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relationship soon turned serious. Her parents
disapproved of the relationship, but she refused to acknowledge their concerns;
she was too much in love. Unfortunately, when her prince charming found out
that she was pregnant, he fled Cedar Falls. No amount of searching could find
him.
    Kendall’s scandalous
story spread throughout the town like a wildfire. She was an outcast and
couldn’t leave her house without people staring and talking about her. Even
worse was how her parents behaved. Mr. Lockhart was ashamed of her, and he made
his feelings perfectly clear. Privately, Mrs. Lockhart supported her, but she
couldn’t bring herself to do so in public.
    Heartbroken and
betrayed, Kendall knew that she had to get out of Cedar Falls. She was seven
months pregnant when she packed her belongings and moved to Toronto. She lived
off her savings and then social assistance. Once in a while, Mr. and Mrs.
Lockhart would send her money, although she demanded that they stop. She
eventually found a job for herself and a daycare for Anastasia, and somehow,
they managed.
    This was everything
Anastasia knew about her parents’ relationship and the pregnancy. She didn’t
even know her father’s name. She’d inquired once, but after being told it was
merely The Asshole, she never asked again. Anastasia highly doubted that she’d
ever discover what else happened during that time, but one thing was for
certain, she’d never have a relationship with her father.
    Sighing deeply,
Anastasia tossed in bed for what felt like the hundredth time. Being in Cedar
Falls brought back so many memories and, against her will, made her reflect on
her present life. As if that wasn’t enough, she couldn’t get that blue-eyed boy
out of her mind. When he’d looked at her, she’d felt a spark, making her
believe that he was very passionate. Yet, from the way he behaved with her
grandfather and Mr. Stone, she also knew that he was gentle and caring. Despite
the obvious attraction, she decided to stay away from him. Developing romantic
feelings for some guy was the last thing she needed. Besides, he’d probably end
up bringing more trouble into her life, exactly like all the other guys she’d
dated.
    The minutes passed
slowly as Anastasia continued to lie there, listening to the sounds of Cedar
Falls. An owl hooted loudly right outside her window, most likely in protest to
the strong winds which blew through the trees, rattling their branches in the
process. As these sounds persisted, they overpowered Anastasia’s thoughts and
soon became white noise. She began to relax, and as her eyelids became heavy,
she finally gave into the sweet temptation of sleep.
    Howl...
    Startled by the
unexpected noise, Anastasia’s eyes flew open and she sat straight up in bed.
That had sounded like a wolf’s howl, but maybe she was just dreaming. Anastasia
quickly wondered if she’d even fallen asleep, and if she had, why she was
dreaming about wolves.
    Howl...
    Now realizing that the
wolf wasn’t a figment of her imagination, Anastasia’s body stiffened with fear.
That howl had been near – too near. She’d never heard wolves in Cedar Falls
before, far less right outside her grandparents’ house.
    Remaining still for
several moments, Anastasia listened, hearing only the sound of her quick,
shallow breath. It seemed as if the wolf had moved on, but she had to be sure.
She pulled her duvet aside and then stepped out of bed. As her bare feet
touched the cool wooden floor, a shiver went through her body. Quietly, she
crept toward the window and then drew the curtains.
    The moon and solar
lights illuminated the night, making it easy to see that the woods were in
great disarray. Pinecones and twigs rolled wildly on the ground, and her
grandmother’s birdfeeders looked like they’d soon take flight. Even the tall,
sturdy trees swayed dangerously in the increasing winds, as if foretelling that
the worst was still to come. Yet, amongst the chaos there was no