When school let out for the summer the middle of June, I was Amanda Millner. Fat, short, nerdy, computer-geek Amanda; the unpopular girl with glasses and no friends. My clothes didn't match, my hair was frizzy and unwashed, and I was just an know-it-all geek, who did well on tests and ate lunch by herself in the library.

When 11th grade started that August, I was Mandy. I had grown a good six inches, now towering above my classmates. I had lost a lot of weight, and was one of the most muscled teens in the school, including boys. I still knew computers and got good grades, but the pasty color my skin used to be had tanned so it looked like I spent the summer on the beach. My sandy mop had been cut short and been bleached by the sun. My clothes still weren't popular, but I had friends and was more confident.

What had happened? The answer was that I had changed.

When I say changed, I mean changed. It all started out over the summer, on my family's ranch in Wyoming. Living in Wyoming, it's a very secluded area. When someone gets sick, it's a long way to find a doctor. So when I started burning up, my parents were reluctant to get help. Insisting I was fine, I took a few days off my summer job in town and rested. I hoped to get better soon, but I didn't. I must have been ill for days, perhaps even weeks. Nothing changed.

In the beginning of July, my 12-year-old brother John left for sleep-away camp in New Hampshire, leaving my other brother, 10-year-old Mark, all by himself and bored beyond help. He was so bored, in fact, that he stomped around the house, though he knew I was sick. He also knew better than to disturb me, but little boys live to bother their older sisters. He stormed into my room, and I was so fed up with him, and being sick, and my life, that I just...snapped.

I could feel another part of me, a part that was hidden away, exploding outward. I expanded to the size of a horse, only I wasn't a horse. I was a great, big wolf. Mark just stared at me, his eyes widening and his body shaking in fear. Honestly, I was pretty scared too. But that wasn't even the worst part. The worst part was that I had no idea what was going on. For a perfectionist know-it-all like me, that was dangerous. And then I could hear the voices.

At first I thought it was just me, delusional from my illness. But that wasn't it. I heard the chattering of excited girls, and above that, the scolding of someone who sounded like a mother, only younger...

Knock it off, girls, the motherly voice went on, she's new to the pack and doesn't even know what the legends are.

Alright, they chorused, though I knew they weren't done yet. The experiences I had with being made fun of... I lost myself in the memories, only to be jolted out of them by another, higher voice.

Could you please not be so visual about it?

Before I knew it, I found my self answering. Sorry, I didn't know you could—

Read minds, a different voice interrupted. Yeah, it's a package deal. Oops, sorry, Lex. Then the girl's voice faded out, like she had left.

Leave, the motherly one called Lex ordered. I must apologize for their behavior, she continued when the other voices had left. It's just that it's been so long since there was someone new to join in...Anyway, I'm Lex Ginner. Just wondering, have you ever heard of the legends, the ones about the werewolves?

Yeah. So?

Well, they're not legends. They're all true; every single one.

I tried to recall the stories of the wolves. Super strong, really fast, great hearing and senses, passed down from generation to generation, imprinting, hot body temperature, huge growth spurt...I scanned the information in my mind as Lex continued.

It seems as if you get it pretty well. I just wanted to clear some things up. First of all, you have to control your temper. Someone could be hurt badly if you don't. If you calm down you'll be able to phase back. Also, we can hear each others' thoughts, so, try not to be visual and think what you want us to hear. We try not to listen, but secrets aren't kept well within the pack. In human form you'll be able to see and hear as well as you can now; your body will be about 108 degrees all the time...She went on to list the pack rules and regulations, explaining about the Alpha and organization of the pack. The other girls in the pack will be sort of like your second family. We're thrown together that way so it just works out. Now, as of right now, there are six of us. Me, you, and then there's Sam Lewis, who's my second-in-command, sort of like a "beta", and then there's Kim Draney, Jen Cartlet, and Steph Flange. We'll meet tomorrow night on patrol. You'll get used to our routine soon enough, and we're expecting more to join us soon. Now, Amanda Millner, welcome to the pack.