Emily was born male with the name Jake. At age ten, she realised she was transgender, but didn't come out to her parents at that time but she did to her friends.

At fourteen, she goes out on a overnight hiking and camping trip with her parents, and comes out to them, where she is kicked out of the vehicle and abandoned.

Her best girl friend turns out to be a werewolf pup, and arranges to have her picked up as soon as she gets word. The Pack decides that since she was abandoned by her biological parents, they would accept and care for her, including any help she asked for with her gender issues, and since they considered her mature enough to decide on her own, made sure she had the details of what she would be agreeing to, and encouraged her to ask questions, and eventually ask for the help they were completely willing to give.