Blood Rose

Not Just Blood

Rosalie's POV:

There is movement to my left. Crawling forward, I spot the edge of a shoe.  Really?  I roll my eyes. Letting out a small growl, I pounce in front of him.

"Gotcha Ya!" I snicker through mind link. Liam growls back at me.

"How? I had you. You cheated!" the grumpy five year old replies.

"I swear I didn't. You are easily spotted in human form. Especially when you are standing still in the middle of a forest. You were really loud. Even to humans." I raise one wolfy eyebrow at him.

His messy blonde curls shadowed his face; though you could still see his pouty lips. Liam's play clothes were covered in dirt, as was the rest of him. The four games of hide-and-seek on top of the normal child dirt. He quickly became a mess.

Shaking my head at my brother, as Hazel and Nyx laughed in my head.

"Come along Mrs. Scarlett is expecting us for dinner tonight. We need to clean up first."

Liam slowly climbs on top of my back. Still grumpy from losing four games in a row. I ran back to our home at the edge of the Blue Moon pack line.I stopped just outside of the forest. Lowering myself to let Liam off my back.

"Wait here, Lee-Lee. I'll be right back." I stare at him until I'm sure he won't move. I walk to the nearest tree and shift. My clothes lay at my feet where I left them.  Putting on my shorts and one of the boy's t-shirts. Michael's from the smell of it. Juniper berries.

A soft smile gracing my lips, I round the tree. Spotting Liam sitting on a tree stump, holding his fisted hands under his chin. I squat in front of him and look into his dark brown eyes that remind me of our father. "Let's go get ready. I think the girls and Jesse are at the house."

Liam's mood is lifted with my words. "Race ya!" He giggles, taking off running in the direction of the house.

I grin as I chase after him. Nyx and Hazel enjoying the chase. Blonde curls flopping in front of me. I catch him before he gets to the house. His squeals echoing around us. I walk us through the door laughing with him.

The girls greet us in the living room, laughing at the two of us. Me, holding Liam upside down and tickling his stomach. Him, red faced and covered in dirt and leaves.

As soon as I put him down he runs to the three of them. The girls, Cleo, Anita, and Eryn, are rogues that joined my pack along with Michael and Jesse.

The three of them had brunette hair and dark brown eyes. Cleo's skin was fair, but Anita and Eryn had olive skin. I was the tallest of the girls but not by much. The boys beat me in height though. Michael at 6'2 and Jesse at 5'8 compare to my 5'6.

Everyone except Anita was older than me yet, none of them treated me any less than their Alpha. All of them lived with me and Liam. All of us have unique and diverse personalities. The dynamic was interesting. Even crazy at times. However it worked for us.

I am snapped out of my thoughts by a small body crashing into me. Liam was running away from Eryn; who was trying to tickle him some more. He buries his face in my stomach. His laughter continued to fill the room.

"What in the hell are you doing to that poor child? Ro-Ro! I thought we talked about this." Jesse's mock parenting was always something to laugh at. He comes into the room acting as though he is offended by the four of us tickling the small boy.

"Yeah right, Jess. Like you don't tickle him at all." Cleo rolls her eyes. Jesse makes his way towards the bundle of us. Liam looks up at his favorite of our small pack members. Unattaching himself from me and running to Jesse. The older boy bends down to catch the younger one. Their tight embrace full of meaning that neither of them understands.