Disclaimer: I do not own The 10th Kingdom. This is merely a fanfiction.

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Virginia walked through the door of the apartment late that night to find Wolf sitting on the couch, crying hysterically over an old black and white movie he found. She squinted to see what he was watching – the 1940's version of The Wolf Man. Wolf blew loudly into an old, spotted hanky. "It's so beautiful."

"It's supposed to be a horror movie," Virginia laughed. "Not a tear-jerker."

"To you maybe! Huff Puff, this is harder to get through than when you made me watch Titanic!"

Virginia flung her purse on an end table. "What are you doing sitting around anyway? Why aren't you getting ready?"

"Hmm?" he asked, engrossed in The Wolf Man.

Virginia spread her arms out in exasperation. "Dinner tonight? My grandmother's coming into the city with my Aunt Evelyn and little cousin Jeannie to meet you before the big day!"

"I thought your grandmother flinched every time I was nearby?"

"That's my mother's mother and trust me – it took nearly a month to convince you that you trying to eat her was all a dream induced by alcohol and her prescription meds. No, this is my Dad's mom, Grandma Nessa. Runs a farm out in the country in rural New Jersey."

Wolf's ears perked up. "A farm? You mean a farm with lots of lean chickens and fluffy white sheep with delicate racks of –"

"Yeah, another thing – they don't know where you really came from and I'm not sure they'll believe me if I tell them. So please – keep the wolf antics down to a minimum tonight."

He rose to his feet dramatically, hand waving elegantly. "My dear, I will be the perfect gentleman. Your family shall be floored by my charisma and nebulous charm."

"Uh-huh. Just make sure you hurry up and get ready."

Wolf flicked the tv off and scampered off into the bedroom. Virginia could hear him muttering. "No, not this one. No, not that one."

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Grandma Nessa, Aunt Evelyn and little Jeannie were already seated at the restaurant. Wolf took them all in. Grandma Nessa had a jovial face, but a hard, wiry frame from a hard life of manual labor. Looking at her sunbaked face, short-cropped hair and no-nonsense attitude, it was hard to imagine her being Tony's mother. Aunt Evelyn, Tony's sister, took more after Tony – plump, but kindly. Her daughter, little Jeannie, was about 10 or 11 and sat there shyly behind her thick-framed glasses.

Grandma Nessa rose up, her voice hard and boisterous. "Virginia! How the heck are ya'! What, your Dad too good to come out and see his ol' Mom?" She gripped Virginia in bear hug.

"Hi Grammy. No, Dad's … Dad's on vacation."

Nessa was instantly suspicious. "Just him? By himself? Well, be sure to check in on him, make sure he doesn't hurt himself. And tell him to give his ol' Mom a call sometime." Nessa turned to Wolf. "And this must be the man that's made my Virginia so happy!" Wolf now found himself in a back-breaking hug. "You be sure to treat my granddaughter right! This ol' lady's got claws!"

Wolf smiled. He wanted to make a remark about claws, but caught Virginia's warning eyes. He simply smiled and kissed Grandma Nessa's hand. "Madame, it is an absolute pleasure -."

"Aaw heck with all that prissy high-brow garbage. We're family now! We hug and kiss!" Wolf smiled and gave her a peck on both cheeks. Nessa was continuing on. "You must've been hanging around Virginia's other grandma. We're not a bunch of stick-in-the-backside snooty-tooties on this side of the family! Evelyn! Jeannie! Come say hello!"

Evelyn gave Wolf a friendly hug. Little Jeannie clung behind her mother's pants. "Jeannie – don't be rude," Evelyn chided. "Say hello!"

Jeannie poked out from her mother's side, playing with her fingers. Wolf kneeled down so that they were eye level. "Well, how do you do Jeannie?"

"Fine."

"How old are you?"

"Eleven."

"My, my. What a big girl you're becoming. Such big … eyeglasses you have."

Jeannie's face turned red and her eyes grew to twice their size behind her lenses. "I knew it! I look like a total nerd in these things!"

Wolf tried to immediately smooth things over. "No! No, they're cool! They make you look fantastic! Good enough to eat!"

Jeannie hid back behind her mother's leg while Virginia facepalmed.

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Evelyn and Jeannie watched in horror as Wolf tore into his rack of lamb. Virginia kicked him under the table. "Wolf …"

Wolf smoothed his hair. "Excuse me." He picked up his fork and knife and sliced off a small piece of meat. He winked at Virginia as he gently popped it into his mouth.

Grandma Nessa laughed and slapped Wolf on the shoulder. "Now that's what I'm talking about! I love me a man with a hearty appetite!"

"How's the farm, Grandma Nessa?" Virginia asked.

"Aaaw you know, Ol' Hector had to have his hooves redone. The sheep had to be sheared."

Wolf nearly chocked on his meat at the word "sheep."

Nessa continued on. "And … I hired a nice new gentleman friend as a hand around the farm. 'Course, I'd rather have him as a hand in my boudoir if you catch my drift …"

Virginia's mouth hung open and she tried to keep from laughing as Evelyn covered Jeannie's ears. "Grandma!"

"What? I'm old, not dead." Nessa sighed. "Hasn't been easy in my parts … after your Grandpa died. We made the den a hospice for him. Little Jeannie here never left his side. You're a lot like him, Virginia. He may be dead, but his spirit lives on in you."

Virginia leaned forward. "Evelyn told me you boarded up the old room you shared with Pop."

"Boy, people can't keep their mouths shut about my business, can they?!" Grandma Nessa blew a raspberry at Evelyn. "But yeah … I did. After he died, that room wasn't right no more. Evil … is drawn to tragedy …"

Virginia cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

"Weird things started happening in that room. I thought it was your Ol' Pa's spirit … but no. I'd wake up with scratches on my arms and legs, bite marks on my neck. No, Pop would never hurt me like that. Something evil was drawn to that room, drawn by the pain and sorrow. It happens in our family. Malignant entities cling to us, feed on our tragedies. I know you probably think I'm crazy and all -."

"No," Virginia interrupted. She stared knowingly into her grandmother's eyes. "No, trust me. I understand completely …"

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Nessa leaned back in her seat, unbuckling her farming trousers. "I ain't had a good meal like that since the ol' cookoff between your Dad and Cousin Bernie."

The waiter left the check in the middle of the table. Nessa immediately grabbed for it, only to have Virginia snatch it away from. "No Grandma, you're my guest."

"Come on, I ain't never let you pay before, and you ain't paying for me now!"

Virginia ignored her as she stuck her credit card into the leather bifold. "First time for everything, Gran." She handed the check to the waiter who walked off.

"So," Nessa asked. "Think your mother will come out of hiding to make an appearance for her little girl's wedding?" There was an awkward tension between Virginia and Wolf who looked at each other knowingly. Nessa realized it. "I'm sorry, hon'. I overstepped, I always do."

Virginia waved her off. "No. It's fine, Gran. I've … put all that behind me. I can't wallow in the past, I have to look forward to the future!"

"There's that can-do attitude I instilled in you kids!"

The waiter returned, an awkward look on his face. He handed the bill back to them. "I'm sorry ma'am," he said to Virginia. "I'm afraid your card's been declined. Insufficient funds."

"There must be a mistake," Virginia protested. "I know exactly how much -."

"You'll have to contact your financial institution."

Nessa whipped out her card instantly. "I got this, hon. Don't you worry."

The waiter walked away as Virginia held her head in embarrassment. "I don't understand how there could be insufficient funds. The only major expense was the caterer for the wedding and …" Her voice trailed off and her eyes narrowed as she stared at Wolf who suddenly found the ceiling very interesting. "The price was $150 per plate, right honey?"

Wolf stared at the ceiling. "It may have been …"

"Sweetie … I know I explicitly told you not to go above $150 a plate, so I know my beloved fiancé respected my wishes and listened to me."

"Of course. I always do what you ask."

"Then why are you sweating?!"

Wolf was indeed perspiring. Profusely. He whipped his head around. "Alright, I can't take it! I confess! I … may have gone with the $250 dollar a plate option."

"You WHAT?!"

Wolf grabbed her hands. "I'll work double shifts! We'll pay it off! Wolf's honor!"

Virginia wrenched her hands out from his. "I just had a loan for my restaurant denied because we don't have the funds! Do you understand? My dream denied! And you go and spend money we don't have?!"

Nessa, Evelyn and Jeannie sat there awkwardly, pretending not to exist.

"Oh, but Virginia, it's our wedding and I wanted to give you the wedding of your dreams!"

"You mean the wedding of your dreams! I told you I wanted small and simple! This is just like when you won the Jackrabbit prize and blew it all on food and the singing ring!"

"Singing what now?" Nessa asked.

Virginia grabbed her purse and stood up as Wolf began whining like a spanked puppy. "Grandma, Evelyn, Jeannie. It was great seeing you again. But … I … I gotta go!"

She turned and stormed off. Nessa stared after her. "Anyone for dessert?"

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Wolf walked through Central Park alone that night. He was muttering to himself. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! So stupid! Why did you blow that money, she specifically told you! Oh Huff Puff! It's ok. It's ok. I'll smooth things over when I get home. I'll apologize, tell her I respect her feelings and from now on, if she requests something, I'll do it! Yes, I'll be a good boy, a good wolf! Yes!"

He straightened up and turned around, prepared to march right back to their apartment and apologize to Virginia and promise to go straight to the caterer tomorrow morning and change their order to the cheaper menu.

In the bushes, a man in black watched him. He raised a rifle, placing his eye over the scope. "I got you now, you Mangy Mutt." His finger pulled the trigger.

Wolf stopped short as he felt a sharp pinch in the back of his neck. His vision swam – and then he saw nothing at all …