Chapter 1

Gabrielle's legs were burning as she ran in no particular direction. Her breathing was heavy and ragged, hot tears streaming down her face. Her exposed neck and arms were bruised beyond measure, blood gushing from several spots on her body but not more than the place his claws had scratched her.

She still could not fathom why Derek would have tried to kill her- of all days, on their anniversary.

However, that had not been half as surprising as him standing before her, having his clothes suddenly ripped off as his arms and legs transformed into hinds with sharp claws, his abdomen elongating and fur spreading all across his body.

She had stared at him in shock, confused and stammering, trying to find words before he lunged at her, sending her crashing to the ground. Brielle had only narrowly been able to escape being torn into pieces by Derek before she broke into a run.

Her foot got caught in a thicket and she stumbled, rolling down a sloping pathway- mud coating her face. She coughed wildly, trying to wipe her face. Gabrielle's motion was stopped as her ribs crashed into a tree in the path. She screamed, curling into a ball instinctively.

She could taste the saltiness of her tears and the grittiness of the sand all at once as she lay there, trembling wondering what on earth had gone wrong.

Derek and Gabrielle had met a year ago, at the local park. She was attracted to him at first sight; his blond hair tousled by the wind as he moved around on his skateboard. There was a playful glee in his blueish green eyes when they had bumped into each other but today, that glee has been replaced with something sinister.

She had apologized profusely that day, still in awe of the handsome teenager in her front and he smiled saying, "If you had stopped ogling me from afar, you wouldn't have crashed into me."

Gabrielle's cheeks had turned red in an instant.

"To be fair, I was so distracted by your beauty that I forgot I was skating in his direction." He put out his hand for a shake. "I'm Derek."

"Gabrielle," She said, smitten by him. She never believed she would have gotten to experience such an encounter in her life, and now she was glad. At least she knew romance did not exist in books alone. "Brielle for short."

"You have a very beautiful name," he said, smiling at her.

"Do you come here often?" He asked. "I can't say I've seen you before."

"No... It's my first time here," Gabrielle responded with a small smile. She had grown up being sheltered all of her life by her mom. Her life was on rinse and repeat.

She'd wake up as early as five in the morning, go for a run with her mother and then they would shower and have breakfast. After that, her home teacher would arrive, and she would have classes for about eight hours like every other child, the only difference was that her classes were at home.

Apart from the run she had with her mother in the morning, she never really stepped out of the house. She had no friends as well, except for their next door neighbor- Margaret, a short stocky girl with light brown curious eyes. She would never even have been friends with her if their rooms did not overlook each other and being the curious person that she was, she had come next door to introduce herself.

On that particular day, after her fifteenth birthday, she had fought with her mother because she had originally wanted to have a picnic party for her birthday with Margaret but her mother disagreed. So that day, she woke up and got ready, stepping out of the door only to be accosted by her mother in the doorway.

"Where are you going?"

"To the park with Margaret?"

"Gabrielle, I have told you that it is not safe for you to be out there with the rest of the people," her mother said in a stern voice. "You are a special child. I have to keep you safe."

"Mom!" She whined, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm in a public space, with public people. What wants to happen to me there?" She asked. "Plus, I'm with Margaret? You trust her enough, don't you?"

"Gabrielle, you are not leaving this house," her mother said firmly, dragging her hand- trying to pull her in but Gabrielle wouldn't budge.

"Come on mom!" She yelled, snatching her hand away. "I literally don't know what the outside world looks like. I have no friends other than her. I need to meet people. I'm getting tired of staying indoors all day, reading or watching TV. I want to have an outdoor experience."

"Gabrielle, you have to understand that I'm trying to keep you safe."

"Safe from what mother?" She asked, throwing her hands up exasperatedly. "You're always talking as though I'm one wanted criminal in hiding. As though the moment I step out of the house someone is waiting to arrest me."

"You can't understand," her mother said, blinking back her tears. "It's much more complicated than that."

"Just this once. I promise to be back early enough. Plus Margaret is going to be there with me."

"Fine, just this once," her mom sighed. "Do not be home later than five o'clock."

She had left their street together with Margaret, but she did not accompany her to the park. She had wanted to attend an event that his mother forbade her from going so they were going to cover for each other.

"You've not lived here for long?" He asked her, surprise evident on his face.

"I have," she smiled.

"How long?" He asked with a raise of his brows.

"Since I could remember. All my life I guess?'

"You don't come out at all?" He questioned, taking a step closer to her.

"No, I'm usually home."

"What about school?" He asked. "Are you attending the public highschool as well? I haven't seen you there ever."

"I'm home schooled," she replied. "So... What's school like?"

'As normal as a school can get,' he shrugged. "Hormonal teenagers involved in drama all day. I guess I can say you're at an advantage. "You have enough peace.

'Peace'...

That word was now going to haunt her for the rest of her life because the only thing she could associate with the word was almost being torn into pieces a few minutes ago.