There was a faint light in the sky when Eric came into my room. Refusing to open my eyes I ignored him, begging sleep to come back. I felt the pressure of his body as he sat on the edge of the bed, and as he gently shook my shoulder to wake me up I groaned not willing to acknowledge him. I rolled over turning my back to him and I knew he'd be smiling at waking me up. Jerk.

 "It's nearly dawn, time for a run" he said softly. I hated the fact I had got him up yesterday at five when it was still dark. At least he was kind enough to let a little bit of the sun be seen.

 "No" I protested. I didn't want to get up. Not today. Not ever. My body had shut down on me, seems the stupid she wolf had found some power and if I did get up I knew there was only place she would take me and I wasn't willing to risk that. I was being stubborn now. I really was only hurting myself. The place the tingles start from ached now, it was like heartburn - for an elephant. My whole chest ached and my throat was on fire.

"What's wrong, you don't seem yourself. I know it takes 21 days to form new habits but quitting after a few days doesn't seem your style" Eric moved onto the bed beside me he rolled me over so we were laying against each other. I refused to open my eyes as I knew the concern all over his face would only make me feel worse. He shifted so his arm was under my head and I rested my forehead on his chest as his other arm came around holding me close.

"Tell me what's wrong?" he begged as my tears started to soak the t-shirt he had on. I shook my head snuggling closer against him. He sighed, his annoyance at unwillingness to elaborate becoming obvious and to add to me list, I felt bad for making him worry.

"I miss William," I muttered into his chest. He heard though and his body shook as he tried to hold in his laughs.

 "That's it? We can fix that easy" he said hopefully. But I shook my head. That wasn't everything. He seemed to deflate beside me as he waited for me to explain further. So I told him about the Penelope issue, about the past and how I was already over the whole wolf thing because of how she kept trying to take control. He stayed silent the whole time I ranted, occasionally nodding or rubbing his hand along my back soothingly.

 "And then there is one other thing" This was it. All night I had tossed and turned over this and I needed to get it out. I finally opened my eyes and looked up at him, will he hate me now?

"It's Parker......" I didn't get to finish my sentence before he was standing on the floor beside the bed.

"I knew I smelt him in here, I just thought I was being paranoid. What the hell is going on Elizabeth?" I cringed as he used my full name, he was pissed. I didn't exactly have to be scientist to work that out. The stupid wolf felt satisfied in me as she felt his anger, she knew I deserved it and wanted someone else to make me suffer.

"I don't knoooow" I whined falling face first into my pillow. Maybe I could suffocate myself and solve all my problems. Eric was silent and finally I turned slightly, opening one eye to peer at him curiously. His face was blank and he had totally zoned out. Maybe I could lock myself in the bathroom and not have to face him anymore. I threw the doona over my head and shuffled to the edge but as I dropped to the plush white carpet and was about to sprint to the bathroom he was already beside me. Dam him.

"Going somewhere?" he smirked at my lame attempt to escape. Like the adult I am I stuck my tongue out at him as he grabbed me around the waist and threw me onto the bed.

 "You asked me before if you were Williams mate right?" he asked, more to himself as he was on his own train of thought so I just nodded, curling my legs underneath me I watched as he started to pace the room. After a few minutes he finally stopped, facing me, he looked as if he had just solved every problem in the world. "What if you're not?"

 As his words hit me my body tensed and I glared at him. He looked at me as if to say 'what' but before he could say anything I had thrown myself against him almost knocking him over.

 "Take that back" I growled, I was trembling with the fury that racing through me now as what he implied. I shoved him roughly causing him to back up against the desk, he looked a little worried now as I really understood the meaning of seeing red. As I stalked towards him he burst out laughing and not expecting that I stopped.

 "Well, that proves that" he grinned pleased with himself as my mind worked out what he had just done. My wolf then let her presence be known, that wasn't her. That had been all me.

 "It doesn't prove anything" I mumbled heading into my dressing room I decided to go for that run after all. After we had breakfast Eric had to go do more of  'something' and Jocelyn and Andrea seemed to be forming their own little duo as they had arranged to go shopping for something to wear for New Years Eve. At first I was offended they hadn't included me but as I settled in on my bed with chocolate and Breakfast at Tiffany's I didn't care.

"...well, baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it's not bounded by Tulip, Texas, or Somaliland. It's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself" For some reason Fred's words stuck with me as I watched Holly run back for Cat. Finally Fred and Holly share their final kiss with the raining pouring around them and Cat safely tucked away between them. A happy ending. I turned it off and went and got showered and dressed. I needed some Tiffanys of my own.

Grabbing a Starbucks I headed towards the Tiffany & Co store. I was browsing the window display and about to head into the doors when I sensed someone beside me. Glancing over I didn't have to wonder who it was.

"Don't you have ANY one else to go and be a creepy stalker with?" I muttered, offering a smile to the doorman as we entered. Parker laughed and kept my stride.

"No, you're number one on my list right now" I rolled my eyes and headed over to the dazzling cabinet displays admiring the jewels.

"Can I help you with anything Sir?" the sales assistant appeared beside us, smiling at us curiously and not so subtly checking Parker out. 'Good she can have him' I thought sarcastically sipping on my coffee I took the chance to wander away. Not feeling like shopping any more I had a quick look to see him shamelessly flirting with the girl and fled the store. Soon spying Harrods I went straight to the perfume counter and allowed the clerks to spray as many different samples on me as I could convince them to do, hoping it would work like it had with Eric in Nice. Satisfied I had just slipped back out of the store when I spied Parker coming up the street. I quickly put on my red beanie and blended into the crowd, soon checking back to find myself alone. 'Thank god' I thought and carried on walking around the city.

I had stopped for lunch and was sitting in the small cafe waiting on my order when the chair beside me moved, Parkers annoyed face soon greeting me.

"Nicely played Lowell" he nodded, seemingly amused with me. I looked at him innocently as if I didn't know what he was talking about.

"I may not be able to smell you but I can smell half of Harrods on you" He winked and picked up a menu. The waitress bounded over eager to take his order and once she left we both sat on our phones in silence, that was surprisingly not awkward and as our meals came at the same time, I realized we'd be having lunch together. I was to hungry to leave so because my life was already so perfect I just sucked it up and added it to the pile of joy.

"You can talk to me you know" he said between a mouthful of chips. I gave my best 'not likely' look and started eating my burger. 'Please just go away' I thought, glancing around as if help would arrive. But it didn't. I continued to ignore him until finally our plates were cleared. I got up and grabbed my bag walking quickly out of the cafe and Parker was still hot on my heels.

"Ok, I get it. You're following me. What do you want?!" I snapped, the few people who passed us gave me an odd look and living in the city I really doubted that they'd never seen two people yelling in the street before. His eyes lingered on my lips sliding down my body hungrily and with a hmph I turned around and kept walking.

"I told you what I wanted last night Elle" he called out, finally letting me go. In response I gave him the one fingered salute and carried on my way. I hadn't gotten far when I slammed into Finn. Literally. We both stumbled yet he regained his senses quicker than I did, moving to help me steady myself.

"Finn?" I asked dumbfounded. He seemed as surprised as I did and just opened and closed his mouth a couple of times.

"What are you doing here?" he asked casually, glancing around as if looking for someone. What am I doing here? I left him in France, what was he doing here!

"Shopping. You?" I replied just as casually, ignoring the awkwardness that was growing between us. He grabbed my arm and roughly pulled me into a closed doorway, away from the crowd filling the streets. He kept his eyes behind me, constantly looking over my shoulder and every time I turned to look he would stop me.

"Seem a bit jumpy there," I teased, poking him in the chest. He growled lightly causing a couple of the people passing to look at us.

"You shouldn't be here. Go home" he finally said, stepping down from the doorway. What was with these people? I wasn't in the mood to deal with this today and I started following him.

"No. What's going on?" I demanded as we pushed our way through the streets. He looked back at me annoyed but said nothing else. I soon realized we were heading towards the building I had followed Eric to last night and started getting nervous.

"Sure you wanna keep following me?" Finn finally asked as if he sensed my nerves. I nodded hesitantly, whatever it was going on was happening from in here, I had to find out. But of course that wasn't going to happen today.

"Finley" Parker greeted, seeming to appear from nowhere before us. Finn didn't seem surprised or annoyed at seeing him and nodded slightly in greeting. I inched closer to Finn as if to hide behind him but he carried on inside leaving me staring at Parker.

"Alone again" he teased, stepping closer and removing the distance between us. "Ever think it's a sign?" I was glued to the spot as my eyes got lost in his. Lust rolled off him and I shifted uncomfortably as the air seemed to fill with electricity around us. Something in me clicked them, giving me the ability to look away and I took off after Finn. I had just got to the door when Eric walked out. His eyes moved from me to Parker who had decided yet again to follow me.

"Eric?" I asked stupidly, moving towards him. He glared at Parker, trembling slightly as his eyes seemed to get darker.

"Why are you with him, again?" he snapped at me. I had never felt his anger solely directed at me before and honestly, it scared me. Parker was at my side in an instant, wedging himself between Eric and I. This movement seemed to stump him and that's all it took for Parker to have him by the throat pushing him inside the building. Feeling hopeless I ran after them, the grand wood door closing behind me. I didn't take in the room with its marbled floor and rich oak paneled walls, or notice the tapestries that draped from the roof with various stitching's of wolves and men on them.

Whatever this place was it felt important though, even my wolf seemed to reappear within me as even she sensed something about this place. It smelt of leather and the musty odor of age that was common in these older places. Parker had Eric against a column that stood in the entrance before leading out in the foyer area. It was nearly ballroom size and from the outside I never would have guessed it to be so big.

"Do you dare threaten her?" Parker hissed at Eric who continued to fight for his freedom from Parkers grip. "I will kill you if you so much as think about doing it again. You are but a pup, remember your place. My brother is too lenient, allowing you continue to get away with such behaviors" Parker used his full strength to slam Eric across the room, the floor holding steady as Eric's body bounced off it as I screamed for Parker not to do it. I ran to Eric's side, blood trickled from the side of his head where he had taken a hit not noticing Marcus, Finn and a lady I didn't know appearing or that Parker had stalked off down the hall to the left of us.

"Eric, Eric are you ok" I begged him to answer me and finally a moan escaped him, blinking a few times he looked around and stiffly with little help from me managed to sit upright. Bruising covered his arm and shoulder as the blood ran down his head and neck. Finn stood beside me and handed me a towel which I quickly dabbed around him to try and clear up some of the blood. Amazingly as I wiped his skin gently, the bruising started to disappear and finally he was able to stand, completely ok apart from what blood had already started to dry around his temple.

"Elizabeth? I'm Cecilia. It's so lovely to finally meet you" the woman stepped away from Marcus side and calming down from my moment of near hysteria at the prospect of Eric being hurt, I quickly took her in. Her blonde hair was perfectly straight and hung past her shoulders, she had large brown eyes that lit up with her smile. There was something familiar in her square shaped face that I couldn't place and her tanned body was very athletic. Marcus had his eyes glued to her and I remember Eric saying that Marcus had mated to his sister.

This must be her.

Eric stood and helped me up and I offered her a quick smile before I threw my arms around his neck and after hesitating a moment I felt his arms go around me, not mad anymore.

Freddy appeared then, looking at our group curiously I swore I could see relief and excitement cross his usual serious features. It wasn't imagined; as I let go from Eric he practically tackled me in a hug of his own. As I gasped for breath thanks to his tight hold Eric gently pushed him back and instantly the typical Freddy appeared.

"Nice to meet you Cecilia" I put out my hand thinking maybe after that it would be nice to be slightly formal but she gently hugged me too.

"I am these two idiots older, wiser and very beautiful sister" she teased, her voice was light and friendly as Marcus came up behind her, his arm possessively going around her waist as he leant down and kissed her cheek. The moment was tender and I felt at home around them so easily. Finn made a gagging sound that had us all laughing except for Marcus who glared at his own brother.

"So what the hell was going on just now?" Marcus finally demanded, the peacefulness of the moment gone. Eric looked at me sigheing, throwing his arms up dramatically.

"Parker. He just gets to me" Eric sighed heavily and Marcus looked at him warily, finally nodding.

"What is this place?" I stepped away from the group finally able to take in the space. It looked as if it belonged in a palace.

"This is our pack house." Finn stated proudly. I looked at them curiously as all eyes were glued on me.

"Ok" I mumbled, going down the stairs into the large hall. I guess that's why it felt important, being a pack house. What ever that was.

"Dylan had been part of a different pack, why was he here the other night?" I asked, looking at the paintings on the wall. The majority of everything here looked like it belonged in a museum.

"His pack is small, his alpha useless. It was an easy take over. As of New Years, their pack is no more and those who choose to stay will join us. Last night was merely a meeting for all members to meet their new Alpha" I smiled at Finn, always the talker.

"So why was there a take over?" I walked back over to them and it was Cecilia that spoke up this time. 

"There is a threat to them. We are stronger, bigger and can offer more security. As Finn said, their alpha was useless. He lost his mate about twenty years ago and went a bit mad. All that time this pack has struggled under his control, some had already left to be rogue or seek acceptance elsewhere. He has disappeared now, we wont see him again"

"Finn why did you tell me I should go home before?" My question caught him by surprise but he was quick to hide it.

"It's not safe for you to be alone" he finally replied. I didn't know what he meant by that but then I also knew I wasn't ever alone. Eric or Parker always seemed to be nearby. Was he referring to Parker? Meeting my gaze he shook his head slightly. Could he read my thoughts? Eric moved beside me then, and this whole time I realized their own conversation had been taking place that I had not been allowed to hear.

"Come on, let's go," he said softly. I said goodbye to them, sad to leave. Clinging to Eric's side I shivered, looking down the hall Parker stood watching us as we left the building and I knew he'd be following us home, not bothered by that.

I ended up spending the afternoon with James as Mum had more 'errands' to run and by the time Eric and I headed home, I was ready for an early night. Eric and my Grandparents were talking 'pack politics' and my head hurt from all the things I didn't understand. My wolf was still missing as she had been all day and with peace and quiet in my mind I knew sleep would be easy and welcomed it.