sir." I spoke up, with a shake of my head while it also bowed to look at the floor.

"Then why lie?" He took a step, my heart rate started to go up, I could hear it in my ears.

"I didn't want you to be mad.." I mumbled, biting my cheek.

"Well, hell! Lying to me, that didn't make this any better, now did it?!" I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it, "Not to mention, this is the third time, third time Lawrynce!" His fist slammed against the wall, making me jump.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to get kicked out of school for fighting, dad! I don't wanna be that kid,.... it's just Miles anyways, it didn't hurt!" I raised my voice, not taking my eyes off the ground.

"Well, no matter if it hurt or not, if it leaves a mark that big it had to of hit hard!" He was now in front of me, I starred at his socks, "And don't even get me started with how many times I've told you to fight back, I don't care. I will let you move schools. Don't make our family look bad because you can't stick up for yourself! You're too kind hearted, Lawrynce!" His Hand was grabbing my face, forcing me to look up at him.

His hand's right on my bruise,.... it will probably end up being worse at this rate..

"I'm sorry, okay! I don't wanna move schools! At least I have a friend at this one! At another one I won't have one! Not even one.." My yelling became mumbles, "I'll stick up for myself next time,.. I swear.." Two tears ran down my cheeks, dripping off my chin onto the hardwood floor.

His hand loosened his grip on my chin, then let go. I could still tell he was mad, I could see the non-existent smoke coming out of his ears.

"Fine, boy. If you come home with new bruises and none on those knuckles, you won't have to worry about staying at that school then." He stepped back, letting me walk past, and to the door where I stopped and stood at the frame.

"Yes sir." My voice was weak.

Walking upstairs I heard mom call, "Dinners ready you two, come eat." Then clinking of plates being sat on the table.

"I'm not hungry mom, but thank you!" I shut the door to my room before she could get on my tail about how I should eat more.

Looking out the ceiling window in my room, I saw the stars and moon right above me. I knew it was a school night, but I honestly didn't care, I would probably fall asleep in history anyways..

Gathering a jacket, sliding it over my shoulders after I walked out my room with a small flashlight.

Quietly, I shut the front door. The cold air rushed against my face, the only light was the moon. I hadn't really needed the small flashlight, so I shoved it in my pocket, for if I did need it later. The trees rustled and shifted as the wind flew through, some snow fell off the trees in certain areas.

I smiled to myself, it was relaxing. Nothing was to be heard but a few owls in the distance, and the trees rustling. It was perfect. I was pretty far away from the house, but only walking straight, so I knew to turn around when I go back. There was also four or five inches of snow on the ground, so that will help me a bit if the snow doesn't fill back in my feet prints.

I heard a crack in a branch near by, while I looked that way I saw nothing..

"Deer are everywhere, there may also be Elk.." I reminded myself out loud.

A couple minutes later, my hands were in my pockets and my face was against the wind, I was looking down off of the mountain side. It showed an amazing view of the mountains on the other side, even the stars and moon when you would look up, they beamed down, making my source of light.

I whipped my head around hearing another crack of a branch.

Is someone following me?.. Who would be out this far? I stepped away from the cliff, walking back the direction of the way I had came. Or at least I thought I had came.

That was before I came to a halt, hearing a sudden growl. I swallowed hard, looking around for the source of the growl, I saw nothing..

"H..." I hesitated, "Hello?..Is someone there?.." When I was just about to walk away after thinking I might have been hearing things, I swore and new I had saw something run between the trees ahead of me.

I stumbled back, "Hello?" I yelled a bit louder. It was a human figure, "If it's Stephen then come out! I'm not playing games.." I huffed, thinking it may be my friend.

I heard another growl come from behind me, making me jump and turn quickly. I stood, around ten feet away was a Midnight Black growling and jaw snapping wolf. I knew this wasn't going to end good, this was their territory, and I happened to just cross the line..