I must have dozed off because I was woken from my sleep by Ariel poking me. Grumbling, I rolled over and looked at her.

“You got to get up. Lunch will be called for any minute,” she said enthusiastically. I wondered where she got all her energy from. Slowly I got up and pulled myself out of bed.

As Ariel and I entered the lounge area, there was a lot of chatter. Some were trying to figure out who they had classes with, while others talked about what classes they wanted to take. They didn’t really seem to notice us as we headed for the doors. As we passed through, I looked for the girl known as Keaira, but she was nowhere to be found.

Entering the dining hall, I was surprised at how many people were here. Almost half of the tables in it were filled with students. Ariel and I found a table that was next to the staff table. My aunt waved at me as she conversed with one of the other teachers. It was strange to think that she was both a professor and the headmistress. I knew that things were going to be difficult for her, not helping me in a way that I’m quite sure she would want to.

As we sat there, a boy came and sat beside us. He grinned happily before saying, “I can’t believe this day. I waited for months to finally come here, and now I am ready to learn while being myself. By the way, my name is Kenos Tenebrae.” I nodded to him, a little confused.

“I am Michala, and this is my roommate Ariel,” I said, trying not to be rude. His smile rose.

“So what are you?” Keno’s asked. It was a strange question, but I guess it made sense, considering that we were all something different.

“Werewolf,” I said. Keno gasped.

“Same,” said Ariel. The surprise on Keno’s face was funny. I guess he didn’t expect to meet werewolves.

“I am a shapeshifter, but I’ve never met a werewolf before,” Keno said. His enthusiasm was refreshing. Although I had to admit the feeling the change had given me was exhilarating, I still didn’t like the fact of the change. I guess I was telegraphing my feelings because they both looked at me

“Sorry, I wasn’t told about what I was until the other day. Apparently, I’m some big secret.” I said as I hid my face with my hair. I felt Ariel place her hand on my arm.

“You are unique, that’s all,” Ariel said. Sighing, I brushed my hair back with my fingers. Keno was still grinning. “And besides, we are all different and strange.

After lunch, the three of us headed out to the courtyard. Ariel and I shifted into wolf form. Keno must have felt left out because he turned into a wolf, but he was much smaller than us. Other wolves joined in, and before I knew it, it was like a pack of wolves running around the courtyard playing. We had captured many eyes as we played, including Keaira’s. She seemed very intrigued.

After what seemed like hours, Keno, Ariel, and I went inside. We said our goodbyes and headed to our respected dorms. Keno seemed nice. If I wasn’t into girls, perhaps we could have had a shot, though I suspected Ariel had a thing for him. She had been hanging around him like a lost puppy.

When we reached the dorm, the lounge was full of other girls. It was starting to feel crowded. One of the girls came over and greeted us.

“So, you’re the one who everyone is talking about,” the girl said as she looked at me. She was your average preppy girl. She wore her clothes tight, and they were all designers. Her red hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was everything I hated about girls like her—the ones who think they’re better than everyone else. I was curious as to who was talking about me, and why. I wasn’t even here a day.

 “They say that you are headmistress Helsings niece. That you are also the daughter of Rebecca Helsing. We have heard all the stories about them. How they were the lunas of the school,” she scoffed, crossing her arms.

“I’m sorry, but who are you?” I asked, still confused. The girl rolled her eyes as if I was supposed to know already.

“I am Leanna Grimm, a descended of Alexander Grimm. You should know the name. After all, he was one of the founders. I am the heiress of one of the oldest vampire clans in America.” Leanna said, her eyes locked on me. Then she rolled her eyes and walked away.

“Well, that happened,” came a voice from behind me. Turning around, I saw Keaira. She was crossing her arms and shaking her head. I didn’t even notice her come up behind us.

“Who are you?” Ariel asked. She seemed a little skeptical. It was a strange feeling, but I felt that we really could be friends.

“Keaira Blaylock. And before you ask, yes, I am a descendant of a founder, but I am nothing like her. Although her family members are all descendants, they don’t believe in the treaty. If I were you, I would steer clear of her hybrid,” she said in a low tone. I was shocked at the mention of hybrid, as I didn’t think anyone here would know.

“Who told you?” I asked. There was no way that my aunt would have told her, given the fact that I was apparently still being hunted.

“It was my father’s idea for your parents to move to the one place that the trackers would go. You see, there is a clan of vampires there who are….unwelcoming to certain families. They want to end the threat of discord among the races,” she said as she moved to the island in the kitchenette.

“So, how did you know it was me?” I asked, still confused. I never saw her at my aunt’s, and it wasn’t like we talked the other day.

“I wonder that too. I didn’t smell a vampire near our woods. No one outside of the pack knows who she is in human form,” Ariel said in a suspicious tone.

“It was quite easy, really. When that self-centered heiress said that your aunt was the headmistress, it was easy to put things together. Listen, sooner or later, your cravings are going to kick in. But I would advise you to feed in the privacy of your room. I can make sure that you get a supply, but you can’t let anyone catch you. I am quite certain that one of the students is the child of a hacker. They knew that you would eventually have to start school here.” Keaira said as she brushed her hair from her shoulder.

As Keaira and Ariel talked, I let everything sink in everything that she had told me. Why did I have to be the one person that people were after? Why did my parents commit me to a life where I would always have to look over my shoulder. It was too much for any child to have to bear. Just knowing that I could be in danger in the one place that was supposed to be safe for people like me. It was too much to think about. Without saying a word, I left the table and headed to my room. Although both Keaira and Ariel asked if I was alright, I didn’t answer them.

Once I was back in my room, I sat on my bed as, once again, tears began to fall. I would give anything for my parents to be here right now. I would ask them the questions that I kept asking myself. I would beg them to tell me why they had to break this stupid law that made me a target. Sighing, I decided to lay down. There wasn’t much else for me to do, and thinking just hurt. I decided that I would go to sleep early.