“Well, well. It looks like you had a fairy godmother after all. Or maybe you bought that dress off the rack in some cheesy shop and just said you made it.” Alison stepped from the shadows, stumbling over the hem of her dress. “You couldn’t even get my hem right. You suck, Isabel.”

She giggled, snorting through her nose. “Then again, I watched you. You may suck, but you don’t do it well.” She made a face. “Poor Alex. He would have been better off sticking his dick in that tree than fucking you.”

“You’re tripping over your dress because you’re drunk, Alison. How did you get back here anyway? Zander gave strict instructions to his security team.”

Ally snorted again. “When are you going to learn men think with their dicks? All I had to do was stick out my tongue and say ah.”

“Alison! Where are you?” Candice hissed from the shadows. She stumbled through the grass, righting herself on the cherry tree.

“Hello, Candi. Funny running into you here,” Isabel replied, knowing her eyes were like steel.

Candice looked from one girl to the other. “What are you both thinking? Get back to the house, immediately! Isabel, where have you been all night?”

Alison hiccupped. “I found her having a quickie under the tree.”

“Isabel! Are you trying to ruin Ally’s chances on purpose? If security finds us, we’ll all be out on our asses instead of impressing Alexandr Petrov.”

Izzy snorted. “Alison stands as much chance of impressing Zander as that tree. Like you, he wants substance and quality, and Alison has neither. She’s all show and no stay because you let her believe she was all that, when we both know she’s got no real talent other than manipulation.”

“You bitch! I shredded your dress, but I should have shredded you.” Alison lunged, but tripped over her own feet, but not before she fisted a handful of blue silk, tearing a strap from Isabel’s dress.

Izzy shoved Alison, and the girl rocked back, stumbling against Candice. Isabel’s dress hung from one shoulder, a single bare breast exposed. She glanced down and the same kind of anger sluiced through her like it did in Candi’s guestroom.

A strange tightness gripped Izzy’s throat and something that sounded like a growl formed at the back of her gullet. Heat sizzled and prickled across her skin, like electric stings. She threw her head back as the same pain gripped her insides, only this time, when she fell forward, she landed on all fours. A scream ripped from her mouth and she lifted one arm, watching as muscles writhed and undulated beneath her skin.

“Zander!” she cried, but she knew in her gut what was happening.

She did what he said and looked deep within, and throwing her face to the moon, she heard her wolf. It growled inside her, begging for release. She let go and her body reshaped, as front and hind legs replaced arms and legs, fur skittering across her skin.

In seconds, a sleek black wolf transformed before their eyes, and Alison clamored behind Candice as Izzy lowered her head, teeth bared as she advanced.

Eyes wide, Candice pushed Alison behind her completely and held out one hand as the two of them backed up. “Isabel, please. Calm down. You know Alison is unstable. Please, honey. You’ve been with me for years. I’m sorry I’ve been so hard on you.”

“How could you know she was a shifter and not tell me? She could have killed me,” Ally hissed, crouching.

“Shut up, Alison. If I knew, do you think I would have let you bait her all these years? Everyone’s right. Isabel’s got more talent than you ever will. I only pushed you out of guilt for giving you up for adoption.”

Zander rushed from the shadows. “Who are you?” His voice was a rough growl. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s Isabel!” Alison shrieked. “She’s gone crazy! Get her away from us.”

He laughed. “Isabel?”

The wolf’s large head swiveled toward him. She lowered her head and whined, covering her nose with her paw.

Zander’s eyes went wide and he took a step toward Isabel, but then stopped, his angry gaze aimed at Candice. “I don’t know who you are, but you have five seconds to explain. Isabel would never have shifted unless she felt threatened.”

Isabel whined again, but before Zander could say another word, she bolted toward the beach.

“Izzy! Wait!” He rushed after her, but it was too late. She vaulted over his security guards and ran down the beach. He stood on the edge of the property watching her disappear into the shadows. Stepping down to the edge of the beach, he squatted next to a print in the wet sand. It was a perfect rendering of Isabel’s paw.

Something at the center of the imprinted pad caught his eye, and a memory shimmered at the edge of his mind. Reaching into his pocket, he took out his phone and snapped at picture of the print.

“I always knew she was a freak,” Ally scoffed

“Alison!” Candice hissed at her to shut up before shifting her attention to Zander. “Isabel is exotic, Alex. I know. I understand the lure, but trust me, she’s not an actress. She’s a very talented artist with no interest in the movies other than costume design. I’ve known her for years. Her father and I were involved before he died. My daughter Alison is perfect for your next project.”

He turned from the beach, his mouth a thin line. “Her?” He flicked his gaze toward Alison. “You should have listened to Isabel before you let your pet bitch attack. The puzzle pieces all fit. Isabel told me you were difficult, but now I see she was being generous. She’s too good for either of you and worth twice as much.”

Zander stepped forward and leaned in, giving Alison a quick sniff. “Just out of curiosity, who told you this was the baby you gave up for adoption?”

Confused, Candice sputtered. “Alison did. She found me five years ago. She had all the right paperwork.”

He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “She’s no more your daughter than I am. Any shifter worth their salt could have told you that with one sniff.”

Candice’s mouth fell open, but then mashed to a thin line, her eyes tracking toward the beach. “Why didn’t Isabel ever say anything?”

Zander followed her line of sight. “She probably didn’t want to hurt you, though something tells me you had no problem taking advantage of her loyalty every chance you got.”

High tide sent a wave crashing to the edge of the property, and it washed away what was left of Isabel’s paw print as it receded. He looked at the image on his phone and then stuck his cell in his pocket. At least this time, he’d have no problem finding her.

His eyes found Candice again. “If you want any kind of a career in this town, you’ll tell me where I can find Isabel.” He waited, watching as she slid her eyes to Alison sniffling in the shadows.

Candice squared her shoulders. “I’m done with that one, just so you know.” She gestured toward Ally.

“You should have been done with her a long time ago and put your effort into the one person who really needed you.” He waited. “The address, now—”