Star of the Show by Sue Bentley Page B

it.
    Tessa decided to go straight up to her room and start unpacking. She didn’t feel like eating and there didn’t seem to be any point in sitting here with Fay and Kelly.
    Tessa rose to her feet. “How do I get to our room?” she asked Fay.
    Fay looked up at last. She had freckled skin and hazel eyes and would have been pretty if her face hadn’t been screwed into a frown. “Um . . . through that door, up two sets of stairs, and turn left. It’s the third room you come to.”
    â€œThanks.” As Tessa went out, she passed Kelly who was on her way back to the table with a glass of Coke. “Too good to sit and eat with us, are you, Princess?” the older girl mocked.
    Tessa ignored her, but she felt a lump rising in her throat as she remembered what it was like to be bullied. Well, she wasn’t a scared little kid anymore. She was ten years old and had been in tons of TV commercials and theater plays and she was determined not to cry.

    Bolting up the stairs two at a time, Tessa found their room easily. She saw that her suitcase had been brought up and left on the rug. She looked around. The two beds on either side of the window had been taken. The only one left was in a gloomy alcove. There was barely room for the bed, a small bedside cabinet, and a battered-looking dresser.
    â€œThis just gets better!” Tessa grumbled, picking up her suitcase and dumping it on her bed. She opened her suitcase, grabbed a bunch of clothes at random, and opened the dresser. The door swung wide open with a loud, rusty squeak and Tessa was blinded by a dazzling bright gold flash.
    â€œOh!” Tessa gasped, staggering back. When she could see again, Tessa saw a tiny puppy with wavy reddish-brown fur, floppy ears, and bright midnight-blue eyes looking up at her from the bottom of the wardrobe.
    â€œCan you help me, please?” it woofed.

Chapter TWO
    Tessa stared down at the tiny puppy in complete surprise, wondering where it had come from. The dresser door squeaking open had made it sound like the puppy had spoken! Tessa shook her head at the silly idea.
    â€œWhat are you doing in there?” she said, bending over to look more closely at the puppy. “You are so cute! You look like a little spaniel.”
    â€œI have arrived here from far away. I am Storm of the Moon-claw pack. Who are you?” the puppy woofed.
    Tessa’s eyes widened in shock and the pile of clothes slipped from her numb fingers and crumpled to the floor. “You really c-can talk,” she gasped in amazement.
    The puppy nodded, looking up at her with large, intelligent blue eyes, as if waiting for her to reply to its question. Although it was tiny, it didn’t seem to be very afraid of her.

    â€œI’m . . . um . . . Tessa Churchill. I’m an actress. I’m here to make a movie.”
    The puppy dipped its tiny head in a formal bow. “I am honored to meet you, Tessa. I must hide. Can you help me?” he said in a gruff little bark.
    â€œIs someone chasing you?” Tessa asked. She still couldn’t quite believe that this was happening, but her curiosity was beginning to get the better of her shock.
    Storm’s big dewy eyes sparked with anger and fear. “Shadow, the evil lone wolf is looking for me. He has killed my father and three litter brothers and wounded my mother. He wants to lead the Moon-claw pack but the other wolves are waiting until I am strong enough to lead them.”
    Tessa frowned. “But how can you lead a wolf pack? You’re just a pu—”
    â€œI will show you! Please stand back,” Storm interrupted in a soft bark.
    He leaped out of the dresser and stood on the carpet. There was another dazzling flash of bright gold light and sparks sprayed out, floating down around Tessa and crackling where they landed.
    â€œOh!” she gasped as the tiny puppy vanished and in its place there stood a muscular young silver-gray wolf. Tessa