MARIA'S POV

My name is Maria Simmons and I just turned 18 a few days ago. I used to live a 'normal' life with my mother and my father. We live in a small cottage in the forest, somewhere away from the public, however, I was able to get my education, no thanks to my Father's lectures and his strict rules about coming home straight from school and studying hard over the weekend either at home or at the library, when I managed to get his permission to stay out later. I tried so many times to sneak out of the cottage to hang out with my classmates but, it was no use, every time I tried to attempt an escape, I ended up getting caught by my father and he nearly threatened to lock my door and windows.

I reached the point to when I had enough of living that sheltered life until I discovered something about myself and my family that was gonna change my life forever. Let me start from the beginning, it all started on another day in school and after classes were over, I was in the library studying and working on my homework with my two best friends, Amelia and Jasmine.

"So you see, if you solve this problem like this," Jasmine said as she showed me the mathes formula to use for the upcoming exams. "And this will help you a lot easier."

"Thanks, Jazz," I spoke with a smile.

Jasmine Tompson was known as the straight-A student and the brainiac around here while Amelia was the friendly, sporty and kind person, she always looked out for me and Jasmine when things got tough, especially for me since my old man is always on my case for no reason.

"Hey, why don't we go for some ice cream later? my treat?" Amelia suggested.

I smiled at that idea and I thought about going until my phone started buzzing and I knew what that meant. I looked at the messages and, as usual, they're from my father.

Dad: "Where are u?"

Me: "I'm at the school library studying and finishing my homework."

Dad: "You were supposed to be home an hour ago!

Dad: "Get your butt back to the house right now or else I'm coming over there to drag you back!

Me: "All right, keep your hair on, I'm coming home now."

Jasmine and Amelia looked at me with worried looks and I sighed a little and told them.

"Sorry guys, I love to come along with you but, it's my father, again."

"Let me guess, he's commanding you to come home or else he'll drag you back kicking and screaming like last time?"

"Ugh, something like that," I told them as I gathered my stuff. "Sorry, girls, see ya."

I left the library and I headed straight home. I got the bus that leads to the stop near the woods and I went home. I got off the bus and I headed straight home. I walked through the woods and it sounded peaceful and beautiful as the sun began to set. Just then, a squirrel came out of the bushes and I smiled at it. I carefully knelt down after getting a peanut from my lunchbox since I didn't like nutty treats.

"Here you go, hungry?" I asked the squirrel before it cautiously came over to me.

I stayed perfectly still and then the squirrel took the peanut from my hand and then it ran off. I loved it when some of the skittish animals come up to me whether I have food or not. I got back to the cottage and I sighed a little. I didn't know why we lived in the forest that was a bit far away from the city, I mean don't get me wrong, when I was a child I used to think of this place like a fairytale home that you read out of books but, now that I'm older, I feel like this place is nothing more than a prison.

I walked through the door and then my mother greeted me with a smile.

"Welcome home, sweetie, how was school?"

"Art was brilliant as always, the teacher loved the piece that I showed her. English was also brilliant too, Mr Green said that I make an excellent journalist or writer if I continued to keep up the work but, as for science and maths they're still a struggle as always but, my 'tutor' was helpful as always. Enough about me..."

I leaned over to her ear and whispered, "Is he in a happy mood or what?"

"Well, he was a bit furious when you didn't come like you were supposed to earlier but, after a while, he managed to calm down, for now."

I gulped a little and then I headed to my bedroom or rather, my jail cell. I opened my bedroom door and I looked at how creative and brightly coloured it looked. The walls were covered in some of the doodles that I drew when I was little, along with some of the improved stilllife drawings and there were some complete and incomplete canvas artworks resting against the wall. I have two bookshelves which were filled with fantasy, adventure and other various books for me to read during my spare time or for studying.

I placed my bag on the bed and I walked over to my wardrobe and I got changed into my casual wear. I put on my blue baggy jumper that sat on the right side of my shoulder while the other side was slacking which revealed the black vest top underneath. Grey skinny jeans and brown combat boots. I tied my hair back into a ponytail before heading downstairs to help mum make the dinner. We were having mac and cheese for dinner and it was my favourite too.

Once I set the table, Dad came into the room and he had that frown on his face again. I took a deep breath to calm myself before speaking up.

"Listen, dad-"

"Don't explain yourself," Dad interrupts me. "I get the idea you needed help but, next time, let us know in the near future."

"Well maybe if you weren't so goddamn overprotective," I mumbled.

"Oy! I heard that and mind your language!"

I snickered a little and then Mum came over to the table with the mac and cheese pasta.

"All right you two, no need to go at each other's throats again. Here, dinner is ready."

Mum puts down the casserole dish in the centre of the table before we sat down to eat. We ate our dinner and we talked about how our day went. I remembered about the award that I got today and I quickly headed back to my room and I got the certificate.

"Hey guys, I've got some great news. You know that watercolour painting of our cottage that I sent into the art contest as a few weeks back?"

"Yeah? what about it?" My dad asked me while he helped mum with the dishes.

"Well, they got back to me today and guess what? I got first place!" I told them with a happy tone in my voice and I showed them my certificate.

Mum squealed in excitement and she hugs me tightly.

"Oh, honey! I'm so proud of you!"

"Uh...mother, I can't breathe!"

Mom realised this before releasing me. I managed to get my breath back and then dad chuckled at me.

"Congratulations, Maria, you better frame that."

"I intend to, do we have any picture frames left?" I asked my parents.

"We should do, there might be some downstairs in the basement," Mum told me.

"Thanks, Mum, I'll go and find one now."

I opened the basement door and I headed downstairs. I switched on the light and it was dusty and slightly smelly down here. I looked around and there were some boxes filled with Christmas and Halloween decorations. The rest were either filled some old junk that my parents collected when they were my age. I searched for the picture frames and so far I couldn't find one.

'Ugh, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack down here, where are the picture frames?'

I asked myself until I found the box with the picture frames. I smiled at them and when I went to get them, I spotted another box but, this one was familiar to me. It was my mother's memory box that was filled with the treasure that she collected before and after I was born. I was about to open it until mum started calling me.

"Maria? what are you doing down there? did you find them?"

"Uh, yes! coming."

I told her with the box with the picture frames. I glanced at the memory box and I always wondered why my mother stopped me looking through the box when I was 8 years old. I got back to the living room and I framed my certificate and then dad hangs it up on the wall.

"There we go, now we can view it whenever we like."

"Thank dad, well, I'm off to bed, night."

I told my parents as I headed to my room. After getting ready for bed, I heard howling in the distance. I looked out of the window and I opened it and I stared at the full moon for a moment until I heard another howling in the distance. I always loved hearing the wolves howling at night, it was almost like a lullaby for me since I was little. 

3RD PERSON POV

In the deepest parts of the woods, a pack of wolves were running together with a larger wolf, who was their alpha. The Alpha came to a halt and then the sound of bones cracking appeared meaning this was no ordinary wolf, it was a werewolf and the Alpha is called Alexander. He watched as his beta, Jacob, turned into a human and he walked over to him.

"Jacob? did you find her?"

"Not yet, but, if I may ask, why are you so determined to find her? I mean, what if she's gone to a different country?"

"No, she's still here, I can feel it," Alexander said as he looked at the night sky.

'I will find you, my daughter.'