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Melanie ran her fingers along the top of the smooth stone. It was cold. Leaves had gathered at the top. She brushed them off and sat down in front of the head stone. It was surreal. Laura was the strongest woman she knew, and the wildest. Melanie stared at the word fairytale, thinking about when they had met. She had been seven.

"She was like a fairytale when I first saw her. I was like six or seven." Melanie spoke up.

Isaac sat down beside her and propped his knees up, draping his arms over them. He looked from the tombstone to her. She was trying not to cry. Her lips quivered.

"I had gotten lost in the woods where I lived from playing around or something and it had gotten dark." She said. "I remember I was so scared. I ended up cowering by a tree."

Melanie crossed her legs Indian style and rested her hands on her knees, letting them dangle, sitting hunched over. She breathed out a long shaky breath.

"I saw a big black shadow moving around. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was getting closer. It was an animal and I know it saw me because it kept getting closer and closer." She laughed and shook her head. "A wolf. It was a wolf and the wolf turned into a woman, a very naked, young woman."

Isaac chuckled.

"She said to me,"

"Hey, what are you doing out here in the woods?"

Melanie stared at her, her lips parted in terrifying awe and blinking quickly. She shook, the cold nipping at her through her thin sweater. The wolf-girl crouched down to her level.

Melanie gulped and squeezed her knees tighter to her chest, gasping. Laura smiled tenderly and reached out to the small frightened girl. Scared, Melanie whimpered, pressing herself back into the trunk of the tree. The bark scratched into her back. The wolf-girl pulled her hand back, a leaf in her fingers that had been stuck in Melanie's hair.

"You—You're the big bad wolf!" Melanie stuttered, finally able to speak. She didn't come out from behind her knees though. Mom was wrong, fairytales were not make-believe.

"I am not," she said appalled. "You must've met my brother."

For some reason, Melanie giggled. It was the way she said it so jokingly with such a light-hearted expression. The fact that this woman wasn't wearing clothes didn't register with Melanie. It was how she spoke that got to her. She was calming. She wasn't her to hurt her, but maybe to save her. The element of stranger-danger fled Melanie as her curiosity about her grew and grew.

"You're brother? You're like that one fairytale. You turn into a wolf!" Melanie exclaimed. Her guard was coming down. She didn't know why. The she-wolf didn't feel like danger.

"Maybe," she-wolf replied, laughing at the fairytale comment. Nobody had said that before.

Melanie slowly lowered her knees.

"Are-are you here to help me?" Melanie moved her matted hair out of her face.

She-wolf didn't answer right away. She looked around then back at Melanie.

"Uh…yeah."

Melanie smiled instantly, her eyes beaming happily.

"I should get you home…"

She didn't feel evil, not this wolf. Melanie wasn't scared anymore. Getting up, she hissed. She looked down at her knee. Her knee had gotten grazed from tripping and falling on that root earlier. She took the she-wolf's hand. They both stood up and started walking.

"I'm Melanie."

Melanie was nearly skipping beside she-wolf, paying no mind to her lack of clothing. Too many fantasies played through her mind. One in particular was the two of them becoming friends and the she-wolf being her protector.

"Laura."

"Do you do other things?" Melanie asked.

"I have super smelling." Laura told her, holding her nose up and smelling the air. Melanie's scent was still traceable in the air.

"Ew! That's dumb!" Melanie said, grossed out.

Laura chuckled,

"I guess so. Hmmm, I have super strength."

"Really?! Awesome! I want super strength! I—" Melanie hiccupped, nearly tripping over a root in the ground and falling, "I want super strength! I'd-I'd pummel those boys in my class for breaking my glasses!"

Melanie swung her fist into the air and spun around. Laura chuckled, shaking her head. Melanie had a lot of spunk.

"Is your brother mean?" Melanie asked next.

"Well, no. He's just hurt. We lost a lot of people we love," Laura replied carefully.

"Why don't you go find them like you found me?" Melanie stared up at the lady wolf, her eyes wide and curious.

"It's not that easy. We lost them and they aren't coming back."

"Oh," Melanie's tone dropped. Probably like Grandpa, she thought. He didn't come back after going on his boat trip last year. Mom and Dad kept telling her that he was always watching over her.

Laura looked around. They were getting close to the house. Melanie's scent was getting stronger from the southwest. As they got closer, Laura could see an opening to what looked like a clearing up ahead.

"Will he be okay?"

Laura looked down at the youngster. She was so strange. There was nothing but curiosity in her eyes. Curiosity, wonder and a little anxiety. Like the first person you meet in kindergarten, Melanie looked up at her like she was her best friend in the whole wide world.

"Eventually."

"Well, that's good. Nobody likes a sour wolf. That's what my daddy says. He's weird."

The two of them made to the edge. Reaching the clearing, Laura saw a dull blue, two story farm house completely lit up fifty or so yards off. A small shed stood not too far away from it with chickens clucking around at one another. Inside the house, a woman was on the phone with the police. A dog, a Collie, was barking.

"Be quiet Delilah!" a man exclaimed at the dog, but the dog didn't stop.

Laura crouched down to Melanie's level again.

"That's my house," Melanie told her.

"I know, super smell," Laura touched her nose. "You go, okay? You're parents are scared. Don't tell anybody about me. This will be our special secret."

"Okay!" Melanie said, grinning ear to ear. She'd never been trusted with a secret before.

Turning, Melanie started running for the house. Grass whipped her ankles. White, puffy dandelion seeds flew up into the air around her. At a quarter of the way there she stopped and turned around. Laura wasn't there anymore. Instead there was a wolf on the edge of the woods, watching her. The same one that had crept up to her. Melanie ran back and hugged the large animal around the neck. Her fur was soft and rough at the same time.

"Just like a fairytale," she whispered.

Then she ran to the house. Laura could hear them as they held their little girl, crying and thanking god.

It wasn't two days later that Melanie went back out into the woods and got herself lost again. She wasn't as scared this time though. She wandered around, her hair up in a ponytail. Her scraped knee didn't hurt anymore. This place was like a playground the more she looked around.

"Are you looking for danger?" Melanie spun around, the smile on her face fading instantly upon seeing Laura.

She frowned down at her, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked strong, fierce, and beautiful. In that moment, Melanie had made a decision. Staring up at Laura, she wanted to be just like her when she grew up. Here in the daylight, Melanie could see all of her unlike the shadowy darkness of that night. Her long, dark brown hair was off to one shoulder and she was wearing clothes.

Melanie smiled up at her.

"You could get attacked by a bear or something out here," Laura said sternly, walking towards her through the trees. She wore dark jeans with black boots and deep green cargo jacket with the sleeves rolled up.

"But you'd protect me right?" Melanie said, crossing her arms over her chest just like Laura.

"Would I?" Laura said with skeptical eyes and a playful smirk. Melanie was unfazed by her intimdation. There was no fear in her eyes.

"I can't take care of myself, so duh!" Melanie craned her head out, adding even more attitude to her words.

Laura raised her eyebrows as she now stood over the small girl who stood so straight that she was nearly on her tippy toes.

"Hmmmm, we'll see about that." Laura said and circled the girl.

Melanie watched her make a full circle around her. She shrugged uncomfortably at feeling Laura observe her fully.

"Make a fist," Laura said and crouched down beside her.

Melanie closed her hand, her thumb overlapping her index finger. Laura moved it so that her thumb touched the knuckle of her tiny middle finger,

"Like that. Now swing."

Melanie looked at her blankly for a few seconds then at her fist.

"At what?"

"The air, silly." Laura replied.

Melanie looked at her own fist again. It felt weird, having her hand balled up like this. Sticking out her tongue, she swung at the air. She wobbled and nearly fell while doing so. Laura chuckled at her ambition.

"Not bad," she said.

Melanie swung again. Laura watched as she then kicked the air lamely. The girl had spunk. She just needed to throw her whole body into it. Practice would improve this.

"What are you doing?"

Melanie froze, her heart speeding up like the wings of a hummingbird from the chilling voice. Laura touched her arm and the chill faded away, but not completely. Leaning against a tree, was a boy. He glared at Melanie like she was nothing more than a bug. He didn't smile or even really look at her. She shivered. It felt like he was looking through her and was disgusted.

Just looking at him left Melanie jarred. He was as beautiful as Laura even though his eyebrows furrowed and he was angrier than a snake. She wasn't sure whether to blush or hide from it. His jaw was clenched tightly, his broad shoulders rigid though he looked completely relaxed. Melanie's lips parted, a stuttered breath coming out.

"It's okay. It's just my brother," Laura told her.

That didn't make Melanie feel safer. She stepped closer to Laura unable to take her eyes from him.

"Don't be so mean Derek. This is the girl I told you about."

"And she just happened to get lost again? What happens when she tells people about us?" he snapped.

"Who would believe me?" Melanie snapped at him.

His eyebrows rose at her feisty input. It was true. Nobody would actually believe her. She was just a kid. He stared down at her long and hard. Melanie stared straight back, locking their eyes together. She wasn't afraid now. She was just mad.

"Take her home. We're leaving," he said.

"No," Laura growled. "You are not the alpha. I am. Melanie is not trouble."

Melanie looked up at Laura and nodded in agreement. Then her eyes widened in complete amazement at seeing Laura's eyes glow red like glow sticks. She'd never seen such a pretty color.

"Just look at her." Laura said, her tone suddenly soft.

Derek looked at Melanie again, his face unchanging. There was no part of him that wanted to be involved with her. Something kept him blocked off from the idea though.

"If you're discovered because of her I won't help you. You can rot on your own."

He pushed off of the tree trunk and turned to walk away. He'd only gotten one step when Melanie yelled,

"Hey, you big bully!"

She ran at him, her fist clenched in fury and dirt kicking up behind her.

"Melanie!" Laura shouted.

Melanie swung at Derek, but the attack was useless. He caught her small fist and shoved her to the ground. Dust clouded around her. Her palms stung from scraping across the ground. A twig beneath her had snapped on impact.

"You're stupid if you think you can fight me. Stupid runt," he grunted and walked away.

"You suck!" she seethed, her chest rising a falling as she glared up at him. Her nose and mouth were puckered in fury.

Melanie stood up. Her whole back side was caked in dirt.

"And you don't scare me," she added, clenching her fists. They stung, but she ignored it ready to try again.

Laura watched the exchange. Melanie had run right up to him. She was fearless. She hadn't seen anything like it in a human. What was she, seven years old?

She ran right up to him and attacked him again. This time she held a rock in one of her hands. She tried to hit him with it. Derek rolled his eyes and pushed the runt to the ground again then turned and walked away. The rock flew from her hand, but Melanie was on her feet faster than before, ready to chase the beautiful, mean boy, but Laura grabbed her, preventing her from doing so. Melanie scowled in the direction he'd disappeared. Bully.

"What made you do that?" Laura asked her. Here eyebrows creased, not angrily, but curiously.

"He was being a jerk to you. Nobody is a jerk to my friend," she snarled.

"He could've hurt you," Laura said,

"I don't care!" Melanie said, turning to her. "He's mean!"

"Yeah, he is." Laura grinned from ear to ear.

Laura took her home a few hours later. The two of them played around for a little while; Melanie getting chased by a wolf and her rubbing the wolf's tummy. Melanie had never had a friend like this; somebody who made her feel grown up. Laura being a wolf was awesome too. It was like the adventures that she'd had when she'd play pretend. There was no pretending now.

Weeks passed and Melanie kept going into the woods after school. Laura would be there either in her wolf form or human form waiting even though she told Melanie that she couldn't keep getting 'lost'. Melanie had started reading more too, wanting to know all about werewolves. That's what Laura said she was. From novels to myths and legends; she was reading it all. She even read fiction.

Sometimes they would train—that's what Laura called it, teaching Melanie how to move and fight. There were even days when Laura taught her gymnastics and self-defense. Those were her favorite days. The whole forest was her obstacle course. She got bruised a lot from all of her attempts to do what Laura did, but didn't quit. Other times, Laura would tell her stories. Some of them were scary, some were adventurous while some were romantic or sad.

Her Mom and Dad asked questions about the bruises and scrapes she came home with. She told them that she was going to play with the wolf in the woods. They only laughed and told her not to let the wolf win. They didn't believe her. This wolf was imaginary to them.

Derek showed up from time to time. He leaned against a tree with his usual stance and watch with an angry expression and his arms crossed over his chest. He more often than not left unimpressed with Melanie not long after showing up.

"Enough for today," Laura said after pinning Melanie to the ground for the fourth time.

"But I'm getting better!" Melanie said, breathing heavily.

"I agree. We'll go again tomorrow."

It was true. Melanie had gotten much better. She'd been practicing even after having gone to see Laura. All of this gave her a rush and made her excited.

"Just one more time?" Melanie whined.

"No, and those eyes are not going to win this time," Laura said, chuckling.

"Fine," Melanie sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Now, go home," Laura ordered.

She watched Melanie run off. Her shoulder length hair swished behind her like a tail. The two of them had scoured these woods. Melanie was no longer got lost. She loved running around out here. It was unlike anything Laura had ever seen. Humans were normally terrified of those like them, but not her.

Starting to walk in the opposite direction toward the small cabin that she and Derek shared, there was a loud, high pitched scream. Laura jumped and swung around. Her heart pounded heavily from it. Melanie. Laura's eyes widened and she took off through the trees. Derek was beside her instantly. They dashed through the trees effortlessly.

Laura stopped at the edge of the woods horrified. Blazing flames engulfed the farm house, turning it greyish-black. Melanie's whole life had been set ablaze. The flames licked the cool night sky.

"Mommy! Daddy! Delilah!" Melanie screamed running towards the house.

Derek hadn't stopped like Laura. He darted into the open and grabbed Melanie around the waist before she got too close and got burned. She sobbed and cried out, her hair falling in her eyes.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

Her tiny hands reached out to the house. She kicked furiously trying to get free. Windows shattered. A corner of the house had already collapsed. Black smoke sunk upwards into the starry night, turning it charcoal. Her eyes burned from the heat.

Derek looked back at Laura who had fallen to her knees; her eyes sparkled with tears. Melanie's knees gave out leaving Derek with all of her weight.

"Hunters killed my family. I found out that they thought my family was in cahoots with them and therefore too dangerous to be kept alive. It was because I knew werewolves. They burned my family alive," Melanie finished the story. "Derek was the one who said that I should stay with them. I didn't have anybody and neither did they."

"If Derek didn't like you, why'd he insist on taking you in," Isaac asked. He had sat down beside her part way into the story.

"I'm not really sure. I think it's because some part of him began to care. Laura had told me the story of how he lost his first love. I also know how they lost their family. He's suffered so much. There must've been that connection. Suffering," she replied.

The two of them sat in silence for a little while. Her cheek throbbed in sync with her heart beat, slow and steady. Isaac's arm nearly touched hers. Their arms could've brushed against each other ever so slightly; Melanie took a deep breath in to keep her heart rate down. The thought of touching him made her head swirl with confusion.

"It took him about a year to like me. We'd gone to school together for a little while," she said. "Laura and Derek trained. He broke my wrist when I was eleven and never forgave himself for it. I took it as a sign that I needed the pain. I needed it because it taught me that I'm not like them, like you—"

She glanced over at Isaac.

"—it reminded me that I'm human. I can break much easier. The broken wrist made me train harder, be better. When I turned thirteen Laura asked me if I wanted the bite. It was…amazing," a breath that was like a half laugh came out as she said the word. "I was happy that she thought I was ready for it, but I didn't think I was. I told her to ask me again when I turned sixteen. I was shipped off to boarding school in Paris before that."

She got quiet then. They had written her for a little while. When the letters stopped coming so did the phone calls. She waited, but couldn't do that forever. They'd left her all alone.

"You're here now," Isaac piped up, silencing her thoughts.

"Yeah, I am."

Isaac turned his head to look at her, running his fingers tiredly through his hair. She had have that look, the one that survivors have. It was distant, reminiscent. Did she regret this life now that she'd been in it for so many years? Isaac couldn't tell.

"So, you can fight?"

"If you're wondering if I can kick your ass, the answer is yes," she said flatly.

She reached out and touched the tombstone once more.

"I miss you so much Laura," she whispered.

Her fingers shook as she tried to keep her resolve. Closing her eyes, she tried to see her face, but all she could get was a wolf and the frame of her face and dark hair. There wasn't a face in the wells of her memories, just moments that were happy for both of them. She was forgetting.

She opened her eyes and dropped her hand and got up.

"I'm ready," she said quietly.

She looked down at Isaac. The way he stared back at her made her nervous. Why was he looking at her like that? There was a look of admiration. There was nothing to admire about her. After running for the last seven months and trying sort out her life for a year before that, her life was complicated, but he stared at her nearly in awe. Good thing it was getting dark because he was making her blush.

"Let's go, I have to see Derek." She said and started walking.

Getting up, he jogged to catch up to her.

"Thanks for showing me where she was. I've missed her so much."

He didn't reply. Seeing her upset presented questions in the back of his mind, but he remained quiet. He raised his arm some to comfort her then lowered it, deciding against it in the end. They walked in silence the rest of the way out of the cemetery.

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