By morning, Ella was surprised by her speedy recovery from her violent night. She had miraculously healed—her bloody knuckles were no longer raw, and only a slight trace of scarring remained, which wouldn't be noticeable unless someone looked closely.

For a while, she tried to convince herself that what had happened was a dream. Her music had spun her into a wild, impossible scenario: she had saved an alpha and fended off werewolves with the powers of her inner creature.

But Ella couldn't find her waterproof jacket.

In the "dream," she had given it to the little alpha girl, Alyssa, to keep her warm and dry. Ella didn’t recall taking it back. Alyssa had run into that boy’s arms, but Ella had fled from them both, driven by shock and unable to stand the sight of the family reunion.

Sitting at the edge of her bed, Ella looked at the small picture frame on her bedside table. A dark reminder of a life she would never forget. That picture, with a few other select items, were Ella’s most valuable possessions.

In the photograph, Ella was barely eleven years old. She stood between her older twin sisters, with her parents behind them. The five of them smiled brightly in front of a waterfall. Her mother and father protectively wrapped their arms around their daughters. Rio and Delta, the twins, grinned mischievously, holding their hands behind Ella's head, giving her a double pair of bunny ears. Both twins had long, wavy brown hair cascading down their backs, and deep brown eyes that sparkled with warmth. They were identical and took after their father, while Ella mirrored her mother’s wild red curls and vivid blue eyes.

Her heart tightened as she stared at the picture.

Ella had been the only survivor of the car crash that happened just a few months after the picture was taken.

Sighing deeply, she rose from her bed and began to prepare for the day, dreading the hours ahead. School life at Astralis Academy wasn’t bad, but Ella was an outcast. She didn’t know her supernatural species, and she was a loner because of it. She barely interacted with the other students and didn’t share the same classes with many of them. In the few shared classes, they ignored her or whispered behind her back.

Ella threw on a black T-shirt, a pair of ripped black skinny jeans, and her worn-out combat boots. She pulled her curls into a messy bun and clipped in her favorite bat earrings, pairing them with a matching choker. Grabbing her purple knit cardigan, she descended the stairs to the kitchen, intent on devouring a fruit platter and a glass of milk. As she ate, she could hear Mira moving around upstairs.

Mira Haphern wasn’t Ella’s aunt by blood; she had been her mother’s best friend before the accident. It was in her parents' will that Ella would be placed in Mira’s care. It had been six years since Ella’s family had died, and Mira had proven to be an incredible guardian, despite being human.

Mira was also very much a morning person, while Ella was not. Ella had no idea why her aunt chose to be up so early, considering she didn’t need to be.

Ella groaned, her head thudding lightly against the kitchen counter, as she heard Mira slide down the stair railing with a squeal of delight. She had to hold herself back from running out the back door when she caught sight of the bright pink, fuzzy slippers Mira always wore.

“Ella!” Mira sang out cheerily, and Ella groaned in response. It was far too early for Mira’s endless energy. “It’s a wonderful day today!”

“The day hasn’t even started yet,” Ella mumbled, rolling her eyes as she slumped back into her chair at the counter.

Mira laughed as she grabbed a mug from the cabinet. “It started when we woke up!” She poured herself some coffee and hummed happily.

“I’m not awake.”

“Liven up a bit, Duckie,” Mira said, calling Ella by the nickname she had given her. She took a sip of her coffee, eyes sparkling. “What’s your day look like?”

Ella glanced at her books, nudging them into her school bag with a sigh. She was diving into Astralis Academy’s vast library yet again, still trying to find a clue about what kind of creature she was. Something had to be hidden in one of those old, dusty books, but her hope was fading.

“History class, then the library for the rest of the day,” Ella replied flatly, flicking the strawberries and apple slices around her plate. “Nothing special. You?”

Mira took a seat across from her with her coffee in hand. “Hopefully nothing eventful. But you never know with the patients.”

Ella smiled. Mira was a pediatric nurse in the oncology unit. Her eccentric personality was often credited to her serious and challenging work environment.

“Did Rosie get the all-clear?” Ella asked, referring to one of Mira’s patients she had mentioned a few nights ago. Mira nodded, but her eyes suddenly widened as she jumped up with a scream.

Ella yelped, startled by Mira’s outburst. She turned in time to see a large spider crawling across the kitchen counter toward her. In a heartbeat, Ella was out of her seat, grabbing her bag, and dashing for the front door.