In a sleepy town adjacent to the dangerous woods, orphan Joshua Bekett prepares for his 16th birthday party. After a torturous shopping trip with his best friend, Charlie, with hopes of finding her a dress for the event, his big day arrives. Upon waking the next morning, Joshua is baffled at distinct changes he notices throughout the day. His senses of smell and hearing are sensitive, his body is toned and he revels in a surge of power and anger from within. Experiencing inexplicable dreams--nightmares--of chasing prey in the woods nearby, Joshua worries something is wrong with him. He confides in Charlie, who suggests he could be a werewolf. As incredulous as it could seem, Joshua meets a long-ago ally, a native man who can provide answers to Joshua's sudden shift in powers. How Joshua adapts to his super abilities remains to be tested when danger invades town and Joshua's heart is troubled with Charlie's fading affection.