A/n As promised Stacey hope you enjoy and thanks for your support x

It had been a cold winter's day, the kind made for Hot Chocolates and snowball fights, smiling at her four-year old playing in the light from the cabin, Carol looked up at the sky, twilight was fast approaching, and she had been warned by the villagers not to be out after dark especially if it was a full moon. The surrounding area was known for the famous pack of wolves The Dixon's clan, Carol had followed them for years. Philip Blake had told her to lock the doors at night with her being on her own and having a young child. He had mentioned the change, how the leader of the pack could change from a wolf into a human, who had been blamed for many disappearances within the surrounding area, mainly single women, young ones at that.

Carol had never heard such rubbish, she knew wolves mated, more when a full moon and she loved their cries of what she classed as passion, they had a way about them. She had studied how they acted within groups, the alpha being in charge, followed down through the ranks, she knew once they found a mate that was it for life. How different they were from humans, her ex could learn a lot from them, but for a man to be able to change to a wolf, no that was impossible, it had been written in the olden days about this special kind of wolves, yet hadn't they been classed as a myth, along with vampires?. There were so many stories too that had been made into movies, classing the wolf as vicious, a killer that ripped people in half, that changed from human to wolf, they were called werewolves. She cringed even now at the horrible word, how could anyone call those beautiful creatures that. If it did exist and that was a very big IF !, she would prefer shapeshifter, more fitting for the majestic animal.

"Mummy are you thinking again?" a little tug on her denim clad thigh, had her looking down at her daughter.

"Sorry sweetheart I was, I think it is time to come in now, the air is getting colder" and she could tell it was getting late.

"But mummy five more minutes please" Sophia begged, her little eyes wide and bright.

"Ok no more than five minutes sweet pea, then tea and bed its early up tomorrow" Sophia smiled as she played some more in the snow.

"Mummy are we going to look into Dixie tomorrow?" Carol spat her hot chocolate out, laughing at her daughters words. She could just see the reactions of the wolf pack leader being called Dixie.

"I don't think their leader would take kindly to being called that pumpkin"

"Well I don't care" she replied like a surly four year old, she was heading back to playing in the snow.

Daryl almost snorted when he heard the little one call him Dixie. What the hell had this human been teaching the child? He was the alpha of the largest pack in the US, feared by all, yet this child had made him sound like a damn pussy. Looking down at himself he was no sodding pussy. standing in his human form, he would tower over the woman, he was well muscled, shoulder length hair, he refused to cut short. Various tattoos, from the killings he did, each one telling a story. He sniffed the air, what was that lavender?. Was that from the child's mother, god no, surely not, that would mean..., his blue eyes looked her over. She was petite, from what he could see slim as well, too damn tiny for his kind, her hair hidden under a hat, yet he was sure it was silvery in color. He wondered how it would feel against his skin as she... NO !That small human could not be his mate, she was human fucking human and he was a wolf. Why had fate chosen her to be his mate, his wolf inside screamed at him MINE!. How it wanted to chase her down, and mate, yet Daryl his human side,would not permit it.

"But she is our mate, she belongs to us, we need her" his inner voice spoke, frustrated that it was not able to get to her.

"No, I will never allow a mating of a human again, not in our pack, it killed my parents. I made the rule for a reason"

"Rules are meant to be broken" his wolf teased, determined to get what belonged to them.

"I WONT ALLOW IT SHE IS NOT OURS" His human formed screamed back at it.

He knew he had pissed his wolf off already rejecting their mate, suddenly his body changed his wolf was taking over. The howl was loud and clear to all , the alpha had found his mate.

Carol stood still, shit that was too close, grabbing her daughter by the hand she rushed inside locking the doors, closing the curtains. They would be safe in here, her eyes caught sight of a shadow moving just beyond the soft lights from the cabin. She was sure she could see blue eyes, shaking her head she looked again, the wolf had come closer. He was beautiful, brown with a hint of white, never had she seen such a wonderful sight, she wanted to go out stroke his fur, feel the softness under her fingers. His eyes shocked her, a gorgeous ocean blue, then suddenly he was gone into the darkness of the woods. Carol wondered if she had just come face to face with The Alpha of the Dixon clan?.

His wolf ran as far as he could, and then more, his body ached to ram through that cabin door and take his mate marking her as his, fucking her as the animal he was. Daryl wanted to make love to her on silk sheets in a bed, could they have what they both wanted? Would she allow them to take her as theirs? No, he had to let these thoughts go, no way in his lifetime, would a wolf and a human mate again. Running hard he came to the edge of the woods at the cliff edge, he looked down at the water, sensing a presence behind him he waited

"So ya finally found your mate, why are ya not making her yours?"

"She's a damn human Merle a fucking human, how can I mate with her?, it killed our parents when..."

"Daryl,hunters killed our parents, not their love for each other" Merle had never believed anything different.

"It was her family that hunted them down, not believing mum had asked to be changed, they thought she had been raped, forced, hell mum and dad worshiped the ground each other walked on. Never in all my years have I seen a love that they had for each other" He continued, trying his best to convince his lil bro.

"I know" Daryl whispered softly

"So who is to say it won't happen with you? That ya won't be as happy as they were?"

"I can't Merle, I cannot turn a human for my own selfish needs. She was a little one too. I will not rip a mother from it's child hurting them both, that is not me" Merle could understand his reasoning, did not mean he agreed with him.

"Daryl ya know what will happen if you refuse her" He had to push, make sure he knew the end result.

"I know brother, I know" both turned away from the water heading back into the safety of the forest, and their base camp deep within it. Their place of safety and their home.