SAM'S POV
I never believed in werewolves, vampires or witches.
I was a lanky, quiet kid who kept my head down in school and stayed busy helping my mom run a secondhand bookstore. My world was small, predictable, and entirely human. The only strange thing in my life was my uncle, Denise, a stern, rugged man who visited every few months, his arms covered in scars, his eyes distant like he carried secrets too heavy for words. He never stayed long, always watching the moon too closely. I figured he was ex-military because he was always busy, always vanishing, always vague.
Despite all that, he was family. After my dad died, Uncle Denise stepped in where he could. He never said much, but he made sure we had what we needed but lately, he hasn't visited. My mom was left devastated, trying to fend for my sister and me on her own.
My sister, Betty had just turned eighteen when everything began to shift. She was being sent off to a bridal school, a place where girls were trained for marriage, for obedience, for tradition. She didn't take it well.
The night before she was to leave, she and my mom had a huge argument.
The air in the house was thick, so thick it felt like breathing through wool. My mother's rose oil mixed with the faint scent of burnt rice from dinner, clinging to the silence like a warning. Betty sat at the kitchen table, arms folded across her chest, her plate untouched. Her suitcase stood by the door, already packed. Everything was ready for her to leave at dawn.
Everything but her.
Mom stood at the sink, scrubbing a dish that had long been clean. Her back was rigid, shoulders tense. Every movement spoke of frustration barely held in check. The silence didn't last.
"I'm not going," Betty finally said, her voice low but sharp. "You can't make me."
The plate hit the rack with a sharp clink. Mom turned slowly. Her face was composed, but her eyes, those eyes flashed like thunderclouds.
"We've been over this," she said flatly. "It's already arranged. The headmistress is expecting you."
"I don't care!" Betty snapped, standing up. "I'm not spending two years learning how to smile properly or fold napkins into swans or impress some stranger's family."
Mom crossed her arms. The dish towel dangled from one hand like a white flag she refused to wave. "That stranger will be your husband one day. That family can save us from poverty." Her voice broke slightly. "Your father's gone. Uncle Denise hasn't visited in five years. We're on our own, Betty. Please…"
"Why?" Betty's voice cracked. "Why should I give up my life for some arranged marriage? I have dreams. I want to live."
Mom sighed heavily and walked over to Betty, taking her hands in hers. "Do you think I want this for you? That I enjoy sending you away to strangers? This man... he's wealthy. He promised to take care of you. And us. We have nothing left."
Tears welled up in Betty's eyes as Mom pulled her into a hug. They stood like that for a long time, holding each other like they were already saying goodbye.
I watched from the other end of the table, silent. That night, I said goodbye to my sister with a gut-wrenching feeling I'd never see her again.
Two years passed. Nothing.
The academy claimed she had run away. My mom shattered into pieces. Our last hope was gone. And without her, we slipped back into survival mode. But I worked hard, so hard and it paid off. I earned top honors, won scholarships, and brought in sponsors. Life, for once, started to feel manageable.
Until one night.
It was past midnight. Rain hammered the roof like fists. I was in my room reading when I heard a thud outside followed by a faint knock at the door. That never happened. Mom was on the night shift. I was alone.
I tried to ignore it, but the knocking grew louder. Desperate.
I crept to the door and opened it cautiously.
Uncle Denise stood on the porch, soaked in blood, gasping, torn open from chest to hip.
"Help me inside," he croaked. "No time."
Panic surged. I dragged him into the living room, blood trailing behind us like a warning. He collapsed onto the floor, breaths shallow. He was dying. But then… his eyes those glowing, inhuman yellow eyes locked onto mine.
Fear gripped me. Was this really my uncle?
"They're coming," he whispered. "Hunters. They want the Alpha dead."
I froze. "Alpha?"
He grabbed my wrist with a trembling hand. "You're the last of my blood. I can't let the line end with me. You have to take it, Samuel."
"I—I don't understand…"
"You will." And with the last of his strength, he pulled me down and sank his elongated fangs into my shoulder.
Pain exploded. Fire shot through my veins. I screamed as my body convulsed, the world spinning into darkness.
When I woke up, I was on the couch. Alone. No blood. No bite marks. No Uncle Denise. I questioned everything. Had I dreamed it?
Days passed. Life returned to normal until the next full moon.
That night, my body betrayed me. My bones cracked. My senses sharpened. My heart beat like a war drum. I transformed, horribly, painfully into something else. A monster. Then I remembered everything. It wasn't a dream.
The night was chaos. I broke furniture, smashed windows. Hunger overwhelmed me. Mom came home early and found me mid-transformation. She screamed and I almost attacked her. But I fled. Somehow, I ran into the woods before doing something unforgivable. The rest of the night was a blur… but I knew it ended in blood.
The next day, the town was tense. People whispered of shadows and slaughter. Mom was terrified. She had seen enough to know. I had no choice but to confess.
She didn't scream. She didn't run. She just held me and cried.
The first few months were hell. I couldn't control the hunger. Some villagers died. Those who survived my attacks changed. Became like me. Wolves.
And it wasn't long the hunters found out.
They had heard of my uncle's death and initially backed off. But now they were after me. They began appearing in town silent men in long black coats, armed with silver knives and crossbows. I had to hide, constantly watching my back. And when I lost control and lashed out… I barely escaped with my life.
The home I once knew was no longer safe. So my mom came up with an idea. She found a place where I could live freely, somewhere I could learn to control my powers without fear. That place was Caveroop High. She enrolled me there and even managed to get me a small house nearby to stay in for the time being.
Before I left, she pulled me close and made me promise one thing, that I keep my identity a secret.
"I already lost one child," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I'm not going to lose another."
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I promise."
The first few weeks at Caveroop were the hardest. I had freedom, sure but freedom meant temptation. Without full control over my powers, I accidentally turned more people into wolves than I can count. I never meant to. It just… happened. A scratch, a bite, a moment of rage and they were changed. A pack began to form around me, unintentional but bound by blood.
I was spiraling until I found help.
An old magician who lived just outside of town took me in. He taught me how to harness my abilities, how to shift at will, and most importantly how to stay human under a full moon. His knowledge saved me from myself.
With my powers finally under control, staying out of sight became easy. I was already a nerd, barely noticed by the rest of the school. I blended in like a shadow in a crowded hallway. No one would ever suspect a thing.
That's how I've kept it all a secret until now.... I wonder how she knew.