Red Riding Hood

Chapter Twenty Five

Andrea, Eric and I were sprawled out on my bed. I had Andrea's head resting on my stomach as I sat horizontally against the pillows and Eric was stretched along the end with my feet up on his back. Andrea was fighting a hangover from the night before, Jocelyn had ensured any sadness from her break up with Derrick which had been in the process of occurring for over a week before Christmas, had been forgotten and the fact her werewolf ex-ex boyfriend was in the house next door didn't bother her. She groaned once more, reaching for the bottle of water and taking another round of painkillers. Eric and I had faired much better but then again he hadn't drunk anything and I only had two glasses of champagne.

"I'm dying" she whined, rolling off me and dramatically falling off the edge of the bed, deciding to curl up and 'die' on the floor. Laughing I leant over the side, her eyes were still glazed over and her hair was a mess.

"Go have a shower, put on some clothes and we'll go find you a big greasy feed to fix your hangover" I enthused. At the mention of food her face literally turned a shade of green and she bolted to my bathroom. Not for a shower.

"Give her another drink, hair of the dog!" Eric suggested, rolling over to face me and turning off the TV we had barely been paying attention too.

"Noo. No more booze e v e r" Andrea called out as the tap turned on. I smiled evilly, poor girl. My grandmother appeared at the door then, popping her head in curiously, her eyebrows rising seeing me and Eric on the bed together. Not again.

"Beth honey, Dylan is here" She said it slowly and emphasized Dylan's name, which caused Eric to shoot up from the bed, instantly on guard.

"Oh god no. If I'm not dying, I am killing myself" Andrea appeared in the ensuite doorway, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. My Grandmother looked at Andrea surprised, her wheels in her mind turning as she put two and two together.

"Andrea, go and put yourself together! You look like hell dear!" I laughed at her words, not expecting that and even Eric cracked a smile. Frustrated she muttered something in French and slammed the door. Minutes later the shower was heard. I headed downstairs with Eric close behind; I didn't quite get his issue with Dylan but put it down to a wolf thing. My Grandfather and Dylan were talking quietly and I couldn't hear a word they were saying. Looking at Eric he shook his head as if knowing what I was thinking. Seeing us approach they silenced and grandfather left us alone.

"Hi Dylan" I greeted, perhaps to cheerfully as he looked at me oddly. He looked at Eric as if sizing him up and deciding against it returned my smile. Stepping forward he hugged me and I sensed his satisfaction in the gesture, as Eric grew tense. As we parted Dylan halted, his eyes going dark as he sniffed me.

"Weird much?" I teased; it's not every day you get sniffed. He looked at me blankly and then to Eric doing the same thing before looking upstairs. We all seemed to realize the same at the same time. Andrea.

"Why do you have her scent all over you!?" he snapped at Eric, walking past me he decided to walk through me and knocked me aside roughly. Perhaps telling him we all ended up asleep together in my bed last night wouldn't be a great idea. Eric held his hands up innocently, and Dylan pushed him square in the chest, hard enough to make him stumble back.

"We were just sitting together watching TV Dylan" I explained, gently rubbing my shoulder that he knocked earlier, shaking my head at Eric who was itching to take Dylan down. He turned to me angrily.

"You know she is MINE and you let this dog be around her?" He snapped at me, looking back at Eric, "Is he the one you said she was dating? You said they had broken up - why is HE here!?" he demanded. He was loosing control.

"No, no Dylan. Eric is here for me, he is just her friend" I started to worry. I had never seen him angry before and from past experience, an angry werewolf doesn't end well. Eric looked at me pleading for my nod to take him out. Where was my own wolfy confidence when I needed it? William flashed in my mind and I knew she was sulking with me. 'Really? Now?' I thought angrily. I went in front of Dylan trying to block Eric from any harm and that in hindsight was stupid of me, as what chance do I stand in between two wolves?