Danny grabbed two cups, and filled each of them with beer from one of the kegs on the table. He handed me one of the cups.

"Don't ever put your drink down, and don't ever take a drink from anyone random!" he told me over the music. "It could be drugged."

He had a good point there. I nodded in understanding, and then Danny held his cup out for a toast, I presumed. I tapped my cup against his before we both took a sip of beer. I'd never had beer before, just a bit of wine at dinner with my parents' permission. The beer was bubbly, like a caffeinated soda...and the flavor was a bit tart. I scrunched up my face, a response that seemed to happen without my control, and glanced at Danny.

He didn't seem to have a problem with his drink at all, though he has had beer before. He must have seen my expression because he chuckled.

"What's wrong?! You don't like it?!" he asked.

"It's okay, I guess!" I told him and shrugged.

"Do you want something else?! Like something stronger?!"

"No! I'm good!"

I knew it was my first college party, but I was already high, I didn't feel like I needed anything stronger than beer. I didn't want to end up so wasted that I couldn't remember what happened the next day.

After a few more sips of beer, it didn't taste as pungent and I could already enjoy it more. That one cup turned into three, and before I knew it, Danny and I were dancing along with everyone else. I was lost in the music, swaying my body to the rhythm, when suddenly a chorus of people started shouting the word "chug" repeatedly.

Despite the music being so loud, the group of chanters was even louder somehow. The noise caught everyone's attention, including Danny and I. And at the same time I happened to spot someone familiar… That hair, that body…it was Naomi! But it was hard to keep track of her in the mass of bodies.

All of my senses were screaming at me to go over there and confess my feelings. Before I could think about it any longer, I lost sight of her! She disappeared into the crowd and I felt deflated. I felt a tug on my hand and turned to see it was Danny.

"Follow me!" he said, shouting over the music.

He guided me through the house, never letting go of my hand, until we ended up in the backyard. It wasn't as packed as it was earlier. Danny and I made our way to a vacant spot on the grass, and then he sat down. I followed suit.

"Not as loud out here," he pointed out as he took the bag of joints from his pocket. He took a joint from the bag before putting the bag back in his pocket.

"Yeah…"

I was totally distracted. This party was huge, there was no way I would see Naomi twice…

"What's wrong?" Danny asked as he lit the end of the joint.

I looked down at the grass before pulling some out of the ground. I felt the dirt and blades of grass in my palm, it was soft and cool.

"I saw her," I muttered.

"Saw who?"

"Her…"

"Naomi?!"

I looked at Danny, who was shocked. He pushed his glasses up his nose before offering me the joint. I thought about it for a brief moment, and took it. I inhaled long and slow, feeling the smoke hit my lungs. I didn't cough as much as I did earlier though, and I was grateful for that.

"Yeah, she's here," I told him as I exhaled.

"Well, we gotta go find her then! It's the perfect night for a first kiss," Danny coaxed.

"There's no way we're going to find her in there," I countered. I took two more puffs of the joint before I gave it back to him.

Danny looked how I felt: defeated.

"Damn, I'm sorry Juliet… Maybe you will see her again tonight, it's still early."

I appreciated him trying to cheer me up, truly I did. But I knew deep down, realistically, there was no hope in seeing Naomi again tonight. I wasn't sure how long Danny and I stayed out in the backyard, I guess however long it took us to smoke two joints.

I felt amazing! The alcohol was hitting me, and the weed was hitting me all at once. My body felt like it was floating on air, and I was loving it! Danny and I went back inside, and found a small space by the stairway. I got into dancing again, but it seemed like the house had gotten even more crowded, so it was harder to move around.

In fact, I felt this abrupt shove out of nowhere. Someone had run into me! I scanned my surroundings hurriedly, and caught sight of a guy rushing up the stairs. He was towing a girl along with him, and she seemed totally… I knew that girl! That was—Naomi?! Seeing her sobered me up real quick!

Initially, I was hurt, I won't lie...I really thought that she and I had a spark, a connection we could nurture… But I guess I was wrong. As I watched them go upstairs I noticed that the guy Noami was with looked familiar. He was in one of my classes, a jock...Cody B—something...a guy who was more popular than me? More attractive than me?

The more I stared, the more I also observed that Naomi looked like she could barely stand on her own. And immediately my heart sank...What the hell was Cody up to anyway…? Despite knowing that Naomi probably felt nothing toward me, I wasn't going to let anything bad happen to her!

I hated that I had to take my eyes away from them, but I had to make sure Danny came with me, in case I needed backup. I spun around, and got Danny's attention.

"We have to go, now!"

"Go where?!" he questioned.

But I grabbed his arm and took off up the stairs, pulling him along. There wasn't enough time to give him a detailed explanation. By the time we got to the second floor Cody and Naomi were nowhere in sight. I growled in frustration. How were we going to find them?! I thought frantically, trying to come up with an idea until… Yes!

"Danny! Naomi is in one of these bedrooms with a guy named Cody!" I told him, a bit out of breath still.

"What?!" he questioned, confusion clear on his face. "Wait, Cody? His name sounds familiar...I think he is in Dean's Frat."

Of course he was.

"Juliet, you say they're in a room together… Maybe Naomi and Cody are—"

"No!" I blurted.

Danny bit his lip.

"I'll explain later. We have to find her, something is wrong!"

"How?! How are we going to find her?"

"I'll sniff her out," I told him. I'd been around Naomi enough to know her smell by now.

I started sniffing around the hallway, rushing from door to door. Finally I got a wift of her scent, it was faint, but it was definitely hers. It was probably being dulled by Cody's smell.

"This room! It's this one!"

"Are you sure?!"

I sniffed again...I was sure.

"Yes," I nodded.

"What now?!" Danny implored.

I banged on the door and waited.

"Go away!" a male voice called out.

We exchanged glances, and before we could discuss our next step, Danny passed through the door by using his power.

"D-Danny!" I panicked.

Suddenly, there were loud noises coming from behind the door, and I heard scuffling.

"Danny…" I murmured to myself. I rammed my shoulder into the door and it didn't budge. I raised my voice to a shout. "Danny!"

I heard more scuffling, and then glass breaking.

"Juliet!" Danny called out.

Now I was pissed. Cody first goes after the girl I liked, and then he goes after my best friend?! I needed to get in that bedroom, and I knew there was only one way I was getting through the door. I allowed my emotions to fuel my power until I transformed.

I backed up some, giving myself a little space. I readied myself, tensing my muscles, and then I sprung forward, using all of my strength. I aimed my front paws at the middle of the door, where I thought it might be the weakest. The door and I slammed down onto the floor with a loud crash!

I took in the scene before me. Naomi was laying on the bed, dazed, while Cody had Danny pinned against a wall. Danny's nose was bleeding, and anger coursed through me. Both of them stopped short when they saw me, well saw my animal form… I growled possessively at Cody and his eyes grew as big as saucers.

"W-Wolf!" Cody yelped, and let go of Danny.