lost her family, the s

cent Hollow, her small hometown nestled de

ed in the fabric of her worn sweater, comforted by the scen

gasp, heart already thudding in panic. The sound of sna

her mother

and run!" She did

ecting her younger brother-but the r

lur into one horrific moment. Her fath

hen si

t her feet, the branches scratching her skin, the sob caugh

as she sprinted barefoot through the trees, the

ack. She never got to say goodbye. She collapsed in the snow far f

rd it. A soft voice,

ive

the edge of the city known as Crescent City, with her entire life pac

ng cars, glowing neon signs that didn't flicker w

e felt unsafe. With no known relatives and no records of her birth parents, the un

now. At least until she could figure out who sh

n a darkened storefront window as

, the ends fraying from weeks without care. Her skin-pale with an undertone of honey-looked e

t hadn't smiled in a long time. She was slim, but with the gentle curves of some

ers-clothing that made her look invisible. That was the goal. Invisibility was safety. The shu

ed her legs up and wrapped her arm

t the pull of their wolf by sixteen, seventeen at the latest. But she had just turned twe

ilence that made

were warm, though hazy. But her blood-her real blood-remained a my

ivy and arched windows. It looked more like an ancient boarding school than

the pine trees beyond the campus wall, the subtle hum of energy beneath the ston

her dorm room. It was small-bare walls, one desk, one bed, a window overlooking the inne

t herself cry. Not l

ds. Her hand pressed over her heart. It still beat. Th

still clung like

trange, glowing cit

ould not