Sydney

The moment I arrived at Mat's English class, my eyes raced to find him.

He had talked to me seeing if I would be continuing my collection of interviews with various seniors to submit as a personal project to the journalism class. I still wasn't too clear on what my thought process had been on this.

I had distanced myself from journalism after the supposed passing of my father. I still couldn't believe it, but I clearly had mishappenedly pieced my life back together from what I could remember and had seen.

That in and of itself rattled me deeply, how was it I forgot something so significant?

Still, tugging away from those dreary thoughts, why had I been grasping at connections to the team I had left?

Whatever the reason, those thoughts had fled with all my memories of the lacrosse player that made the voice inside me go haywire.

Everything Mat said was confirmed, the project that is, when I returned home, back to the comfort of my room. We had been scouring through my stuff when I discovered some of my notes of interviews I had with a few other students already.

When I caught sight of the fancily twisted 'j,' I tugged out the half-filled paper to see foreign words in my handwriting about Jaycen.

His middle name was apparently Peter and he enjoyed the superhero movies as well as the movie Us.

Before Mat saw I had buried it in my other notes to be ignored.

I figured it would look weird to our teachers if I abruptly dropped this project, so I told Mat that I would carry on with it. I was hesitant to go to Mat's class if Jaycen would be present too, but a little part of me hoped recreating the situation might trigger my lost memories.

Students were huddled together or were staring aimlessly at their phones, no one seemed particularly bothered by my presence.

Still, I was antsy at the front of the room waiting for the teacher to make their appearance.

As students continued to ease into the room, my eyes caught Mat slip through the doorway and to his nearby desk. I went to greet him but paused in my pursuit when Jaycen breezed into the room, too close to Mat for comfort. I quickly twisted my attention to the wall of windows, pretending I wasn't really there, or at least the Jaycen wasn't in the room.

Flickering my eyes in the direction I felt the pressure of Jaycen, I caught a glimpse of sea-foam green locked on me. Quickly my eyes snapped back to the dew slickened windows.

Suddenly my wish was granted. The teacher came rushing into the room as though she had more important things to get to and this was just one of many stops on her list.

"Good morning class," She greeted before her eyes landed on me. I offered a small smile and wave, she stuttered in her step.

"Ms. Ward, if I remember correctly, I told you I didn't want you back in this class again."

My eyes went wide.

What the hell is she talking about?

However, I was saved from having to stammer through the conversation.

"Well, your teacher reached out to me and explained you were having an off time and following that you just got out of the hospital. So I suppose, as long as you promise not to let an outburst like that happen again, that I can let you linger in class today."

I was none the wiser with what she was referring to but nodded. Thanking her vigorously I looked out on the crowd of students, many of which were now stealing glances at me and whispering. Still only one was truly beckoning my attention. Those hauntingly alluring sea-green eyes were trying to sire me into their depths.

Before I could drown in them, I startled the person I abruptly slid into a seat beside.

Stay away from him, you don't know him, and even if you did he clearly got you into trouble!

No! He's our mate! The wolf voice called within my mind uncomfortably.

"Hi?" The inquisitive tone pulled me away from the bizarreness that was now my mind.

I flashed a soft smile, "Sorry, ugh, I'm Sydney. I haven't interviewed you yet have I?"

The cropped brunette-haired girl looked at me wide-eyed behind her thick-framed glasses. "Ah no, no you haven't. What is it you're doing?"

I explained my love for journalism, but that I wanted more free-range and was doing my own projects, at least it sounded plausible.

"So this project is just to collect the stories of various seniors and submitting it as an anonymous collection for publication?" The girl was swift with her words.

A smile tugged at my lips, "Yeah, exactly!"

She nodded, "Interesting."

"I'm sorry I missed your name?"

Her brown eyes brightened behind her glasses, "Samantha, but you can call me Sam."

"Sam," I mouthed, scribing it down. "So this might seem a little bizarre but do you have anything unique or interesting you're working on or want to have made known? It'll be anonymously published if it is approved."

Pen tapping against her peach lips, Sam pondered on this for a moment. "I've always been interested in historical writing to document changes within a community. A kind of combination of anthropology and journalism."

My eyebrow curled in intrigue, "That's really unique and pretty specific for a high school senior if you don't mind me saying."

This brightened Sam's smile. "Thank you, I do appreciate the recognition. It honestly stemmed from me being a fan of folklore, and the stories my mom passed down to me as a little girl."

"Nevertheless I'm impressed and would be curious to read some of your work!"

"Ohh, I don't know." She ducked her head shyly, "It might be kind of boring to you. Some of it is really specific and might not make any sense to you."

I shrugged, "You never know, I like to be diverse in my reading."

Sam nodded affirmatively at this, "You're right. I'm working on something new about my ancestors that live a little in Red Mountain forest, I can reach out to you when I get closer to finishing."

"I'd really like that!"

We exchanged numbers and talked about some of our other classes. We questioned how we'd never cross paths before then. It was nice to make another friend.

Not too shabby for my first day back after losing some memories and especially finding out I'm supposedly a werewolf.

"Ms. Ward, like I said I won't mind you being here," the teacher intervened, "but please don't take away too much of my student's work time, so if you and Samantha are finished, please move on to someone else."

I grimaced but nodded, "Of course."

She nodded and continued weaving through the aisle of students. Her heels were a striking lime green.

"Hey Sam," I turned my attention from the brightly colored shoes. "I know this might sound crazy, but refresh my memory on why Ms. Granger's so..."

"Crabby?" Sam was bemused. "Well last time you were here, let's say things got heated between you and Jaycen, then your friend Mat got involved and made a big commotion. Then Jaycen insinuated some things about her that made her pretty angry."

Blood warmed my cheeks, "Oh, guess it's pretty hard to forget something as crazy as that."

Nothing she said rang any sort of bell though.

Sam was entertained but I could sense the confusion drifting underneath.

"If you want to rehash it, I'm not sure Jaycen really looks to be in the mood," Sam glanced over her shoulder where Jaycen sat in the back of the classroom, "but who knows? I've never heard of the infamous lacrosse captain getting riled up like that until you."

I risked a chance glancing back to observe the mysterious man.

Dark hair tangled with his long eyelashes, which in turn brushed his cheeks. His profile was handsome and well defined.

Undeniably attractive. I couldn't argue with that. But he got me in trouble and now I need to understand why.

"Yeah, we'll see. It does seem like I didn't finish talking to him though honestly."

Sam shrugged, "The teacher might nip that in the bud, but won't know till you try."

Accepting her suggestion with a grim smile I thanked her again telling her we'd talk later. Gathering my things I went to relocate to my new spot in order to interrogate Jaycen on my own terms.

You came in here planning on avoiding him, but now, here you are caving to what you know he wants!

Covering the short distance back to his desk, whispers and eyes caught onto me.

I have to know more of what I've forgotten. I can't walk around clueless.

I stopped by his desk, his frame paused, but he didn't raise his head.

Lightly clearing my throat I questioned, "Hey, do you mind?"

I glanced at the hovering female teacher but she didn't say anything but looked on dishearteningly.

This ruffled my nerves. I never had a blemish on my image until him.

Don't think about him like that! My wolf cried.

Wolfie, I can think about him any way I please. Just because we are mates or whatever doesn't mean he owns me or that I have to kiss the ground he walks on. Also, I need you to leave me be so I can think clearly, please. I need to understand this supposed relationship we were in and why he is leaving a wreck in his wake.

The voice fell silent but I could feel her sadden, creating a pressing discomfort in my mind.

"No I don't mind, Star. Do you?"

"What?" I was confused by his answer and follow-up question.

"The teacher hasn't said anything so I assume it's fine," a slight nod towards the teacher reassured his words. She had circled around and paused to talk to another student. "So now you're okay with talking to me? What's changed in the past fifteen minutes?"

This made me scowl, "So we're only able to talk when you want to?"

A frown arched his handsome lips into a taunt bow. "I didn't say that, I just meant you seemed like you wanted to avoid me like the plague before. Why talk now?"

I pressed my tongue over my top front teeth trying to refrain my smacking my lips annoyedly. "Because, I hear you are giving me a bad reputation by causing scenes. Not only did you do that, but I can't even recall, so want to tell me what that's about?" I ended with crossing my arms definitely, hoping he knew I wasn't here to mess around.

The corner of his lip curled and I narrowed my eyes on him.

He thinks this is amusing.

"If you don't start talking-"

"Aye aye, no need to get angry," He threw up his hands but was struggling not to laugh. "You came on this way last time too. All up in arms about me minding my own business and not getting any crazy ideas when it came to you." It sounded like me. "But you know, if you were me, you could understand how I might be alarmed by your clear infatuation over me."

My mouth dropped, "Excuse me!"

He flashed his handsome teeth, now crossing his arms making his defined arm muscles ripple. I felt compelled to reach across the desk separating us to drag a finger across the ridges and contours of his features.

No Sydney! Goodness, this is not the time to be acting like a hormonal mess.

Those sea-green eyes seemed to change. They had become a hair darker. His nostrils flared as he leaned in close to me. "You were the one lingering in the forest watching me at practice."

My eyes narrowed, "That's not the story I heard." This deepened his smile. "And stop that."

A thick eyebrow curved upward, "Stop what?"

"The handsome, oh-don't-mind-handsome-little-old-me smile!"

His lips pressed together in a toothless smile, but nonetheless he was obviously pleased.

"So, how do you want to go about this?" Jaycen asked.

"About what?"

"About your project interviewing? If my memory serves right, I don't think we finished."

"Seeing as I don't have my memories thanks to you, I wouldn't know." It cut deeply and I knew it the second the words left my lips.

This completely dashed his mischievous smile. He broke eye contact and swallowed harshly.

Please don't be cruel! We might not remember anything, but I'm sure he means well!

I sighed and tried to say more lightly, "I don't know though Mr. Bossy Pants, what did you have in mind?"

"How about we meet after school and I take you to my place to work on this?" He asked nowhere near as happy as he was before.

I opened my mouth to say that sounded a little extreme for what I was doing, but a soft voice interrupted.

"Um, hi, I'm new. Ms. Granger said this seat is usually free, and that you two were wrapping up whatever it is you're doing."

I looked up at the female voice.

My eyes widened. She was drop-dead gorgeous but I didn't like one bit of it. She had beautiful silky brown hair that curled in ringlets. Tufts of wavy bangs framed her dark blue almost purple eyes which were locked my-on Jaycen.

She better get her eyes off him before we gouge them out. My wolf said, territorial inside my mind.

For the first time since I woke up from the hospital, I found myself agreeing.

Wait, no no no. This girl has as much right to Jaycen as anyone.

We need to think of a reason why she can't work with us! Hey, say because we are in groups of last names and only W's can be here!

I found myself tempted to say that but I didn't want to look like a jealous idiot. Plus, it wasn't like I was actually in this class.

"Are you both finishing up? If not I can wait till you're done. I wouldn't want to interrupt anything." The beautiful girl asked kindly gesturing to the seat I still hadn't taken.

Damn, I can't be mad at her for being pretty and nice.

Hell yes we can! My wolf yelled out.

Something equally unsettling, yet faintly familiar shifted beneath my skin. I glanced down to my tingling hands splayed across the desk and saw a flash of elongated nails. Wolf claws.

I am on the verge of shifting.

The pressure of someone's hand curling around my shoulder distracted me. I looked up to see Mat.

"Hey guys, I was wondering if any of you had a pencil I could borrow?" He asked, clearly only trying to defuse the ticking time bomb, which in this case would be me.

"Oh yeah, here let me get that for you." The new girl said too chipper and too kindly for my taste right now.

I was seconds away from murdering her right here by strangling her to death for trying to steal Jaycen and Mat from me.

What's the matter with me?

My wolf was unresponsive which uneased me even more.

She held out the pencil for him and Mat said, "...er nevermind. I remember I have one in my ah binder. Mind if I borrow ehhh..." He zoned off looking at the girl.

"Madeline."

"Madeline to introduce her to some people?" Mat looked over Jaycen and I.

I was pretty darn close to saying take her and keep her forever.

Keep your cool Sydney.

"I would love to." Madeline's voice dripped of honey.

Mat took her in tow leaving me with Jaycen whose eyes followed her.

"Hey, you know-Holy shit! Sydney, your eyes." Jaycen gasped his hands grabbing both of my shoulders.

I didn't need him to say it. I could see in the reflection of his sea-green eyes. Mine were glowing white.

☽✣☾

Unknown

My sister looked upon me with loathe, disgust, and judgment filling her dark eyes. Others huddled around watching with horror and amazement of the scene lay before them.

"You have done wrong, my sister. Used our powers in an attempt to scramble and distort the powers of fate. For that, you shall be punished." My older sister declared.

"Of course my blood," My head dropped in a mixture of disappointment and hatred.

Tears welled in my eyes. I'd like to believe I had not fallen for Logan's trickery. He drew me through gaining my trust, then my heart, then my mind, and all that was in it. I gave him complete control and I should have never let that happen. The second he finished using me he threw me away like a piece of garbage tearing my heart from my chest.

I should have known better. The werewolves were evil. The White Wolves even more.

"You were foolish my beloved sister. Men of any kind are a force to be reckoned with because of their idiotice towards women and their emotions. Men have used us over and over again. They don't love us or even ever care for us. All they want is our magic."

Tears glistened down my face as I felt the weight of all their eyes on me burning with disappointment. Here I was about to be ripped of my powers. All because I was the witch who Logan tricked into binding and creating my own White Wolf. The condemner of my fate.

Sydney.