-Aline- There is a mind-numbingly bright light coursing through my window. It's the Richmond District in San Francisco for chrissakes. It should never be this sunny here! A very annoying someone is bellowing, but I can't understand the words. Oh, for fu—... Ugh! My head! I clamp my hands to my ears, trying to shut her out. "Stop yelling," I croak. "Geezus, stop yelling." Lord, even the sound of my voice hammers in my head. An ear-splitting ringing adds to my suffering. Please, please make it stop! I promise to be good. I promise never to think evil thoughts, or spout rude and crude things to seek revenge on any man ever, ever, again. Just make the pain go away! Just. Make. It. Go. Away. I wait a moment, hoping for an answer to my prayers. It hurts all over, making me groan. There is no god! The inside of my mouth is so dry, I wonder if I swallowed my entire stash of cotton balls. I am desperate for something to quench

-Aline-Labor Day Weekend | Talu’s first time visiting Mei in upstate New York... ~ ✿ ~ ✿ ~ ✿ ~ My finger breaks the seal and glides under the envelope flap. A faint smile touches my lips, knowing who the letter is from.   Hey there, Sweetpea. Greetings from Washington! I hope you've finally settled into your new place out in Syracuse. I sent this with Talu, because I didn't know where else to send it. So, hopefully you get it before he locks himself away with Mei for the weekend. The last line makes me laugh since those two are doing a whole lot of nothing. I left them alone after our dinner with some of Mei’s classmates, thinking I'd spare myself of the — ahem — noise. But it turns out I made myself scarce for nothing. A very frustrated Talu met me at home. He thrust a letter and a package at me before headi

-Aline- "Aline are you, OK?" Mei nudges her elbow into my side. I nod, still staring at the mysterious, green-eyed blond standing in the driveway. It is impossible to tear my gaze from his. He appears equally unable to move and just as shell-shocked. Another figure emerges from the back of the moving van. This one is tall, nearly as tall as I am, with a similar lithe, lean, muscular build. Her hair is shampoo commercial-worthy. It bounces lightly, golden blonde, streaked with highlights, cascading past her shoulders in an abundance of waves. Her eyes are as gemstone green as his. There is something ethereal about her. With the face of an angel, she looks exactly like the mystery man, except her features are distinctly feminine and gorgeous. While his look is one of quiet strength, she wears a more lethal, feline smile. Every horrifying thing I've been through since turning into a werewolf failed to prepare me for this heart-p

-Jian- The months since Labor Day pass quickly thanks to the intense work training to prepare me for the Florida trip in ten days. This along with my heavy college course load, and I can barely remember October, as November fades into memory. The training is more strenuous than anyone expected, but it's fun and I'm making new friends all up and down the West Coast. Before I know it, it is early December. A spate of smash and grab robberies greets downtown San Francisco’s tentative return to retail sales. The pack volunteers with Chinatown’s community safety patrols. Aline’s mom buys us dumplings and char sui baos to thank us for taking extra care to check on her at the boutique. The most intrepid store owners stock all the trimmings to make Christmas especially happy and bright. I know this because Lance just dragged me into the nearest tuxedo shop to get fitted in a penguin suit for his wedding next month. I snort at the memory of h

-Stefan- It is early December and after three months of near sleeplessness, my dreams no longer feature the almond-eyed woman in Syracuse. Learning that distance and time dull the immense strength of this thrall brings me some relief. Her image framed in the picture window embedded itself in my head. I can’t forget her face, even though I tried. Not a moment passes without a thought of her. It curdles my blood to imagine the potential power she could wield over me. Felicia tells me the woman’s name is Aline. More important is her absolute refusal to acknowledge the connection she has to me. I stayed for three days in September to help my sister move into her new space. Three intolerable days knowing my thrall lay just beyond the wall, made of mere wood and plaster. I spent a lot of time in the woods to avoid Aline. I kept out of sight, hunting, and doing what I needed to do to keep my promise to my twin. Felicia, meanwhile, gathered intel, attempting to befriend the two women livi