I stood on a tree a hundred feet from the high school parking lot. The school was a mixed school, filled with both shifters and humans alike. Vampires never went to school, their immortality caused them to repeat it so most just never went.

Tyler stood in front of his car with Alex and John by his side, sniffing whenever a group of girls would walk by. I knew what he was doing, he was searching for me. I stiffened when I felt him behind me, turning to catch the purple eyes of Ethan.

"Which ones lover boy?" I rolled my eyes when I turned around, my eyes focusing on Tyler and his friends slowly walking inside the building as the bell rang.

"The middle one, dark brown hair, 6'4, devilishly handsome." Ethan chuckled as I spoke, the back of Tyler's head walking into the front door. I sighed when he left my sight, jumping trees until I reached the one by the window in his next class.

"Everyone is meeting me at the front in fifteen, anything we should know?" He asked me. In the group of Protectors, I was more or less the leader. I was the strongest, most agile, and the most powerful. I had powers normal wolves didn't have, hell I even had powers Protectors didn't have.

Ethan had blonde hair that glinted in the sun as he looked at me, warm brown and purple tinged eyes watching my every move. "Humans, be human and blend in; or at least try too. If something does happen handle it as discreetly as possible, get intel, become friends with him."

He nodded, turning to jump from he branches. "If any of you find your mates, you know what to do." He stiffened, before curtly nodding and jumping the ten foot fall to the ground.

As soon as they entered the door I saw Tyler's body stiffen, his eyes watching the door to the classroom. The door opened and Ethan walked in, along with Mariah and Joseph. Mariah had brown hair with freckles spread over her entire face, short compared to everyone's height. Joseph had brown hair and was related to Mariah, the only person here who had any clue of her family, and shared the freckles she had.

Tyler's beta stiffened when they walked in, his eyes trained on Mariah. I watched her stiffen before forcing herself to act natural. They were human, act human, smell human, be human.

The day passed as I watched them through the windows of the school, Mariah keeping her distance from Alex the entire day. I watched him leave the school with Tyler and his Delta, looking completely heartbroken.

The leaves rustled as they all climbed up the tree, sitting in the branches that surrounded me. Mariah looked pained, her eyes not daring to meet mine. I sighed, watching as Tyler inspected every female in the parking lot again.

"Mariah, you don't have to reject him." I spoke quietly. Her face brightened up, her green eyes widening as she looked at me.

"Seriously?" I nodded, my gaze flashing between all of them. "None of you, but you cannot tell them of what you are until our mission is over. If you want to go tell him, you may, but when he asks just say something about your parents not allowing you to speak to him."

"But I'm supposed to be human?" I watched Tyler again, his expression sending bullets right through my heart.

"If you want, you can tell him what you are. If Tyler asks, you're not Rogue, just visiting family. Find a random pack member that he doesn't talk too, wipe their memories. Don't let him look through your brain, that is an order." She nodded curtly before dropping to the floor, sprinting to the parking lot.

Alex looked up, walking slowly to her. She closed the distance by sprinting and jumping in his arms, her laugh being heard from here. She kissed him deeply, my heart hurting as I watched their happiness.

I absentmindedly rubbed my chest, my gaze flitting to Tyler who sat there and watched his Beta fall in love. He rubbed his chest as well, causing me to laugh silently. I turned to Ethan who was watching me, a sad smile on his face.

"There aren't too many suspects, but we have a few. After tomorrow I'll for sure tell you when I have them confirmed as suspects." I nodded and watched as they all jumped, disappearing into the trees of the forest.

'Don't stray too far in case of attack."

I turned just as I watched a girl walk up to Tyler, her finger trailing up and down his arm. He grimaced before wrapping his hand behind her neck and pulled her into his, locking his lips with her. I felt the familiar sharp jolt through my chest, shutting my eyes when she got in the car with him.

I thought maybe since he saw me last night, he'd stop, but I guess not.

***

Ethan quickly made friends with Tyler and John, while Mariah barely left Alex's side. The other two made friends with different groups, Jessie with the more nerdy type of people, and David stuck with the loner kids. David had always been like that to be fair, though I did try to speak to him when ever I had a chance.

It wasn't until their third day there did something truly happen, a Rogue somehow snuck into their school. I didn't notice him until they were at lunch, the Rogue stalking Tyler from the back corner of the room. I watched him, his small frame making me think he wasn't the fighter, no, he was the informant.

I watched a burly man walk into the room, Ethan's and Joseph's eyes snapping over to him. No one else paid him any attention, David watching form the corner and Jessie watching from her table of nerds. His eyes found Tyler's body, walking the perimeter of the room before stopping in front of the small Rogue. He asked him something, nodding as the small weak thing lifted his shaking hand barely off the table and pointed.

I watched him grip something from his hip, and billed out my bow. I set up an arrow, pointing it as he walked across the cafeteria. He lifted his hand to throw something as Ethan jumped across the table and tackled Tyler to the ground, my arrow shooting through the window and landing snuggly into the Rogues chest. His knife fell to the floor next to him, the small opening in the window causing me to hear what happened next.

Girls screamed, Mariah's head snapping to mine as she nodded through the window. John followed her head to me, but couldn't see me through the branches of the tree. Ethan helped Tyler stand, a look of bewilderment on his face as he ripped the arrow out of the wolves chest.

"Who's is this?" He asked to Ethan, who merely shrugged and pretended he didn't know anything. "I know you know something, you tackled me as soon as this thing got him."

He growled when Ethan shrugged again, Ethan nodding at Mariah and Joseph, who left to find Jessie and David. They all made their ways out of the school quickly, Ethan backing out as warrior wolves crashed into the room.

I dropped to the ground and crouched as I entered the school, standing next to the door as I listened in. I watched them in the mirror in front of me, Tyler tense as he looked at the now dead body.

"Was it a Rogue?" A warrior nodded, handing Tyler back the arrow he had been examining. "Have you notified my father?"

"Yes, he should be-" the doors to the cafeteria opened, the King and Queen rushing in. Queen Ashe thrust her hands over Tyler, checking over him for injuries. When she found none she nodded to King Xander, who sighed as he looked over the dead Rogue.

"This is the arrow that got shot through him." Queen Ashe relaxed visibly when she held he arrow, grinning as she gave it to her mate.

"Told ya!" She grinned before tucking out her tongue to Ashe, causing me to smile and get hit with a wave of jealousy.

"Told him what?" Tyler asked confused, his eyes looking over his parents.

"Nothing, my mate and your dear mother just said something she shouldn't have." Ashe rolled her eyes before flashing to where I stood, her eyes burning through the walls that stood in between us. I clenched my eyes, turning and running back to the forest.

The King and his family left soon after, my body trailing after them as I ran from tree to tree. I stopped once they reached the home, Tyler and his father walking inside. I dropped to the ground and walked to the Queen, who stood in the shadows of the garden.

"I messed up last night, he saw me partly." She smiled as I spoke, turning to fully face me.

"He acts big and bad, but he yearns for a mate. I know you do as well, you should meet him." I shook my head, looking up to the sunset sky.

"It'll only cause him harm, I can't do that." My fingers absentmindedly tapped along my thigh, playing as if keys were under me. The Queen saw and smiled, her pride swelling as she noticed the habit I picked up from her.

"When was the last time you played Lena?" I pushed my hair away from me, my long white hair tumbling down to my hips.

"A few weeks." She reached and too key hands in hers, stopping them from tapping furiously on my skin.

"Go, the piano is in the library. I'll tell Tyler that it's me playing, but I think he should hear you play. You play better than I ever could have, do it for me?" I looked at her pleading face, her puppy eyes causing me to break and sigh.

"Fine, but if he comes close I will bolt." She nodded before stiffening, her eyes glazing over.

I used that I swept up the stairs faster than any normal wolf, making my way down the familiar route to the library. I entered the room that was filled with books, trailing my fingers along the spines of worn and new books. The grand piano stood out in the center, the faded smell of my mate attacking my senses as I sat on the bench.

I waited until the Moon entered the night sky, smiling as the light lit upon my face. The Moon Goddess blessed me with my mate, but I felt that all too familiar jolt of pain in the center of my chest.

I leaned forward, waiting for it to fade, but it kept up it's intense burn. I bit my lips as I squeezed my eyes shut, my fingers forcing themselves onto the keys. I pushed the keys under my fingertips, the burn ending as I played. I poured everything I had, tears falling as the notes ran through the air.

One tear for not being able to be with my mate.

One tear for never having love.

One tear for this cursed life brought to me with nothing but sadness and sorrow.

One tear for the day Tyler finally falls in love with someone and marks her.

One tear for when the girl isn't me.

I jolted when the doors opened and I sensed him, bolting as fast as I could from the piano bench. I ran across the room without turning, only halting when I heard him speak.

"Wait! Please, tell me your name." I stiffened, halfway through the open door.

"Lena."

***

I watched him sleep that night, lines of stress and worry evident even when he rested. I hesitantly walked forward, tracing my fingers up his high cheekbones. He shivered under my touch, fireworks erupting under my touch.

I bit my lip, pushing myself to walk away, to stop being so damn reckless and to leave him and go to bed.

But I couldn't.

I leaned down slowly, hesitating when I was an inch away from his lips. They were parted slightly, his warm breath spreading out against my face. I shut my eyes, pushing myself before my courage ran out.

I brushed against his lips as light as I could, feeling his breathing hitch under me. I opened my eyes to find him still asleep, a sigh of relief leaving me as I walked out of his room and back to mine.

20 seconds of insane courage. When in reality, i had about five minutes of insane courage, and I didn't regret it.

Not yet at least.