Eden and I were sitting by the creek, the very same one I hid from her two weeks ago when I ran from her and my brother that day of Ridge's announcement. We were just sitting there listening to the water flow down its rocky pathway. It gurgled and was actually really appealing to my ears as I sat with my arms wrapped around my knees.

My eyes followed the small currents splitting in two different directions because of the rocks the water weaved through. I tilted my head, listening in on the wind swing through the leaves above us. It was a quiet afternoon and since telling Eden about Molly and Ridge, she's been the most supportive friend.

It made me feel a bit guilty that I thought she was just like Molly. I even apologized to Eden, telling her that she had been right about Molly all along. My friend responded that it was part of my nature to think there was good in everybody. It was true, but that didn't mean I had to agree with it. Sometimes being that way was too naive. Or so I was told.

"I ran into Miss High and Mighty this morning..." Eden broke through the silence.

I frowned, tightening my hold on my knees and hummed, keeping my concentration on the water.

There was no way I wanted to hear about Molly. I could always know when she was with Ridge—my sister usually always there to help me through it—and I thought it was best to just stay out of Molly's way so that I didn't have to see her. So that she doesn't remind me of the hurt she put me through. It had been a painful two weeks. Sometimes seeing them together and being so in love made me glad they didn't see me before I took off in a different direction. But I have to admit that it was getting more difficult every day.

Eden glanced at me from where she was lying on her stomach, throwing little pebbles into the creek down below.

"She asked about you..." she says.

I narrowed my eyes at her, shrugging, "And? So what am I supposed to say to that?"

My friend quieted, looking away then I sighed, staring straight forward. "What'd she want?"

"To know how you were doing," Eden replied in a quiet voice. She snorted, scowling that if Molly cared so much about me then she would have broken it off with Ridge the moment I recognized him. It would have been the least she could do after going after him in the first place.

I smirked, shaking my head. "Well that doesn't sound like Molly Sinclair at all. To let someone else have something she wants?"

We went quiet again, listening to the water.

I felt Eden sit up on her haunches, leaning over the edge of the short ledge that showed the creek below. I glanced at her do this, lowering a brow and asking what she was doing. Instead of answering me, she frowned, sitting back and stuck her chin up in the air.

"You know what I want to do?" she asked out loud.

I shrugged then she puffed out her chest. "I want to go for a run! I haven't been on a run in forever!"

A smile etched onto my lips, laughing that we all just went on a wolf run only three days ago. It was something most in the pack would do to keep our wolves from getting antsy.

"Yes! And it is killing me to go on another! So come on!" Eden stood up, waving for me to do the same.

I lifted my head, still holding my knees to my chest. My nose scrunched as I frowned, "You're serious...?"

Eden walked away from me, not bothering to answer and went towards the middle of the area we were standing in and began to remove her shirt. I raised my eyebrows. She was definitely serious. So I rose up and dusted off my backside, walking over to her and took off my favorite sneakers. I tossed them to the side in a pile then removed my socks before my pants.

Once I pulled off my t-shirt, I looked at Eden in the middle of shifting into the gray wolf she was given. She fully shifted after a moment of hearing the snaps and pops of her bones twisting into her four-legged shape. Eden shook out her fur. The wolf leaned back, its backside up in the air with its tail curled like a scorpion then straightened and looked in my direction.

She sniffed, nodding her head as a sign for me to hurry up. I smiled, nodding and holding out a hand, "Alright... one second. Jeez, so impatient."

I closed my eyes, welcoming the shivers that came with becoming one with my wolf and then felt myself contort until I shifted completely. I shook out my fur just as Eden had and then barked happily before Eden took off in a sprint. A surprised yelp escaped me at her sudden take off then growled playfully before running to catch up to her.

Eden and I ran through the forest, getting lost in various directions. We hadn't gone too deep into the forest and I could still catch the scent of our clothes some miles back. I caught my friend running off after a rabbit, barking happily before Eden disappeared somewhere. Her excitable bark faded in the distance.

I slowed to a small jog, feeling the leaves under my paws. My nose twitched, catching the scent change of my pack's part of the forest and the remainder that was considered 'No Man's Land' because it was outside of Carmel's town line, which meant that I traveled a hell of a lot farther than I should have.

I peered over my shoulder, scanning my surroundings and my ears twitched the sides to listen for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing gave off a bad vibe so I relaxed, deciding to stay on my pack's side of the boundary line.They wouldn't know really unless someone saw me cross said boundary but it was just me out here for now. My mind was still thinking about how Molly had the nerve to ask about me. It's only been two weeks, but if she really wanted to show she cared about me then Molly would leave Ridge and let him and I have our chance.

But I couldn't do that to him. I was thinking about that man and the way his green eyes brightened at the sight of Molly. He didn't look at me that way... not since I was ten years old when Ridge and I had our first kiss. And he never would again. Ridge wouldn't want a chance with me even if Molly did break it off. He's been in love with her since we were teenagers. Ridge had the time to get to know her and fall in love with her.

I would never get to have that opportunity with him. And it wouldn't be hard to feel the pull between us because of the Recognition bond but there was still that disconnect where Ridge didn't want his soulmate to be me.

My body lowered to lie down, my paws crossing over the other and resting my head on top of them. I stared straight ahead, not paying attention to anything but the daisy poking out of the ground in front of me. A small white butterfly came out of nowhere and flapped its way onto the flower, its wings flapping twice before stilling itself completely. A moment later, the butterfly lifted itself off the flower and made its way over to me. It flew past me to the right and my eyes followed it then it went to the left, my eyes following again. Then it landed on my nose.

My eyes went cross eyed trying to stare at it and I sniffed, lifting my head until it flew off. It hovered above me until returning to the flower again. I sat up, tilting my head to listen in on the sounds surrounding me just as Dad taught my siblings and me. I couldn't really hear Eden at the moment, most likely she was still chasing the rabbit.

I was so lost in listening in to the sounds around me that I lost focus on my actual surroundings. The hair on the back of my neck rose when I heard someone chuckle from the side of me, "What a pretty she-wolf she is..."

I whipped around, lowering my head in warning and growled, baring my teeth. The man in front of me grinned, raising his eyebrows as he chuckled that there was no harm in admiring such a pretty sight. He was about fifteen feet from me and I was already calculating my escape.

My eyes narrowed as he stared at me. I could smell the wolf scent off him but he wasn't part of my pack. He was from the neighboring one. It was about a two hour trip in wolf form and the pack's alpha was nothing like mine. We didn't share this forest so it was threatening to see this Werewolf here. I growled again to make sure he kept his distance from me. I was alone at the moment, something I wasn't supposed to be so I had to manage until I got back to Eden.

Cocking his head to the side, the man narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Well that's interesting..." he muttered, rubbing his chin in thought. "Certainly has been centuries since there was record of a Werewolf with different colored wolf eyes."

My eyes widened and stopped mid growl to sit back.

The man grinned again, narrowing his eyes that it was very interesting.

Oh no! How could I have slipped up and revealed my natural eyes?!

I stepped backwards, the man across from me chuckling as he stepped forward with his arms out towards me. "Don't worry. I'm not going to harm you, pretty girl. But I would like you to ask you to come back with me. It's quite a rare, genuine sight to find a wolf like you."

I sniffed, shaking my head and growled in warning again. He stopped moving forward. The man stared at me, his eyes squinting and tilted his head again. He pointed out that, technically speaking, my secret was out anyway.

Glancing around me, my breathing turned to panic. Were there others with him?

My eyes switched to the man again seeing that he took a few steps closer and that was when I sprinted.

"Hey!" I heard him shout then there was the sound of clothes tearing.

Oh, God! He shifted!

I pushed my legs to rush forward, to not stop. I did a zig-zag pattern and hoped that I could run into Eden along the way. There was no telling where she was, but I wouldn't be able to stay out here in the forest with this man after me. He was a potential threat and wanted me to be taken to his Alpha, that was a hell no!

My heart pounded the faster and longer I ran. It wasn't until I looked to the left, seeing the man's dark tan wolf looking right at me as he weaved through the trees expertly. Almost like he knew this place inside out which was impossible without permission from my alpha.

I pushed forward, growling at myself to keep going. It wasn't until I was getting closer to the creek that I could see Eden still chasing after the rabbit. She had chased it all the way back here. My bark warned her to look up wide eyed when she saw me running at her. Then her eyes shifted to the other wolf gaining on me. Eden lowered into a fighting stance until I got closer to her. I barked a warning at her, making Eden spin around and ran with me back to the clearing.

I almost tripped with an uprooted tree root but jumped over it in time. I yipped at Eden's front paws to make her run faster. She got the hint, lowering her head to give her more momentum. We ran until reaching the clearing but then we heard the wolf growl behind us. He was gaining on us so we picked up our pace again. Once we could make it through the clearing, the wolf would not leave the forest, not without permission from our alpha—despite how far into it he already trespassed.

Eden and I sped up again, breaking through the treeline and running in the direction of Eden's house. We crossed the way of the community, heading down the shortest road to her house and unfortunately had to pass by the Alpha's home where, you guessed it, Ridge and Molly were sitting on the porch. They were laughing with one another and I contained the growl wanting to escape me as we were sprinting by.

Eden barked at me and I jumped, turning to realize I had stopped running and instead was just staring off at my surroundings. When we began moving again, Molly had stood up and waved her hand and called, "Gigi! Gigi, wait!" but I stared at her for a split moment until Ridge and I caught gazes.

I was the one who forced myself to look away and hurried after Eden. Eden led the way behind her house through the wide and tall doggie door installed in each home. We jogged past her parents in the kitchen. Eden's mother shouted for us to not track mud on her new carpet upstairs, and my friend and I yipped in reply.

We went up to her room, Eden using her snout to shut her door closed. When she shifted, Eden didn't bother covering herself up completely with a shirt when she shouted, "What the hell was that back there?!"

I wasn't sure if she was referring to the man chasing me or about Molly.

When I completed my shift back to human form, I took one of the dresses I kept here that Eden offered me and quickly placed it on. I swallowed that the man was chasing me. Eden frowned, crossing her arms as I told her that she was there with me!

"No!" Eden scoffed, "That's not what I'm talking about!"

I blinked, frowning back in confusion. "Then what were you talking about?"

"I'm talking about when I first saw you running at me, I got into a defensive position because I hadn't recognized you!"

"What?! How could you not?!"

Eden scoffed, throwing her fingers towards her eyes that I had different colored eyes for a good full minute before they turned from blue to gold. I froze and the louder Eden got, I went over and slapped my hand over her mouth. She kept muffling into it, narrowing her eyes at me until she went, "Meh!" in my hand as she licked it.

I snagged back my hand, looking at my hand and muttered, "Ew, gross!"

My friend crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows that I had a lot of explaining to do and that I needed to start with why my eyes were blue instead of gold. I stood there for a minute, remembering that I wasn't supposed to tell Eden about this secret of mine. But she was my friend. A friend I had been overlooking because I was so focused on Molly. Plus, Eden's been so supportive with this whole rejection thing.

I closed my eyes, covering them with my fingers.

"Argh!" I groaned, dropping my hands and nodded, "Okay... I'll tell you. But you have to promise me, Eden, that you won't say anything. You can't say anything."

"Why not...?" she wondered.

I replied, shrugging a shoulder that it was dangerous for me. She widened her eyes and I craned my neck forward, asking if I could trust her. Eden nodded quickly before we sat on her bed for the next half hour, talking about the first time my blue eyes appeared and the story my dad would tell me about these special wolves. I then explained why the man in forest was chasing after me.

"He wanted me to go back to his Alpha! His Alpha!"

Eden frowned and pursed her mouth to the side, glancing at me with a curious look.

I narrowed my eyes, asking, "What?" before she clasped her hands together and pleaded for me to show her my eyes again. I shook my head that I couldn't but after her argument that Eden already knew about it, there was no reason not to.

My hand shot up to my head and scratched irritably at my hair. I dropped my arm to my side then sighed that I would do it, but only once and only if Eden locked her bedroom door so neither of her parents would walk in.

Eden hopped off her bed and locked her door, leaning her ear against it to check if her parents may be on the other side then spun around with a wide smile.

"All clear! Now come on!"

I rolled my eyes, getting up and walking to the center of the room and stared at my friend. She waited anxiously as I closed my eyes for a moment. My eyes shut as the familiar shivers running down my spine as my wolf was merging with me to give half control. Then I flicked my eyes open and Eden gasped, stepping back with wide eyes.

My eyebrow rose, watching her carefully. Eden stepped towards me and tilted her head. She stood in front of me now, blinking repeatedly until smiling widely. "That's fucking awesome!"

I could feel my eyes slowly change back to their human color and sighed, "Yeah. It is. But I can't show anyone because it's apparently a danger to either me or others. Something about me being taken advantage of."

Shrugging, I muttered that that was something I should definitely be used to.

Eden frowned for a second, pulling me into a hug and sighed that she was sorry I was going through all this shit and that I didn't deserve it. She pulled back, grinning that she'd still be by my side no matter what.

I nodded, smiling in gratitude. Glancing at the clock on her dresser, I told her that I should head home because Dad was cooking up something new for dinner tonight. Eden nodded in understanding, unlocking her door and walked me outside. She tilted her head when she asked if I was looking forward to starting my new job in town.

Shrugging, I told her that I kind of wanted to quit already. That the idea of working in a store Molly goes to all the time didn't seem very appealing in my situation.

Eden pursed her mouth to the side. "But you promised to help that sales lady. She seems to really like you, Gigi. And she knows you're a werewolf too so it's no big deal to her."

"Yeah... You're right. I think maybe feels she owes me because I saved her from almost falling off that step ladder. I just happened to be there at the moment, it's not like anyone else wouldn't have helped her."

My friend chuckled, shaking her head that yes, I was probably the only one who would have cared enough to not see the woman fall off. I gave her a look and Eden laughed, "I'm joking!"

Waving her off, I bid her adieu and headed down the road towards my house. Again, I had to pass by the Alpha's home, and out of nowhere, Molly popped up.

I jumped to a halt, blinking a few times when Molly smiled sweetly and greeted, "Hi, Gigi!"

Blinking, I glanced down at her well put together outfit. She had on a plaited skirt with a white tank top under her jean jacket with rhinestones going up the sides of her sleeves. Molly always made it a point to get dolled up, even if she was going to just sit somewhere and do nothing. Typical Molly liked to sit and look pretty.

"Molly..." I muttered, deciding I should walk around her. But Molly side-stepped to block me and I sighed, my shoulders slumping.

Molly still wore that smile as she tilted her head and asked how I was holding up. There was a glint in her eyes that told me she knew just exactly how I was doing. I narrowed my eyes, my jaw clenching as I slowly squeezed my hands into fists.

"Fine, I guess. What do you want?"

Molly's eyebrows rose, her neck craning back a bit. "Well, that's certainly no way to speak to your Alpha female."

I scrunched my nose, choosing to not say anything. I knew she was baiting me and I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. Since Molly picked up on this, she decided to get under my skin a different way.

"Oh, Gigi! I just have to introduce you to my mate! He's a total fox! Oh, Ridge! Ridge, come here!" she called, waving him over.

I frowned, shaking my head as I tried to go around her again. I used the excuse of my needing to get home, but Molly caught my elbow and held me closer to her.

"It'll only be a second!" she laughed then urged Ridge to hurry up.

Crossing my arms after yanking my arm out of her grasp, I swallowed hard and kept my gaze downward. The closer he got the more nervous I became and my heart started pounding away. The butterflies in my stomach would double once I actually got the nerve to look up at him after he appeared beside Molly.

"Ridge, honey, this is Gigi! My best friend! Gigi is the best because she would do anything for my happiness!" Molly smiled, looking at me with a tilted head so that her long blonde hair flowed down to the side. "Isn't that right, Gigi?"

I locked my jaw, lifting my eyes up to hers and couldn't help when I glanced at Ridge who looked away quickly from me to Molly.

"Anyway," Molly went on after I didn't respond. "I just had to ask her, in front of you, darling—" she placed a hand on his chest and I swear it took everything within me to hold back the growl wanting out. "Because I just want for the three of us to get to know one another since we'll be spending a lot of time together after you agree, Gigi!"

Frowning, I shook my head and raised an eyebrow. "Agree to what?"

Molly giggled, lightly shoving me and I glanced at her do this before scrunching my nose. The blonde girl laughed, "Well for you to agree to being my maid of honor, of course!"

I suddenly felt like the world hadn't already shifted on its axis and now was spinning uncontrollably. My heart felt like it was being ripped out of my chest once again when my eyes landed on the hand that was resting on Ridge's chest. The sparkling diamond on her ring finger confirmed they were engaged.

My throat clamped up and I raised my eyes to hers as Molly's blue ones shined. She nodded, "You are happy for me... aren't you, Gigi?"

Why was she doing this to me? What have I done to her that was making her act so spiteful?

I felt my eyes drift to the man beside her. Ridge's emeralds stared into mine and for a second it was like Molly wasn't there. She was nonexistent. For both of us. Like it should have been from the moment we met properly. But no. Because this beautiful man was now engaged to my ex-best friend who thought I was still her best friend and now wanted me to be in the wedding. The one that was technically supposed to be mine.

I swallowed, looking away from Ridge and raised my eyebrows as I looked down, blinking the stunned daze away.

"Wow..." I forced out with a small smile. I tucked my hair behind my ear and slowly nodded as my tight throat hoarsely replied, "I mean... that's—that's great!"

Molly looked confused. She frowned, tilting her head. "What...?"

Nodding, I let out a breath. I shrugged, "I thought... ya know... that... this—" I indicated between the couple. "Would be harder to deal with. You know, with Ridge rejecting me for you. But I'm going to decline, Molly. I can't be your maid of honor."

"And why the hell not?!" Molly looked frustrated now but it was unfair of her to drag me back into heartache.

I was not completely healed, but I was working on moving on. I couldn't do that if Molly was going to be dragging me into any situation she can with Ridge. I couldn't be near him if I wanted this to get better.

"Because, Molly, I have yet to accept the rejection and in order for me to do that I need my space!"

Molly frowned, huffing like a spoiled child and crossed her arms.

Next to her, Ridge finally spoke up. "You haven't accepted the rejection...?"

I turned to Ridge, lowering my eyebrows and narrowed my eyes. "No. No, I haven't. It's not as easy for me as it was for you, Ridge Beaumont."

Ridge stared at me, his eyebrows furrowing a little and I shut my eyes, scoffing and shook my head that I really had to go now. I could feel myself beginning to lose my composure and being so close to Ridge was not helping. The last thing I wanted was to become a blubbering mess right here and now.

I swallowed hard. Shaking my head, I directed to Molly with my voice a little stronger. "So again, no. I decline your offer. Find yourself someone else. I'm sure it won't be so hard—" I raised my eyebrows, craning my neck forward. "Since you're so good at it."

Molly's blue eyes flashed how annoyed she was, curling her fists at her sides and even had the audacity to once again say that I could not talk to my Alpha female that way. I frowned back that she wasn't Alpha female. Not yet. Molly frowned at me that I couldn't talk to her like that. That I needed to start providing Molly with the respect because of her soon-to-title.

She turned to Ridge, asking if he heard the audacity I had to speak with to Molly to disrespectfully. "Tell her something, Ridge!" Molly demanded.

I narrowed my at Ridge, growling that I have no reason to show her any respect until the day she gives me an actual reason to do so. "Now... If you'll excuse me, Beta," I said deliberately. Not wanting to linger around any longer, I moved past the couple and stomped all the way back to my house.

I ran up the stairs, passing my family who started to seat themselves at the table and ignored when Dad called, "Button...?"

Throwing myself on my bed, I cried into my pillow. I squeezed it tightly, blubbering like a baby until I felt my sister seating herself beside me. Her hand stroked my hair. Cece waited patiently for me to be the one to speak first and when I gathered my strength, I lifted my head, sniffling loudly, "He's—he's engaged to her!"

Cece's eyes widened, her stroking stopped in mid air.

I sobbed out loud, "How can he not see what this is doing to me, Cece?! How can he not know that what they are doing is wrong?! I feel more for Ridge than Molly ever will! It's not fair!"

I buried my face into my pillow, weeping that I wanted Ridge so badly to take back the rejection.

"She had the audacity to ask me to be her maid of honor! That—that senile bitch thinks that I'm just going to cater to her and still be her best friend after everything she's done to me!"

Cece sighed, shaking her head. "Boy... This really is a mess." My sister frowned, pondering something before suggesting, "Maybe you should tell the Alpha the truth."

"No," was my immediate response.

I shook my head, sitting up and wiping at my face. "No. I am not doing that. Ridge doesn't think I'm his mate. He'd hate me if I took away the love of his life from him."

I pulled my knees up and hugged them closer, staring straight ahead. I whimpered out the most heart breaking thing that I've said so far. "Maybe I should let him go. I want him to be happy, Cece... even if it's not with me."

Cece stared at me, I could feel it. I shook my head, taking a deep breath and sighed out that it was probably for the best. And that it wouldn't make a difference anyway because Ridge was in love with someone else. And Molly had his heart and soul, like he had mine since I was nine years old.

To change the subject since Cece grew so quiet, unsure of what to say, I told her that I had to tell Eden about my secret. Her eyes widened, questioning why and then retold the chase in the forest after meeting the man who wanted me to go back to his Alpha.

Without another word, Cece grabbed my hand and hauled me out of the room.

"Where—where are we going?!" I panicked.

"To Dad! You can't keep this one a secret, Gigi. I'm sorry."

I knew she was right. Keeping it a secret would only get me more in trouble. So I sat at the dinner table after Cody was excused to his room when Cece and I barged downstairs and my sister told my parents that there was something very urgent to discuss. Cody was confused as to why he had to leave the room and after my parents sternly made him head upstairs, Cece gestured to Dad.

I frowned at her but my sister gave me a look, crossing her arms and tilted her head. Rolling my eyes, I sighed and told Dad about what I had told Cece.

"Did he see your human form?" Dad asked worriedly.

I shook my head. "No. He only saw my wolf."

Dad nodded, muttering that was good, but the bad part was knowing I belonged to the pack residing in Carmel. Dad looked at Mom and swallowed that we all had to prepare for anything that came up within the next couple of days, or weeks. That there was a chance that the man would be back and with reinforcements if he was that determined to find the 'blue-eyed' wolf.

Unfortunately, that meant I wasn't allowed to go out on my own anymore. That I was to be with someone at all times. No exceptions. This meant Wade would have to accompany me to my new job whenever I went and keep an eye on me. Though I was annoyed at this, I knew my family was only trying to keep the pack safe as well as me. So I agreed and then went up to my room after my family asked for me to send Cody down to have dinner.

I knocked on my little brother's room then he opened the door. Cody narrowed his eyes at me, glaring at me as he spoke through grit teeth, "Why are you keeping secrets from me?"

Cody didn't let me speak as he went on, "You guys don't think I see it, but I do! You're keeping me from something and I don't like it! I want in on it too! It's not fair, Gigi! I'm kept out of the loop and you know I wouldn't do that to you!"

I knew he was right. Cody was fourteen and I know I could trust him, but it would be something I'd have to discuss with my parents.

When I explained this to him, Cody's glare lessened a bit. He raised his eyebrows and craned his neck forward. "Promise?"

I grinned, nodding and ruffled his hair that he groaned and slapped at my hand. "Now go downstairs, dinner's ready," I informed him, heading to my room.

"You're not hungry?" my brother asked at the top of the stairs.

"Not really." I shook my head, scrunching my nose. "I had a long day. But I'll eat later."

"'Kay. I'll save you some of the good stuff!" he cried excitedly down the steps.

I waited until Cody was gone before I continued towards my room. My gaze was on the floor, counting my footsteps. Pushing my bedroom door open, I walked in and closed it behind me. I think I was four steps into my room before looking up and let out a short surprised cry at seeing Ridge by my bedroom window.