I've never believed in much. I remember when I was younger how Mama would tell me stories about princesses and how they'd have fairy god mothers who would grant their every wish. Or how Papa would tell legends about shape shifters and, 'The Cold Ones'. Or on Christmas eve how Santa would come down your chimney and bring you presents.

To me, all those myths were just stories that only ended up crushing children when they found out the truth. The word terrified would be an underestimate to say that day when I burst into wolf. I remember that day like it was yesterday, but it's been three years.

(Three Years Earlier)

"Swissy come on! You're so slow!" I chased after my very ecstatic little brother, Brenden. "I'm go'in to get'cha!" I laughed along with him as we both started to slow down. I scooped him up into my arms, as you would to a little baby and kissed his cheek. "Told ya I'd get you." Brenden is definitely the cutest little boy ever. His dark hair that almost goes past his eyebrows was swooshing back and forth in the direction that I rocked him. His piercing green eyes always have a twinkle in them, and his adorable dimples made him look so youthful.

I set him back down just as Mama came into the room, yeah I know fourteen and I still call her Mama. What can I say, I'm from the south. "Grace, Brenden, come on we're about to leave." I nodded my head and ran up to my room. I looked into my mirror and brushed the tangles out of my hair.

I had short brown hair, blue eyes ,and fair skin, nothing really special. I got my looks from my Mom. She has long dark brown hair with green eyes and lightly tanned skin. Where I got my fair skin from, I can't answer that. My Dad and little brother both have the same dark hair and my Dad has naturally tan skin, and is very built.

"Gracie, what's taking so long? We have to leave now!" I was out of my trance and raced down the stairs. "Sorry Dad." My little brother grabbed my hand and we walked together out the door. We're very close. I've always wanted a little sibling and after twelve years of being alone, we got the news that Mama was expecting a baby boy. I picked up Brenden and buckled him into his car seat.

"So where exactly are we going?" My Mom looked back at me from her mirror. "Just out to dinner." She smiled her warm smile, showing her teeth. I was a little confused. Usually we only go out to dinner for special occasions, or to break in some bad news. I decided to just let it go, besides I'll find out soon enough.

As we continued our drive, Brenden fell asleep so I had nothing to do. I rested my head against the window and shut my eyes. Big mistake. The impact of the other car smashing into my side had cracked the window and it shattered. Broken glass had fallen onto my head, I felt the blood run down the side of my face. I couldn't cry though. It was so painful I couldn't focus on that.

The sound of my little brother screaming in fear was enough to make me aware I needed to move, despite my pain. "Sissy what's happening?" I couldn't answer his question before I fell unconscious.

I awoke from the slight sounds of beeping. My eyes fluttered open, the faint colors of the room mixed with black is what I saw. After my vision cleared up I realized I was in a hospital room. I saw I was hooked up to a heart monitor, which was the source of the beeping. I spotted my Mother holding Brenden in her arms. They were both asleep but I could easily spot their tear stained cheeks and puffy red eyes.

"M-Mom?" her eyes fluttered open and was instantly by my side after placing Brenden back in the chair. "My baby! Are you ok? How do you feel? Oh my goodness, Doctor!" My mom was freaking out more than I was. "Mom, Mom calm down! I'm ok, I feel fine I just have a headache." Before my Mama could respond the doctor walked in the room. He has pale white skin slick blonde hair and gorgeous eyes.

"Ah, miss Hunter, you're finally awake." He walked closer to me and I have no idea why but I scooted as far over as I possibly could. I felt something inside that was an indescribable feeling. "How are you feeling?" he gave me a genuine smile, ignoring my rude motion. "Okay I guess. I just have an awful headache." He wrote down something on his clipboard.

"G-Gracie?" I heard the sweet voice of my baby brother. "Yeah I'm here." He ran past the others and jumped into the bed I was on and fell into my arms. I felt his hot tears on my shoulder and I started rubbing his back. "Hey, what's wrong?" He looked me in the eyes and I wiped away his tears with my thumb, only for new ones to come. "I-I thought you w-wouldn't make it." I hugged him tighter and a thought came to mind.

"Mom, where's dad?" I looked between her and the doctor. "I'll leave you alone." He walked out of the room and I looked at my mother. Tears welling up in her eyes."Mom, where is he?" Her eyes met everywhere but mine. "Sweetie, your father, he didn't make it." I was stunned.

"N-No! He can't be!" I couldn't see anything from the tears blocking my vision. My brother hugged me tighter and his sniffles were getting louder, along with mine. "Grace, whenever the car his us, it hit his side with so much impact, it was to much for him to bear." I couldn't believe it.

That he wouldn't be there to bring us to school in the morning, every morning when we woke up he wouldn't be in the kitchen making breakfast, he wouldn't be there to give the whole speech to my first boyfriend about how if he breaks my heart he'll have to watch his back, he wouldn't be there to walk me down the aisle. He is gone forever.

I started breathing very heavy. My chest heaved up and down, I started sweating. I screamed in agony, as it felt like I was being stabbed in the back a million times. The next thing I remember was seeing white paws beneath me. I heard the piercing scream of my mother before she fainted. Doctors ran into the room, all ending up running out. My doctor came in the room, picking up my mother and bringing her out of the room.

I looked back to my brother and crouched down for him to get onto my back, and for some strange reason, he did. I bolted out of that building faster than I ever thought I could, and into the woods.

(Present Day)

That day was the worst day of my life. In that day I had found out that my Father had died, the legends he had told me about the shape shifters, were in fact true, and my mother had died. Whenever I phased it startled her so bad that she had a heart attack, and died. The worst part was, it was all my fault.

For three years my brother and I have been living in the woods in a cave somewhere in Washington state. I have been protecting him ever since that day when I phased. After I finally figured out to phase back I explained to him how we would go back home soon and I would take care of him. But whenever we arrived at our home, we had spotted a 'For Sale' sign in our yard. This must have been the news our parents were going to break to us at dinner.

We gathered as much as we could at home and went back into the woods. We stumbled upon a cave and have been hiding out there ever since. Our family was pretty wealthy, and we had always kept a safe in our house for emergencies that had over ten thousand dollars, enough for us to survive. No one ever suspected anything about us. We were simply just brother and sister. I was unsuspected about who I was, except for my unnaturally hot temperature. We only went into town when we needed to and we only bought things we need to survive.

I know I am not the only one of my kind. I never actually see the others in their form, since I am very careful, but I have seen them as humans. Thankfully they have never seen me. Before. I remember from the legends that Papa use to tell me that their has never been a single girl to phase, that it was only the males. I also remember him telling me something about imprinting. Finding your soul mate, but that was rare.

"Gracie, can we please go out for a walk?" My brother had asked me. He was now five years old. He grew up right before my eyes. I was now seventeen, but I phased when I was fourteen so I still look that age. My hair that had use to be short and brown had lighted up now, making it a dirt blonde, and it now stopped at the middle of my back. Brenden still had the same dark black hair and tan skin.

"Yeah I guess we can. But not for too long." He jumped up and hugged me. It was a really nice day today, which was pretty rare for Washington. We started our walk. We passed by lots and lots of trees, and pointed out all the animals we saw.

"Sissy look!" I saw an unnaturally large paw print, a little bigger than the ones I made, so it obviously wasn't mine. I squatted down so I could examine it. The print wasn't hard, the mud was still mushy so I knew that this was fresh.

"Brenden we have to get go back." I grabbed his hand and started to quickly walk back, but I heard a rustle in the leaves that made me stop immediately. I pushed my brother behind me and stood there, waiting for whatever it was to come out.

A man, three men actually. All with the same jet black hair, tan skin, and looked as if they all took steroids. The man that looked the oldest spoke. "This isn't a place for kids. Its dangerous out here." I looked at him without saying anything for a few moments before I found my voice. "Who are you?"

"The names Sam, Sam Uley. And you?" I ignored his question. "Who're they?" The next boy spoke up, "I'm Embry Call." He gave me a warm smile and extended his hand towards me to shake. I took it meeting his warm one and instantly pulled back. He looked from his hand, to me, then back to his hand. I instantly knew what they were. "Jarred." The last man spoke as he gave me a slight nod, which I returned.

"Well it's been great meeting y'all, but we have to go." I grabbed Brenden's hand again and started to walk in the direction of our 'home'. "Wait!" A warm hand touched my shoulder and I spun around to face Sam. "Where do you live? I can take you two home."

"No!" I responded a little too quickly, "I mean, that's ok. We don't live far. Before he could respond, we took off running in the direction of our cave.