The roar of the crowd was deafening as the final seconds ticked off the clock. Jessica's heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline surging through her veins as she executed one last perfect backflip. Her feet hit the ground just as the buzzer sounded, cementing the Mighty Wolves' victory.

"We did it!" shrieked Tiffany, her blonde ponytail whipping through the air as she bounced up and down.

Jessica grinned, her chest heaving from exertion. The thrill of the win coursed through her, momentarily pushing aside the constant undercurrent of anxiety that had become her constant companion. She scanned the crowd, her enhanced senses picking out familiar faces among the sea of cheering spectators.

There, halfway up the bleachers, sat Kevin and Salina. Kevin thrust his fist triumphantly in the air, while Salina's smile threatened to split her face in two. Jessica felt a pang of gratitude for her two best friends–the only people who knew her secret.

"Earth to Jessica!" Tiffany's voice cut through her reverie. "Stop daydreaming and help me round up the squad. We need to congratulate our boys!"

Jessica blinked, forcing herself back to the present. "Right, sorry. I'm on it."

She jogged across the field, her pompoms bouncing against her thighs. The football players were engaged in a raucous celebration, their helmets discarded as they chest-bumped and high-five.

"Great game, guys!" Jessica called out, her voice barely audible over the din.

Brad, the quarterback, flashed her a million-dollar smile. "Couldn't have done it without our amazing cheerleaders," he said with a wink.

Jessica rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Save the smooth talk for Tiffany, hotshot."

As if summoned, Tiffany materialized at Jessica's side, immediately throwing herself into Brad's arms. Jessica took a step back, giving the couple some space. She watched as the rest of her squad mingled with the players, laughter and excited chatter filling the air.

A familiar scent caught Jessica's attention, and she turned to see Kevin and Salina approaching. She felt some of the tension leave her shoulders at the sight of her friends.

In the past, they had never attended football games or supported Jessica’s team because of their breakup. However, after coming together to assist her in battling the werewolf that cursed her, they began paying more attention to her while vigilant for any new supernatural threats to their town. Regardless, Jessica was pleased to have their support for her athleticism.

"That was incredible!" Salina gushed, pulling Jessica into a tight hug. "You guys were on fire tonight!"

Kevin nodded in agreement. "Seriously, I don't think I've ever seen you nail that series of flips so perfectly."

Jessica felt a flush of pride, but a flicker of unease quickly tempered it. Had her supernatural abilities given her an unfair advantage? She pushed the thought aside, forcing a smile.

"Thanks, guys. It was a team effort, though. Everyone brought their A-game tonight."

Kevin's eyes narrowed slightly, and Jessica knew he had picked up on her momentary discomfort. Before he could say anything, however, Tiffany's voice rang out over the crowd.

"Listen up, everyone!" she called, clapping her hands for attention. "I have the perfect idea for how we can keep this celebration going!"

Jessica exchanged a wary glance with Kevin and Salina. Tiffany's "perfect ideas" had a tendency to be anything but.

"My boyfriend's family has this amazing vacation home on Moon Island," Tiffany continued, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's called Castle Dregan, and it's supposedly haunted. What better place for an epic Halloween party?"

A chorus of enthusiastic cheers greeted her suggestion. Jessica felt her stomach twist into knots. Moon Island? Castle Dregan? The names stirred something in her memory–old stories her father used to tell, whispered warnings about the dangers that lurked in the shadows of Moon Valley. He may not be a believer in the supernatural, but he cared about Jessica’s safety very much.

"Jessica?" Salina's voice was low, concern clear in her tone. "You okay?"

Jessica forced herself to nod, pasting on a smile that felt brittle around the edges. "Yeah, of course. Just... processing."

Kevin leaned in, pitching his voice for Jessica's ears only. "We don't have to go if you're not comfortable. We can make up an excuse."

For a moment, Jessica felt the temptation to accept his offer. But as she looked around at her excited teammates, she felt a surge of determination. She was more than her secret, more than the wolf that lurked beneath her skin. She deserved a night of normal teenage fun, dammit.

"No," she said, straightening her shoulders. "It'll be fine. We should go."

Tiffany's voice cut through the excited chatter once more. "Okay, people! Party starts tomorrow night at 8. Don't forget your costumes–and make them good! Bring lots of beer and candy too! This is going to be a Halloween bash for the ages!"

Salina’s smile took on a devilish curve. “I always wanted to drink beer with candy in it without grandma watching me.”

As the crowd dispersed, making plans and swapping costume ideas, Jessica felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to find Brad standing there with a big smile.”

"Hey, girl. Are you excited?”

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Jessica crossed her arms. “Yeah. Maybe a little.”

Brad smiled. “Cool! I just want to make sure you won't get nervous.”

“Nervous? Why?”

Brad ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair, looking uncomfortable. "Well… Every time I mention my family's vacation spot, people keep freaking out. All because of those damn stories.”

Jessica blinked, taken aback by the question. "What kind of stories?"

"Just... odd stuff. People going missing, strange noises in the night. Probably just local legends, you know? But still..." He trailed off, looking embarrassed. "I don't know, maybe they're all being paranoid and shit. My parents and I saw nothing there since they bought it. The castle is as quiet as a mouse. So you're cool?”

Jessica forced a smile, even as her mind raced. "Yeah, I'm sure it's nothing. Every old building has its ghost stories, right?"

Brad nodded, visibly relaxing. "Right, yeah. Of course. I’m only doing this for my babe, and the castle is the only place where we can party without stupid adults around us. Thanks for not freaking out! See you tomorrow night!"

As he jogged off to rejoin the team, Jessica felt the knot in her stomach tighten. She made her way back to Kevin and Salina, who were waiting with identical expressions of concern.

"What did Brad want?" Salina asked, her dark eyes searching Jessica's face.

Jessica hesitated, weighing her words carefully. "He was just... letting me know about his family’s castle. Apparently, there are some creepy stories about it.”

Kevin frowned. "What stories?"

"Nothing specific," Jessica said, shrugging in what she hoped was a casual manner. "Just your typical haunted house stuff. I'm sure it's fine."

She could tell by their expressions that her friends looked serious, knowing the supernatural was real. But mercifully, they didn't push the issue. Instead, Salina linked her arm through Jessica's, steering her towards the parking lot.

"Come on," she said brightly. "We need to figure out our costumes for tomorrow. I'm thinking we go as the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus. Kevin can be our Billy Butcherson."

Kevin groaned dramatically. "Nah! I wanna be a mad scientist like Dr. Frankenstein."

"Boring!" Salina declared. "Besides, you'd make an adorable zombie."

Jessica rolled her eyes. “I think I’ll just be a normal cheerleader from a B-movie. My dad couldn’t afford to buy a costume for me.”

Salina shrugged. “Whatever, losers.”

As her friends bickered good-naturedly, Jessica allowed herself to be swept along in their wake. The excitement of the game was fading, replaced by a growing sense of unease. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the Castle Dregan stories than simple ghost tales.

But what choice did she have? She couldn't very well tell her friends that her heightened werewolf senses were screaming danger. She couldn't explain that the mere mention of Moon Island set her teeth on edge, awakening some primal instinct she didn't fully understand.

No, she would go to this party. She would laugh and dance and pretend to be just another normal teenager. And if trouble arose... well, she was more equipped to handle it than anyone realized.

As they reached Salina's black car, Jessica took one last look back at the football field. The lights were dimming; the crowd dispersing. Tomorrow night, they would all gather again on Moon Island, ready to celebrate their victory in style.

Jessica only hoped that by the time the sun rose on November 1st, they would all still have cause to celebrate.

"Earth to Jessica, come in Jessica!" Salina's voice cut through her thoughts. "Are you going to stand there all night, or are you getting in the car?"

Jessica shook herself, forcing a smile. "Sorry, just got lost in thought for a second there."

"Thinking about a better costume that I could put on you?" Salina teased as Jessica slid into the backseat.

"Nope," Jessica replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I can't wait to see what kind of witch's hat you're going to stick on your head."

As Salina launched into an enthusiastic description of her potential costume, Jessica leaned her head against the cool glass of the window. Outside, the familiar streets of their small town rolled by, bathed in the warm glow of streetlights.

Tomorrow, they would leave this comfortable, known world behind for the mysteries of Moon Island. Jessica only hoped she was ready for whatever awaited them there.

The drive to Salina's house passed in a blur of costume planning and excited chatter about the upcoming party. Jessica nodded along, offering the occasional comment or suggestion, but her mind was elsewhere.

As they pulled into Salina's driveway, Kevin turned in his seat to face Jessica. "You sure you're okay with all this?" he asked, his voice low enough that Salina, who was already climbing out of the car, couldn't hear.

Jessica plastered on her most convincing smile. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Kevin's expression made it clear he wasn't buying it. "I don't know, maybe because the full moon is tomorrow and we're going to a creepy old castle on an island?"

Jessica felt a flicker of panic at the reminder of the approaching full moon. How could she have forgotten? She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm.

"It'll be fine," she insisted, as much to convince herself as Kevin. "I still have control over my transformation. All thanks to our teenage witch here.”

Kevin looked like he wanted to argue further, but Salina chose that moment to rap on the window. "Come on, slowpokes! We've got costumes to plan!"

With a sigh, Jessica climbed out of the car. As they walked towards Salina's front door, she felt Kevin's hand on her arm, holding her back for a moment.

"Just... be careful, okay?" he said, his eyes serious. "And remember, Salina and I have your back. No matter what."

Jessica felt a rush of affection for her friend. "I know," she whispered. "Thanks, Kevin."

Inside, Salina's bedroom looked like a costume shop had exploded. Clothes, wigs, and various accessories were strewn across every available surface. Jessica raised an eyebrow at the chaos.

"Jeez, Salina. Did you rob a theater company or something?"

Salina grinned, unrepentant. "I like to be prepared. Now, let's see..." She rummaged through a pile of clothes, emerging triumphantly with a long black dress. "Perfect! This will work great for my witch costume!”

As Salina continued to sort through potential costume pieces, Jessica's phone buzzed with a text. She pulled it out, surprised to see a message from Brad.

"Hey, everything okay?" it read. "You seemed a little off earlier when we talked about the castle. If you're having second thoughts about the party, I can talk to Tiffany."

Jessica stared at the screen, torn. Part of her wanted to take Brad up on his offer, to find a reason to call the whole thing off. But the larger part–the part that desperately wanted to prove she could handle a normal teenage experience–won out.

"All good!" she typed back. "Just tired from the game. Can't wait for tomorrow night!"

She hit send before she could second-guess herself, then turned her attention back to her friends. Salina was now trying to convince Kevin to try on a truly horrendous green wig, while Kevin looked like he was contemplating making a run for it.

Despite her lingering anxiety, Jessica laughed at their antics. This was what normal looked like–friends goofing around, planning for a party, excited about the future. For one night, she could be part of that. For one night, she could pretend that the wolf inside her didn't exist.

Tomorrow would bring what it brought. But for now, Jessica allowed herself to be swept up in the excitement, pushing aside her worries and focusing on the promise of a night filled with fun, friends, and maybe even a little adventure.

As the night wore on and the teens completed planning their costumes, Jessica felt some of her earlier tension fade. Whatever happened at Castle Dregan, she wouldn't be facing it alone. And really, how bad could one Halloween party be?

But for now, blissfully unaware of the storm that was brewing, Jessica allowed herself to dream of a normal Halloween night. If only she knew what tricks and treats the ancient walls of Castle Dregan had in store for her.