1. Wolves in Hollywood

LARA'S POV.

Fuck Hollywood. I hate it. The sun is always shining, but the people are ice-cold and fake like plastic. It's fast, hungry, and it chews poor girls like me up for breakfast.

"Leave me alone, pervert! Or I'll call 911," I yell out, suddenly feeling cold. Someone is following me as I walk home.

"You look like delicious food," his husky voice grunts, then barks like a dog.

I walk faster, my breath growing heavier. I can’t see the man following me, but his terrifying presence is all around.

"Don't come near me! I have pepper spray and a pocket knife in my purse. I'll cut off your dick," I threaten, squeezing my fists, but all that is actually in my purse is... 2 dollars.

"I'm bigger than you, human girl. I'll eat you without blinking an eye," he growls.

Out of the shadows, a scary creature steps out. He's almost 8 feet tall and covered in fur from head to toe. I don't know what he is. I don't know what to do. I can't outrun or fight him. Even if I had a pepper spray or pocket knife, it would barely make a scratch on this monstrous being.

"Please, don't kill me. Please," I plead, getting on my knees, heart beating louder than a drum.

"Aww. Look," he mused aloud, very pleased with himself. "The little human girl can cry."

"Please," I whisper, fearful.

"You could cry me a damn river of tears. It wouldn't change a fucking thing. You're prey. And I'm predator."

The beast picks me up from the ground, and I'm dangling in his grasp as he opens his large mouth. Is this how I die? Crying while being eaten by an animal-like man.

Then, my silver bracelet catches his eyes and it's almost like it blinds him. He drops me me as if I burnt his furry claws and runs off with the wind.

I grunt in pain on the floor, rubbing where he had snatched me. What the fuck just happened?

My eyes peer around hesitantly and he really is not here anymore. Did my silver bracelet just save my life?

I push to my feet and run home in panic. Still looking back to see if he's following me, I finally reach the door of the apartment, bang it open, hurry in, close it shut, rest on the door, slide down to the floor, panting heavily.

"Alyssa!" I scream for my roommate and best friend's attention.

She pauses the TV she had been watching, and turns to me, worry evident in her eyes.

"Lara, what the hell happened to you? You look scared to death," She asks, coming to kneel next to me.

"Lyss, I think... I just saw a werewolf?"

She stares at me. "You... what?"

"It stood like a human.. but looked wolf-like. And it called me delicious food."

Alyssa snickers in amusement and stands up, walking back to the TV. "Lara, come on. You had me so scared there."

"I'm serious. I saw a werewolf," I say with more conviction, still seated in the floor.

"No, you didn't. It was probably weird Tony down the street playing a prank. You know how creepy he is. He probably got costumes and everything. Lara, werewolves aren't real."

I sigh, realizing that she was right. "Werewolves are stuff you see in books or movies, not in Hollywood. Maybe I was just imagining things because I'm so tired, working a million part-time jobs and still going to university. I'm just so fucking tired!"

Alyssa pulls me into the tightest hug. And for the first time in a long time, I let myself melt in her embrace.

"And it seems like the harder I work, the less money I have." I pour out my worries to her, and she soaks it all in.

She has always been there for me. The very day I moved to Los Angeles, America, she was the first person I met. We became best friends almost immediately.

Alyssa glances at the ticking clock and gasps. "Lara! You're about to be late for your waitress gig at the Oscars Ceremony!"

I follow her eyes to the clock and jump to my feet. "Ah, shit. I forgot."

"Hurry, hurry!" Alyssa claps urgently as I throw on my white and black waiter uniform.

"By the way…" I say. "Thanks for giving up this gig and letting me take it. I know how bad you wanted to be at the Oscars."

Only the crème de la crème get to wait tables for those pompous A-listers. Alyssa had landed the job and practically lost her mind over the chance to breathe the same air as her favorite actor, Leonardo Knight. Not like she’d actually talk to him — God forbid a waiter do more than serve food. Still, admiring from a distance? Totally allowed.

But she gave the job to me, because... she knew I need the money. Desperately.

"Now, go! Before I change my mind!" Alyssa laughs.

I smile and mouth another, Thank you.

* ** *

As a waiter at the Oscars, you have one job: make sure the celebrities are happy.

Smile, serve, and leave.

Over and over again. Now, it's hour 7, and I'm fucking tired of this. So tired that I might bash my head in with an Oscar statuette. I try to look busy, so that nobody asks me to take the garbage out to the dumpster. Damn, I had done that twice already.

I absentmindedly walk to the backstage bathroom when the sound of grunts, growls and groans fill my ears.

Oh no, did I just walk in on two celebrities having sex?

I quietly back away, but the sounds get louder and more aggressive. Too violent to be sex.

Now, I'm worried. Someone's life might be in danger.

"Hey, is everything okay?" I call out shakily.

"Get lost!" the voice grunts out.

I flinch at the rudeness. "No need to be rude. I just thought you needed some help."

"You can't help me. Nobody can." This time, there is a quiet, and familiar sadness to his tone. A feeling of helplessness that I know about all too well.

"You seem very familiar," I say — well, to the door, since I can’t even see him. "Have we met before? Are you a waiter too?"

He scoffs. "I’m severely underqualified for that, lady."

Ouch. I feel my ego being nicked with a sharp razor. This guy is definitely one of the pompous A-listers. According to the waiter rulebook, I'm to smile, serve and leave him.

If I don’t, I could get blacklisted. But since this particular celebrity is stuck in a bathroom stall, unable to see my face or name tag, he can’t exactly report me to my boss…

That gives me the courage to say this:

"Okay, asshole. I’m sure you’re underqualified for anything that involves actual work."

I angrily turn around to leave. Then he starts shouting and banging the door, bawling.

The chaos stops me in my tracks again, and I roll my eyes. "You're not a child. Stop throwing tantrums."

"I. Need. Help," is all he says when the stall door swings open.

A man falls out to the floor. His eyes are blood red. His brown hair is scattered around his face. His jaw is bruised. But his handsome features are still recognizable.

"Leonardo Knight," I whisper in horror.