Chapter 1-Zayed's Pov

It's nearly two a.m., too late for this foolishness and I need my sleep. Four nights spent cramming to meet a deadline have left me exhausted. It doesn't matter, I'm happy I'm done with all my college application essays.

Patches of skin behind my knees and elbows have been tingling and now begin to burn. My heart beats so fast I have to gulp air. I clench my eyes shut, willing the sensations to stop but they continue, my essays aren't what have been making stay awake but the tingling and the dreams that come after.

For the past 1 week now I've been having dreams that I don't understand, of me running as some sort of wolf, trying to stay awake doesn't help, I have to give in eventually..

I finally close my eyes and surrender to the sleep that has been haunting me.

I'm here again in some sort of forest, there are so many trees and the ground beneath my feet is a dark loamy scattered with dry leaves, there's an eerie silence and everywhere is calm and quiet, It's very unsettling and it feels like the calm before the storm but I shiver and start moving,my paws making no sound on the leaves, there's a hill ahead and I plan on using it to survey my surroundings.

I'm almost there when a small movement in my peripheral vision catches my eye, I slow down but don't stop so as not to alert the prey, I can feel my heart quickening and my blood rushing in my ears, I continue towards the hill but watch through the side of my eye as it takes a tentative step forward, I now know it's a deer because the wind is blowing and I can smell its fear.

I keep feinting towards the hill, and mentally count down till it runs for it, "5,4,3 2,1".

On "1" it dashes off into the trees and I immediately turn to give it chase, this is what I live for, the chase before the kill, the deer is trying it's best to outrun me but it made a grave mistake by using most of its energy initially, I catch up with it and nip at its legs and underbelly and I'm almost successful in bringing it down but it tugs itself free and keeps galloping away, OK then Game on, we keep up the chase deep into the forest and I'm on the verge of giving up when I see a bypass and have an idea. I bound up the bypass and cut off the deer's path, it's big eyes widen and I see fear and dread in them and I almost pity it, almost.. but my instincts kick in and I aim for its jugular and sever its head in one quick move, I make sure it's death is as painless as possible and once the light dies behind its eyes I start feeding, the taste is divine, the flavour is intense and earthy and I eat till I'm full.

Once I'm done I make my way to a nearby stream to drink water and I meet the most beautiful wolf, it has a Dark red coat with a glossy sheen and from its slim build I guess its a female, it's back is to me as it gulps water from the stream, I growl in what I hope is a non- threatening way and it lifts its head to look up at me, I'm startled by its eyes, it has eyes as pale and haunting as the moon, eyes I've only seen on only one other face, my eyes...

I wake up with a jolt and notice I'm covered in sweat even though the windows are open and it's a cool morning. Pale rays of sunlight were already peeking through the blinds.

I check the time on the alarm clock on my bedside table, it's already 8 am.

I rush out of bed and move to quickly take a shower and catch the bus to school.

I'm halfway into the bathroom. When I remember I'm done with high-school, I already graduated a week ago.It's so ridiculous I burst into laughter and then do my morning routine at a much slower and normal pace.

It's enough to lift my mood after that mysterious dream I had. I think of the Silver eyes and shiver at the memory, they had looked so sad. I wonder what could have made it so sad. I finish up my shower and dress up quickly, my outfit is simple, a tight black tee and black jeans,my only accessory is a silver crescent moon necklace I've always worn, I was told it probably belonged to my real mother, who had left me at the orphanage.

Wearing it always made me feel safe, it's hard to explain but it made me feel like I always have someone to watch over me.

I brush my dark wavy hair neatly and make my way downstairs.

Mum is already at the kitchen stove making breakfast.She whisks the eggs and flips the pancakes with ease.

Looking at her, you wouldn't know that she's actually not my birth mother but my adopted one, she adopted me when I was 3 and adopted my sister Ava when I was 7 and she was 4.

She's a tall,beautiful blond and could easily pass off as my sister if she wished. Her beauty doesn't go unnoticed by the men in our town and every week she has a new suitor.

I've always told her that she could get married if she wants to, but she always refuses and says her happiness lies in mine and Ava's happiness and she doesn't need anyone else.

I make my way to her and give her a side hug,

"Hey mom good morning",

"Good morning Zayed, did you sleep well?"

"Yes mom, I did", there's no point in telling her about the dream, she wouldn't understand.

"Is the little tyrant up yet?" I ask while looking around the kitchen for Ava.

"Yes I am, unlike some people I actually care about my appearance,"

I turn around and see Ava coming down the stairs, at 16 she's grown already and with their tall stature and wavy blonde hair she and my mum could pass as twins, the only difference being the color of their eyes, where my mum had warm caramel brown eyes, Ava's eyes were a light green that looked like grass.

"What about my appearance?", I retort.

"I think I look ok, don't I mom?"

"Yes yes you look very handsome, Ava stop troubling your brother and come and sit at the table and have some breakfast". The eggs are done and she divides them onto our plates.

"But mommm, he started it first, he called me a tyrant", whined Ava.

I stick out my tongue at her and start eating, I practically inhale the first plate and start on my second, this is another strange thing, I've always had a large appetite but nowadays it's like I'm never full and I eat thrice as much as I used too. But thankfully no one notices my increased appetite and breakfast goes on as normal with Ava talking our ears off about one thing or the other and we giving our input once in a while.

We finish eating and I start clearing up the dishes.As I'm busy washing the dishes, mom walks in, leans on the counter and crosses her arms.

"Can you tell me what's really going on," she asks, her brow knit with worry.

I rinse the last plate, dry my hands on the kitchen towel and turn to face her.

"It's nothing mom, I just miss my friends that's all."

"Well, go see them if you miss them, it's summer, go to the beach and have some fun or go see Raya"

"Maybe that's what I'll do, let me call up Grey and make some plans"

She nodded,"OK, have fun but be safe and look after your sister too."

"I will", I promise as I kiss her cheek and hurry to the front door, my mind racing with thoughts of Raya, my girlfriend. I hadn't seen her since the Valedictory Service as she had gone to spend a week with her cousins and just got back to town today. We texted and face timed of course but it wasn't the same as seeing each other face to face.

I leave the house and get into my black Mustang, it's a second hand beat-up truck but I don't care, I love it that way. To me, it has character. I have to rev the engine a few times before it starts and it finally picks up on the third try.

I drive down the lane and onto the main road, Raya's house is a couple streets away, I pass by the local supermarket, the church and our high school which was closed for the holidays, I turn right and shortly pull up outside her house.

I get down and knock on the door, I have to knock a few more times before I get an answer, it's Mrs Smith, Raya's mom that opens the door.

"Oh it's you, I'm sorry Zayed, I was in the basement bringing up some supplies so I didn't hear you knocking till I came back up" she says as she ushers me in.

"It's OK ma'am, I didn't knock for long" I reply as I look around the living room for Raya.

"Would you like something to drink?"she asks with her head in the fridge.

"No thank you ma'am, I'm alright for now, I'm actually here for Raya is she up yet?"

"Raya? But She left a while ago, she mentioned something about a party?"

"A party", I ask.

Is someone throwing a party? I don't remember any parties?

"Yes a house party at Grey's place I think, weren't you invited?"she asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe they sent a text and I didn't see it, anyways thanks a lot Mrs Smith, I'll head to over there now."

"Bye ma'am", I say as I turn to leave.

"Bye dear, and when you see Raya tell her to come back early, I need her help in the base ment,"she calls as I reach the door.

I leave their house and get in the truck, I pull out of their driveway and I can't stop wondering why Raya didn't come to see me.

I'll just have to go to Grey's, thats where I can get my answers.

As I approach Grey's House, the loud pop music blasting from somewhere inside is the biggest sign that truly there's a party going on, the scantily clad girls in bikinis with drinking and smoking is another sign.

I park a bit further down the road than where I'd usually park because the street and his driveway is packed full of expensive sport cars that make my already shabby truck look even worse.

I hop down from my truck and head down to his house and it's not a pretty sight, everywhere you look there's either a drunk vomiting or a couple kissing and groping each other in full daylight or both happening at the exact same time.

The floor is littered with paper cups, beer bottles and all sorts of junk. I wonder how Grey's going to clean this up because I'm pretty sure his parents have no idea their prized home is being used this way.

I make my way to the living room and it's even worse, it's filthy and there are even more drunks, the chairs have created the perfect space for couples to do their thing and while I'm not against PDA some people just take it too far.

I pass by Cherry and Fred, a couple who were notorious in high-school for their toxic On/off relationship.

As I can hear cherry shouting her head off at Fred, I guess they'll soon be in their off era.

I enter the kitchen and decline the offer of a drink from the wasted guy manning the beer coolers. Isn't he a junior? what on earth is he doing here? It's not my place to ask so I just inquire about Grey's whereabouts instead.

He tells me he's in the master bedroom and I make my way there.

I go up the flight of stairs and I'm disgusted but not surprised at the damage here too. I wonder what it'd be like to live in a beautiful home like this and I can't imagine doing half the things Grey does.

I reach the landing for the first floor and go to the master bedroom. As I approach I hear moans and giggles and I wonder who Grey has in there now.

I know what's going on in there I'm not naive, I was once as bad as Grey maybe even worse but ever since I fell in love with Raya, I changed and stopped all my player habits.

I knock briskly on the door, once, twice, the third knock is opened by a very startled Grey.

"H-h-hey man what are you doing here," he asks while shutting the door behind him.

He closes it too fast and I can only catch a glimpse of the girl inside.

She has her back to the door but she looks familiar. Her hair is silky black just like...Raya's ?