1

Heather was lost in thought as the car crept fatally closer to her new home. Paige. All she thought about was Paige, her missing little sister. She still remembered his teasing smile and his passion for learning. Learn to be a good hunter.

The Trowns were vampire hunters from generation to generation and Heather was no exception to that tradition. She was born to kill, to survive, to protect. Heather even wanted to become a police officer to have easier access to supernatural records. In San Francisco, she would have had a lot of work, this huge city was full of vampire-related murders.

But San Francisco was far away now. Heather's parents had decided to leave this town to settle in another, smaller, quieter one. Heather only had a year left and then she would go to a special school to join the police.

The car stopped in front of a beige house in a quiet suburb. Heather rushed out and opened the trunk where there were some things of hers that couldn't stay in the moving vans. She took them before entering her new home and going straight upstairs without a word. She didn't want to talk.

Heather was very angry with her parents. She accused them of abandoning Paige. She refused to believe her dead, for her her sister was still alive, and she would find the monster that kept her prisoner.

- Heather? The moving trucks have arrived. Could you come get what's yours? Called her her mother.

The young girl got out and took as much cardboard as she could. His father put up his bed, his mattress with the help of the movers. After an hour and a half, Heather found herself alone in her bare room, surrounded by boxes containing her only possessions. Her double bed was leaning against the wall to her left, facing her chest of drawers. The girl took out a small white frame and put it on the chest of drawers. The picture was of her with Paige. Heather gritted her teeth before turning away.

She then opened a sports bag containing weapons made of silver, mostly daggers and arrows. She could carry a gun with silver bullets when she comes of age, at 21. She then unpacked her black compound bow and balanced it against the wall. As for the rest of her weapons, she kept them neatly stored under her bed. She hoped she wouldn't have to use it here.

Heather then spent the rest of her day online, trying to hack into San Francisco police files to see if they had any leads on her sister's disappearance. Unfortunately they weren't advancing. The girl sighed as she closed her laptop. Her cell phone rang and seeing the name on it, Heather quickly picked it up.

-James? Do you have news ? she attacked.

She heard her former mentor sigh. His slender hope crumbled instantly. She knew James well enough to know whether he had something new to tell her or not.

"Heather," he whispered. Your mother told me what state you are in at the moment. I know it's hard, but you shouldn't blame them.

- But they are gone! They abandoned him! she screamed.

- They did it to protect you, Heather. Put yourself in their shoes too, they just lost their daughter.

Heather took a deep breath to contain the tears welling up in her. She hated crying, especially in front of him. He had shaped her, trained her, made her what she was today. She owed him everything, but above all to be strong.

- I lost my sister, James. And not a second goes by that I don't think of her. It's killing me inside, I feel helpless in this situation and it's driving me crazy.

Despite the tremors in her voice, Heather managed not to cry. James was silent for a few seconds.

- What are you going to do ? he finally asked.

- I'm going to pass my last year and integrate a police academy. I'm even considering integrating a branch that's a little more... secret.

- Seriously, Heather. What are you planning to do about Paige?

- I'll find her. And for the vampire who kidnapped him, I would inflict a thousand tortures on him until he begs me to finish him. When I got tired of playing with him, I would take his life with undisguised joy, she finished with a smirk.

James sighed once more.

"You can't do it alone," he assured her.

- I am well aware of that. That's why you're going to help me.

* *

*

Aiden stared at the book in front of him, but he couldn't concentrate. The pack had demanded more security, as other packs were moving into the city. He had even seen a few betas from an unknown pack in the school. The teacher continued to give his lesson, unaware that his students didn't really care about the history of countries they would never visit.

The young Alpha received a ball of paper on the shoulder and he caught it before the latter fell to the ground. He unfolded it and recognized the hesitant handwriting of Ben, his Beta.

"Full moon tonight, see you as usual? Ellie is coming too?"

Aiden turned around and nodded. Ben gave him a relieved look. He had trouble not transforming during the full moon, Ellie, another of the Betas in his pack, was helping Ben to control himself. The results were inconclusive, so they met once a month in the forest and ran, played in their lupine form to make this night, not a chore, but a pleasure.

Aiden discreetly took out his phone and texted Ellie asking her to meet them tonight. Ellie was younger than them, she wouldn't be going to school until next year. Ben was glad he was in his final year so he wouldn't have to put up with her. He had a knack for saying that in front of her, followed by an endless fight where Aiden was forced to intervene.

The bell rang, announcing the end of class. All the students got up in unison and rushed to the exit. Aiden joined Ben who was waiting for him outside the room. Once at his height, the Beta gave him a big pat on the back.

- SO ? Ready to stretch your legs tonight?

- I would come, but I also have an exam to revise for tomorrow, so I won't stay long.

Ben rolled his eyes.

- Seriously Aiden? I thought you were cooler than that! Come have fun!

Aiden shook his head. They had arrived at his locker. He opened it and put his lessons in it before taking the book he needed to revise.

- You're an Alpha, damn it! Summoned him his friend.

Aiden rolled his eyes, he thought Ben was childish sometimes.

- Being an Alpha will make me live comfortably? No. A job yes.

- But you're going to take over your father's company, Aiden. It's not like you're not rich either.

Aiden slammed his locker shut, making a loud clang. He faced his Beta and glared at him.

- The fact that I am full of money and that my future is assured is not a reason to be a jerk. I want to learn things, be a good Alpha for my pack.

- And make lots of girls for you, joked Ben with a strong wink.

Aiden smiled a little.

- I want to choose a good Luna. The pack needs it.

- But you're seventeen!

The Alpha shrugged. He knew his decision was the right one. No matter how young he was, these weren't safe times for werewolves. Between the wars between the packs and the hunters, Aiden couldn't afford to sit comfortably in the chair his father once occupied. He had to do something. He had to restore confidence to his pack, and for that, nothing better than a Luna.

- I need to find a Luna for the pack, justified Aiden.

It didn't matter if this Luna was pretty and sweet. He only wanted to influence his pack with strength. He needed a Luna at all costs, even though he knew he would never have feelings for her.