IZZY POVI’ve been at the Alpha House for three months. My days are pretty much filled; the mornings I train with my mom and the triplets and in the afternoon, I was working with my tutor. My birthday is a week away and I’ve given myself an early birthday present. I earned my diploma today!“Miss Emerald told me that you’ve graduated,” Aunt Luna said at dinner. I grinned at her. “Yep! No more high school for me. I’m going to start applying to colleges in a few weeks.” I forked up a big helping of spaghetti. Joanna, the cook, was amazing. She even made her own noodles. I saw the rest of the family exchange glances. I put down my fork. “What’s going on?” I asked, suspicious. “What are you planning on studying?” Caleb asked, his voice a little funny. I narrowed my eyes. Something was going on. It was like my announcement that I was going to college was a surprise. That’s just what people did. They finished high school and went to college. I couldn’t figure out what th

IZZY POVI was sitting with my new girlfriends in my little sitting area. Joanna had made trays of pizza bites, cheese sticks and French fries for us to snack on. She had put some carrot sticks on the tray that we were ignoring, instead choosing the chips and popcorn to snack on between the greasy bites. We were lounging around and watching the movie Enchanted, talking at the same time and laughing at the silly scenes.It was during the scene when the main character makes a dress out of the curtains that Destiny turned to the group. “Did you guys get your dresses for the ball next week?”Sami clasped her hands to her chest. “Yes. And I love mine. We picked it out from Casey’s Couture in the village.”“Oh, I love that shop,” Lucy said. “We ordered mine online, but I wish I went there to pick it out. What are you wearing, Destiny?”“My mom saved her ball gown from when she was my age. It’s beautiful and it’s vintage. She hemmed it so I won’t trip on it and it’s a perfect fit.

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 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 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