Chapter One: Monday Isn't Supposed to Do This
Monday morning.
Ahhh… school.
I dragged myself out of bed like a condemned man walking to the gallows and shuffled into the bathroom. Toothbrush. Mirror. Yawn.
Then I froze.
The reflection stared back at me like it had broken into my house.
At first, I honestly thought I was still dreaming. Maybe this was one of those cool dreams—the kind where you wake up ripped, rich, or with superpowers before reality slaps you back into misery.
I blinked.
The reflection blinked back.
I splashed water on my face. Once. Twice. Then I bathed like the mirror might change its mind if I looked away too long.
It didn't.
The real panic started when my trousers slid halfway down my legs.
"…No way."
I sprinted back to the mirror, heart hammering, and stared again.
Slimmer waist. Broader shoulders. Jawline sharp enough to cut glass. My stomach—
I lifted my shirt.
One pack.
Two.
Three—
Six.
I leaned closer, poking my abs like they might explode.
//Aaron//
Wow…
Damn.
If I knew it was this great, I should've turned a long time ago.
I stood there a little too long, admiring the upgrade life apparently installed overnight.
Then reality knocked.
What the hell am I supposed to wear?
I lived in a house full of boys—human clothing donation centers. I raided Lorenzo's trousers, stole Marcus's shirt, and checked the time.
Late.
Of course.
I bolted into the kitchen.
Laughter filled the room—loud, stupid, familiar.
Then—
BANG.
Silence.
Mom was out. Typical. I grabbed an apple, bit into it, and headed for the door.
"Later, guys."
I turned.
They were frozen. Forks mid-air. Mouths open. Eyes wide.
Like I'd just walked in wearing a demon's face.
"…Right," I muttered, and left before anyone tried to exorcise me.
---
The walk to the bus stop felt wrong.
My bag hung loosely from my hand. I plugged in my headphones—Jason Derulo, my usual escape—and pressed play.
The world shifted.
Every sound hit harder. Sharper. The music felt too loud even at the lowest volume, vibrating straight through my skull.
I ripped the headphones off, unsettled.
"Okay… nope."
I killed time playing Angry Birds, but even that felt too slow. Too quiet. Like the world was holding its breath.
The bus arrived with a wheeze.
Then a voice shattered everything.
"HERE COMES KING KONG!"
I didn't need to look.
Bradford Copper.
Brad.
Top bully. Top idiot. King of throwing punches before thinking.
Laughter exploded around him.
I stepped onto the bus.
Silence.
The kind that crawls under your skin.
I took my usual seat behind the driver and stared out the window, jaw clenched.
Brad wasn't done.
"Well, King Kong looks smaller today," he sneered. "Let's see if you fit in my locker."
Before I could respond, something unexpected happened.
A soft voice.
A girl's voice.
So close it felt like her lips brushed my ear.
"He's… hot."
I stiffened.
Then—
SWISH.
Instinct took over.
I turned, arm snapping out without thinking—
Caught.
A pen rested between my fingers.
The bus erupted again, this time with gasps.
I slowly looked back at Brad.
//Aaron//
"…Thank you for the pen."
Brad didn't laugh.
He stared.
---
It was the middle of the year. Freshman.
My grades were great.
My temper was not.
Control it, I told myself.
When the bus doors hissed open at school, I stepped down—
—and my body locked.
Every muscle froze.
My heart slammed against my ribs like it was trying to escape.
Danger.
Real danger.
I looked up.
On the roof of the school.
They were there.
Watching.
Not students.
Not teachers.
Their shapes were wrong—too still, too dark against the morning sky. Their eyes burned, fixed on me like hunters who had finally found their prey.
Cold sweat slid down my spine.
Whatever happened this morning…
It wasn't an accident.
And Monday had just begun.
I watched them on the roof.
Then I chose to ignore them.
If you stare at monsters too long, they start staring back—and I wasn't ready for that yet.
Inside the school, everything pretended to be normal. Lockers slammed. Bells rang. Laughter echoed down the halls. I went straight to my locker, grabbed my books, and turned—
—and nearly bumped into Johnny.
Something was off.
His right hand was covered in tattoos. Not sloppy ink, either—sharp symbols that looked old. Dangerous. He looked at me differently now, like he wasn't seeing Aaron anymore.
//Aaron//
"Hey… what's up?"
He didn't answer.
He walked past me like I didn't exist.
I stood there for a second, blinking.
"…Okay. That was weird."
History class didn't help.
I swear everyone was watching me.
The Marco twins—Anthony and Angie—kept staring like they were waiting for something to happen. Margaret too. Every time I turned to meet her eyes, she snapped her gaze away like she'd been caught stealing.
Time dragged.
Lunch came.
I wasn't hungry. My stomach felt tight, like it was bracing for impact.
I searched for Johnny.
Nowhere.
Then that feeling returned.
Eyes on me.
The air grew heavy. My skin prickled.
I thought about quitting soccer. Maybe today's the day I retire alive.
Footsteps echoed behind me.
I turned.
Lorena.
Not just a girl. The girl. The beauty of the sophomores. Perfect smile. Perfect posture. Perfectly terrifying timing.
What does she want from me?
//Lorena//
"Would you come with me? I'd like to talk."
My instincts screamed run.
My mouth said—
//Aaron//
"…Okay."
Bad decision number one.
---
Behind the gym, the world felt quieter. Too quiet.
A van sat parked nearby.
My heart dropped.
I turned to run—
—and nearly collided with someone.
Joe.
My soccer captain.
That's when it clicked.
Kidnapping.
I raised my hands slowly.
"Don't worry," I said. "I'll go… without a fight."
They stared at me.
Joe smiled.
//Joe//
"Very smart, Aaron. That's a wise choice."
Great. Even my kidnappers approve of me.
Inside the van, reality slapped me again.
Brad.
Of all people—Brad.
Unconscious, slumped like a sack of laundry. Next to him sat Kevin, the genius. Top of every class. Bottom of every sport. He was shaking so hard the van rattled with him.
I sat beside Kevin. Joe sat next to me. Lorena took the seat beside Brad.
The van started moving.
Brad groaned.
His eyes snapped open.
He looked around.
Then he saw me.
His mouth opened—
WHAM.
Lorena struck him without hesitation.
Brad dropped again, lights out.
Kevin stiffened like a corpse.
"Easy," I muttered. "He's scary, not contagious."
Kevin didn't laugh.
I watched Lorena.
She was beautiful.
But dangerous.
Like a rose with poisonous thorns—smile first, death second.
---
We stopped.
Outside stood thirteen people in a straight line.
We joined them.
Sixteen.
A man stepped forward. The others bowed instantly.
So did I.
I didn't even think about it.
He smiled.
"Each one of you," he said, voice calm and cruel, "was attacked this week."
Murmurs rippled through the group.
"That beast," he continued, "was a werewolf."
Shock hit like a wave.
"Those who agree to join the pack—bow."
I bowed.
Ten followed.
Six remained standing.
They were taken away.
We heard the screams.
Then—
Silence.
Whatever I'd become…
There was no going back now.