Caleb Lyall enrolls in college, hoping to research—and perhaps find a cure for—the lycanthropy that has afflicted his family for centuries. He finds a welcome ally in the form of Desmond Quinn, a graduate student who is more than willing to help Caleb adjust to his new life behind the ivy-covered walls of academe. Just as Caleb begins to wonder if Desmond might be his destined mate, strange animal attacks begin to plague the campus. Even worse, Caleb suffers frightening blackouts he can't bring himself to tell Desmond about. As he searches for answers, Caleb discovers he is not the only person on campus with a secret. Rumors suggest strange cultlike meetings attended by professors and students alike, bizarre underground experiments, and midnight rituals ending in madness. Each night, the beast edges closer and its hunger grows. Soon everything Caleb values is at risk, including the man he doesn't quite dare to love.