"Wait, so you didn't shift either?" we were siting on a bench near the art building in the middle of it and another building. It was a small, quaint little amphitheater with trees and freshly cut grass. It was very private and quiet, no people and no windows in sight. Class started in twenty minutes and we were both trying to get in as many questions as possible.

"No, I didn't. I just got a tattoo and the ability to throw things by thinking about it" I said.

"I didn't get anything. I just didn't shift" he said sadly.

"I don't think that's true" he looked up at me, "well my mom always taught me that things are never as they appear. Now, I am stronger than a human and faster than a human, but I can't shift. I have wolf strength without the fur. I am pretty sure that the same thing happened to you, only on a greater scale. I'd stake my life on the fact that you're stronger than any werewolf here. More than the Alpha too. I mean, you're already taller than the average Alpha, and you're very smart too, based on the classes you're taking. What if these are your special abilities. The redistribution of your magic?" I could feel my blood pressure rising in excitement.

"That...That could be true. I've never really thought about it. I'm not taller than Alpha Alex, but I'm about as strong as him. But, why do you smell like a werewolf?"

"I don't know. My mother and I have been trying to figure that out for years. We don't understand the tattoos either" I said.

"Wait, those aren't...purchased? Those appeared on their own?" surprise was written all over his face.

"No, they appear when I get a new power. They haven't changed in two years though" I said, rolling my arms and rubbing the tattoos. Nate gently grabbed my arm and then checked my eyes to make sure it was ok. I nodded, and he traced the tattoos with his fingers. Then he stood up and hesitantly looked at me. Slowly, he reached down and grabbed the hem of his shirt. He slowly pulled it off, exposing ornate Aztec looking lines and loops, corners and edges, in all different shades of ink. My mouth fell open and I slowly stood up. I saw him watching me like a scared animal out of the corner of my eye, but I couldn't look at his face. I was so shocked by the tattoo that I almost didn't notice the perfect six pack he was sporting...almost. But the tattoo that etched its way over his stomach and shoulders and onto his back truly held my attention. I reached out slowly and touched one of the tattoos over his abs. He sucked in his breath quickly. I jumped and looked at him in fear.

"Sorry" we both said at the same time.

"No" he continued, "its ok". I nodded and slowly walked around him to look at the tattoos on his back. I placed my hand on his toned back and traced some of the patterns. He tensed when I touched him.

"Have you ever shown anyone these before?" I asked him as I returned to my seat on the bench.

"Just Beta Andrew...I...well I've never had a girlfriend and I change in a different room for football because the wolves don't like me around, so other than the Beta, no one has seen them" he said as he quickly put his shirt on.

"Why haven't you had a girlfriend" I couldn't help but ask.

"Because... Well, I intimidate human girls because I'm so tall and to be honest I want a girl taller than my arm is long anyways. But the only girls that are that tall are werewolves and they avoid me like the plague so..."

I just stared at him for a long time, imagining his hard life while I had been sheltered in my quiet home.

"Nate, somehow you and I are the same. I don't know how but we're going to figure it out. We have tattoos but with different prints and we have abilities, but they're of different means. I want to know why" I said looking at him intently. Just then, the bell rang and people began to move to their new prospective classes.

"Let's go to class" he said, and offered his hand to me. I nodded and took his assistance.






I'm sorry for any typos! Thank you for reading and commenting! Sienna on the side!