- Grace

I give the receptionist a small smile and wave, when her smile lands on me. “Ah, Grace! It’s good to meet you!” She smiles and put her hand out for me to take. I do and give hers a gentle shake before letting it go. “Well Jordan, you know where to go. Grace why don’t you follow me, I’ll take you to your cabin, and here’s your schedule.” I nod.

Jordan starts walking out of the room, “See you around, Grace!” He salutes me as he turns and closes the door. I silently beg him to not leave me. He’s been so friendly and helpful, things I’m just not used to at all.

My unknowingly pleading face lands on the receptionist and she gives me a knowing smile. “It’ll be bad for a day or two, being the new girl. Then, you’ll just be apart of all of it. Everybody here is friendly, I just know you’ll fit right in. By the way my names Jessica. Any questions you can come ask me, I’m always available to help!” She smiles kindly, then throws her head in the direction of the door, signaling me to follow her.

As we make our way on the path through the trees, I can’t see anything. I’m still seventeen so I haven’t gotten my wolf yet, so night vision is not a thing for me yet.

We make our way to a row of cabins that are lit up by fairy lights all around them. I stare in awe at how beautiful it all looks, not to mention how new the cabins look. “Jessica. How long has this place been running?” I whisper to her, not wanting to wake anyone if they’re already asleep in the cabins. She smiles, “We’ve been open for over a hundred years. If you’re referring to the newness of everything, everything in the camp is strictly kept up to code. We strive to give you kids the best experience, which includes keeping everything up to code and looking as good as new, even in the woods.”

I smile, nodding at her, letting her know I heard her, but I’m not sure how to respond. My eyes looking around in wonder.

Maybe being here will be good for me. I’m nervous being this close to our rivals, but being away from Heath and being in the woods sounds like a dream come true, especially with such nice amenities.

We round the corner and start heading to the cabin at the end of the row. It’s lit up, which is good, hopefully that means my roommate is awake.

She stops at the door, handing me a key. “Okay, I’ll leave you here. I’m almost always at the front office if you need me!” She says with a wave and then takes off the way she came.

I take a deep breath and turn back towards the door, placing the key in the knob and walking inside. This is my life now.

I am Grace and I’m going to enjoy my time here, for as long as I can.

I highly doubt Heath will let me stay the whole summer, he’s not willing to leave his punching bag for that long. Granted my mom did say she didn’t tell him where she was taking me, but I don’t think it will take much for him to get it out of her.

When I walk all the way in, I continue to be amazed by this place. The living room is minimal but perfect and completely set up with a couch, two recliners and a flat screen tv mounted on the wall. There’s a nice chandelier, but not over the top, a small kitchen to the side with a full-sized fridge in it. I had expected a small room with two beds.

I hear a door creak open, and I turn in that direction. I’m meant with kind green eyes, long strawberry blonde hair with bangs almost covering her eyes. She’s shorter than me, and wearing a night gown, clearly trying to get ready for bed.

When her eyes spot me, they widen, and a giant smile plays on her face. “Oh my Goddess! You must be Grace! I’m so excited to meet you! Let me show you which room is yours.” She comes over to me grabbing my wrist before I can say anything. She drags me to the room on to the left side of the little living room.

“Sorry, I couldn’t take this room. It’s the closet to the door and I’m paranoid someone will come in and kill me.” She grimaces, because she just informed me, she’d rather me die first. I give her a small laugh, liking her already. “That’s okay. If that happens, I’ll try and scream extra loud, so you have time to escape.” I smile at her. She seems to think about it and gives me a nod, liking my plan very much.

“I saw two more doors. Do we have more roommates?” I ask curious. “Oh, we have one other roommate, Olivia, but she’s probably already sleeping. The other door is the bathroom. I’m Gia by the way!” She rushes, and I still just can’t get enough of her.

Gia shows me which door is the bathroom and then leaves me to unpack my suitcase. I sit down on the twin size bed, with a rose-colored comforter, and look around the room. It’s nothing special, but other then the bed, there’s a small closet, dresser and full-length mirror. I look down and see a fuzzy red rug on the floor, slightly hiding the wood floors.

I’m really starting to get excited I wonder what they do here. Most of the summer camps occupants probably don’t have their wolves yet. So, I doubt it will be anything too crazy, but I’m still excited to find out! For the first time in my life, I feel like I might actually have the potential to be happy.

- Dean

I look up at the door of our oversized cabin when I hear it swing open. Our cabin is a bigger than the other cabins, because my dad wanted all of us to be able to be together when we started coming here years ago. So, there’s room for my two brothers and I, our Beta and our Gamma. Then there’s an extra room just because.

The living room is bigger than the other cabins too, it’s great for the parties we like to throw here. “Alright, I’m here! The party can begin!” Our Gamma, Jordan exclaims. I roll my eyes, looking back down at my schedule for this year. There’s no party tonight and he knows it, he’s just being Jordan.

My brother Issac walks over to him punching him in the shoulder. “Where have you been? You were supposed to be here a while ago.” Issac laughs as he walks over to me, taking the recliner to my left.

Jordan jumps over the back of the couch, making himself at home. “You’ll never believe me if I told you!” He says smiling wide, I swear this kid always has a smile on his face. “Try us.” My other brother, Gunner walks into the room, out of nowhere grabbing the other recliner.

Jordan’s smile widens, seemingly hoping for someone to ask. “Well, I was at the gas station and overheard this girl asking for directions to this place.” We all eye him wearily, wondering where this is going.

“Once I left, I saw her on the street, she was planning on walking here. Forty miles! So, I offered her a ride.” He shrugs, “Anyways, she’s a new girl! Our age! Names Grace, and I’m calling dibs.” He finishes and we all just stare at him.

New people here are not common, you pretty much start coming when you’re a kid from the surrounding packs and don’t stop until the summer before you graduate.

This will be the last year we all come here, and it’s bittersweet. I like coming here, we always have a good time, but I also like the idea of growing up and being able to take over the pack soon.

“Shut up, Jordan! We all know you’re not calling dibs.” Gunner says sternly. Jordan has been gay as long as we can remember, couldn’t even tell you if I’ve ever seen him with a girl. He smirks, placing his hand over his heart. “I don’t know boys. This one was quite beautiful, too skinny, but she just may turn me.” He closes his eyes and throws his body into mine dramatically. “Come tomorrow, I may be straight!” He exclaims, and I laugh throwing him off me.

“So, Jordan’s turning aside. Where’s this girl from?” I ask, curious about a new girl, that’s so beautiful she’s having this weird effect on my Gamma. I’ve never heard him even joke about being straight. “She was quiet, didn’t get much out of her. But I may have followed her and Jessica to see which cabin she was in.” He grimaces guiltily.

“So, we can add stalker to your resume of future Gamma?” Issac asks dryly. Jordan smiles, “I don’t need a resume. You guys love me.” Issac rolls his eyes at Jordan completely overlooking the point. “Anyway, she’s staying with Gia and Olivia!” I chuckle; we’ll probably be meeting this girl sooner rather than later then. Our Beta has it bad for Gia, always trying to get us to hang around her. She’s a nice girl, so I’m sure she’ll befriend this Grace girl quickly.

We all turn when we hear the door open again and Justin our future Beta walks in with three bags of supplies that has all of us grinning. He looks at all of us with a wide smile, “Who’s ready to welcome the girls to camp?” Justin says, throwing a bag at Gunner and a bag on top of Jordan, who grunts at the weight.

It’s already gotten very dark outside, but thanks to my brothers and I getting our wolves a month ago, it’s an easy feat. We had accumulated a few more of the boys, who wanted to join in the debauchery. “Alright, everyone knows what they need to do?” I ask and get nods of affirmation from everyone.

Jordan’s on lookout, because he gets too excited during this type of stuff and would alert the girls. I look at him, “Remember the signal?” He nods and takes off jumping to the woods, more bunny rabbit then wolf. I shake my head, “Alright, let’s go.”

We’re putting the finishing touches on the rows of toilet paper and silly string. The last of the pranks of water above doors and maple syrup on the handles and I hear a door shut behind me. I look back at the girl's showers and see a girl walking out. I can barely make out the dampness of her hair with the distance, can only tell from the shine the moon gives off of it. Though the weird thing is the fact she’s in a hoodie, it’s like ninety degrees outside. Why would she be wearing a hoodie?

She turns her head and now she’s facing me, there’s a shadow casting over her face so I can’t make out who she is. The distance is just enough to be too much for my extra senses, but I swear I hear her chuckle.

Then she turns around and takes off to her cabin. The last cabin of the row. Gia and Olivia’s cabin. I think I just saw the new girl.

- Grace

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the trumpet blaring over the loudspeakers. New day, new me. I chanted to myself, over and over as I threw on some shorts and tank top. Followed by my ever-trusted hoodie to hide the scars on my arms, still a few that aren’t healed from the latest beating. Hopefully once I get my wolf, I won’t have to worry about scars anymore and won’t have to go out in one-hundred-degree weather sporting a hoodie.

I’m sure people will think I’m strange for it, but they’d probably be more interested in the girl with so many scars.

I walk out into the living room and come face to face with who I can only assume is Olivia, she was about to knock on my door. She has short, spiked hair painted pink on the tips, green eyes and I have to look slightly up to see her. I’d say she’s like five nine, five ten?

“My bad girl, didn’t mean to scare you. You Grace?” Olivia asks. I nod; she smiles. “Sorry, they said that a new girl was coming, and I didn’t believe it, but clearly they weren’t mistaken.” I smile, “Olivia?” I ask, just wanting to be sure. She smiles, “I see you’ve meant Gia then.” I smile and nod. “Always the hostess that one. But did she tell you why you’re in that room?” She eyes me and I let out a laugh, because I just can’t help it, nodding. She laughs with me, we both turn at the sound of a door opening up and see Gia coming out of her room, causing us both to laugh even harder.

Gia looks at us suspiciously, “What?” She whines, not liking not being apart of the joke. Olivia continues to laugh, while going and placing an arm around Gia’s shoulders. “It’s nothing, we were just talking about ways Grace could throw you in front of a murderer. I mean she does look a little taller than you, she could probably outrun you.” Gia’s eyes widen as she looks back at me, I just chuckle shaking my head. Already, I feel very at home here.

“Alright, lets head out. The boys decided to make a mess last night, but thanks to the Beta’s embarrassing crush on our Gia here, we barely got touched, so that’s good.” Olivia explains and I laugh as Gia’s eyes go wide. “He does not have a crush on me!” She yells but says nothing to Olivia’s knowing smile.

All three of us make our way to the dining hall, I’m thankful they’re with me, because I would not have been able to find it.

Once we settle down, I have an apple and a glass of water, determined to still follow my regime. My mom may suck, but she wasn’t lying, if I come home fat, I’m screwed.

“That’s all your eating?” Gia exclaims, looking wide eyed at my apple. I grimace, not really wanting to get into it. “I mean do you see how skinny she is? At least now it makes sense.” Olivia adds, I look down at my apple frowning. Their plates of eggs, sausage and pancakes swiftly reaching my nose. I’ve never been allowed to eat maple syrup, but it smells divine, maybe one day.

My ears shoot up when I hear a kid announce that there are still job openings for around the camp if anyone wants to sign up. So, ignoring Gia and Olivia talking about my eating habits, I try and listen to him.

My view gets cut off when three female bodies place themselves in front of me. I slowly look up the girl in the middle has long platinum blonde hair with blue eyes, the one to her right has brown hair with green, grey eyes and the one on her left has raven black hair with blue, grey eyes. All of them seem to be the same height, about the same as Olivia and they are all staring at me with their arms crossed.

I’m still trying to hear the kid taking about what jobs are available, when I hear a very audible groan behind me, coming from Olivia.

“You guys can leave. She doesn’t want to know you.” I sigh inwardly; I would rather make that opinion myself. I look up at them and the middle one smiles. “Hi, I’m Vera, she’s Tessa.” Pointing to the one on her right, “and that’s Daphne.” Pointing to the one on her left. “You want to come sit with us?” I grimace, because that’s rude. I’m clearly already sitting; it’d be rude just to up and leave Olivia and Gia for another table.

I decide to just do neither. I look up at Vera, “No thank you, I have to go somewhere.” I turn to my table, “I’ll see you guys in a little while!” I say hoping no one gets mad about me ditching. The smile on Olivia’s face tells me she’s just happy I turned down Vera.

I get up and start to walk past Vera when she grabs my arm spinning me towards her. I look down at my arm, where her hand is attached. Flashbacks of being held down by Heath start coming in strong. “I suggest you evaluate who you hang out with around here. I don’t want you starting off on the wrong foot.” She says sickly sweet with a smile on her face. She releases my arm and walks away. It was almost nice if I didn’t swear, I saw venom dripping from her teeth. Yep, gonna stay away from that one.

I take a deep breath and start walking over to the kid handing out jobs.

He smiles when he sees me walking closer to him. He’s not bad to look at, he has shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes probably around six foot. I smile, “Can I see what jobs are left?” I ask as I get next to him. He hands me the paper, “Anything of interest?” He asks, looking down at the paper like he doesn’t know what’s on it.

I smile when I see kitchen duty. I point to it, and he smiles too. “Great! Looks like we’ll be spending some time together! That’s where I work too!” I smile widely; thankful I’ll have a friendly face to work with. “Come by here after your last class and we’ll get you all set up, Grace!” I eye him for a second, “Sorry, not many new people here.” I nod, because this isn’t the first time I’m hearing this. “I’ll see you tonight…” I eye him again, and he smiles. “Cole.” I nod my head and turn out the door to head to my first class. Just wanting to get started, I’m so excited, and now that I have a long-term plan, I’m even more excited!