[ Eric ]

Never judge a book by its cover.

In the last few years that lesson had been learnt over and over. My Alpha had suffered due to this, an outcast from the pack he still tried to protect. The Alpha female, had seen through the façade despite the events that followed, so did our second in command Finn, which was why he held that position now. Marcus didn't mind and gladly stepped aside, able to spend more time with Cecilia. The rest of us never stopped to ask questions, we never doubted his actions were not done with ill intentions. I regret it all but at the time I thought what I was doing was right. The old Alpha was not who we all were led to believe he was.

You can only live and learn. 

"Eric come on!" Elizabeth whined from the living room. Shaking my head to clear the thoughts away I grabbed the bowl of popcorn and headed in. It had been five years since those events that made me question who I was. No one knew it had affected me so much. Beth did, she was more than my Alpha, and it was hard to explain our connection.

It had always been there.

Her usually athletic frame sported a rather large baby bump. It was something I couldn't have been prouder of. I was going to be the best Uncle to that kid. She and Parker had finally done the human thing of a traditional wedding the year before and now their first pup was barely a month away.

"Dude, what took you so long?" James her little brother teased, looking up from the beanbag he had positioned beside Beth's chair. 

He was nearly twelve now, and after the death of his Mum Beth had gained custody of him. While we never spoke about it around the others, it was still fresh in his mind. We never told him the truth, he would want to know one day but for now we all helped him deal with the loss of both his parents and the disappearance of sister for that week. He had been introduced to our world a few weeks ago and bragged he always knew.

 "Well you know how this one eats now, I had to make sure we'd all be able to have some," I put the bowl down between Beth and I on the lounge and she shot me a look at what I implied. 

I laughed easily and got comfortable as the movie started. Beth sat a hand protectively over her belly; if you listened close enough the faint flutter of his heart could be heard. It was only weeks away until our family would expand by one and I looked over at her curiously. Catching my gaze she raised her eyebrow, nodding towards her stomach I grinned and my hand reached hers. At my touch the movement within increased and my smile grew.

"Guys come on, watch the movie. When my awesome nephew gets here you can gush over it but its just gross now!" James teased, throwing popcorn at me. 

I glared at him briefly. 

He was freaked out with the whole pregnancy thing, he refused to feel it move and while he was excited he couldn't handle the idea of birth. I thought it was a miracle. A couple hours later we all got up and went to the kitchen, Beth was straight into the fridge looking for food while James washed the popcorn bowl and cups before heading to bed.

"Do you know when they'll be back?" Beth asked worried. 

Parker had been gone for a few days on pack business and refused for her to travel with him in her condition. The fact she was missing him didn't surprise me, she had always been independent and strong enough to stand up to him yet since she was carrying her child she had become clingy. Parker had loved it, finally having her agree with him on most things and not challenging him every second. The change in her behavior had her worried it was something to do with another spell yet thanks to constant awareness and the ring Parker and Finn had given her years ago it wasn't possible. When she finally did the pregnancy test she had freaked out completely but she was loving the idea now, she really did glow.

"He did say if not tonight then tomorrow. Chill Beth. Did you want to watch another movie or go to bed?" She sighed, leaning her back against the bench as her hands instinctively moved over the bump.

"Bed. I am exhausted. Come with?" she looked at me hopefully and I nodded. 

We'd slept together millions of times in the past, nothing like that; it's just a comfort thing knowing someone is there. She'd always been that way ever since she got admitted into hospital after what was really her Mums first attack. From what she told me when she woke up there was nothing but darkness and the worst part of it all had been the feeling of being alone. We are like our animal counterparts, pack animals. We don't like being on our own.  I sat up against the pillows and she rested her back against my chest. I pulled the blankets up over us and as her breaths came in a deep and steady rhythm I careful moved so she had the pillows behind her, tucking her in gently I left the room.

My wolf was itching to get out, since she was unable to shift pregnant I felt bad doing it around her. Heading out into the backyard I listened carefully and sensing no one around walked out onto the grass shifting as I did so. The house was set backing onto the forest, and the smell of pine and the grass greeted us fresh with the promise of spring. It was a bit of an older pack tradition having a pack house, it was part of Beth's need to have us together. Any who wanted to join us could but the majority of the pack were happy to leave the higher orders be. I sniffed around curiously and started at a slow trot into the darkness, not going far but far enough so I could really stretch my legs. I hadn't been gone when my brother appeared. I yapped at him in greeting and in response he lunged at me, tackling me to the ground. I was quick to wrestle him back, pinning him I playfully nipped at his throat.  Soon after we shifted back to our human forms.

"How is she?" He asked after our own pleasantries were shared. 

Though he never admitted it, he cared just the same as I did for Beth. He also resided in town, some of the defenders of the pack had a share house of their own and as he and Finn kept a tight training schedule he preferred to be around them.

"Good. She is missing Parker though," He nodded pleased. 

He always had a soft spot for her; he just didn't show his emotions well.

"Is everything ready for tomorrow?" He asked nervously. 

Jocelyn and Andrea had had planned a surprise baby shower with the help of Beth's Grandmother. It was a big thing for the pack; our Alphas were more adored than any others I could remember and the baby was exciting news. To try and tackle that foreign task of Alpha female, Beth had enrolled into University and finished her management degree last year and with Finn and Parker had adapted to our laws and life well. She was a born leader.

Andrea and Dylan had welcomed their own little one last year and the fates must finally be in favor of Elizabeth as her friend had managed to survive the transition of being marked and turning into one of our kind. Jocelyn like us had yet to find that one true love but none of us cared. Life was good, sure you could find complaints if you tried but the good outweighed the bad. 

Saying goodbye to Fred I headed back inside to find Parker and Finn coming in. Seeing me they stopped their chatter, Finn nodded in greeting an ever the conversationalist was quick to head into his office down the back of the house leaving Parker and I alone. 

Things had been awkward to start with. It took a good six months for everyone to be accepting of his position that was inherited upon William's death. He never seemed to hold a grudge about it either and despite how possessive he could be over Beth, he had put complete trust in me to watch her and fell back into pack life easily. His worry of his mate was obvious and I was quick to fill him in.

He was about to head up to their room when Beth was already at the stairs. Every time he looked at her it was as if it was for the first time; my wolf longed for the day we would have what they did. It would happen. One day. He was beside her in an instant, carefully embracing her. He knelt to his knees and placed his ear against her stomach as she giggled. With a quick kiss he went to lead her back to bed but she resisted.

"I'll be there in a sec," she promised, and came down towards me. Nodding he disappeared.

"What's wrong?" I asked concerned, he had been away for three days; pushing him away now could only be bad. But she grinned at me and I instantly relaxed.

"I just woke up from the most amazing vision." she reached up and hugged me, stepping back she wiped a tear from her eye. I looked at her expectantly.

"I saw your wedding. She is beautiful and you were just so happy," she clapped her hands together gushing and I felt a little giddy. 

While she never seemed to have 'magic' anymore, not that she would admit – not even to me, her visions and dreams still happened. It was nice to know I wouldn't be alone forever, it had been nearly a hundred years now. Thankfully I was a patient man. She frowned then, her hand resting on her bump.

"It's selfish but please promise you won't leave me, I don't know what I'd do without you Eric," she said softly.

"You're my best friend. The annoying little sister I never wanted and my Alpha. You won't loose me," I promised. 

Nodding she hugged me again as if that alone would seal the deal. Our bond was so much more than family or pack. It always had been.

"I love you Eric," she sniffed and I felt how frustrated she felt at being so emotional all the time.

"I love you too, Beth," she offered me a smile and I returned it, waiting until she was up the stairs I headed down the corridor to my room. 

If this is where our story ends, it wouldn't be a happily ever after because life isn't a fairytale. Yet  for now, here ends the tale of the wolf and the girl he loved, who they had all called, Red Riding Hood. 

Yes, that would do it.