Andrea, Eric and I were sprawled out on my bed. I had Andrea's head resting on my stomach as I sat horizontally against the pillows and Eric was stretched along the end with my feet up on his back. Andrea was fighting a hangover from the night before, Jocelyn had ensured any sadness from her break up with Derrick which had been in the process of occurring for over a week before Christmas, had been forgotten and the fact her werewolf ex-ex boyfriend was in the house next door didn't bother her. She groaned once more, reaching for the bottle of water and taking another round of painkillers. Eric and I had faired much better but then again he hadn't drunk anything and I only had two glasses of champagne.

"I'm dying" she whined, rolling off me and dramatically falling off the edge of the bed, deciding to curl up and 'die' on the floor. Laughing I leant over the side, her eyes were still glazed over and her hair was a mess.

"Go have a shower, put on some clothes and we'll go find you a big greasy feed to fix your hangover" I enthused. At the mention of food her face literally turned a shade of green and she bolted to my bathroom. Not for a shower.

"Give her another drink, hair of the dog!" Eric suggested, rolling over to face me and turning off the TV we had barely been paying attention too.

"Noo. No more booze e v e r" Andrea called out as the tap turned on. I smiled evilly, poor girl. My grandmother appeared at the door then, popping her head in curiously, her eyebrows rising seeing me and Eric on the bed together. Not again.

"Beth honey, Dylan is here" She said it slowly and emphasized Dylan's name, which caused Eric to shoot up from the bed, instantly on guard.

"Oh god no. If I'm not dying, I am killing myself" Andrea appeared in the ensuite doorway, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. My Grandmother looked at Andrea surprised, her wheels in her mind turning as she put two and two together.

"Andrea, go and put yourself together! You look like hell dear!" I laughed at her words, not expecting that and even Eric cracked a smile. Frustrated she muttered something in French and slammed the door. Minutes later the shower was heard. I headed downstairs with Eric close behind; I didn't quite get his issue with Dylan but put it down to a wolf thing. My Grandfather and Dylan were talking quietly and I couldn't hear a word they were saying. Looking at Eric he shook his head as if knowing what I was thinking. Seeing us approach they silenced and grandfather left us alone.

"Hi Dylan" I greeted, perhaps to cheerfully as he looked at me oddly. He looked at Eric as if sizing him up and deciding against it returned my smile. Stepping forward he hugged me and I sensed his satisfaction in the gesture, as Eric grew tense. As we parted Dylan halted, his eyes going dark as he sniffed me.

"Weird much?" I teased; it's not every day you get sniffed. He looked at me blankly and then to Eric doing the same thing before looking upstairs. We all seemed to realize the same at the same time. Andrea.

"Why do you have her scent all over you!?" he snapped at Eric, walking past me he decided to walk through me and knocked me aside roughly. Perhaps telling him we all ended up asleep together in my bed last night wouldn't be a great idea. Eric held his hands up innocently, and Dylan pushed him square in the chest, hard enough to make him stumble back.

"We were just sitting together watching TV Dylan" I explained, gently rubbing my shoulder that he knocked earlier, shaking my head at Eric who was itching to take Dylan down. He turned to me angrily.

"You know she is MINE and you let this dog be around her?" He snapped at me, looking back at Eric, "Is he the one you said she was dating? You said they had broken up - why is HE here!?" he demanded. He was loosing control.

"No, no Dylan. Eric is here for me, he is just her friend" I started to worry. I had never seen him angry before and from past experience, an angry werewolf doesn't end well. Eric looked at me pleading for my nod to take him out. Where was my own wolfy confidence when I needed it? William flashed in my mind and I knew she was sulking with me. 'Really? Now?' I thought angrily. I went in front of Dylan trying to block Eric from any harm and that in hindsight was stupid of me, as what chance do I stand in between two wolves?

"Dylan, calm down. She told you last night she wasn't ready to see you yet. Give her time" I spoke slowly and calmly. In true drunken style Andrea had gotten hold of a phone and done some drunken texts and lucky for Dylan, a drunken call. As the tension started to crackle in the air, my wolf finally started to take a slight interest in what was going on. But it was to late.

"Eric? Beth??" Andreas voice echoed down the stairs as she curiously called for us. Finding the bedroom empty mustn't have been what she expected. The second she said Eric, Dylan had shifted. The brown and white wolf glaring at Eric as before he could do anything I had been thrown across the room as the wolf pushed past us. Eric more worried about me, ran to my side as my grandparents appeared hearing the commotion.

"Go help Andrea" I demanded and I could see the hesitation in his eyes. Her scream was heard seconds later and nodding he was gone. 'Bastard!' I thought, taking my Grandfathers hand he pulled me up with ease, he sure didn't have the strength of a seventy year old. Of course he wouldn't, they weren't human.

"Stay out of it Elizabeth" he warned, not letting my arm go. I knew Eric could handle himself but I didn't know what was going on up there and if Dylan would be ok if Eric got hold of him or more importantly what would happen to Andrea if they did start to fight.

"I need to be up there" I went again to move but he didn't release me.

"You may be turning into a wolf but you're not yet and could be hurt. Andrea is his mate, he wont hurt her" My Grandmother tried to soothe me but it didn't help at all. My wolf was back now and just as frustrated as me.

"Let. Me. Go" I said threateningly, glaring at my Grandfather. He recoiled from me as if he had been touching hot metal, his mouth dropping slightly. I quickly sprinted upstairs as growls floated down to me as well as Andrea's voice. I had never really noticed why the stairs were so wide or the corridors and four flights later as I saw the two wolves I knew the wideness was not a coincidence. Eric had shifted too and had Dylan pinned in the corridor while Andrea was screaming at him to let him up. Seeing me come up the stairs she was stuck on the other side of the two wolves and waved her arms up exasperatedly. I felt satisfied seeing Eric holding down Dylan's smaller form and as he sensed me he hesitantly released the hold he had on Dylan's throat. Dylan saw his opportunity and quickly moved to snap at Eric but he was expecting it and dipped his head low, throwing the weight of his body into the attack, dropping Dylan once more.

"Enough!" I roared, and all three froze. "Shift" and instantly Eric reappeared looking guilty and seconds later Dylan sat crouched on the floor. Andrea ran beside him, wrapping her arms over his shoulders as she fell down against him. Eric moved awkwardly to my side, keeping just in front of me between the pair who burst into apologies and on Andrea's side, tears.

"Come on" I nudged Eric and we slowly walked down the stairs. He looked at me carefully, his eyes resting on my side where the pain from being shoved was dulling down.

"Are you ok?" he finally asked as we hit the foyer heading towards the kitchen. I nodded and ignored the bewildered stares from my grandparents as I grabbed us both a coke. Turning back to where they sat at the counter I knew what was coming. So taking a deep breath I told them everything, except the more in depth details of my Mum issues, deciding their relationship was already tense enough and what I could tell was to Eric's annoyance, the Parker issue too. Both were speechless as Andrea and Dylan joined us and to my relief - hand in hand. I grinned at her happily and she blushed slightly. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as Dylan looked at Eric, but calmer and in control now he instead extended his hand, apologizing.

Andrea went to Dylan's so they could 'talk' about things and Eric and I decided to go and relax out on the rooftop to enjoy the winter sun. Things were looking up. My wolf had returned to sulking and so my mind was left in silence and free of William.

"American teen drama starring Blake Lively." Eric asked, doing the crossword in the newspaper he had out on the table.

"Gossip Girl" I answered quickly. He shot me a look but shrugged putting it in.

"This actress was a singer first finding fame with her 1999 hit My Love Don't Cost a Thing" He hardly had time to finish the sentence when I replied.

"Jennifer Lopez" He nodded and kept on. I had some of the tea Russell had bought out for us and watched as Eric concentrated on the page in front him. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Look us being an old married couple" Eric looked awkward, stopping his crossword.

"What?" I laughed at his confused expression. Motioning between us.

"We're like my Grandparents, you're sitting there doing a crossword, I'm here drinking tea. Throw in a few yes dears and we're set" He thought about it for a second and finally laughed.

"Hey Eric, why do we have to have mates? Why couldn't I have fallen for you?" I didn't see him romantically at all, he was attractive and I had a lot of fun with him. Being around him made me happy, made me feel safe. He was easily my best friend - perhaps more so than Jocelyn who I had known for my whole life. I loved him as much as James and that explained it. He was like my older brother. The comfort and ease I had with him could only come from family. My question had him beyond surprised and uncomfortable.

"I don't mean I have fallen for you, gross! You're like a brother to me and I love you like James, it just doesn't seem fair it has to be so set in stone" he eased at my words and smiled.

"I don't know Beth, like I said - the whole soul mate rumor probably has a big thing to do with it. You know, I see you as family. More than just pack. You see me as a brother, I see you as the annoying little sister I am glad I never had, especially if she would have been as much trouble as you" I mocked wiping a tear from my eye.

"You really have a way with words," I teased. He grinned confidently back and we spent the rest of the afternoon just enjoying each other's company.

Andrea and Dylan went out on a date that night, my grandparents had a dinner to attend, Jocelyn was out of town overnight and Eric was vague in telling me where he was going but that he would be back later. It annoyed the crap out of me that he wouldn't say and so as he left I quickly changed into black leggings, flats and my black trench coat and decided to follow him. He always told me everything and thanks to my wolfs willingness to ignore me I had no help from her in convincing him. As I lost sight of him as he turned around the corner I decided to try and get her active. 'Come on - you never know maybe he will be seeing Will?' I taunted. Instantly she stirred and Eric's familiar smell came to me. I smiled satisfied and ran after him.