September 13thLeo’s point of viewI sat in Cato’s room for half an hour. He’d passed out, but I put a bucket by his bed, laid his covers over him, and sat beside him stroking his hair. I was unwilling to leave him like this, but Madeleine’s face stuck in my mind. She’d be awake, no doubt crying.When I pushed open her door, she was huddled in the corner, her cheeks tear-stained and her nose running. I sighed and crouched in front of her.“He’s okay, Maddy,” I said, “Cato is fine. He’s tucked in bed and you should be too. It’s well past your bedtime.”“Why was he like that?” she asked as I lifted her to bed.“Sometimes big people make silly decisions. They drink things and smoke things that make them act strange and that’s what Cato did tonight. But he’ll be back to normal in the morning.”“Why?” 

October 20th - two months before Cato becomes AlphaCato’s point of viewOver the next weeks, I spent most of my time in my bed, staring at the ceiling. I kept the curtains closed and the light off. The lamp in reach of my bed emitted its dull yellow glow. My unwashed sheets slipped off my mattress, but I didn’t bother to put them back on, no matter how much they tangled around my legs. On my nightstand, my Mom’s book lay untouched, a bookmark wedged at the start of last chapter. A layer of dust had collected on the cover, only disrupted by the mug, half filled with cold coffee, I’d set there days ago.I hadn’t touched a single piece of homework on my desk. The post-it notes with to do lists and reminders curled and fell off the wall, gathering in a heap on the floor next to my discarded sneakers and rucksack.One evening as I lay, drawing circles on my crinkled sheets the door opened. I lifted my head briefly to s

October 21stLili’s point of viewFran, Marie and I usually walked to middle school together alone. But the morning after I was attacked in the forest, Mom came with us, along with three massive Stella soldiers.“How are we supposed to explain this to our friends?” I asked, as I looked across at Paulo, Mario and Gianni.They wore the Stella soldier uniform: black from head to toe and big combat boots.“You won’t notice us,” Paulo said, “We’ll be close by if anything happens.”“Maybe plain clothes may have been a plan?”“If anyone comes near you girls, we want them to know you aren’t unprotected. Any wolf should recognise the uniform and any human will-”“Think you’re a terrorist?”“Lili,” Mom scolded, “Until we figure out what happened yesterday, Dad isn’t taking any chances. So check i

November 20th - one month before Cato becomes AlphaLeo’s point of viewI sat in my office staring out of the window. The day was crisp and bitter, but the sun shone through the gaps in the trees, casting glorious columns of light. Sweet trills of birds filled the morning air, and the branches rustled in the gentle breeze.Everything was perfect.Too perfect.The door to my office opened and Ella walked in, holding a steaming mug of coffee.“Here,” she said, resting it on my desk beside me.I sighed and pulled her onto my lap, “Thank you, love.”She ran her finger along my cheek, “You’re thinking about it again, aren’t you?” “Two connected attacks and then nothing for a month,” I said, “Problems like that never sort themselves out.”“The kids are pestering to go out again,” she said, “Zac and Stef are d

November 20thCato’s point of viewThat night, I met Elias in the forest.“Why the fuck have you dragged me out this late?” he asked as I approached.“To celebrate.”“Celebrate what?”“You spending my entire Alphaship by my side... as my Beta.”His lips cracked into a smile. “You’re joking?”I shook my head.He tackled me to the floor and ruffled my hair as I laughed, “Me? How on earth did your Dad agree to that?”“Oh, it took some persuading.”“Well, Alpha,” he said with a nod. “It’s an honour.”“It means in four weeks, we both have to step the fuck up,” I said, shoving him off me and sitting up. “We’ll be in charge of this entire fucking pack.”“Here we go again,” he sighed. “Stop panicking about