Wolves of the Night

Chapter 1: Panic at the High School

The chatter of the cafeteria was at its usual volume. Loud. Kids were talking, yelling, laughing,  gossiping, fighting over food, and occasionally eating. Nobody cared how rowdy they were. They only cared about not getting caught by the staff. So if someone were to get punched, it's typically not in the face. Everybody knew it was too obvious. These were common things for all teenage werewolves.

Though most groups were rough, Stormie and her friends were almost never messed with.✧ They weren't ridiculed, targeted, or bothered in any way. "That's because they know we mean business," William would say, though he knew it wasn't true.

A boy they hung out with, Brooke, was always treated nicely. Everyone buttered up to him because his father was the mayor of their small village. Nobody outside of his friend group actually liked him for how he acted. He was a shy and introverted person with pastel blue hair. But nobody cared. He was who he was and there was no changing that.

Stormie was talking with her best friends Dustin and Lila when a loud tone came from the intercom to get the attention it needed.

"May I have your attention, please," the intercom spoke. Stormie didn't find it necessary to say that since by then you already have the attention of the entire school. That still stop the students from saying "no" then giggling.

"I have been informed that there will be some slight changes over the next week. You will have some new classmates joining you. Please try your best  to treat them fairly and make them feel welcomed." There was a small pause before the the voice completely slipped out of its monotonous cover and was overrun with fear. "A-and.. they're humans." The intercom shut off.

Everyone in Stormie's friend group froze. Everyone except William who slammed his hand onto the table as hard he could bear then yelled, "What?!" This caused a chain reaction for Stormie. She was so startled she nearly fell off her seat, which brought her back to reality as she caught herself before immediately remembering what was going on. She let out a high pitched squeak, one she would have been embarrassed about if she weren't under these circumstances.

Plus, nobody could hear her over all the commotion. Kids were freaking out, yelling what ever came to their mind.

"W-wait. What about us?"

"They can't do this!"

"This is insane!"

"T-this has to be a p-prank. I-It has to be!"

"Where's our say in this?!"

"I can't believe someone would let this happen."

Stormie realized the last one was quieter and sounded like it came from-. Brooke threw his plastic spork - stupid budget cuts - onto his tray and buried his face in his hands. And, despite his efforts to stay calm, William looked like he wanted to throw something, anything, at Principle Whitaker.

Stormie looked to her left. Lila was still frozen in place, staring at the wall. She looked to her right. Dustin wasn't there. Stormie looked around the room at places she might find someone at a place like this. The entry doors, the water station, the trash can, but he wasn't anywhere in sight. Stormie became frantic, more than she already was, searching every nook and cranny. The corners of the cafeteria, the kitchen, other people's tables, but still couldn't find him.

She needed to find her friend and comfort him at a time like this. The yelling from other students  had started to die down.She checked up on her other friends. Lila had turned around completely in her seat. She was holding herself as if she was cold. She was shaking a bit but not because she was cold. She was scared. Really scared. Brooke had put away his ears and tail making him look like a human. He also had the hood from his jacket over his head, though it was against the rules to wear hats or hoods inside the building. William on the other hand, was gone.

"Where's William?" Stormie exclaimed frantically. Brooke pointed at the water station where William was drinking out of a foam cup. When it was empty, he crumpled it up and tossed it into the trash can.

Just then, Stormie felt something at her feet. She looked under the table to find Dustin. He had his eyes closed and his knees pulled up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them. Stormie even thought she heard him whimpering.

"What are you doing down there?" Stormie asked him.

"Hiding from my problems," he replied without opening his eyes.

There was a small pause between the two. "Come on. We talk this through," Stormie said with a fake smile. She then patted the seat next to her. Dustin shook his head.

Before either of them could say another word, the bell rang.