Chapter 1

Callum Hood

A few days later

Badwolf's POV

"'Callum Lucas Hood Januray 1st 1994 He was taken too soon.' That's a nice name you chose." I whispered to Red.

"Thank you." She whispered back and placed the flowers on the grave.

"I love you. You know that?" I kept my voice low in case someone else came.

"Yes, I know. I just need some time to recover." Red said.

"I- Ok. Call if you need me." I turned to leave.

"Ok." She just stood there.

"Bye." I left, not wanting to hurt her, or myself, anymore. This was a tragedy and everyone respected it. There would be no fighting. We would all just go home and stay there. Except my home was with the woman who lost her child.

"Badwolf, the kids are getting restless again." Cranky growled.

"Let 'em out, but no one goes near Hood Hollow. NOWHERE near it. You understand?" I snarled.

"Yes, I understand," He grumbled as he walked away, "What's got your fur knotted?"

"If I hear one thing...!" I shouted at him. He waved his hand, trying to fake dismissal, but he knew punishment would not be as simple as having to watch young kids.

"Badwolf! Come here." Mama howled for me.

"Coming!" I ran on all fours and found her in her garden. She was weeding.

"Did you give Red the flowers?" She asked.

"Yes, Mama." I knelt beside her and helped get the smaller weeds she couldn't anymore.

"No woman should ever outlive her child. It's one of greatest evils imaginable. Only the Evil Queen would do such a thing. When you finally get a wife, I want my grandchildren to understand The Villain's Rules before I see them. No..." She looked at me.

"No hurting the Royal before the tale, no attacking the family, don't hurt the babies, and no going off the script." I recited. Going off the script was reforced by the recent tradgey of the Great Rampage of the Evil Queen. And the loss of Wonderland was one of the worst things to happen to Ever After. I'm glad I got married before it happened.

"That's my boy. I know how horrible it can be to witness that sort of thing. I grieved for the longest time after my frist loss. It was girl, your sister. She was too tiny. Don't let anyone make fun of you. You saw a Hood at her weakest and stayed. It was the only thing you could have done. And ticking off the all Hoods." My mother smiled at my accidental acomplishment.

As deep as our rivalry goes, you would think we would wish death, but we don't like to lose anyone. Hood or Wolf. Everyone hates to admit that, but it's one of two things we both respect. Life and death.

"She asked me to call them. I couldn't say no." I smiled sadly.

"No, you couldn't have. I'd kill you otherwise." She was a very old-fashioned woman. Once the tale was over, you treated your protagonist as your personal rival. Forcing them to make you a better villain, but also respecting them. That was going out style in favor of death and imprisonment. I wasn't happy with the change. My child shouldn't die before they had a chance to live.

"I know." I nodded.

"Help me up. It's time for lunch." Mama pushed away from the dirt. I held out my arm as she pulled herself up. Nobody refuses the oldest Wolf in Wolf Woods help. I followed her inside and let her make lunch for the two of us.