“What was that all about?” Kathrena hissed, once we were seated in my truck. Kathrena looked stunning, in a simple calf-length green dress that shimmered softly in the dim cabin light. Her black bob was neat, her dark skin was dewy, and she’d slicked eyeliner on in wings that gave her a mysterious cat-eye.  I shrugged, my jacket sliding down my shoulder. “He wanted to make amends,” I said, raising my eyebrows. “I think I’ve upset him. We used to spend so much time together, but now, with you, and with Skye, and with school, and all of this research – well, let’s just say that Falmer hasn’t been at the top of my list of priorities.” “That’s understandable,” Kathrena sighed. “I feel like everything has changed this year.” She shifted uncomfortably as we pulled out of the driveway. “I never liked being this way before,

“You – you what?” I stammered, keeping my voice as quiet as I could over the pounding, rhythmic music. “I don’t understand.” “Don’t lie to me, Ellis,” she hissed, her tearful eyes narrowing. “Grandma Rosie told me. She felt your hand, Ellis, and she told me what you are.” “Wait a minute,” I said, utterly confused, now. “What did your Grandma Rosie say, exactly?” Rowan rolled her eyes at me, though the smudge of mascara beneath her right eye considerably lessened the effect. “That you’re the one who attacked Toby.” “Woah,” I hissed, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her further into the woods. “Rowan, I promise you, I didn’t. I’m your friend, Rowan, and every part of that friendship is real for me. I would never hurt Toby, or you.” &ldqu

Though Aradia was, for all intents and purposes, to the outside world, my mother, I was in the fortunate position of being able to put my own phone number down when the police officer cornered Skye, Rowan, and I as we were leaving the senior party. “You three were the ones that saw it, yes? The ones that called it in?” She’d asked impatiently, one hand on her hip. We’d nodded slowly. I’d struggled to comprehend why they’d ask that. The monster had got away, Danny and Alfie were in an ambulance, and we’d failed. I’d failed. Rowan, seemingly exhausted from finding Kathrena, had shrunk against my side. “I called it in,” Skye said, and I’d never felt acute relief at hearing someone else take charge of a situation before. Sweet, shy Skye had spoken, and, though his voice had wobbled with emotion, he’d stood up straight and looked the

I passed Rowan on my way to the car park. She, like Skye, had dark bags under her eyes, and with her pale complexion, and probable hangover, they looked deeper and darker than his had. She smiled at me, a nervous, questioning smile, and I offered her one of the same kind back.We had a lot to talk about before we could be friends – real friends – again. This time, I knew, there would be no lies, and no deceit. Amongst all of the pain, and all of the fear, and all of my regret, I couldn’t help but feel a shock of glee at the thought of having a real friend again. It had been years since I’d been able to be so open with anyone, and part of me – tucked beneath everything I was holding back – there was a glimmer of hope.Falmer had been my only friend for the last four years, and I would be eternally grateful to him for that. But I was changing – I could feel it in myself, with every new day, and every new challenge, every new threat that I faced – and his brand of lazy sarcasm didn’t suit

There was a beat of horrible, brittle silence. We were frozen in place: Rowan with narrowed, accusing eyes; Skye with a wild, desperate gaze, his lips parted; and me, torn between the two of them, scared to even breath. Then Skye reached up an awkward hand to scratch at the back of his neck, and I inhaled a tiny, shallow breath. The tension broke, and Skye let out a nervous bark of laughter. “I mean, we need your help, Rowan. And that of your Grandmother, too. You’ll find out soon enough, and we need you to trust us.” He sounded as though he was listing off reasons to tell her – and, I had to admit, all of them were good, sound reasons for him to share his secret – but it also sounded as though he was stalling. Beneath the table, I squeezed his knee gently. He sighed. “I’m a werewolf.” Rowan shook her head in disbelief, looking betw