The next morning the knock on the door had Mum and I curious yet for different reasons. Speaking to her, she seemed to have no recollection of last nights meeting with Margaret. Her words were still on mind and having sat awake during the night trying to open my mind up to this whole 'wolf' thing, I had started noticing minor changes already. My hearing for one seemed more developed. I decided to open the door; if it were Parker again I wouldn't want her to be the one to face him. Instead a large bouquet of red roses covered the face of a small skinny teenager.

"Livraison de Madame Lowell" he practically yelled, awkwardly passing me the bouquet before thrusting the clipboard in front of me. I guess that meant delivery and I ignored the scowl on his face as I stared blankly at him.

"Signature" he commanded. Quickly scribbling on the page he disappeared and I went back to the kitchen.

"For you Madame" I announced, putting them before Mum on the dinning table. She gasped and quickly searched through the stems for the tiny card. Je vais vous chercher pour dîner à sept heures ma belle.

"What does that say?" I asked, she smiled like a schoolgirl.

"Its him from the dance, Monsieur Fournier. I will pick you up for dinner at seven my beautiful." She practically swooned, gently leaning into the bouquet and inhaling their scent. It was good to see her happy, it had been a couple of years now since Dad had gone, she deserved it.

We decided to go into Nice for the day so she could find something new to wear. I wanted to head to a library and see about finding more information on werewolves so once parked, Mum took James in one direction and I headed in another. A pair of shoes in a window display distracted me and I went into the store. 'You don't need to find a book, look outside' the voice startled me and I dropped my credit card as I went to purchase the studded back black heels. Looking Eric stood was on the opposite side of the road. His behavior was curious; he seemed to lift his head and concentrate, as if sniffing the breeze. He quickly crossed the road so he was in front of the store, still looking he lingered by the entrance, and I turned but watched him from the reflection of the mirror behind the till. He saw me, smiled and walked on. I dropped the receipt in the bag and dashed outside, looking around I caught a glimpse of disappearing into another store. Deciding to test out my following theory I walked to the opposite side of the road, a few meters down moved again and then into a perfumery. I grabbed the closest bottle to the entrance, sprayed it over me and went down to the road, crossing it to the next block and went inside the bookstore.

Hidden from view but able to see the outside, I watched. Sure enough he appeared out the store as I got positioned. He did his sniff thing again and he zigzagged across the road. I let out a little giggle, ignoring the weird look another customer gave me. Around the perfume shop he froze. I could almost feel his frustration as he tried to find my scent. The gardenia strong around me even now, I didn't like it. But it worked. He ran his hands through his hair, frowning he desperately started to move from corner to corner. He walked past the store I was in and I quickly followed him. He headed towards the Chanel store at the end of the street, all the while his head kept adjusting the cool breeze that flowed past. The idea of the prey stalking the predator crossed my mind and as he gave out a frustrated growl causing the few people around to avoid him. Once close enough I tapped his shoulder, he spun around defensively and seeing me he looked completely shocked.

"Beth?" he said softly as I could see his mind working in over time as to how I had managed to sneak up on him.

"Fancy seeing you here Eric. Do you come here often?" I asked innocently, looking up at him curiously. Doubt seemed to flash across his eyes as he was obviously in his own inner debate.

"You knew I was watching you?" he finally asked. I nodded.

"Good thing you can be human, your wolf would probably starve if you hunted like that;" I laughed. He didn't find it amusing as anger flashed on his face, a growl rumbling within his chest.

"I'm kidding" I reassured him, my own voice telling me to be careful. Obviously they don't like insults.

Anger gone he now looked guilty, like a kid who had been caught with their hand in the lolly jar.

"It's ok. I think. But I know something you can do to make up for stalking my friends and I, I saw you at the movies the other day too" He looked at me suspiciously before nodding.

"I actually need your help. Fancy lunch?" The mention of food perked him up and I wondered if he was a lousy hunter. Once seated I was glad we chose the near empty café. After our cokes arrived and food was ordered our easy conversation about Nice found its end.

"So tell me about werewolves" I sipped my coke, looking at him carefully. His reaction was surprise and then uncertainty.

"I don't know what you're talking about" He leaned back in his chair as if confident his answer would put an end to my questions. Silly boy.

"Oh so you're not a stupid little wolf who couldn't follow someone if their life depended on it" Did he forget our previous discussion in the street? He tensed; I could see his hands turn into firsts as the knuckles went white as he clenched them tight. Again I'd struck a nerve.

"Spill it buddy" Now it was me to sit back in the chair confidently. Realizing his mistake he went quiet.

"What did you want to know?" he finally submitted.

"Did you know my father?" The question was out before I could process it. He shook his head.

"No. I have heard of him. He sought to leave his pack to live with his human" I raised my eyebrows at his choice of words, "His human, sorry your Mum. She was his mate. Humans and our kind do not often mate but I am guessing due to her ancestry the fates made an exception." I nodded not entirely sure what he meant by that.

"Tell me more about this mate thing" I leaned a closer into the table, eager to hear what he had to say. His face softened, his tone gentle and almost as if he was thinking of someone.

" Mates are your one true love, you know - love at first sight and all that hollywood happy ending stuff. It is very special. It is rumored that it happens because when a were is made the fates keep a piece of them, putting them in another when they deem the time is right. So ultimately, finding your soul mate completes you. Every one of our kind, will find theirs are some point, sadly some may do this at the end of their time, but others are lucky and upon turning 21 and their first change will find them instantly. For all you need, all you are missing, they will have it. Your world becomes them, imagine a love you have and multiply it to a million. You would die for them without hesitation. Others say it is not real but when mates happen surely that proves them wrong? It is something humans could never understand." I guessed there could be more to it but I'd heard enough. The affection in his voice talking about it made me realize how full on it must be.

"Have you found yours?" He shook his head sadly.

"Not yet, if I had you would have seen me with her by now" he laughed halfheartedly.

"How do you know if you have found them?" The tingles came to mind and I wondered if that was related.

"I've heard it's like this really strong pull, like a magnet to them. Love at first sight, cant take your eyes off each other and you can never have enough of them. But some do reject their mates which is worse than having had them and loosing them. Humans usually reject us," he said bitterly.

Lunch was put in front of us then, but I wanted to know more.

"Who is Parker?" I picked at a chip waiting for an answer as Eric nearly choked on his burger.

"Why do you ask?" he was defensive again, his eyes giving away his anger and his whole body seemed tense now. I almost expected to hear a growl again. At my question my own insides got uneasy, I could almost image a pacing wolf running around my stomach.

"He was at the ball the other night" Eric seemed to have forgotten this.

"He kissed you" he spat out, finally the rumble I was expecting was heard. The hard lust filled kiss came to mind and while it did spark something in me, it was nowhere near the feelings I felt for William. At this point, I would say I loved Eric more than I could ever do for Parker but the forced kiss had put some kind of emotion in me for him.

 "Parker was our packs second in command. He fought our Alpha for his position many years ago and lost. Alpha would not kill him, he is his brother. He even permitted him to stay as one of the pack, though Marcus his cousin was given the place of second in command. But Parker went off to be a rogue yet he comes and goes as he pleases to our displeasure, usually to cause trouble for us" His tone was filled with venom and his hatred was obvious.

"There are rumors he was even the one to try and kill our Alpha before his challenge, at the time of the fight our Alpha was at his weakest yet he still won." He sounded please at this, and started to eat his burger again. William and Parker were brothers?

"How do you fit into all this?" the smell of my chicken got to me and I started to eat finally. "My brother Frederick and I are of the pack, Marcus is mated to our sister so we are family" I nodded, guessing Tweedle Dum was Fred.

"Marcus has always been loyal to William, even when everyone thought he was dead he was still there. Is that why he was given second in command?" Again I managed to cause Eric to choke.

"You know William?" he said hesitantly. I shrugged.

"It's a long story" He seemed to want to say something but didn't, taking another bite instead. We ate in silence until he was finished.

"It's a long story that starts with a girl in a red coat" I stated, watching his reaction. He stared at me blankly before sighing.

"I and a few others were sent to watch you. He has been in a dark place for many years but upon your arrival in town you have awoken his wolf again and seems Parker has learnt of your identity too. For as long as he is around, we will be keeping you safe" I felt comforted at his words.

"Am I Williams mate?" I didn't want an answer, what if he said no? He nodded.

"You already knew that and the longer you are apart the worse it is becoming for him and his wolf. He could sense you but after seeing you at the ball he has no doubt. We have been looking for you but so far he has been able to see you again, it's as if something is blocking you from him. I'm surprised we have been able to watch over you. We took him to your house the other night but we couldn't sense you there anymore and he is unable to feel your presence again. It is bizarre."

Margaret came to mind. The shield she put over the house may have been more than she admitted.

"I think I know why that is," I mumbled. Leaving the restaurant we continued to chat, about France, about London, anything other than the seriousness of what was going on. He was a pretty funny guy and I really liked him.

"You've already bought two pairs of shoes and a dress. How much do you need?" he scolded as we left another store. I shot him a look and purposefully went into another shoe store. Heading towards the car it was nearly three and Mum had said to meet there then. She was already at the car and seeing us she was instantly curious.

"Mum this Eric, Eric this is my Mum and my little brother James" he shook James hand first who stared at him hard and as Mum took his hand she gasped, dropping it.

"Your kind are to stay away from us," she snapped, roughly grabbing my arm and pulling me to car.

"Mum! He is here to protect me!" I replied, shrugging her hand off me.

"You can't trust them," she whispered to me, but I knew he would hear.

"I think I will decide who I can and cant trust" I threw my bags in the car and pulled Eric away, leaving my Mum standing their shocked.

"I'm sorry. Thank you for today, I really enjoyed it" I put my arms around his shoulders and have him a hug, I felt him stiffen at my touch before relaxing and hugging me back. I had just stepped back and smiled at him when his face changed.

"One, gardenia does not smell good on you and two, leave. Lock your doors and do not stop until you are home" His serious tone chilled me as I knew it wasn't a suggestion but a command. I nodded and went back to Mum.

"Sorry, look we gotta go" I quickly opened the door to drive and the pair followed me.

"What's going on?" she asked, looking back to where Eric had been but he was gone.

"I'm not sure. But I trust him Mum and you should too" and I drove us straight home like he said.