After they realized they couldn't take care of a child as traumatized as Elena was, she was sent to another foster home.
Due to the trauma she suffered, she refused to talk and spent many nights screaming.
As she reached her teen years, she toughened up a lot and started running track and field.
Elena is described as being a slender, tall woman with a "werewolf's typically athletic build", standing at around 5'10.
Contrary to the previous statement, others have said that Elena possesses a natural beauty and does not need any makeup.
She needed a job to fund her college years, and Clay suggested she could be his teacher's aide.
Clay didn't plan to fall in love with Elena the way he did but, panicked by the possibility that Jeremy Danvers, the Pack Alpha, was going to send her away, he reacted by biting her.
As of winter 2008, the North American Pack Alpha, Jeremy Danvers, announced that Elena was to succeed him and be trained to take over his position when she was deemed ready.