I passed out from exhaustion, according to Briar, when I awakened an hour later. I was blushing like crazy and apologizing to them all, since they stayed and watched over me.

"Aw, he's so adorable!" squealed one short boy. He was still taller than me.

His dyed ash-blond hair seemed to sparkle as though it was sprinkled with faerie dust. He had pretty hazel eyes with gleaming gold flecks flickering in their depths. He was very slim with feminine features and seemed to be the most energetic out of the bunch. His skin tone was a mocha color, which made his hair stand out even more.

"My name is Waltz. It's nice to meet you!" cried the faerie boy, spinning around until he was caught by another taller boy.

"Careful there, Zee. You could get hurt."

I took in the long dark brown hair braided down his back, spotting nearly black eyes as he smiled at Waltz. He had horns similar to Alexandre, which meant they curled down just like some depictions of dragons. The boy looked no older than my age, maybe even a bit younger. His frame was slim, but he was the same height as Briar.

The boy caught me looking and smiled as he led Waltz back over. "Hey, Anwyll, it's nice to have a new member. I'm Dian, and I came here about four years ago."

"Do you like it here, Dian?" I asked in a soft voice.

Dian shivered when I said his name, which made me wonder what that was about. He slowly opened his eyes again, which were burning with a passion for something.

"Yes, I enjoy being here. It's a hundred times better than where I came from. Sure, we have our ups and downs, but in the end, we're a family and we get along well enough." responded Dian, his tone low and his voice had a smooth quality to the rumbly timbre.

My eyelids lowered and I leaned back into Briar again. He chuckled and curled his tail over me. I blinked a few times, then glanced up at him.

"Briar, may I touch your tail?"

His eyebrows shot up. "Sure, Ann."

I reached out for it and the tip twitched. I bit back my urge to grab it, then put one finger on it. I gently petted it by sliding my finger in the direction his fur grew.

Briar shuddered, so I looked up with a startled expression. "I-I'm sorry! Did that hurt?"

His pretty green eyes sparkled and then his pupils narrowed. He flipped me onto my back and I found his lips on mine. I squirmed, but Briar pinned my arms to the couch. He pushed his tongue into my mouth and I whined, twisting in his hold. My knee found something soft and Briar yowled in pain. I rolled off the couch and ran out of the room, vaguely hearing shocked cries.

Why did he do that!

I started crying, my eyes blurring from the drops as I ran aimlessly down the halls. Eventually I found a cubby hole and crawled inside to sob to myself.

That felt really weird. Was that a kiss or something? Why did my first friend do that to me? And did I hurt him? I hope he's not hurting. I may have hurt him first and he was getting back at me. That makes more sense, but why did he kiss me?

My sobs eased and I sniffled, wiping at my eyes. When I slowly peeled open my eyelids to stare at my surroundings with stinging eyes, there was a pair of bright blue eyes staring at me. I squeaked and hid my face, but I felt a finger poke at my hand.

"Hey," said a nice, smooth voice. "You're the new kid, right? What happened?"

I lifted my face and looked at the older boy with blond wavy hair. "Um, things were going okay, and then I screwed it all up like always. I hope they don't hate me now. We were still in the midst of introductions, too." I pouted, sucking on my bottom lip to keep it from trembling.

Pink lips curled up. "Oh? And what's your name?"

I smiled a bit and rested my head on my knees. "Anwyll, and what's yours?"

"Angelique, but everyone calls me Angel." he responded with a pretty smile.

"It's nice to meet you. I hope we can become friends." I giggled, holding out my hand.

He grasped it, swallowing my hand with his much larger one, and gently eased my body out of the cubby hole. Before I could thank him, his arms wrapped around my small form and lifted me up. I clutched onto his shoulders, then spotted something sparkling in my peripheral vision turned my head and saw a sharp-looking horn in the middle of his forehead. It was such a pretty pale gold. I reached out to touch it, but Angel stopped me.

"If you touch it, I won't be able to hold back."

"Hold back what?" I leaned back to look into his eyes. "And I have a quick question."

Angel cocked an eyebrow. "Shoot."

"What do you call it when someone puts his lips on yours? Well, more specifically: why someone would want to put their lips on mine after I hurt that person. Is that a kiss or something else?"

He cracked a smirk. "Do you want that, sweetheart? All you have to do is to say so."

My eyebrows furrowed. "Angel, I really don't know what's going on. I'm asking 'cause Briar pushed his tongue in my mouth."

Angel froze. "What? You don't know what a kiss is at your age?"

"Okay, so I guess that was a kiss. I suppose I understand now. But why would he kiss me after I hurt him?" I mumbled aloud.

"You hurt Briar?"

"Um, I don't know. I asked to touch his tail and I tried to be as gentle as possible, but I think I hurt him." I bit my lip and shut my eyes. "I wanna apologize. I feel so bad for hurting him while he kissed me. I'm sure it was super painful."

Angel winced. "Between the legs?"

I nodded. "I didn't understand what or why he was doing that to me, so I was scared."

"Then let's go back to the living room to see if he's still there so you can explain." said Angel, so I nodded and kissed his forehead, right next to his horn. I think my lips brushed it.

"Thank you." I smiled as I leaned back again. Angel's cheeks were burning, which made me confused. Was he okay?

"Y-you're welcome." coughed Angel, turning his head. "Just rest your head on my shoulder if you're tired."

"Thanks again." I said as I did so, then finally paid attention to his body type as I was pressed against it.

Angel was like Briar in terms of muscle and height, if not slightly taller. His short pale blond hair sparkled in a similar fashion as Waltz's hair, but it was much more wavy. Angel even had some stubble along his jaw and cheeks. I wasn't much for admiring people, but Angel was really handsome.

Actually, all of the boys in this new home of mine are beautiful, handsome, and super pretty. And then there's ugly old me.

Mom made sure to tell me every day. My feminine face and short frame were extremely unattractive, and she told me that no one would be able to love my slim body. I was more childlike than anything else with no body hair to speak of besides the wavy hair on my head, and the wolf attributes Alexandre told me I had. But of course my mom never saw those.

"Anwyll?"

I nibbled on my bottom lip. "Y-yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"I...don't know. I'm really happy to be here, though." I tucked my nose into his neck. "I just keep remembering my mom."

"Do you miss her?"

"No, not at all. I keep remembering what she would say and do to me. Every time it hurt. Even now it hurts to think about her, but she's like the ghost that no one wants following them around."

Angel had me sit up again, so I looked at him with teary eyes. His soft hitch of breath made me lower my ears.

"I'm ugly, aren't I? She would always say so. I get even uglier when I cry."

I felt my body shift a bit and his hand cupped my right cheek. I peered at him through the tears threatening to fall. Bright sky blue eyes shimmered with pain and another emotion I couldn't recognize.

"Don't think about her, little Anwyll. You are beautiful. Not just the outer appearance, but in your heart as well."

I stared at Angel with an unwavering gaze for several seconds, then bit my bottom lip again. "Th-thank you..." I whispered, feeling my eyes stinging as the tears slipped out again.

I squeezed my eyes shut and lifted one hand to wipe my face, but felt warm lips on mine. This time I didn't panic. I slowly opened my eyes when Angel drew back with a soft smile.

"You are precious, Anwyll, and your home is with us now. Your mother can't hurt you anymore."

"Except in here." I patted my head, then my chest.

"We will heal those wounds, Anwyll. I can promise you that much." whispered Angel, then he tucked my head into his neck and leaned his cheek against my crown. "And you will heal ours."

I hugged his neck, silently wondering what he meant but feeling incredibly grateful to Angel. I felt much better after talking to him. When I heard sighs of relief, I turned my head and saw several unknown family members flopping back on the couch.

"Where was he, Angel?"

The one who spoke up was a boy in baggy clothes. He had ice blue eyes and a pretty halo hovering over his head. His reddish-orange wavy hair was styled longer on one side and shaved on the other. He had a bottom lip piercing and small gauges in his ears.

"Practically on the other side of the house inside a cubby hole. I was shocked he could fit in there." Angel laughed, then set me on the floor.

I turned to the halo boy and looked up at him. "I'm sorry for running away."

Ice blue eyes swirled with curiosity. "Why'd you knee Briar in the junk and run off?"

Angel chuckled. "Poor kid didn't know what a kiss was and got scared."

He ruffled my hair, making me look up at him with a blush. I squeezed his hand and felt my tail swish a happier rhythm.

"N-no way, seriously? You'd never gotten a kiss before? Even though you look like that!"

I looked back up into frozen ice blue eyes. "Like what?"

His clear tawny skin, a beautiful brown tinged with a reddish tone, turned a bit more red on his cheeks as he tried to find a way to answer me.

"You don't know?" he finally asked, and I cocked my head to the side.

"Know what?"

"How adorable you are!" Waltz filled in, bouncing over with a broad grin. "Have you never looked in a mirror?"

"What's that?" At my question, everyone stopped.

Angel crouched down. "What did you say, sweetheart?"

I pursed my lips, then cracked a grin. "I'm joking. I know what a mirror is, but I've never looked at one before. Mom said I was never allowed to look at my ugly self in case I got more ugly."

Angel scooped me up again and dashed out of the room. Waltz, Dian, and the boy with the halo followed us out. I looked up at Angel while I was bounced around.

"Wh-what's going on?"

"We're going to the nearest room with a mirror." Angel huffed, slinging me up over his shoulder.

I hummed. "Okay, I guess."

The red-haired boy seemed to be in shock, so I asked him for his name. His ice blue eyes shot up to meet mine.

"Damon, and I still can't believe you've never seen yourself! I can't believe you've never tried for eighteen years!"

Angel paused, then looked back. "I did overhear Anwyll and Briar talking in the hallway before, but I wasn't entirely certain."

"Yeah, I'm just tiny." I responded with a grumpy voice. "Why'd you kiss me if you thought I was a little kid?"

"I didn't think you were a little kid. But you are beautiful. I couldn't help myself, regardless of my uncertainty." whispered Angel, squeezing my waist. "But I believe you will help me with self-control."

"All righty." I replied, then my tail wiggled with a happy giggle on my lips.

"What has you so happy, Anwyll?" inquired Dian, his rich black coffee eyes swirling with interest.

"I'm happy no one hates me. It's the first time ever." I beamed, wiggling my fingers at them.

"Ann!"

I heard Briar call the nickname he gave me, so I turned around and saw my first friend his slow from his running. He looked so relieved.

"Briar, I'm sorry for hitting you down there. I was startled and scared. Angel explained that what you gave me was actually a kiss, so I'm not scared anymore." I explained, as Angel slowed to a stop.

Briar almost looked ready to collapse with relief. "I am so sorry, Ann. I couldn't hold back my feline side. He really wanted to devour you."

"D-devour?" I whispered, my ears lowering against my skull.

"Briar, Anwyll is extremely innocent." warned Angel, so Briar's face paled and he quickly apologized for scaring me.

"I just meant that I'm kinda—no, really—attracted to you, and so is my cat side." Briar blushed, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck.

I round of oohs stirred the air and my face flushed. "O-oh, okay. Um, I'm really sorry for hurting you."

Briar shook his head. "I deserved that, so don't apologize. I'm the one who should be sorry."

I reached for him, so Briar shuffled closer with a somber expression. I cupped his cheeks and squeezed my eyes shut as I pushed forward. A startled mew slipped from Briar, and my cheeks burned when I opened my eyes and saw his emerald green ones wide with shock. I dropped my hands and twiddled my thumbs.

"No more sorries, okay? Let's be happy." I grinned, then beamed when I saw a smile grow on his face. "Wanna come with us? Angel is gonna show me to a mirror."

Briar's eyes widened and he moved around to look into Angel's face. "He's never seen his reflection?"

Angel shook his head. "Apparently not. His mother told him he was ugly repeatedly throughout his life and never allowed him to peer at his own face."

Briar clenched his fists. "Fu—!"

"Ssh, no swearing." I put a finger to my lips. "That's not very nice, Bri."

Briar stared with wonder in his eyes, his ears flicking forward. Waltz burst into giggles a moment later, then danced like a ballerina around Angel, Briar, and my own self.

"Let's go! I wanna see how he reacts!"

Dian calmed Waltz down with a single touch. "I've called the others. Alex's office is nearest to us, and he has a full-sized mirror. Let's go there." he suggested, so Angel nodded and kept walking.

Angel let me slide down his front a bit, since my tummy was hurting on his shoulder. I hugged his neck with a happy giggle, my tail wagging with joy. I had made up with Briar and now we were happy. I still had yet to meet the others, though.

I nosed my arm, which was the color of alabaster. It made me wonder what I looked like. I knew my hair was pretty much the same color as my tail and ears because I'd plucked some hairs of from my ears to see. That hurt a lot, so I never did it again.

I've always wondered what color my eyes are, but whenever I'd asked my mom, she would smack my cheek so hard I'd hit something as I fell against it.

I winced and ducked down. Angel rubbed my back. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"What if Mom finds out?"

"She won't, mainly because she's not your mom anymore. She handed over her rights to you the moment she signed the contract."

"O-oh, so that means my mom can't take me away either?"

Angel chuckled. "No, only because that would be a crime and she would be thrown in jail."

"Mmkay, that's good."

"And why is that good?"

"Because I'd hate to be taken away from my new family, which I already love a lot." I beamed, squeezing his neck a bit tighter.

Waltz, Dian, Damon, Briar, and even Angel faltered in their footsteps for a single moment. Smiles broke out, which made me purr. Angel startled, then gripped my body a bit more securely.

Finally, we reached a nondescript door. Briar knocked, so I heard Alexandre's voice ask us to come in. We shuffled inside and the others were already there in the spacious office.

"I heard our little werewolf hasn't seen what he looks like to others. Is that true, Anwyll?" inquired Alexandre, so I nodded.

"Mom didn't want me to and made sure I'd never be able to without actually making me blind." I quirked my lips down, rubbing my cheek with the back of my hand. I could feel the painful sting of her slap.

Alexandre was in front of us in an instant and Angel dutifully handed me over to the much taller man. I stared at him with curious eyes.

"I want to see what you see. Is that okay, Alexandre?" I asked in a soft voice, which made him shiver just like Dian.

His pale eyelashes fluttered and opened to reveal heated honey-colored orbs. I was fixated on watching his face, studying his features. He looked like an modern version of an English nobleman from the early 1800s. His appearance was very well put-together, too. He had a very short beard and mustache combo, giving him a dignified and regal look.

I nervously licked my lips. "May I see myself, Alexandre?"

He drew me closer to his chest and tucked my body into his side. Alexandre turned and I wiggled my fingers at my other family members. A couple smiled back when I gave them a big grin.

The headmaster walked towards a corner of the wall and pulled off a sheet with a flourish. I threw my hands out, but felt Alexandre's fingers pushing my arms down.

"Look, my little wolf. Look and see what we do." he whispered into my wolf ear.

I was scared for a second, but then dared to peer at myself as his lips pressed against my cheek. My own lips parted from surprise.

"That's me?"