The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the snow-packed Ice Rock Mountain ski resort parking lot. Jessica Trumblelee adjusted her oversized pink winter coat, watching her breath fog in the crisp mountain air. The coat was a size too large on purpose—room to accommodate unexpected transformations, though she'd never admit that to her squad mates. Behind her, the cheerleading squad buzzed with excited energy, their voices carrying across the empty parking lot.

  "I cannot believe we're here!" Amber Hearts squealed, bouncing on her toes. Her hazelnut hair peeked out from beneath a bright pink beanie, her enthusiasm threatening to melt the surrounding snow. “Thank god our captain is a spoiled rich girl!" She spun in a circle, arms spread wide, nearly slipping on a patch of ice.

  Jessica reached out with supernatural speed to steady her friend, then immediately tried to make the movement appear more casual. "Careful there. The season would be over if our best flyer broke an ankle."

  "Speaking of the season," Tiffany Barns cut in, her red hair pulled back in a tight ponytail that swayed with each decisive head movement. She wore a red furry winter coat, appearing as one of Santa's helpers with furry white earmuffs. "Okay, ladies. Bags out first, then room assignments. We've got a tight schedule if we want to maximize our ski time. Competition's in two months, and I want us in top cardio shape."

  "It's supposed to be a vacation," Mia Roberto muttered, pulling her purple suitcase from the van's trunk.

  "Everything's training to her," Camella Yawda whispered back, though her grin suggested she didn't really mind.

  Jessica felt a familiar prickle at the back of her neck—the heightened awareness that came with her werewolf senses. Something about these mountains felt different. Ancient. Wild. The wolf inside her stirred, responding to the untamed energy that seemed to pulse from the very rocks. She suppressed a small shiver that had nothing to do with the temperature.

  Salina Carpenter emerged from the van last, dressed head-to-toe in black, a stark contrast to the pristine white landscape. Her dark clothing wasn't just a fashion statement—Jessica knew it concealed various magical implements and protective charms. "Who wants to bet we can magically unpack faster?" she muttered, just loud enough for Jessica to hear. She wiggled her fingers, small sparks dancing between them.

  "Real funny, Salina. Some of us prefer manual labor to mystical shortcuts," Mia responded, hefting another bag. "Besides, remember what happened last time you tried to 'help' with luggage? My panties ended up in a toilet inside the boys’ restroom.”

  "Geez, I said sorry," Salina mumbled. "And for your record, I sacrificed my dignity to rescue your smelly wet panties.”

  "Speaking of mystic…" Camella joined in, hefting two massive bags with ease. Her athletic build made the weight look negligible. "I'm just here to hit those slopes and maybe catch some cute ski instructor's eye. Did you see that guy by the equipment shed? Talk about a double black diamond!"

  Jessica listened to the banter, grateful for the distraction from her own internal turmoil. A week-long trip meant a week off from fighting monsters. The full moon wasn't due for another two weeks, and Jessica still had control over her power, but something about this place made her wolf restless. One slip, one moment of lost control, and her carefully constructed normal life could come crashing down. No amount of "school spirit" could explain glowing eyes or sudden fur.

  The resort lobby was warm and inviting, all polished wood and massive windows overlooking snow-capped peaks. A stone fireplace dominated one wall, its crackling flames casting dancing shadows across mounted skis and vintage snowshoes. A robust man with dark skin and a feathered cowboy hat on his long dark hair stood behind the registration desk, watching their group with amusement and professional courtesy. His name tag read "Doug."

  "Cheerleading squad?" he asked, his voice a deep rumble that seemed to vibrate through the wooden floors. There was something else in his tone—a knowing edge that made Jessica's supernatural senses tingle.

  Tiffany stepped forward, all business. "Moon High Mighty Wolves. We've got reservations under Barns." She started pulling out perfectly organized paperwork.

  "Moon High, eh?" Doug's eyes twinkled. "Fitting name for these parts."

  Jessica noticed a collection of old drawings mounted on the wall as the manager checked them in. One, yellowed and slightly torn, caught her eye. A charcoal picture depicted what looked like a massive, white fur-covered creature surrounded by Native American warriors.

  "Interesting decor," she murmured to Salina, who had drifted closer to examine the wall.

  Salina's eyes lit up with that familiar spark of magical curiosity. "They looked like cave drawings, made by children.”

  The resort manager, overhearing, chuckled. "Not just decor, miss. Local legend. Drawn by my ancestors. These mountains have stories older than any of you." He handed Tiffany a stack of room keys, but his eyes stayed on the wall of clippings. "My grandfather said a tribe here had an unusual encounter with something before the first settlers arrived. Something wild and untamable.”

  Jessica felt that familiar supernatural tingle intensify. Something about his tone suggested these weren't just stories. She caught a faint scent—something wild and ancient, similar to her werewolf nature but different somehow.

  "Care to elaborate?" Salina asked, curiosity piqued. She'd pulled out her phone, probably already planning to research local supernatural histories.

  The manager's eyes twinkled, and for a moment, Jessica could have sworn they reflected the firelight like an animal's. "Some legends are best told by firelight. Let's just say these mountains have... secrets. Stick to the marked trails." He winked. "Though I suspect some of you might already be familiar with keeping secrets."

  A collective shiver ran through the group—part excitement, part unease. The other girls laughed it off as a typical tourist town mystery building, but Jessica and Salina exchanged knowing looks.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "Fourth floor, rooms 401 through 404," Doug continued, all business again. "Ski equipment rental is in the basement, breakfast starts at seven, and there's hot chocolate in the lobby all day. Welcome to Ice Rock Mountain."

  “Is there coffee?” Jessica asked. “I'm allergic to chocolate.”

  The manager frowned. “We don't sell coffee to minors, but we do have tea for everyone.”

  Jessica shrugged. “Sounds good to me.”

  As they collected their room keys, Jessica caught Salina's knowing glance. The witch's eyes were already dancing with possibilities. Whatever secrets these mountains held, they'd soon find out.

  "I call dibs on a window bed!" Amber announced, breaking the moment. "I want to wake up to that view!"

  "Just remember we're here to train too," Tiffany reminded them, already heading for the elevator. "First ski lesson is at nine tomorrow morning."

  Jessica hefted her bag, feeling the weight of her clothes. She packed a lot in case she had to go full wolf mode at the resort. A week in the mountains, surrounded by ancient energy and unknown creatures. What could go wrong?

  And Jessica hoped, with growing uncertainty, that her werewolf side would remain her secret. But as Doug's knowing gaze followed them to the elevator, she couldn't shake the feeling that these mountains might have other plans.

  The elevator doors closed with a soft ding, carrying them up into whatever adventures—or dangers—awaited in Ice Rock Mountain.

  *****

  The sunlight filtered through the frost-covered windows of the Ice Rock Mountain resort, casting long shadows across the lobby. Jessica adjusted the strap of her overnight bag, her muscles aching from the long drive up the mountain. The winding roads had tested even her enhanced werewolf reflexes, and she'd spent most of the journey gripping the armrest to avoid transforming from motion sickness. Beside her, Salina was already eyeing the room key with a mix of exhaustion and anticipation, her black-painted nails drumming against the plastic keycard.

  "Dibs on the bed by the window," Salina declared, her dark-lined eyes scanning the small room with its two twin beds, compact dresser, and a view that looked out over the snow-covered slopes. The room was cozy, with pine-paneled walls and thick burgundy curtains that matched the geometric patterns on the carpet.

  Jessica rolled her eyes, dropping her bag onto the remaining bed. "We just got here, and you're already claiming territory? Don't tell me you are totally copying Amber." She didn’t lose the irony of her words—territory claiming was definitely in her nature, even if she fought against those instincts.

  "No, I'm not," Salina quipped, dropping her bag and flopping dramatically onto the bed. Her black winter coat pooled around her like a dark cloud against the cream-colored comforter. "I call it strategic positioning. Besides, you know I need the moonlight for my midnight rituals."

  "Please tell me you're joking about doing rituals here," Jessica groaned, though she already knew the answer. Living with a witch meant accepting certain peculiarities, like finding crystal arrangements on the windowsills and herbs drying in unexpected places.

  "What happens in Ice Rock stays in Ice Rock," Salina sang, pulling a small velvet pouch from her coat pocket. The distinct smell of sage and lavender wafted across the room, making Jessica's sensitive nose twitch.

  The phone in Jessica's pocket buzzed, interrupting whatever magical preparations Salina was about to begin. She pulled it out, saw Kevin's name, and put it on speaker. Her heart did a little flip at seeing his contact photo—him grinning in his signature vintage leather jacket, surrounded by dusty books in the occult bookstore.

  "Hey, you made it!" Kevin's voice crackled through the speaker, warm and familiar. The background noise suggested he was outdoors, probably walking through the French Quarter.

  "Yep, we're here," Jessica confirmed, unpacking her neatly folded clothes. She placed each item with precision, a habit born from years of cheerleading discipline. "How are your grandparents?"

  "Drowning me in pralines and family stories," Kevin chuckled. "Gran's determined to teach me how to dance like a tribal warrior before New Year's, and Pops keeps pulling out this ancient African art. New Orleans is a whole different world from our little mountain getaway. Though speaking of magic, see the voodoo shops here—Salina would lose her mind."

  Salina perked up from her bed, where she'd been arranging crystals on the windowsill. "Already losing it, thanks. Speaking of losing it, this place has the most insane local legend about an Abominable Snowman."

  "Seriously?" Kevin's interest piqued, and Jessica could picture him pulling out his worn leather notebook, ready to document another supernatural case. "Tell me everything. Is it like the Jersey Devil reports we read?”

  Jessica shot Salina a warning look, but her friend was already launching into the story, sitting cross-legged on her bed with enthusiasm. "There's this centuries-old myth about a massive creature that roams these mountains. Some say it's a cursed warrior, others claim it's just a local tall tale to scare tourists. But get this—the resort manager basically confirmed it. He's got this wall of evidence in the lobby, ancient Native American drawings.”

  "Interesting," Kevin added, his voice taking on that familiar investigative tone. "Remember those articles we found in the public library's archives about snowmen?"

  "Sounds like something we would've investigated back in the day," Kevin continued a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "The three of us against the unknown, armed with nothing but questionable research skills and Salina's barely controlled magic."

  Jessica's stomach twisted. Back in the day. Before she'd chosen popularity over their supernatural investigations. Before she'd left Kevin and Salina behind to join the cheerleading squad, trying to build some semblance of a normal life. But everything changed when she became a werewolf. Perhaps trying to be normal was out of the question.

  "So you still have plans for Christmas when you come back?" Kevin asked, shifting the conversation as if sensing her discomfort. "Like shopping?”

  "Yeah, it will be totally great with you," Jessica said, her voice softer. She traced the edge of her dresser, remembering late nights spent in Kevin's bedroom, surrounded by occult books and the comfort of belonging. "I miss you."

  "Miss you too," Kevin replied, and she could hear his smile. "Stay safe up there. And maybe... keep an eye out for anything weird? Not that I'm suggesting you investigate, but—"

  "But you're totally suggesting we investigate," Salina interrupted, grinning.

  "Just be careful," Kevin amended. "These old mountain ranges have a way of keeping secrets."

  Jessica thought of her own secret, the wolf inside her that seemed more alert than ever in these mountains. "We'll be fine," she assured him. "Just a cheerleading trip. Nothing supernatural about skiing and hot drinks.”

  "Right," Kevin said, unconvinced. "Because nothing supernatural ever happens around us."

  After saying goodbye and promising to call again tomorrow, Jessica turned to find Salina watching her with a knowing look. The witch had finished her crystal arrangement and was now pulling out a small black notebook that Jessica recognized as her spell journal.

  "What?" Jessica demanded, recognizing that mischievous glint in her friend's eye.

  "Nothing," Salina said, but her smile spoke volumes. She tapped her journal thoughtfully. "Just thinking about how you can't run from who you are forever. Speaking of running—let's get ready to hit the slopes. Tiffany will kill us if we're late for the team meeting."

  Jessica began changing into her ski clothes, careful to layer them to accommodate any unexpected transformations. Outside, the first snowflakes of the evening fell, soft and silent against the darkening mountain backdrop. Each flake caught the fading light like tiny stars, creating an almost magical atmosphere that made her wolf stir with anticipation.

  As she watched the snowfall, Jessica couldn't shake the feeling that Kevin was right. These mountains were old, and they held secrets—secrets that seemed to call to the wild part of her she tried so hard to contain. The question was: could she keep her secret while discovering theirs?

  The resort's ancient heating system creaked to life, and somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled—or maybe it was just the wind. Jessica pulled her sweater closer, trying to ignore how naturally her wolf wanted to answer that call.