Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for things you do not recognize. Song credit to The White Tie Affair

Just a warning…the first few chapters are a bit dramatic, but don't worry I'll get past all that in a few chapters or so.

"Baby, I think I owe you one

Every time I come around you're ready for the letdown."

The Letdown

I had woken up knowing that today was not going to be a good day. The first indicator had been the cramps that had attacked my body at the good old hour of five in the morning; painful enough that I couldn't fall back asleep. The second indicator had been the whining I heard when I quietly made my ways downstairs to take some pain killers and watch some TV.

I turned on one of the living room lights to see Steve over in the corner of the living room whining. I knew he was in pain and I wasn't the only one; Stevie, Steve's son from his one and only litter with Amy, was hovering around him whining as well. Not good.

I ignored my body's screams for pain killer and a relaxing TV show and ran back upstairs and into my parent's room. Normally I would never ever just barge into their bedroom like that. I had learned from a very young age that I was always supposed to knock before I entered. Back then I didn't know why, but once I had learned about sex, I knew exactly why their door always remained shut.

Dad immediately bolted upwards as the door crashed open, but Mom kept sleeping. Thankfully they were both dressed which meant they had really been sleeping. I did not need to be scarred for life on top of what else was happening this morning.

"Lala? What's wrong?" Dad asked quietly so as to not wake Mom.

"It's Steve!" I cried. "He's whining and he looks real bad and Stevie is hovering around him like he knows there's something wrong!"

Mom was up by this point and already putting on her glasses to see me better. Dad had already hopped out of bed and raced by me to look after his dog.

"What's wrong honey?" Mom asked gently as she moved towards me.

"It's Steve."

"Oh no." she sighed. "He probably won't make it, Viola. He's older than you are."

"I know."

A few minutes later Mom and I joined Dad downstairs were he sat cradling Steve in his arms. Steve was still breathing, but it was labored. We all knew this was it, and thankfully just the three of us were awake to see it.

"Goodbye Steve, you have always been the best dog ever." Dad whispered a bit emotionally. "I can never thank you enough for watching over my family."

"I love you Steve." Mom cried as she reached out a hand to stroke his ears.

I reached out my own hand and rubbed his favorite spot right under his collar before I pressed my lips to his nose just like I had always done since I was two years old. He used to bark happily when I did that, but this time he just kind of made a wheezy noise that broke my heart.

"I love you Steve."

Then that was it, our half wolf was gone. While Mom went upstairs to wake up my brother and sister for the burial I burrowed my head into Stevie's fur. He was special like Steve too, but there was definitely a difference. Stevie was more dog than wolf. But he wouldn't be around much longer either; he was already twelve which was only a year younger than my spastic brother, Ian.

"Your sister is going to be devastated." Dad sighed.

"She'll get over it once we distract her with something else." I shrugged.

It was true; she was only six years old. Olivia had definitely been my parent's 'oops' baby, but she had been welcomed with loving arms. I was so happy to gain a sister after ten years of nothing but an annoying little brother and even though she could be annoying too, she was still my baby sis.

Olivia was also very much a Daddy's girl. She had my Dad wrapped around her finger, and he knew it too. In the beginning I had been that way too, but after all my time with Joel…it just didn't work out that way.

Another pain hit me in the stomach at the thought of Joel and it wasn't because of my menstrual cycle.

"Steve's dead!?" Ian cried as he raced down the staircase followed by Mom and Livy.

Livy immediately ran into Dad's arms and burrowed her crying face into his neck. Meanwhile Ian looked over Steve's body, gently stroking his fur before he too started to take comfort in Stevie like I was.

"Alright everyone, Steve deserves a proper burial after his loyalty to this family." Mom stated. "Everyone go get dressed and meet in the back yard."

I took this as my cue to go take some pain killers before I ran back upstairs to get dressed. Today was already a shitty day and it wasn't quite six in the morning yet. What a great way to start summer break; my period comes and my dog dies.

By the time I got outside everyone else was gathered around the hole Dad had dug, along with a few extra people. A few extra people I would have been happy not to see. Sam and Emily were there with Bee, which meant that Jake was right by her side, and then there was him.

He turned his head and his eyes meant mine briefly before I pointedly looked away. I couldn't help but sneak a look back only to see that he looked pretty angry. Well he had nothing to be angry with me about; I was the one who was supposed to be angry.

"Viola, would you like to say some words about Steve?" Mom asked with a look I knew meant that she knew what I was thinking about.

"He saved my life and for that I'll always be thankful for."

I didn't like thinking about that day, I don't think anyone did. I had only been seven years old when I had wandered into the woods alone like an idiot. I remember it was the first day of summer and Joel had to help his dad with something that day so he couldn't come over. So what did I do? I decided to take Steve on a walk in the woods. Once in the woods we had crossed paths with a very angry real wolf, and I had witnessed the fight between my loving family pet and the vicious beast. I still had nightmares sometimes.

I hardly paid attention as everyone else gave words. In fact I pretty much drifted into my own world until he walked up right next to me as they started to cover the grave. I stood completely still; I didn't want him to think that I actually liked his presence because I didn't. But then he laid a hand on my shoulder and that was the last straw.

"Don't touch me!" I shouted before I forcefully pulled away and ran for the house.

I didn't see what happened next because of my flight into the house, but I definitely heard something. I heard the ripping of fabric and the yells of our fathers, mothers, and siblings. But for some reason I didn't look back, I just kept running until I was sprawled out across my bed crying.

***

"Viola, something has happened."

I looked back and forth between my parent's faces as they sat before us three children. Ian and Olivia had witnessed whatever it was, which was why they were addressing me and me alone.

"Joel phased this morning after you…"

"Yelled at him." Mom finished.

"Wait. As in he turned?!" I couldn't believe it! No one had turned into wolf since before I was born.

There were still active members of the pack like my uncle Matt, Jake, Embry, and Collin, but everyone else had quit phasing to be with their imprints. In the years since I was born and even before that there hadn't been any vampire activity…so that must mean…

"Vampires?"

"Jake found a faint trail yesterday. Not anything too alarming but enough to get the genes going again." Dad replied. "Which means that Ian could be next."

I glanced over at my little brother and had to hold back my chuckle. Ian turn into a wolf? He was so skinny and awkward that I had a hard time believing that he could be transformed into a hunky werewolf like my Dad had once been.

"Let's not jump to that conclusion, Paul." Mom stated. "Sam believes that the only reason he phased was because of his age and the fact that there was increased vampire activity lately. Combined with the fact that the pack number will probably decrease soon; it's favorable conditions for the wolfy genes to come out."

"I hope Ian doesn't turn into one." I said. "That'll be awkward to explain. 'Hey guys this is my little thirteen year old brother who looks like he's twenty five' No thanks."

"You may not have a choice. Which brings me to the next topic of conversation. Ian, take Olivia outside to play will you?"

Oh great I was about to get a lecture. Sure enough, once the two of them were out of hearing distance both parents turned towards me with their game faces on.

"It's been six years, Viola." Mom said simply.

"I don't care." I shrugged.

"You need to grow up." Dad said angrily. "What he did was natural for any thirteen year old boy. His guy friends wouldn't have understood his ten year old girl best friend, Lala."

"I get that, but he didn't have to be so mean!" I cried, hating the fact that he still had the ability to make me cry. "He sounded pretty genuine when he called me all of those things too and told me that he only tolerated me because he liked coming over to play with Steve and to eat Dad's cookies."

"He was thirteen!"

"Paul, shouting isn't going to solve anything."

"Sorry, Nat." He smiled sweetly.

Gag me.

"Yeah he may have been thirteen but even after he grew out of that phase he never once tried to apologize to me or be my friend again. And then he has the nerve to try to comfort me today! I don't think so. So if we're done having this little chat I think I'm gonna go take Stevie for a walk."

"Viola-"

"Let her go, Paul. She is right."

"Thanks Mom."

I admit to being a little immature when it came to Joel, but he had meant so much to me. So naturally I just couldn't find it in my heart to forgive him that easily when he had so carelessly destroyed the friendship we had had.