Leaving the cottage my head instantly tilted up to the clear night sky. Uninterrupted by city lights the stars twinkled like diamonds above, the moon was full and orange straight above us. Above us. I looked to William as we walked towards the gate; he seemed so relaxed it felt out of place.  Something in front of us caught my attention and I stopped in my tracks. From the gate a row of candles stood out from the snow and in front of us a small camp fire was set up at the end of the trail. At my refusal to move he kept walking, pulling me along.

"Stop! It must be a trap!" I whispered forcefully at him, tugging back on his arm. He rolled his eyes and stopped, turning back to face me.

"Do you trust me?" he asked softly, his hand coming up to gently cup my face in his hands. Reluctantly I nodded as my mind was screaming at me to run. "Come on" He continued walking and I moved against his side, holding onto his arm rather than his hand, looking around us cautiously. We walked over to the campfire and he paused, looking around for something.

"Come on" I urged and kept trying to walk towards the forest. But he didn't move. A flash of regret passed his features before his face hardened, losing any sign of emotion. I opened my mouth to speak as tingles in my chest turned to an ache, my body had already healed my previous injuries and the new pain was unexpected and intense. Not able to brace myself, I dropped clutching my chest, gasping as it got worse. But as soon as it started it stopped, looking up Eileen and Mum appeared looking smug yet I could see the annoyance in Mums eyes.

"Run William!" I gasped, able to get control of my speech again. He needed to get out of here and their arrival was not good news. Instead he walked over to them heading around the fire to where they stood. Their voices were quiet and I couldn't hear what was being said. I managed to stand up and looked for an escape. Getting the guys involved seemed like my only plan but I couldn't risk them getting hurt. Mum moved from the discussion coming over to me. I squared my shoulders and crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at her. A half smile seemed to appear on her face as she looked me over.

"Well my Elizabeth, if things could be different, I'd almost be proud of you" she sneered. I didn't bother responding until I saw William move back into the house.

"Let him go, whatever your plan is just leave him out of it" I begged. He had already suffered so much at the hands of my ancestors. He didn't deserve this. She looked at me as trying to see if I was serious before she started laughing. My hands dropped to my side as my jaw opened slightly in shock.

"You really are a stupid girl" she snapped and moved back to Eileen as William reappeared dragging an unconscious Parker behind him. My heart fell to my feet at the sight, he was pretty beat up, and I had nothing on him when I had been chained up. His face was purple and with no jacket on, his arms were cut and bloodied. William dumped his body between where I stood and the other two, smirking as he did so.

"Wake him up" he commanded and nodding my Mum held out her hand, moving it up slightly Parker gasped awake. He was quick to look around and I knew he had attempted to shift. I felt his anger when he realized he couldn't. He was to weak.

William stood above him glaring down; grabbing him by the shirt he lifted him up off the snow. Parker attempted to shove him off but his energy was gone. Instantly I ran over, grabbing Williams arm in attempt to get him to let go. In a swift movement I was tossed aside landing beside the fire as the heat from the flames warmed my skin. Looking up Mum smirked at me and I knew she had been the one to do it.

"Well little brother let us see how you like watching your mate die," he growled, roughly throwing him back down to the earth. As his words sunk in fear rolled around my stomach and I felt dizzy as nausea threatened to make whatever was left in my stomach come out. Did he hate me that much because of what happened with Parker and me, he wanted to kill me?

"Die?" I gasped, struggling to stand up. All eyes fell to me and I cringed at the attention. I looked at William pleading, "But I still love you. Please, we can find a way to fix it"

Realization dawned on him then, sighing he pulled out something from his pocket.

"Poor Beth. So blinded by love she never saw what was really going on" he said as if amazed. Walking over to my Mum he handed her the item, and in turn she walked over to me.

"You told me you have visions, you saw dreams of Penelope. Did it ever occur to you how alike I was to her?" She handed me the picture. Looking at it was of me, taken at my Graduation. I looked so much younger and carefree. I wished I could go back there. But why was it here? I noticed something red poking out on the bottom of the square, turning it over I dropped it instantly. Looking back to her I saw it then. Green eyes, long brown hair, the same heart shaped face. She looked older than Penelope and thinking back to the night Parker had killed her she looked the same as her then. How had I not seen the similarities?

"Humans age Elizabeth. No wolf wants a human mate, unless you can convince your wolf to age with them they will die and you will be alone. Sure there is a chance your mate will turn if the fates whoever they are allow it to happen when you are marked but the odds are not in your favor and marking them will end up killing them" She lectured. "Parker did kill me that night and while my own Grandmother had bound my own magic, my Mother was more caring towards her daughter and ensured I would be able to return when the time was right" I took a hesitant step back as the situation started to really sink in. But what did this all have to do with me?

"Shame that trait doesn't run in the family" I replied sarcastically, bracing for the impact I knew was coming. I felt a burn on my finger which caused me to frown but nothing happened. She looked confused and again the burn, it was more of an unpleasant sensation that a burn, as if stepping under the shower when it was too hot but it was tolerable. I remembered the ring and now I was able to predict her assaults, it was shielding me. So instead she slapped me. Satisfied at hurting me she continued talking.

"The people who had me sadly died in a car accident and Eileen as my Aunty adopted me. She returned me to whom I was meant to be and raised me as she had before even if we had to get rid of Margaret along the way. And of course there is the matter of what is mine" she looked over to William who smiled at her fondly. She picked up the picture and threw it into the fire. Red sparks emerged from the orange flames, and i watched as the picture went black and warped, the red blood print from the back finally tangling as the plastic turned on itself and more sparks emerged.

"To be a werewolf's mate. I need to be a werewolf. Sadly there is no spell to do that" I noticed Eileen mumbling something over the small black bowl she had positioned on her lap. Parker groaned and I noticed his face was already healing. Sarah produced a knife and took Williams hand over the fire, slicing his palm a trickle of blood spilled out. Then it hit me. It had all been part of their plan. He had never loved me; none of this had been about me. As soon as the blood hit the flames the tingles flared up and I was certain this time it was a heart attack. I could hear my heart beat echoing in my ears as everything became numb, my senses deserted me and I could see or hear anything. I felt like I was falling and as the sensation died down I was on my back in the snow.

"Elizabeth!" Eric's voice hit me with urgency and turning my head I saw him come running from the forest. I couldn't make my mouth move as I wanted to tell him to stop. He shifted as he ran; coming over to me he stood protectively glaring at the trio. William shifted into his black wolf and snapped at him warningly. Eric hesitated, but he was able to hold his ground as he growled once more as if daring William to come closer.

"G-g-gooo. Away. E-Eric" I stuttered, my clothes getting damper the longer I stayed on the ground. He didn't budge until William lunged at him, the pair tumbling together away from me. Using the distraction I tried to get up as quickly as I could, desperate to help Eric. The tingles in my chest had gone; the place they had been was feeling, well normal. I knew the pull to William, all of it was thanks to that stupid spell. I tried to think of everything that had made me angry before but nothing worked, I felt broken and weak. Freddy appeared then, tackling William off Eric in a bid to help his brother. I heard Parkers moan and noticed he could now stand. As quick as he did Eileen had him back to his knees and I was torn as to whom to go to. I didn't get to make the decision as she got Freddy and Eric to the ground, mumbling something they dropped to ground. The slight movement from their breathing showed me they were still alive but I had no idea what she had done to them. Shifting William looked at me furiously.

"You been sleeping around with them too whore?" he spat, clearly annoyed at his packs willingness to defend me. I felt nothing for him now, what I had thought was love had been a lie. This whole time my wolf had kept silent in the back of my mind but I knew she was merely observing. Waiting.

"Enough, the moon has peaked. Bring the girl here" Eileen demanded. William grabbed my upper arm roughly dragging me over to the two of them. She smeared the gunk from her bowl on my forehead and did the same to Sarah. Her eyes met mine and she seemed to be looking for something.

"Are you sure she still has her wolf? You didn't finish the spell did you?" she accused Sarah. That night had been set up. As if reading my mind she nodded.

"We needed to make sure your wolf was kept weak. She will get stronger once this is done but so she doesn't put up to much of a fight we had to set a few things in place first. She had recognized Will here as her mate before that one marked you. In her new body she will again" As she finished speaking I kicked out at William, not expecting it I got him in the knee and he stumbled, freeing my arm I tried to run but he was quick to catch me again.

"Let. Me. Go" I demanded, glaring at him and my wolf was here now. I let her take over, and I sensed his wolf responding. How could I have been so stupid? He looked at me curiously, dropping my arms reluctantly before he laughed. Not stopping to see what would happen next I ran to Parker, hoping to at least get him away from here.

"Oh there is still a wolf in there" William told them, ignoring him I went to Parkers side.

"Enough!" Eileen roared and all of us stopped. Her hand was put up in the air, clenching as if holding something and I felt her grip around my throat. Unwillingly she dragged me back beside Sarah. Her chants soon started up once more and tried to focus on my wolf, hoping if we stayed connected nothing else would happen. It seemed to work as my finger felt the uncomfortable burn which only got worse as her voice got louder. She stopped, looking at me suspiciously but I was too busy focusing on the blue eyes in my mind to notice. Her hand was on my wrist, yanking my hand up she saw the ring and tried to pull it off.

"Take if off" she demanded. I shook my head, smiling like a crazy person. But my tiny victory was short lived. "Fine. They die" she pointed at Eric and Freddy and curled her hand into a fist. I heard the yelps from the large brown bodies that lay defenseless in the snow.

"I'll take it off" I admitted, yanking my hand from hers I slipped the ring off and instead threw it to Parker hoping he would catch it. But William was there before it even fell from the air, smirking as he put it in his pocket. What I wouldn't give to take that smirk right off his face, as soon as the thought entered my mind the tingles in my hand reappeared. Eileen started her chanting once more and this time I had some magic of my own. I pushed Sarah beside me and she fell back as if a bus had knocked her down before I swung my hand back and did the same to William. Eileen didn't stop her chanting instead spoke faster and before the other two could get up I went to throw a hit at her. But William was back up and held my hands down as my head suddenly ached, the crap on my forehead felt as if it was seeping into my mind and things got hazy. William let me fall as I blinked a few times trying to clear my vision and I heard his footsteps move to where Parker lay. He picked him up roughly, turning his head to face me as panic built inside. Sarah appeared over me and I glanced upwards to look at her.

"Mum" I mumbled, forgetting everything that had happened I felt so lost and scared. I wanted my Mum. The woman who had taught me how to ride my bike without trainer wheels, the one who had made her special chicken soup when I was sick. The one who held me for hours when my father died. She had to be there somewhere; no one could be this evil to their own daughter. Her face was gentle, as she knelt down beside me, cradling my head in her lap she wiped the hair from my forehead.

"Sssh Beth. It'll be over soon" she soothed as a Mother should. And I nodded, I knew it would be. I closed my eyes and listened to the hum of Eileen's voice, the grandmother I never knew. I wondered what she was like before this happened. Thinking of Grandparents I thought of the ones who waited for me with James. I'd never see them again. My head rolled to the side as a single tear rolled down my cheek and looking past the brown bodies of Eric and Freddy. Déjà vu hit me as I looked to the forests edge, two pairs of yellow eyes glowed to meet me from the darkness. Marcus and Finn.

"Time to watch her die" Williams words to Parker caught my attention; I'd been so close to death so many times in the last few months it was almost funny how that sentance seemed. I was stronger than this. I will not give in. But it was to late, my body didn't respond to my attempts to move, bit by bit I felt it shutting down. My breaths were shallow and it felt as if the weight of the world sat on my chest. I didn't have any fight left. I felt so tired and no longer wanting to give in I begged my wolf to help.

But she wasn't there.