Chapter 1

Oh high school.

It's the end of my senior year.

A week before graduation.

I turn 18 in 3 days which means I can shift for the first time.

College isn't far off either. I can't wait to start my classes in the fall. I get to start college with my best friends and my boyfriend. Jackson.

Jax.

His name even brings tingles to my skin.

Jackson Scarpinzi. I have known him since we were in kindergarten. I met him because he stole my blue crayon and I needed it for my picture of a field of flowers. He wouldn't give it back so I tackled him to the ground. It's also the day he asked me to be his girlfriend.

So yeah...... Jackson is my everything. He is my best friend and the love of my life. The kind of love that you get butterflies every second when you are near them. When you are intoxicated with every single thing they do. His blonde hair perfectly frames his face. He usually has it slicked back but every once in a while his short curls come through. His jawline is like ice and his eyes are a deep hazel that turn red when he's pissed.

We have had bumps over the years as any other couple would. But we never broke up for more then 3 days. His parents were the cause of that breakup. They never liked him hanging out with the common children in the pack. Not meaning we aren't higher up in the ranks but there were definitely other girls he could have spent his time with.

For instance the Betas daughter Candace. The rich popular girl who made you feel like you were worse then scum.

My parents were healers. With our pack only have 4 healers, my parents were very important.

My parents found each other in college. Literally sniffed each other out the first day of classes. Graduated college with my oldest sibling in my moms belly.

Jaxs dad was Alpha of our pack. His Grandpa was an alpha and so on it went through the generations. His mother was actually an Omega. She has changed alot and definitely doesn't remember her roots unfortunately.

Today though, I'm sitting in my last homeroom waiting on Jackson to show up. My long brown super straight hair is covering my face and half my calculus book. My final is tomorrow and I have no willpower left in my entire body to study any longer.

That's when the door opens, and in he walks. His aura permeates the room whenever he walks in somewhere. Women fawn over him and guys wanted to be him. His eyes immediately find mine and he just smiles. Perfect teeth due to braces for 3 years.

"Hey babe." He whispers as he sits down next to me.

He kisses my nose and all I can do is sigh happily.

His best friend Damion running in the room after him yelling about graduation and just making an overall ruckus. Not my favorite person but he is Jaxs best friend. So I put up with him.

My best girlfriend is Jessica.

Smartest woman I know and she's completely in love with the neanderthal that is Damion.

Mrs. Parker, our home room teacher, gathers our attention by coughing super loudly and I go back to intertwining my fingers with Jaxs and attempting to study for just a few more minutes.

I wipes my eyes so hard I see stars....I need to pass this test. I see Jax out of the corner of my eye writing furiously in his notebook with a slight smile on his face.

You ready for my birthday party? He wrote.

Yes but I wish we could just do one party together. I wrote back.

I am excited to shift. He wrote.

I gave him a small smile in return. I'm terrified of him shifting. I'm terrified that when he shifts he will find out who his mate will be. I'm terrified it won't be me.

Turning 18 is a big deal. College, high school graduation, and shifting all in 3 months.

After about 45 minutes the bell rung for our next class. He scooped me in a hug and kissed me.

I wouldn't be able to see him till tomorrow unfortunately. Home room was the only class we had together. His parents made sure if that when our senior year started, which then gave way for Candace to be in all of his other classes. We knew what they were trying to do but we never let it get to us.

The day definitely dragged on with no end in sight and I didn't get to see Jax after school either. He had alpha in training duty to take care of with his Dad so I expected a phone call later.

I left school at 2:45 and walked home. My walk home was only about 15 minutes and when I got to my house I stood out front trying to remember what it looked like because I felt everything changing around me and I knew I would leave soon.

It was a small 3 bedroom cottage with about 2 acres of land. We had a huge flower garden in the front of the yard and my moms veggie/herb garden in the back. The yard was fenced in with a wooden fence that only stood about 4 feet high. Huge oak trees lined one side of the yard shielding us from seeing our neighbors house. The cobblestone road only paid homage to our house that matched the road. It was one of the oldest houses in the pack.

Our pack was also one of the oldest ones in the United States, we were in the great state of Alabama. Rolling hills of green trees and mostly poverty. We were hidden away deep in the forests that hid us from the world outside. We liked it like that.

College for us was in Tennessee. Right outside of Chattanooga. I could not wait to go.

I went inside and threw my backpack down and took off my shoes. My parents wouldn't be home till late and I needed to study. Which of course didn't happen. As soon as I showered and sat on my bed I passed out face first into my Calculus book.

The next day was a blur. I squeaked by the rest of my finals and got the golden ticket to graduate. After school I walked home again but with Jessica on my side. Her and I were going to get ready for Jacksons 18th birthday party.

I put the finishing touches on my makeup and listened as Jessica gushed about how Damion looked today, or how he looked at her, how he walked, how he spoke....the list could go on and on.

"Are you ok Stephanie?" Jessica asked putting her hand on my arm.

"I'm fine. Just nervous is all and worried about him shifting tonight." I barely got above a whisper thinking I was going to break down.

But I couldn't, a knock at the front door broke our conversation.  I ran my hands down my simple haltered white dress to make sure there were no wrinkles and sighed at my reflection.

My dress would be the same one I wore to my party. My dark blue heeled wedges fit my feet perfectly and my hair was held back by a sapphire colored headband. My makeup was done naturally.

Again my thoughts were interrupted when the front door opened and I heard Jax and Damion yelling for us to hurry. Jessica and I ran down the stairs and met the boys at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oooo baby. You look so damn good." Jax whispered under his breath.

I jumped in to his arms and kissed him softly. I didn't want this to end.

The party was insane. It's the only word I can use to describe it. At least 100 people were already there. The boys were a little late because of us. His parents standing by the front greeting everyone. Their looks of distaste and disappointment were directed towards me as I greeted them. Jax laughed it off like it never really mattered that his parents didn't like me.

The party was fun. Jax and I were enveloped in each others worlds as he kissed my forehead and introduced me to alphas and lunas from other packs and other dignitaries or warriors in packs from the area. All that mattered was us. It was 11:30 and I could tell Jackson was getting ready for shifting. It was something that always happened outside, under the moon, and whoever he trusted to be around him.

He chose his parents, Damion, and me. The pack doctor was always there just in case. His parents stood off to the side while he hugged his parents and kissed his mom. He hugged Damion and they laughed at who's wolf would be bigger. I stood next to Damion shaking. I was so nervous for Jax and he was so calm.

"Don't worry my love. It will still be me and I will love you not matter what." He whispered in my hair as his embrace around me became tighter.

I hugged back starting to cry in his arm. He let go of me and told Damion to take care of me. Damions protective arm landed on my shoulders and tears slid down my face.

The pack doctors alarm on his watch started beeping as Jackson started screaming. Screaming that was so painful to hear I covered my ears with my hands. Trying to push it out of my head as much as possible. First shift was always painful no matter what.

It happened so quickly I yelled when his wolf form came to life. And that's when the chaos started.

Screaming that I thought was coming from something else was actually coming from me. Damion picked me up and started running. I could hear Jax howling in pain and his parents telling him to calm down and stay where he was.

That's when I heard the growl. A growl that will always be in the back of my head. It sent shivers down my spine.

But why were his parents screaming and why was Damion running me back to his car? He threw me in the passenger seat and threw it in drive before I even got a chance to choke out a few words.

"Why couldn't I stay? What happened to Jackson? Is Jax ok? DAMION ANSWER ME!" I screamed. A pain in my heart never subsided on the trip home. Something happened and he wouldn't tell me.

He just held my hand as I sobbed. What happened? Why did Damion take me away? Where was my Jax? Was he hurt? Did I just lose him?

I woke up the next morning. My body sore from all the crying, me still in my dress. Albeit there were a few stains from dirt when Damion took off with me running. Today was my party. Did I even want to throw a party with what happened last night? I heard my parents downstairs chatting away with Jessica and laughing as if nothing happened.

I slowly dragged myself to my shower and stood there for about 30 minutes contemplating whether or not to do the party. My mom would kill me if I cancelled it last minute. The Alpha and Luna would be there like they always were when it was a pups first time shifting.

I slowly finished my shower, got ready for the day I was about to face. I glanced at my phone with no missed calls or texts from Jackson. I sent him a quick text telling him I loved him and I just wanted to know if he was ok. Nothing back as I stood there just holding my phone. A tear slid down my cheek. I had the worst gut wrenching feeling in my stomach.

The day was filled with decorating and cooking. I stood idly by as my parents rushed around. My mom making comments about how her last baby is shifting, graduating, and going to college. I'm her fourth baby, she should be used to this by now. My siblings are all off and mated. My dad had to keep her on track or she would have been a mess a dozen times. Jessica and I started to get ready for the party after we finished decorating outside with twinkle lights and making sure the DJ knew where to set up.

My nerves were shot and I felt weak at the knees. I wanted to hear from Jax so bad. My phone pinged and I rushed to it.

It was Damion. I sighed at the text. Jax wasn't feeling well and wouldn't be able to come. I dropped my phone just feeling the sobs coming on. I never wanted this weekend to go like this. I needed him to be there for me just like I was for him.

What could be so wrong that he couldn't come? The pack doctor said he would be fine by morning. None of this made sense and I wasn't about to let it go this easily.