IZZY POVI decided to get a little dressed up for dinner. I put on a long maxi skirt and a tank top with a cropped cardigan over the top. I strapped my feet into high heels, something I rarely wear, but I needed for tonight’s set up. Then I headed out to the staircase.My plan was to hang out until I heard the twins on the landing below. I would then “accidently trip” on my heels and take a tumble. If they caught me, I would know that they had the speed of a werewolf. If not, well, I would have a few bruises for sure.I have to admit, I almost abandoned my plan when I started thinking about what would happen if one of the triplets didn’t catch me. I didn’t want to go to my first dance with a broken ankle, but I was pretty sure that they were wolves. There were just too many things that didn’t make sense until you threw the werewolf card in the mix.I could hear voices in the hallway below me, so it was time, I decided. I started walking down the steps and then stopped. I cou
IZZY POVYou know that moment when you realize you made a big mistake? Yeah. I’m there.After I packed my backpack, I wrote a quick note for my mom and stuck it on my bed before sneaking out of the house. I had used my phone to check satellite maps and had found the nearest road. I figured if I could hitchhike about a hundred miles, there was a pretty big city where I was sure I would find a job and a cheap apartment. I just needed a few weeks to get everything set up so that mom could join me. I knew it was a bad idea for her to stay in the pack with Silvo. I didn’t want to see her hurt again, and I didn’t trust my father. He hurt her once. He would do it again.Shortly after I left, it started snowing. I still had my phone, but I no longer had coverage. I had taken a lot of detours, trying to find the areas that were easiest to walk in the snow, and now I didn’t know if I was still heading in the right direction. It was dark; night came early in the winter in the mounta
IZZY POVI couldn’t feel my grip on the tree branch because my hands were so cold, but I could see the blood dripping off the end into the snow from the cut on my palm. I tried to see through the dark, but the creatures were too far away. They were close, though. I could smell the stench of rotten food and dirty bodies.One finally stepped close enough for me to see. I gasped. It was the wolf of my dream, the werewolf that was trying to kill me. Another one stepped into view and then a third. I took one step forward and tried to look menacing.They were pacing back and forth, sizing me up. I took another step forward, putting my weight on that front foot, and took a practice swipe at the wolf on the left. He didn’t flinch, but he did stop pacing to look at me. I took another couple of swipes, getting used to the weight and balance of the branch. I was pretty sure I was going to get hurt, but I was most definitely going to try to take at least one down with me. The wolf on
IZZY POVI woke up the next morning, late. The sun was streaming through the window, and I realized that mom hadn’t come in to wake me for training. I felt a warm weight next to me and realized it was Caleb. Ethan was on the other side of me and Reese was laying across the foot of the bed. Good thing I had a king-sized bed, I thought wryly.We had stayed up until dawn, just talking before falling asleep. They were mostly answering my questions about being a wolf, being part of a pack and being a Luna. Some of it scared me but I was excited for this new part of my life. For once, I would belong somewhere. I was no longer a freak.I looked over and Caleb stared back at me, his eyes open. I gave him a grin and he returned it.“You are quite pretty, you know that?” he asked, reaching over and taking a strand of my hair in his. “And these curls. Absolutely beautiful.”“Mmm,” said Ethan from behind me. “And you smell amazing. Like vanilla and mangos and sunshine.”“Sunshine?” I
IZZY POV“Oh, Izzy,” Destiny squealed, looking at me. “You’re beautiful!”It was the night of the ball, and my friends were over, getting dressed and helping me. I looked in the mirror and blushed. I didn’t recognize myself. My red hair was in an intricate braid that came over one shoulder and Sami had pulled tendrils of curls out, framing my face. Somehow, /she had managed to do magic with mascara, making my lashes look a mile long and my eyes look huge in my face. The rest of the makeup she had left natural, but she did something to my lips to make them shine. I smiled at the girl in the mirror and gave a little twirl.The dress was perfect. It looked like a Cinderella ball gown with a fitted top, teeny tiny waist and flared out. It was an ombre effect, starting out a baby blue on my bodice and ending in silver at the very bottom. It gave the effect that I was floating.“You girls look amazing, too,” I said, and I meant it. Destiny’s dress was perfect for her, blood red a
IZZY POVWe had scrubbed on the dress until our hands were raw and we risked damaging the dress more. Lucy was almost in tears.“It’s okay, Izzy,” she tried to console me. “We can all go back to the Alpha House and have our own celebration. You can’t go out there in a ruined dress. Everyone will understand.”I hated that idea. It would let Katie win this round and I wasn’t going to do that. I squared my shoulders, determined. “Get me a pair of scissors,” I told Sami. She nodded and disappeared out into the Packhouse. Destiny looked at me, curiously. “What are you going to do?” she asked. I smiled.“Cut out the stain,” I said. Honestly, I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do but I was pretty good at thrifting clothes into cute outfits. Sami came back with a pair of scissors and a small box. “Emily told me to bring you this,” she said. I opened it to see a clothing repair kit with needle and thread and other items. “Emily?” Lucy asked, curiously. “She’s Katie’s fri
Chapter Twenty-OneIZZY POVThe night was everything I had hoped it would be. I danced with so many people, including the triplets. They claimed me a few times, reluctant to let me out of their sight. I have never had this much fun before.They had done something with the lights, causing them to sparkle and twinkle, creating a magical effect. The decorations were subtle and classy, done in a cream and champagne color. There were cream-colored roses everywhere, scenting the air, and champagne colored ribbons woven throughout the arches and trellises that had been put up to create a magical feel.The band was also amazing, playing request after request. The music never stopped, just transitioned smoothly into one song after another. My feet were sore from all of the dancing. It seemed that I was passed from one hand to another; all of the triplets’ friends had taken their turns. I was tired a
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWOIZZY POVCaleb led me out of the Packhouse. I felt some comfort, knowing he wasn’t mad at me. He took his coat off and put it over my shoulders, warding off the frigid night.“Thanks,” I murmured.“The boys will explain to mom,” he said, trying to comfort me. I shook my head, not convinced. I was worried Aunt Luna would think the boys were being naive and that I lied to them to get out of trouble. I understood that. I had plenty of time to make up a plausible story and she saw what she saw in the room.With that thought, tears began running down my face. Caleb tried to comfort me.“Mom’s reasonable,” he said. “Once she hears your side of it, she’ll be fine. She’s never mad for long.”I shook my head, miserable. “She didn’t want to hear my side,” I said, my