"Eli Belly, wake up" My Dads voice was like music to my ears, no one had called me that in years. Opening my eyes I was in my room in London, Dad sat on the bed beside me, smiling softly. Yet I could see the pain in his eyes and my moment of peace ended. Looking down I was in my pink my little pony pajamas; they were my favorite as a child. The pony had a glitter gel covering the mane and tail, which had excited me more than anything else. Curiously I held out my hands. They were tiny, nowhere near my normal size. Dad watched me amused as if he knew I was working it out.

"It happened didn't it?" I asked in a whisper. I reached out to hug him and he scooped me up putting my in his lap. Despite my childhood size my mind was still that of my nineteen year old self. I didn't want to be here, James needed me. My pack needed me. They weren't mine anymore, what would I be able to offer them as a human anyway. How would things be with my friends?

"No darling. You just keep fighting. You are stronger and braver than I could have imagined" My Dad said softly, gently running his hand up and down my back.

"But my wolf" I leant against his chest for a few minutes letting the sadness sink in. He turned me around to face him, pride in his eyes.

"Do not give up on her so easily Bethy. You are one – your strength is hers. I told you things weren't going to be easy and I am so sorry this is the life you have been given. I love you my baby girl" He pulled me close against him and I hugged him tightly back.

"I love you too Daddy" We were both crying now, my tiny body shaking with sobs as he stood me up. He held my hand as we walked over to the bedroom door.

"I am always with you darling," I nodded at his words, my short dark curls bobbing with the movement.  I felt scared of what was on the other side of the door but I had to open it.  Dropping his hand I reached up to the door and turned the knob....

Falling is a pleasant feeling once you get past the initial fear. I felt as though I was a feather floating on the breeze, with no purpose other than just existing. It was peaceful and I enjoyed the wind ripping through my hair, imagining an eagle soaring through the clouds. As I opened my eyes it all came crashing down.

"Why didn't it work? She shouldn't be able to fight this!!" I heard Sarah's angry screams. I blinked a few more times as the heat of the flames of the fire was to close. Burning wood filled my nose and trying to take a deep breath was pointless as the lower smoldering logs released smoke around me, turning onto my side I rolled away from it, soon throwing up. My wolf was there, holding on by a thread. I felt if I moved to fast it would snap, separating us forever. That wasn't going to happen. Looking around Eric and Freddy still laid motionless in the snow, William was tying Parker up as he seemed to be healing quickly and could easily start to fight back. Before I could register what was happening Finn, Marcus and Margaret appeared and in seeing the dead woman Eileen and Sarah shut up quickly. No one seemed to notice me and feeling drained I started trying to pull myself over to Eric and Fred; I needed to know they were ok. I hadn't got very far when I was yanked upwards, my hair being grabbed as if it was being ripped from my skull. A scream escaped and my attempts at kicking out at whoever was behind me were futile. New pain shot through my skull and I needed it to stop.

"Arg! Let me go!!" I protested screaming again as she yanked me back towards the fire. Turning I found Eileen and in a very unwitch like turn of events; I was looking straight down the barrel of a pistol. In all the craziness of the night a grin broke out on my face and I laughed. It felt good to let go, to flip the switch into insanity. Confusion appeared on her face that soon turned to annoyance and everyone around us froze. My hands fell to my knees and I bent over holding my side, my giggling fit not stopping.

"Please share with us, what is so amusing?" she demanded, her voice cold like the area around us but it didn't stop me, I only laughed harder as tears poured from eyes. My side soon cramped and my laughing turned to a few coughs finally settling me down. I felt better; maybe laughing is a type of medicine.

"All of this..." I waved my arms around us, "And now you have a gun?" Just thinking about it set me off into another fit. My distraction was all Margaret needed and in seconds the old witch had pulled the gun from her hands, it fell into the fire with a few popping sounds erupting.

"I've had enough of you!" Eileen cursed at Margaret who returned the scowl. Sarah grabbed ash from the base of the fire, throwing it at Margaret. Words started tumbling from mouth in a language I didn't understand. But Margaret did. Panic showed on her face before determination as she moved to Sarah, her body slowly starting to decay and as she held out her hand the skin disappeared leaving nothing but a skeletal arm.

"Aumustay libre transport netherix" Margaret breathed out again and again, the ash that had been thrown onto her lit up into embers, the red and gold orbs floating into the night above her. As her own words ended Sarah screamed, Margaret's boney hand grabbing onto hers.

"No! Noooo!" Eileen screamed racing over to them but it was too late. The embers circled around Sarah and her body began to decay as Margaret's had, both falling to the ground in a heap nothing but ashes remained. Finn and Marcus didn't hesitate in grabbing Eileen as she knelt beside the pile. I thanked Margaret mentally, hoping wherever she had been sent back to was somewhere she could enjoy, maybe even be with the husband she had lost years ago.

"You!" William roared. I had forgotten about him in all the commotion. In seconds he shifted. 'Run' the voice in my head urged and this time, I listened. The more I ran the more I felt my muscles responding. The lethargic state I had been in minutes before leaving me as I sprinted into the forest. I leapt with ease over fallen logs; my senses were as keen as a deer's as I navigated through the vegetation. The angry snarls of the wolf behind me fuelling me on. I knew I was running at a human speed, she was helping me. I felt at peace knowing my family was safe now; Marcus and Finn could take care of themselves and the pack. Eric and Fred would be ok too. If he caught me now, my Grandparents would help James. They would make sure he went to school; he would have friends, a life. When it was his time to enter this world they would be there to guide him, to help him. Jocelyn and Dylan would help, and Eric would be the older brother to him he never had. The forest started to clear and in the vast space of land before me I stuck to the well-worn path, my sprint easier on flat land. My hair billowed out behind me as my breaths were steady but heavy, my legs stretched wider and faster, he needed to be away from them so they could be safe.

I wasn't afraid of the big bad wolf anymore. I had welcomed him into my life, allowed him to toy with me like a cat would to a mouse. His game was over now. Heading back into the forest I heard his paws slow and fear hit me that he would go back. The night was so silent and calm around me, nothing stirred but the slight rustle of the trees above as the wind blew gently through them. The moon still sat proud in the sky, its glow sending a white eerie light into the world below it. I slowed, finally stopped my body swayed as it took a moment to balance. I leant by a tree, resting my hand on it as I swallowed hard, my mouth and throat dry from the cold air I'd been desperately breathing in. I licked my lips to ease their roughness.

"Well look who it is walking through these spooky old woods alone" William taunted, sauntering towards me as if he owned the place. "Why if it isn't red riding hood" His tone changed to rage and looking down I had forgotten the coat I had picked up when we left was my red one. After this, I was never wearing red again.

"Well Alpha, what a lying asshole you are" I snapped back, hating the fact I was falling into his stupid riddles. He chuckled softly.

"All the better to trick you with" he snarled, his eyes had gone from the clear blue to nearly black.

"How could either of you even consider what you did?" I asked, not afraid of him anymore. The whole situation became cleared to me, and as odd as it may seem the actual facts of it all had only just occurred to me. His mate wouldn't like the idea of him sleeping with another, surely it would cause some issues. Then again the woman had attempted to kill her own daughter after practically kidnapping her, gave her to someone else to mark and put a stupid love spell on that daughter too. It was ridiculously messed up.

"It was hear idea actually, I can't say I minded. You were under a spell, your wolf needed to believe the human was right. Mine already knew your wolf was his, and then that idiot brother of mine had to get involved. That afternoon when you asked me about two mates I thought you had started to figure things out, I knew your wolf was keen on him too but couldn't understand why the human had no attraction" His confession hit me hard, my head echoing with growls as even she understood what he was implying. Parker was meant to be mine all along. Williams's cruel laughter interrupted my thoughts, anger took over and I shoved him roughly. Whatever it was that was fuelling me now, magic or my wolf he went flying across the path into the tree opposite us. An unsettling crack sounded as his body collided with the wood and I didn't need to be told to keep running.

"Run run run little she wolf, I'll be catching you as fast I can" I heard him call out, a savage growl soon joining my desperate breaths as I ran further into the forest. I needed a plan; I couldn't keep running forever, no matter how much I wanted to. And then it was if time slowed down. The sharp angle of the branch ripped into my jacket; snagging the fabric I tripped falling hard. Blinking a rush of images came to me as I remembered Penelope's dash from Parker. Is history going to repeat itself? Sure enough just as I freed myself the large black wolf crashed on top of me, my arms instinctively went up to cover my face as we fell. The weight of the wolf was crushing and before we actually landed, I somehow managed to be on top and he softened my fall. But he recovered in seconds where as I was dazed and disorientated and he had me pinned beneath him. He shifted, his hands digging into my upper arm as my arms were held out beside me, and with his knee between my legs as he straddled me, I couldn't wiggle free or try to get an advantage on him. He was using his full strength to keep me down, my own started to disappear.

"You look so much like her," he said dreamily, his eyes running over my face. I spat in his face as he inched closer, a disgusted growl coming from him as he used a hand to wipe it off. With arm free I slapped his as hard as I could but the power I had before wasn't there; it hardly left a red mark. He smirked, knowing I was beat now.

"What about one more time for the good old days?" he asked curiously, coming down beside me he kissed each cheek and then my forehead.

"Go. To. Hell" I glared at him as best I could; my wolf had retreated just when I needed her the most. He sat up slightly, frowning as he stared into my eyes.

"Little girl on the floor, aren't you the fairest one of all" he mumbled, his lips met mine and I tried to pull away, with nowhere to go I tried to bite him but predicting my movements he moved out of the way, before trying again. "Penelope, Sarah, whatever she wanted to be called was my true love. But you, you are definitely something else. Maybe my wolf wanted yours for a reason" He seemed to think about this as I wriggled underneath him some more.

"It doesn't have to be like this; you're even thinking about it. I loved you once, I'm sure I could again" I lied, feeling disgusted with myself as I leant up to kiss his chin. He tensed, not expecting it.

"If only you could," he whispered, his lips meeting mine I responded as passionately as I could. I felt cheap, but it had to work. I lifted my hips to grind against him, the moan that formed in back of his throat evidence that it was working. I opened my eyes and gasped, tilting my head back as if enjoying it.

"Please William" I begged. His grip loosened on my arms and I wrapped them around his neck, looking around I spied a decent sized branch. If I could get it, I could use it as a weapon. I moved as to flip us over, once on top I threw my hair back seductively, sitting up I reached for the buttons on his shirt. Amused he looked at me with lust and as his shirt opened to reveal the chest I had run my hands over so many times I dropped down, my mouth trailing kisses to his ear.

"Game over" I whispered seductively, using every inch of strength in my I titled my leg up over him and kneed him in her overly sensitive area. Pushing up I didn't care if I happened to do serious damage. My hands had just gotten on the branch when he grabbed my shoulders roughly chucking me back onto the dirt and in the process my grip on the branch gone.

"Check mate" he growled. Something in me stirred then, I had never felt it before. Every nerve, every muscle, every part of my being twitched from my head to my toes. It was the most surreal feeling, it was as if I was waking up from a sleep and all I needed to do was stretch. Giving in to the need my arms reached up above me and I pushed my legs out a little further, if I kept going I could rip in two. The heavy pants above me snapped me out of my daydream, looking up as I was met with dark eyes. William shifted; kissing me for what I knew would be the last time. Standing up he stepped back and as Parker had told Penelope's so many years ago I knew what he wanted.

"Run" he commanded. I scooted up and took what would be my final steps, but I wasn't scared. If death came I would like be weak as to lay there and welcome it. I had only taken about five strides when the wolf leapt at me, bracing myself for the fall I fell more elegantly than I would have if I didn't know what was coming. The wolf stood over me, his dark eyes searching the depths of mine. His lips lifted to reveal his shiny white canines, growls shook his body and this was it. I closed my eyes as everything went in slow motion. In the beat of each heartbeat we moved as if in a rehearsed dance.

Beat One. Parker's scent hit my nose. Beat Two. 'Mine' my wolf growled in my mind. Beat Three. William's head went up preparing to go into the final attack. Beat Three. I closed my eyes Beat Four. He started to come down towards my throat. Beat Five. The ripping feeling tore through my body, as instant as it came, it was gone. Beat Six. His jaws opened ready to rip into my flesh. Beat Seven. I beat him to it.

My white wolf slammed into the black one, before he could comprehend it my teeth dug into the softest, tender area of flesh. My growls mirrored his own as he tried to shake me off. Hind legs reached up under his chest, the sharp nails tearing as I kicked out, pushing him down. A deathly whine escaped his muzzle as I finally released her hold. His eyes met mine just as the grey and white wolf appeared from the forest. Ignoring the dying beast in front of me, I focused on the only one who had my heart. His muzzle tilted to the sky, the sad song filling the night as I soon joined in. All around the forest erupted in a chorus as the pack joined in.