Disclaimer: I do not own Wolfblood.


Chapter One - Prologue

Jana was with Aran by the river near camp when she realised it.

She was 18 years old, washing her and her dad's clothes in the old wooden wash bucket they had made some years ago now. Unusually, it was a sunny day, just after lunch and Jana was actively warm for a change.

And Aran was standing in front of her, hanging some of the freshly washed and wet clothes up on a line strung between two trees, to save her from having to do it.

"Sorry," Aran muttered when he dropped one of the soaked items of clothing to the floor, meaning it was now covered with leaves and dirt.

Jana had to stop herself rolling her eyes, and she took the re-dirtied shirt from his hands. "It's okay." She lied.

"No, it is all dirty again. You worked hard to get it clean."

"It's fine, Aran."

"I will do it." Aran offered, stepping over the tiny stream. He came to her side and reached out to take the clothes from her.

"I can do it."

Aran ignored her. Gently, he took the top from her hands, seeming hesitant in her close proximity.

Jana shuffled back slightly and sat on the cold ground. "Thank you." She smiled gratefully, watching as he dunked the shirt in to the wash water.

She observed his hands first, watching how he swirled the fabric around in the water. And then her eyes came all the way up his arms and shoulders, taking in the way his arm muscles moved under his years-old shirt. She had never noticed that before.
And when her eyes came to his face, her heart nearly skipped a beat.

The sun was shining just at the right angle, illuminating his face in just the right way; the rough stubble on his chin was highlighted and somehow his eyes stood out to her more in that moment than they ever had before. Aran was standing out to her more than he ever had before.

He was being so helpful – he always was helpful to Jana – and so kind, and so concerned over the fact he had ruined her hard work. The way he had been so hesitant when she was within close proximity was just so him, and it made Jana happy just purely because of that fact.

Jana found herself smiling softly at the way his face was etched in to a look of pure concentration, his brow very slightly furrowed and lips pulled together. She had never seen him look so beautiful before.

"There," Aran said finally, squeezing the shirt free of excess water in between his big hands and then holding it up. "It is clean again."

Jana smiled. He stood up and walked over to the line once more to hang it up. "Thanks, Aran."

"No problem. I'm just sorry I dropped it in the first place. I am a fool."

She smiled at him again. And then she giggled, and his eyes came to meet hers for the first time all afternoon, and he let out a small smile too.
Suddenly she became aware of the fact he was standing up and she was still crouched on the ground, so she stood up once more, careful not to break their eye contact. His blue-green eyes were dazzling; how had she never noticed that before? And how had she never noticed the fact that every time he smiled, it made her heart skip a beat?

Suddenly she had the urge to reach out and touch his face, and an even stronger yearning to hold his hand. And then another urge came over her; an overwhelming feeling that she loved him – she really, really loved him – and that she wanted to tell him.

"Do you need my help with anything else?" Aran asked, breaking Jana out of her trance.

Jana stopped her train of thoughts immediately. She found the strength to move her arms beneath Aran's irresistible gaze and brushed the back of her jeans off with her hands. And then she shook her head, a small smile on her dry lips. "I'm okay."

Aran didn't reply. Instead, he just smiled very slightly; and then he bowed his head once to her before turning and walking back up to camp.

His scent lingered around her and she smiled at his back, watching as he walked away.

That was the moment she realised how much Aran meant to her.

And that was the moment she knew she loved him.


Aran was standing by the biggest tree in camp when he realised it.

He was watching Jana playing with the cubs, hearing her laugh with them, and hearing her tell them funny stories (one of which included a story of him and her, one day when they had gotten lost in the woods). He'd been watching them for a while now; at one point she'd seen him, but all she had done was smile softly and then look back to the cubs again.

His right shoulder leaning on the tree and his hand in his pocket, Aran couldn't take his eyes off of her.

The sunlight was making her scarlet red hair even brighter than usual, and her smile was lighting up her face as she ran around camp, joy and beauty radiating from her every move.

He heard her laugh extra loudly at something one of the cubs had done, and that's when something must have snapped inside of him, because all of a sudden his heart just lurched in his chest, almost as though it were pulling him towards her.

"Aran!" Caron, one of the cubs Jana was playing with, called to him. He was laughing, and Aran realised that Jana was tickling him. "Help!" He laughed, "she's making me laugh and I can't help it!"

Aran smirked, pushing himself off the tree and taking a couple steps towards them.

"Jana!" Caron laughed. He was struggling to get away from her but still laughing all the same. Jana laughed too, and Aran still couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop," Jana giggled, finally letting Caron go and standing up straight. "That was funny though."

"Aran, don't let her do that again," Caron walked over to Aran and stood beside his leg. "It was cruel!"

Jana grinned at Caron, bending forward and pinching his cheek. "It was funny!" She defended herself. "Wasn't it, Aran?" Looking up at Aran from under her eyelashes, still bending down to Caron, she smiled.

Aran smiled too. He looked down to the cub and shrugged. "A little bit. Sorry, Caron."

Then he shrugged, laughed and ran off towards the other cubs, leaving Aran and Jana alone together.

Jana's laughter slowly faded off and she met Aran's gaze again. His eyes were smiling at her, and all of a sudden he just had the urge to reach out and touch her. He didn't, of course. He couldn't. Especially not in front of the whole pack.

Jana smiled at him for another few long, silent moments before walking off and leaving him standing there, bewildered at his own thoughts.

And that was the moment he knew he loved her.


A/N: Hi! So, this is an AU story (as you probably guessed from the description and the fact Jana is 18 and still in her dad's pack), and I'm so excited for it. I think it'll have around three or four chapters, and it'll most likely get longer with each chapter, as this chapter is just the prologue. Let me know what you thought, and if you think I should continue! :)

Love :* xxx

PS. Why has this website not added Aran's name to the list of characters yet :( I sent in a request but nothing came of it!

PPS. I made a fanvideo! How exciting! It's a Maddian one, and it's a little rusty so bear with me, but my channel is notfornothing- x, just like that with the space and everything. Check it out if you fancy it :) (I'm gonna put the link in my profile soon too).