Like any teenager, Vivian longs to be part of the group. More than the usual number of hurdles face her in this quest. Being a new girl at school is never easy, and Vivian's case is complicated by her limited familiarity with human teenage ways. The Five were her age-mates and buddies when she was younger. Now, their interests have diverged from hers. She persuaded her father to spare them after they killed a human girl in West Virginia, but their increasingly wild ways still worry her. Their "tough boy" behavior embarrasses her in front of other teenagers; she fears they might again do something that would put the pack in danger.

Her budding sexuality intensifies these problems. If she did pair off with one of the Five, the group's rapport would probably be threatened by jealousy. She would also need pack approval; as the pack lacks a leader, it might be difficult to get. When she meets Aiden, a human boy whose interest in the occult seems uncannily close to her own inner being, he seems an attractive alternative. A romance with Aiden brings its own problems, though. It disrupts the balance of the gang, the Amoeba, and infuriates the Five. Vivian has always been warned that werewolves can not get closely involved with humans. She refuses to believe it. She knows her own intentions are good, and tragic events have to happen before she can see the wisdom in pack law.

Vivian is a lively and well-drawn character, but aside from her werewolf traits, she is very much a typical teenager. Her worries about belonging to a group and finding her place in the world are almost universal to this age group. The story thus speaks powerfully to teenagers with similar worries. So skillfully is it told that older readers are also drawn into her concerns and social worlds."

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