I knew my eyes were open but darkness still surrounded me. Panic instantly set in yet as I tried to move I felt something tight around my wrists and I knew I wasn't still dreaming. The mouldy damp smell hit me as soon as my senses woke up with me and I coughed almost dry retching as it became too much. Where was I? The more aware I became the more my body let me know how unhappy it was. The hits I took earlier were throbbing, my arms were stiff and my hands were numb thanks to them hanging above my head. I tugged on the chains and realised the length they were at was as good as it was going to get. My eyes had adjusted to the dark now and to my right opposite me up what I was guessing to be a flight of stairs a crack of light leaked in from under the door. I groaned, bringing my legs up below me and pushing up against the aged walls. Standing pain shot through my ribs and I bit my lip to save from crying out.

Again no tears managed to come to me. As I tugged on the chains I felt my bones begin to crack and shift back into place. The sensation surprised me yet in my mind I felt a barrier pressing against my conscience and I knew my wolf was covering the pain. I had never been happier t have her. All I wanted to do was stretch my arms but it wasn't possible. Where was Parker? I closed my eyes and tried to listen upstairs, nothing but silence greeted me.

"Hello?" I screamed, nothing. "Hello?!" I called again. Still quiet. I slumped back down to the wet dirt; if I had stayed quiet this wouldn't have happened. If I had taken Finns offer of leaving with James I wouldn't have been here now. My stomached growled hungry and I couldn't help but wonder how long I'd been out for. There was no indication of night or day in here. I sat in the dark silence for a while longer when I scratching started in the corner closest to me.

"Hello?" I called hopefully. A faint whine was heard and then the scratching sound like nails against wood. "Hello! I'm here!! Hello!!!" I stood up, hope filling me as the whine stopped. I instantly frowned, dropping to me knees as the hope I had just had ran for the hills.

"Beth?" Eric. Hysterical screams of happiness echoed around me and stopped as soon as I realised it was coming from me.

"Eric!!" I cried, the light of a torch appeared from the ground and after a clunk, the wooden panels on the floor lifting and the blonde curls appeared before the familiar face I had missed more than anything.

"What the hell?" he muttered as a few voices were muffled behind him. His flashlight shone over me and I closed my eyes shying away from the harshness of the light and seeing my arms in chains he growled, beside me in seconds. He tugged on the metal as if he'd be able to snap it open but nothing happened.

"What happened?" he asked, still struggling with the chain.

"Please just get me out. Don't you know how dangerous it is for you to be here? How did you find me?" I scolded. Instantly I regretted him being here. He needed to go. Freddy's head popped up out the same hole.

"God Beth, can you stay out of trouble? Taking you to see Marcus that day was like a trip to Disneyland" I had to laugh and even he managed to break a smile.

"I got your message about heading out near Yorkshire but I didnt hear from you all weekend but everyone kept telling me I was over reacting. Sunday night William and your Grandfather had a fight about coming to try and find you, Will wanted to believe you'd back by morning. But you werent. Finn, Fred and I left at dawn and have been roaming the countryside trying to find you. Finn found the cottage and here we are. He is guarding the tunnel entrance a little distance back in the forest. Marcus told us Will was coming today but we didn't wait for him. I can tell he's near but for some reason I can't connect to him. Everything feels blocked" His worry was obvious and again he tried to snap the chain with no luck.  We all froze as voices were heard upstairs.

"Go, get back down there Eric! What ever happens do not come again or try and get me!" I growled at them. He looked at me shocked, but mostly hurt. Freddy nodded and his head disappeared frowning and looking back to Eric the worry on his face made me nervous.

"But...." I cut him off, as the footsteps got closer. I would die if anything happened to them!

"Go!" Reluctantly he turned and disappeared back down the hole, darkness soon taking hold of the room again as the trapdoor closed and the torchlight was gone. There were a few crashes from upstairs, the sounds of a growling animal taking over and I held my breath waiting for a sign of what was happening.

"Parker!?" I yelled, hoping it was him and that he was ok. For what felt like hours the silence returned. I held my breath, the tingles picking up once more. The door swung open and the silhouette of a wolf appeared. It leapt down the stairs in a leap blending into the darkness. It wasn't Parker.

"William?" I whispered, the wolf disappeared as he stood before me.

"I told you I was coming" He pressed himself against me as in his hand he had the key. Unlocking the cuffs my arms quickly made their way around his neck. I buried my head into chest ignoring the protests of my wolf. The mate bond may control her, but I wasn't. His went around my waist and lifting me up my legs instinctively he pressed my back against the wall. Every inch of me was rejecting the contact but the tingles kept drawing me in.

"Please dont let this be a dream" I mumbled, burying my head into his chest and enjoying the familiar and comforting scent. He let out a small laugh, shaking his head. I couldn't handle another dream, not know. It would be to much.

"It's not a dream Beth" He titled my chin up to look at him and our lips met in a gentle kiss. It was simple and didnt satisfy the urge I had within the pit of my stomach but it was shortlived, my body fighting any attraction I clung to for him.

"Why do you smell like Parker?" he pulled away dropping me down. Guilt washed over me and I couldn't look at him.

"He marked me," I whispered, the growl that met my ears told me all I needed to know.

"And you slept with him?" It was a rhetorical question and all I did was nod. "Did he force you?" His words were slow and cut deep. I shook my head.

"We had some shots and it just happened and then he bit me" I quickly spilled it out, not going into details I was sure he didn't need to hear. My heart picked up its pace thinking about that night and stupidly I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks. Thankfully in the dark, he wouldn't see. William sighed, roughly running his hair through his hands before his fist collided with the wall beside me, his anger obvious. His body shook slightly and he paced from corner to corner muttering something I couldn't understand under his breath. I didn't know how long we had and as much as I wanted him to let his anger out I wanted out. The tension in the small area was thick and with all the other things eating at me, it was suffocating.

"How did you find me?" I finally asked, not wanting the awkwardness to continue growing between us. My question had him stop and finally he looked at me.

"Where else would she be but here? I couldn't find it but then last night I was in the forest and here it was. I scouted it out today and broke in tonight when they left" He spoke softer now, and I quickly went back to his side. Thankfully he pulled me closer and kissed the top of my head. But something didn't make sense.

"You're here alone?" I looked up at him curiously, maybe he made a mistake. If Finn, Eric and Freddy were here, he would have to know. Marcus told them he was coming, what was going on?

"Yeah, I wouldn't let the pack come near magic, it's to dangerous. Come on, we better go" He started to lead me up the stairs as my mind processed what was happening. Maybe because they had snuck out he really didnt know they had come but if Marcus could tell them he was going here, wouldn't Marcus have told William. Eric had said it felt like something was blocking them from connecting to him. From what information Parker had shared with me about the pack stuff, an Alpha couldnt block the pack out in an emergency. Maybe there was magic affecting it? Either way my friends were nearby, I was with William and we were getting out.

"But what about Parker?" I regretted asking him but I needed to know. Despite everything, I cared about him, well my wolf did at least and we couldn't run out not knowing. What if they had killed him? 'No' the voice in my head told me, and I knew it was true. Surely being mated I would know if he died. But why couldn't I feel him like I usually could? Was being back with William already weakening the bond he had forced to occur between us. Maybe true love does conquer all, it worked in fairy tales and my life seemed to turning into a big drama filled one, day by day.

"Oh so you care for him now?" he snapped, dropping the hold on my hand. His words hurt and I couldn't stop the guilt that gnawed at me.

"It's nothing like what I feel for you, believe me," I begged. He sighed, a smile forming on his face.

"I do. Trust me, we'll get it all sorted out soon enough" I did trust him. I trusted him more than anything. We headed up the stairs and into the kitchen, the bright light of the room harsh for my eyes and I had to blink a few times.

"Do you know where they went? Are we going to get out?" I wondered, looking around the house was definitely empty. And where was Parker? He hadn't answered me when I first asked, and I didn't want to push it right now. Later when we were home.

"Not sure, but I think we'll be out ok. What ever they were planning it was for midnight when the moon is at its peak. It's only ten now so we should be ok. Did you need anything?" He asked, looking around curiously. I only had on jeans, a hoodie and my boots. If we had to go out into the cold and run again I needed a jacket.

"I'll just grab my coat" and I quickly went into my room. My red jacket sat on the bed and not thinking I took off my hoodie and grabbed a sweater, chucking the jacket over the top I did up the buttons on the front.

"Ok ready" I smiled taking his hand that he held out and we headed out the door into the night and what ever we had to face, we'd do it together.