As It Seems

Chapter 1: Graduation Day

The first thing my semi-conscious mind registered was the patter of small footsteps getting louder and louder until I felt small fingers prying my eye open. As I began to wake up I see my three foot tall baby sister Ella peering up at me. Her bright blue eyes peered up at me as she twisted her dirty blonde hair between her fingers.

"Are you awake?" she whispered innocently with her finger still holding my eye open. I chuckled lightly to myself. If anyone other than Ella had woken me up I probably would have throttled them, but this little girl could get away with anything for me. She smiled at my laugh, taking it as confirmation that I was awake and carried on in a louder voice, "Mommy made breakfast and said you gotta get ready soon or you'll be late." She grinned proudly at having delivered her message and I heard my mom yell up the stairs to wear something nice.

"Why don't you go downstairs and wait for me while I get ready?" I asked Ella. She replied with a simple nod and smile and skipped out of my room and down the stairs. I had always loved how care free she could be and wanted to make sure she never had to be any way else. She was part of the reason I was graduating from Combat and Tactical School today. Most people refer to it as the CAT scan school because you'd have to be mental to want to work that hard. It's a hard school to get into and an even harder school to stay in, but today I would be graduating with 10 other students and joining the pack's Defense League leaders. Knowing that I would be part of keeping Ella, and kids like her, safe was half of the reason I had applied and gotten through C&T School.

I slowly got out of bed and stretched out the grogginess I felt in my body before heading to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Despite my mother's request to wear nice clothes, I just slipped on my black skinny jeans and gray tank top. At least they were both clean. I brushed out my dark brown hair and washed my face lightly. I looked up into the mirror, my blue eyes staring back at me, and felt a shiver of excitement run down my spine. I was ready for today. I had passed every test and was finally graduating to join the ranks our packs greatest warriors. Out of all my 20 years I had never been more excited. Besides getting an Alpha, Beta, or Gamma position this was the highest honor a werewolf could receive. My whole extended family was coming to the graduation ceremony.

I slipped on my combat boots and headed downstairs where yellow sunshine was streaming in through the windows of the kitchen and lit up the breakfast table. It looked as if my mother had prepared a feast as there was every breakfast item imaginable on the table. I quickly took a seat next to my sister Ella and began helping myself to some waffles and bacon. My mother walked into the kitchen and rolled her eyes at my outfit. "I said something nice, Sophie," she sighed but a light smile tugged at the corner of her lips, "Would a little color kill you?"

"You know I think it just might," I said seriously before looking at Ella's startled face and laughing. My mother joined in as my father entered the room. He smiled at me proudly then turned to ruffle Ella's hair. "You're so gullible Ella Bella," he teased using his nickname for her. Mom and I both laughed while Ella just scowled adorably up at him. My parents took their seats across from us and smiled at me. I knew that both my parents were proud of me for making it to this day, which had been a goal of mine since I was a kid. They knew my reasons and I think it made this moment even more special for them and for me.

We all sat around chatting until about 8:00 AM when I stood up announcing that I had to be there early to prepare for the graduation ceremony. My parents told me they would see me at the ceremony as I headed towards the door, grabbing the extra copy of my speech. I walked out down the street passing several of my neighbors who all congratulated me as I made my way over to my friend Sarah's house. I reached her house just as she was coming out, and waved at her as she hurried down her driveway smiling.

"We made it!!" she squealed excitedly as we continued to walk to the pack house where the ceremony would be held. I laugh at her high pitched exclamation and she shoots me a glare that only makes me laugh more. Sarah has been a classmate of mine since pre-school and was now graduating alongside me. I desperately want us to be in the same unit when we officially join up with the Defense League. She has always been the perfect balance to me. Where I am guarded and quiet, she is out going and perky. I have pale skin and dark brown hair, she is tan with golden blonde locks. We've always been opposites, but if anything our opposing natures always made us closer.

As we neared the pack house we saw Lincoln, my friend and Sarah's newfound mate, and the rest of our class gathering outside the hall where the ceremony was going to be. Sarah and I had both met Lincoln when we first entered C&T School when we were only 16 and Lincoln was 17 at the time. When Lincoln turned 18, the age when a werewolf can find their mate, he realized Sarah was his mate. Although I usually all that sentimental bullshit, I was so happy that Lincoln was Sarah's mate. He was a good guy and treated Sarah like a queen and she deserves nothing less. I turned away to let them have one of their 'I love my mate so much' moments as I went over my speech. This ceremony will be the first time I've talked about my brother in public. To say I was nervous was an understatement.

"Just take a deep breath," said Sarah who could easily read the anxiety in my eyes. There was a reason this girl was my best friend. "You've practiced this speech a hundred times. You're going to do great."

"I'm sure you will do fine Soph," Lincoln said confidently "If you can make three recruits cry at the end of a training session a little speech should be nothing," he said smirking. I stuck my tongue out at him, but their teasing helped calm my nerves. Finally after what felt like hours, the school coordinators ushered us in. Unlike most graduation ceremonies, we didn't have caps and gowns or diplomas. Instead we each gave a small speech about our experiences and then we are given our Defense League information, which contains our unit assignments, and finally we would be officially proclaimed warrior officers by the Alpha of the pack, Jeremy White. I sat onstage gazing out into the audience waiting patiently as each student gave their speech. Before long it was my turn and I slowly walked towards the podium facing the crowd. Sarah gave me a thumbs up and a smile as I passed. All the other students were smiling and looked relieved. I was the last speaker. I reached the podium and heeding Sarah's voice I took a deep breath before speaking into the microphone.

"Hello everyone, thank you so much for being here to celebrate this momentous occasion in our lives. I know you've already had to listen to 9 other speeches so I'll try to make mine short and sweet," I smiled earning a light chuckle from the parents in the audience. Jokes were never my strong suit. I took another deep breath before diving into my speech.

"As many of you remember, 15 years ago our pack was viciously attacked. I was five at the time and when I heard the alarms go off I was terrified. We saw the huge adult wolves of another pack charging out of the woods. I had been playing outside in the park with my twin brother Luke and neither of us knew what to do. So like any little kid would when faced with an attacking pack, we ran like hell. I remember losing track of Luke as we ran through the woods trying to find our way home. I could also hear the pounding of large paws behind me slowly catching up to me. I fell over a tree root and looked up to see a huge gray and white wolf leering over me about to attack. It was then that a brown wolf came to my rescue. A man named Daniel Crenton, a member of the Defense League, saved my life that day. Unfortunately, my brother did not have the same fate. But from that day on I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be like Daniel Crenton. I wanted to protect my pack like he protected me. And most of all I wanted to ensure that no child suffers the same fate as my brother Luke Harris. Thank you all so much." The audience broke in to applause and I could see my mother, tears in her eyes but still smiling, and my father beaming up at me proudly.

I walked over to the Beta who handed me my Defense League credentials and went back to my seat. At this point Alpha White went up to the podium to give his small speech about us being the future of the pack's safety. He then asked us to rise and officially declared us warriors of the Defense League. I smiled and bowed alongside my fellow classmates. It was finally official. Tomorrow I would start training with my unit and begin defending my pack. The pride and excitement was still coursing through my body when I heard it. The pack alarm began blaring and my blood turned to ice.

So it only escalates from here. It gets a lot more action packed after this I promise! Also the picture that goes with this chapter is what I kinda imagine Sophia would look like. Please comment with any thoughts and if you like it vote!!