= Eloise =

I settled in as I knew Juliette was about to drop some ground rules on me.

I wasn't surprised either. I knew living with her would be more structured than what I've grown use to. You see, when Juliette and I were younger my aunt was very very strict, but after Juliette left it was almost as if Aunt Gertie just stopped caring, I had always felt like Juliette was her favorite if she had to choose between us.

So without Gertie caring as much I was allowed to go to the movies, have a friend or two over for the night, go to the mall, have a job...she only really cared when I stayed out past nine, anything after nine made her upset that people would judge her based on my own actions.

Plus I think she felt like if she didn't let me do the things I wanted I'd just sneak out anyways...which I would.

But if there was one thing aunt Gertie never stood for, it was being looked down on or talked about in a small town.

Juliette on the other hand had grown up smothered by our aunt, so when she moved out I would call her every night and check on her. I always asked if she had gone to any college parties, had a drink, any one night stands...but she never did, then a week after being away she met a guy, Dorian. They've been together for two years now and they are practically an old married couple as she never has anything fun or exciting to report.

I mean the most "adventurous" thing that couple has done is take a break from each other about three months into the relationship. But they got back together a short while later.

"So first off you should know that I have a lot of money." Juliette stated.

I looked at her, "well where do you work?"

"I'm a paralegal right now for a firm close to home, I work so that I can feel like I'm contributing to the relationship...but in all honesty every dollar that I make has only ended up in the bank as Dorian hardly lets me pay for anything."

"What about your rent or car note?"

She simply shrugged, last year Dorian gave me a car as a birthday present, but up until then I was still driving the car I had purchased when I first left."

"Wait so he just have you a car?" I asked confused, like what guy just goes around buying a car for a girl he isn't even married to?

"Well Dorian comes from a wealthy family." She countered. "And it's not like I'm just some random girl, we've been together for two years, we love each other."

"Okay, fair enough" I knew she was right. If I had money to blow and was head over heels in love with someone who loves me back just as much, then I wouldn't mind buying them things every now and again. "...But what about your rent payment...you've mentioned you live in an apartment."

"Well Dorian has asked me to move in with him, but I don't want to live with him until we're married ya know, besides I'm over at his place enough on the weekends, I don't want him to grow tired of me."

I nodded, but we both knew she was avoiding my question.

She sighed, "fine, when I first moved to town I was placed in a dorm room but my roommate at the time dropped out, but not before stealing a bunch of my stuff."

I just stayed quiet and let her finally fill me in.

"I was determined to get a job and once I got the job I went out and got my own apartment so that I would never have my stuff stolen again...It wasn't the best of places, worse than this room actually but it was within walking distance from my job so I didn't have to pay for fuel." She laughed lightly.

"Anyways as you know I got fired shortly after, and that same night Dorian walked me home and saw where I lived, he told me of these really nice apartments that help students out...the next day I met up with him for brunch and he took me to the apartments they were beyond fabulous and I knew they had to be waaaaaay out of my budget, but together we sat down with the manager of the apartments and she gave me a very very good deal on the apartments, as long as I'm a student I only have to pay one hundred dollars a month."

I was in awe of my sisters luck.

"Well soon after Dorian and I started dating and as you know, we took some time apart as well."

I remembered it well, she had sounded so broken during that time.

"The reason we had to take some time apart is because Dorian revealed a lot of stuff to me...you see, three months into our relationship his father had fallen ill and things took a turn for the worst, that's when Dorian told me of his wealthy family, and how his family had always served as community leaders and if I was going to be his girlfriend that I too would have to, like him, become a pillar in the community."

I remained silent.

"I wasn't sure that was something I was ready for, the things he told me scared me, but to cap it off he also told me he loved me more than he's loved anything else in this world, told me I was his mate...um soulmate and that he couldn't imagine life without me...he practically proposed without the ring and it scared me even more, yes I felt the same way for him, but it was just too much all at once."

"I had no idea." I said, "why didn't you ever tell me any of this."

She simply shrugged, "I guess it's something you have to tell someone in person...but because I had accepted to be with him it's kept me by his side, the community depends on us for leadership and guidance and if one of us leaves the community just isn't the same."

Once more I was speechless, I didn't know what to say.

"But that brings me back to you, as my sister you will be staying with me, therefore you will instantly become part of the community, don't worry everyone will love you and this isn't like some weird cult or anything so you're free to go whenever and wherever you choose to go, the community is a safe place where families can live peacefully. That being said the community does have a few rules."

"Here we go."

She giggled, "for one, the community doesn't really allow outsiders in without consistent from Dorian of myself, this is a safety precaution as we've had intruders on our land before, people get hurt or worse Eloise, so it is important that you never bring an outsider into the community."

Her words set me on edge "y-yeah, alright."

"Second, dating is serious there so don't expect to find some guy for a causal hook up."

"Yeah like a guy's just gonna say no to sex." I scoffed.

She shrugged and continued. "May or may not, just letting you know...anyways we have an abundance of wildlife where we live, but wolves are extremely indigenous to our lands and therefore you shouldn't be surprised if you cross paths with one...just know that a wolf will not harm you unless you you try to harm it, most of the time they simply continue on their way."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Weird cult communities, friendly wolves, boys who don't like sex, and to top it off my sister was basically the queen of it all.

"Can't wait for you to finally get there."

"I'm looking forward to it myself." I replied before finally laying down for the night, "sounds like a dream." And as crazy as it all sounds, anything has to be better than living with Aunt Gertie.