Chapter 7

I had never been to a party like this before. There were times I could see the bonfires and hear the music from our house. My mom would encourage me to go and meet new people maybe I'd find someone special. I didn't want to. If I went, I would have to talk to them and generally they would try to get close to me which is the opposite of what I wanted.

Yet here I was with my cousin who I had just met 4 hours ago walking up to a super moon bonfire bonanza. What did I even get myself into with this? There were a decent number of shifters scattered throughout the field. Hope promised me that there wasn't going to be more than 20…maybe 30 she corrected smiling at me. Of course, she reminded me that I already promised to go and that she had already told my dad who apparently was ecstatic. I barely knew any of these people especially my father.

It did make sense for him to want me to come meets the members of his pack family. I didn't have to like it; I would just have to survive a few hours before I could sneak off and slip on home before anyone was the wiser. It was odd I felt someone staring at me but as I looked around the gathering, I couldn't catch anyone's specific gaze. They were sparing me glances because I was the first new person they'd seen probably in a long time and I also smelled different since I couldn't shift.

It looked like a classic bonfire. There were shifters dancing, talking and drinking all throughout the clearing. Even though I couldn't pick out cliques or anything it did look as if they grouped themselves in some fashion. There were pockets of 5 or 6 shifters in groups spread through the whole area. There were some traveling between the groups but mostly they seemed rather stationary.

"Alright Emmry I'm going to introduce you to my friends okay? I promise they don't bite." She laughed and started heading towards a group of shifters who were sitting around the fire.

"If you say so…" I followed behind her shoving my hands into my pockets keeping my gaze closer to the ground.

"Hi guys!" She squealed and ran up to a shifter male giving him a big hug. "This is Aaron." The way she said his name and the look on her face made me think that this male was more than just a friend. I gave him a small smile and a slight wave doing my best to just keep the introductions moving. The quicker it was over the quicker I could count my seconds away.

"Hi Emmry, it's really great to actually meet you. Everyone's been buzzed about you being back. You were kinda like a ghost story."

I knew he didn't mean anything by what he said but that didn't mean it hurt any less.

"A ghost story seems about right." I mumbled not looking up at them anymore.

"Don't listen to Aaron, he's a moron. I'm Jackson. Everyone really is glad you're home…." I looked up at the smooth voice. The male who was next to Aaron smiled at me. He was not as tall as the rest of the males in the circle, but he seemed to have the kindest smile.

"I���m used to it." I shrugged trying to push off anything that I could.

"I'm Delilah your mom and my mom are really good friends. They've known each other since they were small." A female with bright blonde hair and big blue eyes smiled at me. She seemed to be genuine they all did.

"Were. They were good friends." I said quietly. "But that's pretty cool. I wish she could have been here to see your mom again."

"Oh…oh right. I…sorry that was insensitive of me to bring up your mom who is dead…and I'm not helping. Sorry." Delilah quickly went on and then pretended to drop something on the ground. She noticed my confusion and laughed. "I'm putting down the shovel before I dig a bigger hole for myself."

That got me. I'd never heard someone be so well funny before. A real laugh came out and I smiled. "That's a good one."

"Well that's a surprise. I wasn't sure you could smile."

My smiled faded and I looked up to see one last female standing next to the only other shifter I hadn't been introduced to. "I'm sorry…"

"Oh no, don't be. I just thought you were dead inside or something. I'm Savannah." She ran a hand through her dark brown hair giving me a smirk. Something didn't feel right about that girl…

"Sav you promised you were going to be nice." Hope glared and crossed her arms at her friend. "She's been through more than you'd ever dream of in your nightmares so just shut up."

Savannah rolled her eyes and flipped her hair. "Been through a lot sure. A dead mom who hasn't had a dead family member?" She said it loud enough that we had started to gain attention. I could feel that same gaze on me, but I couldn't pinpoint it.

This was the reason I never hung out with people. They were also so judgmental and rude.

"Hope it's okay…" I started but my cousin cut me off.

"No, it's not. She doesn't get to be a jerk just because she's jealous that someone more mysterious than her now lives here." Hope huffed.

"She's not mysterious!" Savannah cried out and threw her arms up in the air. "At best she's probably stunted. We all know that she can't shift."

Her tone grew nastier and nastier by the second. I was finished listening to what she had to say. Everyone is always the same. I started to turn to leave when I caught a glimpse of a male shifter across the fire. He was staring directly at me. It wasn't the passing oh shoot we made eye contact look away stare. It was an intense can't look away magnetic stare. I frowned and shook my head. From where I was standing, he looked to be the tallest of his friends. His hair was ash blonde and I couldn't tell you what color his eyes were because of the flames and smoke. Most girls would say he was handsome, but I just saw another person who was probably trying to find some way to make me feel insignificant. The look on his face proved it. He was no longer staring at me, he was glaring.

Who the hell is that? Why is he still staring at me?

"Hope I'm going home." I whispered and turned away from her friends and the stranger's gaze. I was halfway across the field when she caught up to me.

"No no Emmry come on." Hope's hands hovered over my shoulders.

"Please don't leave because of Savannah. She thinks that she's better than everyone else because her father uses to be the Beta."

"How does that even make sense? I don't care who her parents are. Hope I tried. I don't want you to have a bad time because I can't get along with your friends. I'm not good at parties okay? They aren't my thing. I'm going to go back the pack house now. Have fun…enjoy the moon." I pushed past her and continued walking out of the clearing and into the woods.

I heard Savannah's laughter and taunting as I broke past the first layer of trees. I'm guessing that is one shifter who does not want to be my friend. That's okay, you can't be friends with everyone you meet.

I couldn't feel that hard stare on me anymore. I guess it was one of the shifters back at the party. Maybe I'll try to ask Hope who the guy was. There wasn't anyone at the party that I saw that had his hair color so it shouldn't be too difficult.

I took my time getting back to the pack house. I loved walking in the moonlight. It always made me feel calm. I walked up the porch and sat down on the wicker chair. I could sit out here for a little bit. It's not like they were expecting me home anytime soon…and even if they did it's not like they couldn't smell me or hear me walking up.

I looked up at the sky and sighed. It was so beautiful up there. The moon and the stars shining everything exactly where it's supposed to. I remember reading stories about the different glorious things people did in order to gain their constellation status. One day I wanted to live up there in the stars where no one would be able to touch me.

"You're home early." I nearly fell out of the chair at my father's voice. I was so wrapped up in the sky that I hadn't heard him open the door.

"Shit. I…. I'm sorry. Yeah." I grabbed my chest and did my best to calm my breathing. All my father did was laugh and sit in the chair next to me.

"I can't believe I scared you…I thought your hearing was better than that." He teased poking my forehead. I rolled my eyes and scoffed at him.

"I wasn't really paying attention to anything. Sorry." I smiled a little and looked over at him. He looked a bit disappointed. I'm guessing his pack members already told him what had happened.

"I told Hope I wasn't good with groups." I mumbled looking away from him.

"Emmry…" He started and reached for my knee. I flinched back a little before settling down and reminding myself that it was okay. He took a second, I could see the contemplation on his face. He settled it by placing his hand on my arm.

"Savannah can be a wild card. She had a tough childhood too. Her and her brother…they had a rough time. Their dad left when they were 2…he was…it wasn't good. Their mother didn't handle it well. I know words can hurt but a lot of the time the people who say those hurtful words are hurting too." There was something about what my dad was telling me that seemed…missing.

"I understand that. I just. I didn't feel comfortable." I mumbled looking back up at the moon. Something was missing. I felt like he wasn't telling me the whole story. Maybe I could get Hope to tell me.

"Just keep that in mind okay. Everyone has their own story." My dad gave me a soft pat on the head and then kissed the top where his hand had been.

"Go to be when you're ready. I'll see you in the morning." He gave me a calming smile and then headed back into the house.

I sighed and continued to stare at the moon. What had I gotten myself into? I should have just run away, prevented all this from happening. A small part of me wished that I thought that. The rest of me knew that I had an overwhelming feeling I was supposed to be here. Though I surely wasn't going to act like it. Not unless I really had a reason.