CHAPTER 1

December 21, 2011 Dear Trey,

~Isabelle
I started to cry on the letter before I got in the envelope. My dad was gone to work for the day and my mom died in the accident that I almost died in. I pulled myself together and walked down the stairs taking two at a time and went down to the basement. I got a Christmas present for Trey and wrapped it in his favorite colors, blue and green. When I got there I saw that my dad had been there before me. His work papers were all over the floor of my mothers old ballet studio. It was irritating to look at. I set the letter on the nearby old wooden desk and took a deep breath. I started to get to work. I picked up all of the Dads papers and set them neatly in his drawers, picked up my music sheets, and picked up my mothers dance routines and put them in her folders. I like to keep her stuff. Before I got completely to the present I heard the door slam loudly and footsteps coming down from the living room. My fathers voice carried as he walked. I heard another unfamiliar female voice coming down with him. When they came down I saw that my fathers hair was tousled and his work shirt was open and flying behind him. The woman behind him had black hair that looked like it was straightened but not even brushed. She was wearing a tight black skirt that you might see in the movies and a white button up shirt tucked into her skirt. The top four buttons were open exploiting a neon green bra that you could also see

through her shirt. ...I cant have you here right now, Sandra. My daughter is here and He cut off as he saw me. Sandra approached me with a look of confusion on her face. She fingered my hair and then pulled back quickly as if it had bit her. Well, she looks just like her mother. Sandra spoke as she smiled. A smile that showed all white teeth. She stands tall like her mother. Everything, just like her mother. And with that she was gone like wind. Now, my father yelled at me as the front door closed with a click. see what you did! he stormed off. So much, I thought, moving toward the present, for trying to have a good Christmas. I walked to the present I thought, and walked back to the desk I set the letter down on and thought, just thought. My father had a letter right there too. A plain envelope with a thick letter, if it was one. My father came in and made me jump about ten feet in the air. Or what felt like ten feet. What are you doing? he spoke as he walked toward me. I looked where my hands were and moved them quickly. While he took his time walking from the end of the studio to where I was, I saw that our letters had the same thickness. Hmmm, I thought, strange. When he finally got there I had moved to the side and got the present. Are you writing letters now? He looked at both of the letters in his hands, examining them both for a moment each at a time. To whom, may I ask? He said finally looking over at me. To Trey. I said coming back with the present. Him and I have been writing each other for months. Havent you looked at return addresses on other peoples letters? You do on yours? Hmm. he took the letter in his right hand and walked off. I waited till I heard a door shut for me to go up and mail the stuff. But when I heard footsteps again, I sighed inwardly. My dad was about half way down and paused. Then abruptly turned around as is he thought better of it. There was something in the mail for you, he called before he shut the door. Something fluttered down from ther stairs like he threw something. I think its from Trey. It looks like it. I shot toward the letter and ripped it open as if my life depended on it. It was a letter from him. It seemed like forever since he wrote me. It said: Dear Isabelle, October 26, 2011 The last thing that he said, I fell really bad that I wasnt there for you when you had to go through that. Your dad called and told me what happened, thats who he is, by the way. And I thought that the phones wouldnt work from all the way out here. Im coming home

ASAP. Ill be there for you from now on, Im not leaving again. Unless if your with me. Love, with all my heart, Trey :) OMG!!!! My mind was screaming at my dad. And then he didnt even tell me about it. You would think he would. I shot up the stairs, tripping on my midnight blue slippers I was still wearing. When I got to the door I fell flat on my face. My hand racked the table that was nearby as I fell. As I slowly lifted my heavy eye lids, I saw that I was lying on a letter. Folded and in my dads handwriting. I rolled over and grunted. I sat up slowly. It was very painful. I scanned the letter over and over. Then ran outside trying to catch him before he left but, by the time I got out there, he was gone. I groaned and walked back inside. The house looked a mess. The couch pillows were thrown everywhere, the coffee table was flipped over and cans and boxes of food were out in the kitchen. I hadnt noticed them when I come up from the basement. I have to get my vision checked, I thought as I tried to call him. I stood there for at least four seconds before it went to voicemail. I stomped up stairs to my room. I jumped on my bed and sat there for a minute, thinking. Then it hit me, like a wall that slammed into my face as I was running. That happened once, and it hurt. He was leaving because of me. Then out of the blue, PHOTOGRAPHS by Riannah ft. Will I Am started to play. I flinched as I walked slowly towards the living room. The thing is, when I took the last step, it cut off. I felt disappointed and a little freaked out. And just like that, the windows came crashing down on top of me, speaking that I was standing under the greenhouse entrance. I fell to the floor and shrieked in horror. One by one, wolves from big to small, bright to dark, came in through the broken glass. I told you she was pretty, said someone in my head. At first I thought I was going crazy. Then I heard what sounded like laughing coming from the wolves. Who are you I asked shacking a little, still feeling weird. The one on the far side walked forward. As if it was something I did all the time, I walked toward it, closing the distance between us. I was close enough to see that the wolf was a dark auburn color. There was a little dull white streak in between its eyes. I slowly reached out to touch it and it moved into my hand. When we touched I felt a volt of electricity run through me and couldnt move a millimeter. And then I blacked out.

MOM!!!!! Shelby called from downstairs, MAIL IS HERE!!! Marie raced down stairs, thinking it was my box that she ordered from Avon a few days ago. She got to the last flight and about six stairs before she rolled down the rest. MOM!!!!! I SAID Shelby broke off and gasped. Are you okay? Im so sorry I rushed you to come down here but . . . Im just really sorry. She didnt listen. Marie got to my feet and ran over to her daughter was, in front of the front door. Is it here? she asked, excitement creeping into her voice. Is my package here? Package? What? No, no package. But you do have a letter from, Shelby gazed down at the letter she still held in her hand, Johnny? she paused I thought you lost contact with him. Shelby babbled on, but Marie paid her no attention. Someone outside of this house would have thought of it as pathetic, but not us. Marie does it a lot. She ripped open the letter. Marie was. . . confused. The letter was to someone named Trey, who ever that was, and from Isabelle, her niece. It was confusing to think that Johnny would send a letter that wasnt even to her or, better yet, not from him. Marie thought for a moment then remembered the last letter that said that he was going to use code names in case one of the kids read it while they were or something like that. All right, Marie said slowly, he wants to mess with the bull, hell get the horns. she looked over at Shelby, who was sitting there, dumbfounded, mouth wide open and everything, and explained. I dont really mean it, of course. Then she ran back up stairs to replay, or email, or talk. Which ever one was fastest.

CHAPTER 2

I woke up laying in a bed surrounded by pillows, not sure whether or not to open my eyes, I left them closed. I heard a voice, or two,or, thinking about it, three. Pretending to be asleep, I listened in. . . . possibilities that she may be the one to unite us into ENOUGH, Alex. Our duty to keep her safe has a price that we all have to pay. Including you. Just because you to are soul mates doesnt mean Shhhhhhhh. Someone exaggerated the point just a tad bit. But I could feel three sets of eyes on me. I sense that she is awake. You dont think she has been . . . You know . . . Listening in on our conversation? I think Alex said that. Not quite sure, speaking that I was pretending to be asleep. I felt hands on my shoulders, shacking them, hard. I woke, startled, and found my self slamming my fore head right into someone else's jaw or chin. All I know is that is hurt. Gah, son of a the person was interrupted. Sorry to disappoint you, but I, I pointed a thumb at my chest to emphasis the point. do not use fowl language, unless if necessary.

He gapped at me. Oops. I probably just hit a sore spot. I moved his hand, which was still on my shoulders, and got to my feet. I looked at everything. The room its self was a light lavender sort of color. The wall had different designs in silver and gold. The bed I was laying in was about three or four feet off of the ground. The cover was a light pink was the same design on the walls except they were black. The bed had a canopy that was a bright blue which didnt match any thing in here. Finally, my wandering eyes came to rest on my lower part of my body. I was wearing a silky fabric. It was a dull orange tank top that ended just about an inch before my hips and a yellow skirt that was so short if I bended over, you could probably see my underwear. Wow! That was embarrassing. My black hair was pulled back to a messy bun, the one my mom would put up sometimes. Alex spoke first, hesitantly, It was the only thing I could find that was your size. Sorry. he paused for a moment, and when he spoke again he sounded almost . . . cheerful. You look good in it though, you know, as good as any wolf goddess can get. Wolf goddess, I thought, what are they talking about? Instead of just keeping the question to myself, I blurted out, What . . . In . . . The . . . World . . . Are you talking about? How do I know that Im not just doing some type if test? What would happen if I fail? . . . My words falter in my mouth. On the far side of the wall, I see something that I didnt notice before. In the center of the wall was an image. Of someone. That looked a whole heck lot like Alex. Oh, I wouldnt go over there if I were you. The older of the other men said with a warning tone in his voice, but, like always, I ignored him. As I walked I started to see other things that I didnt notice before. In the corner of the wall by the bed was a cage that looked like it contained an animal. Freaky. I got to the picture and instantly regretted it. The picture changed. While I was almost there, the picture turned into a mounted deers head. I shrieked and fell backward into Alexs arms. I started to wonder why he was standing behind me. Then I passed out, again.