Summary: Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? Many people are but Bella isn't. Bella discovers that she has a unique connection to the beast-one that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect...and bait. Then there's Sam, the strange beautiful man who seems to appear just after the wolf...a dark seductive twist on a childhood tale.

Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from my own ideas and characters! This story will have aspects of several different stories, including The Twilight Saga of course, Possessing Rayne and Red Riding Hood.

A/N: Ok, so I've been toying with this idea and this coupling for a while, and I want it to be original so here we have it. I've used a different writing style for this story; so please bear with me if it's a little dodgy, I'm working on it! Please let me know what you think, thoughts and suggestions are always welcome.

P.s Charlie is not Bella's father, whom her father is may or may not come into play in this story- I haven't smoothed out the creases (so to speak) of this story yet. But I'm getting there.

Who's Afraid?

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

Chapter One

She sat legs crossed staring at the laptop screen in front of her. She searched service jobs, Residential and then trawled through the endless websites. Bella needed to get away, the constant noise and endless heat of Phoenix all too much for her. School was finished, she was free... in a sense, yet still trapped in the box of heat, suffocating her. She was tired of not being able to breathe. Space is what she needed, time, peace and quiet to herself; away from her hectic life in Phoenix.

Forks popped up on the bottom right hand side of the screen in a box, she clicked on it before it left, curious and a little amused at the name.

The page opened with a picture of a mansion surround by woodland, Bella was stunned at the beauty and was intrigued. She scanned the text below the picture, Cullen Keep it read, has been in the Cullen family for more than three hundred years; passed down from generation to generation. This historic building is open to public viewing as well as weekend breaks; as well as hosting a variety of events for the community. Bella skipped several paragraphs; instead she looked at the pictures as she scanned the page for any useful information, maybe a job advertisement.

She did however stop and read several of the comments about Cullen Keep. "The sheer beauty of this home is breathtaking; add in the culture and tales of this quaint town you've got a five star location" one read. "This charming mansion is a historic gem, with a friendly welcoming atmosphere; though the night tours and talks of ghost and legends leave little to the imagination. Its five star location for those who don't mind something going bump in the night" Bella rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, something going bump in the night. It's probably the boiler kicking in, or shutting down." Bella mumbled to Petra, her trusted black cat who purred as Bella scratched the spoilt cats' fluffy black chin.

Bella was losing faith, and then another box flashed in the right hand corner. Staff wanted it read in bold letters. Bella smiled, the position was for a lodger that could help with the tea room and the events that would be held.

"Should I Petra?" she asked the cat, the curser hovering over the email address provided. The cat seemed to stare at Bella, her green slit eyes staring into Bella's brown doe orbs, they seemed to say go for it.

So Bella emailed, attaching her CV and a covering letter saying how much she loved the look of the place, and that the history intrigued her. It didn't, she didn't even know the history but a little white lie never hurt anyone. Did it?

"Now all I have to do is tell Renee and Mike." She said to Petra who decided she was bored of all the talking; she leaped from the bed and trotted off in the direction of the kitchen and food.

"Traitor" Bella mumbled as the cat bounded off out of view.

Half an hour passed and already Bella wanted to check her emails for a reply. "Don't be stupid, they won't have replied yet." She told herself. It didn't stop her from wanting to check though.

Two hours passed and she busied herself with cleaning. Relief, of sorts, came in the form of a text. Hey babe, be ready for 7, party at Jessica's? x x She read the message from Mike, her boyfriend. She could do better than him, she knew it, he probably knew it...everyone knew it. With her long golden brown locks, feminine soft features, big brown eyes framed with thick black lashes and a creamy complexion that covers every single perfect curve of her body, she is a natural beauty as many say. Mike is a simpleton, with mousy brown hair and a baby face; he's cute, but nothing special.

Ok, see you later x she replied before throwing her phone on the bed and stalking off towards her wardrobe, "What to wear?" with Petra gone she was talking to herself, but Bella didn't mind. She often thought the best conversations she could have were with herself.

Bella decided on a simple black dress, it clung to her like a second skin and she looked glamorous; with a pair of high heels and a few accessories she was ready with half an hour to spare. So she looked, unable to stop herself.

With bated breath she signed into her email account, 1 new message. She scanned over the message and a merry smile stretched her lips, they wanted to meet her, interview her. The email suggested a place to stay after saying that all their rooms were booked out for the weekend, she replied back with thanks and see you soon.

One week, the interview was in one week. She couldn't wait.

Who's Afraid?

The music surrounded her; it was almost as bad as the heat. She felt trapped, in a room filled with smoke and sweaty bodies grinding together. She once loved this, it used to be her thing but it was as if she were seeing it through someone else's eyes now.

"I'm going to get some fresh air." Bella whisper loudly -trying to beat the noise- into Mike's ear. He nodded for her to go while he carried on dancing. Bella could see Jessica eyeing Mike as she walked away.

She pushed her way through the crowds; they parted easily at the sight of her. Bella has an aura of power and beauty, the two together can be a deadly mix in the wrong hands, but, luckily Bella has the purest of hearts and the kindest soul she wouldn't know how to use the power she has over people for anything other than good.

She stood on the balcony the wind cooling her skin, soothing her. A pigeon cooed, sitting on the railings to the right of Bella. She would have shooed it away once but as it was she was glad to have some company. "You'll stay with me for a while, wont you?" She whispered to the dirty grey pigeon, it jerked its head inquisitively.

"Are you talking to the bird?" Bella jumped and the pigeon flew away. Mike stood leaning against the door frame, arms crossed a smirk on his lips. Bella hated that smirk; she instantly missed the pigeon thinking at least it couldn't speak ...or smirk.

She shrugged, "I suppose." She mutter a little embarrassed but mainly angry. Then she question why she was angry, Mike hadn't done anything wrong apart from follow her, like a good boyfriend would. He wanted to keep her company, how is that so wrong? She didn't know or understand so she pushed the thoughts away.

"You seem different," Mike muttered into the crease of her neck where he sucked on her skin, peppering her neck and bare shoulders with open mouthed kisses.

She shrugged; she didn't know whether it was because she didn't know what to say, or because she wanted him to get off her. She couldn't quite decide which.

"I have a job interview, a place called Forks." Bella said and Mike's kisses stopped for only a second before he started to nibble on her ear. She thought he hadn't heard her or wasn't listening until he spoke several minutes later.

"Is that some new diner opening or something?" Bella laughed, not at him but because it was funny. He could be funny; he could make her smile even without trying; that's why she stayed with him, for those rare moments when he was just Mike, simple but funny.

"What's funny?" He whispered a smile in his voice.

"It's a place," she swallowed, nervously unsure of how he would take the information she was about to tell him. "In Washington, the interview is next Saturday."

"You're leaving. Why?" He wasn't kissing her anymore and she felt a little relieved then instantly felt guilty.

"It's just an interview, there aren't any guarantees. I just need to get away from here Mike." She whispered not once turning round to face him, she didn't want to hurt him- but this would inevitably hurt him.

He sighed; she could almost see the hurt in his eyes. "We've just finished High School, we're free. We had plans; a summer of parties, holidays with friends, to do things we weren't allowed to do before, why would you want to tie yourself up with a job?"

"You might be free Mike but I feel trapped. This used to be me, I used to love parties, attention but now I just feel surrounded." She turned in his arms to face him and cupped his cheek in her palm. "I just need to get away and breathe a different air. Work out what I want, where I belong."

She saw his heart breaking and for a moment she hated herself, but then she realised that she had to get away. She couldn't keep trying to be the person she once was; hiding, pretending, slowly suffocating. She was done, and if being rid of the life she wanted to run away from meant hurting a few people, she would do it because something deep within her told Bella it was the right thing.

"There was a time when you belonged here, by my side." He was sad, Bella could see that but she told herself he would bounce back. Jessica would give him a shoulder to cry on, a bed to sleep in.

"Once maybe, now I need to get away but Mike it's not you I'm running from, I need you to understand that." She looked at him with a fierce intensity, it wasn't him she was running from still that didn't mean she wouldn't leave him behind but again something deep within her told her it was for the best.

"So you want me to wait for you to decide what you want, where you want to be." Mike's voice turned harsh, harder than any tone he had ever directed at her before. It made the situation so much worse and Bella cringed.

"No, I don't. That's not fair of me to ask that of you and I don't want you to wait for me." Bella whispered, holding Mikes hand in her own before letting it go where it dropped limply to his side.

"So you're breaking up with me? How do you know you'll get this job?" Mike protested, firing questions as if it only just hit him that the situation was real and that Bella was being serious.

"I don't know if I'll get that job but if I don't that won't be the end I won't just change my mind and stay here, I need to get away whether it be to Forks or some other place. The way I feel isn't going to change; I want out of Phoenix, at least for a bit."

"And out of us."

She sighed, "We would never work being apart. You're a good guy Mike; you will make someone very happy."

"Just not you; I'm not good enough for you, I never have been and everyone knows it." He whispered his words angered Bella. She knew what people said and yes sometime she thought it herself but she never wanted Mike to believe it.

"You are plenty good enough; it's me that whats more than what I already have. It's me that wants out of here, you should be good enough for me and if I were sensible I would stay and realise what a good thing I have here but I'm not sensible and I want more than this life."

"So you're saying I don't want more, I don't have goals and ambitions?" Mike pushed Bella carefully out of his arms and crossed them over his chest, a bushy eyebrow raised at Bella who was close to tears, with her words coming out all wrong and making the situation ten times worse.

"No," she sighed and ran her hand through her thick lush locks. "Mike, your life is here. You're happy, you belong here that's not a bad thing but I don't belong here and I'm not happy... not anymore." He bowed his head in defeat, she wouldn't change her mind or back down and he saw that.

He walked away resigned, not even saying goodbye. He couldn't, it seemed to final after two years he never thought it would end, and he was being naive thinking they would stay together forever but he had hoped. Bella was the best thing he had in his life, he knew it and he also knew that he took it for granted and it was too late for him to turn the clock back.

Bella watched him walk away; her shoulders sagged with sadness while guilt and anguish niggled at her from within. "I'm sorry." She whispered to the wind and at Mikes fading form pushing his way through the throngs of people.

Who's Afraid

"Chief Swan, how can I help?" a gruff rich voice answered the phone and Bella swallowed loudly, a little nervous while speaking to this complete stranger. The number had been given to her in the email, with a message saying that he would be the best person to ask for a room to let for the night.

"Hello, Mr Swan. I'm Isabella I was given this number by Miss Cope." Miss Cope was the name signed off at the bottom of the email Bella had received. Bella guessed it was a manager of sorts, someone who looked after the tea room other than the Cullen family themselves.

"That's right; you're the young girl going for the job at Cullen Keep. I suppose you want a room for the night." Bella nodded then realised that he actually couldn't see her.

"Yes," she squeaked while mentally hitting herself. "That would be great, if you have a spare room going. I can pay for a night's stay of course."

"Nonsense, the room is free. If I remember correctly you're from Phoenix which means you've got to pay for a plane ticket here and back. That's a lot of money for someone who's just finished High School. The room is yours for free." He said, with an air of finality. Bella decided it was best to just accept gracefully.

"Thank you Mr Swan."

"Don't mention it. Will you need a ride from the airport?" He asked and Bella stuttered, she couldn't believe the kindness of this man. She wondered if everyone was going to be like that in Forks. She couldn't decide if it would be a good thing or a bad thing.

"I was going to get a taxi; I'll need the address though." She said polity; Petra looked at her from the end of the bed before huffing and curling into a tight ball. Bella wished she could do that, just curl up and hide from the world.

"A taxi from Settle will cost a fair bit. I'll pick you up; my daughter will be with me as well maybe you to could become friends it's always nice to know a friendly face in a new town. What time does your flight get in?" Bella knew the answer; she had booked the tickets earlier excited and petrified at the same time. She still hadn't told her mom, Renee, yet.

After rattling off the details of her flight they said their goodbyes, he'd got called away; some sighting of an animal or something. Bella couldn't quite hear but she didn't care. She was off; she was really going to Forks, to a job interview and maybe even her new home for at least several months.

"It's really happening Petra" she said giggling. Petra stirred and blinked several times before curling back up.

"Fine, be like that." She said to Petra then laughed, she really was going insane. Talking to her cat as if it could understand her but she sated the thought with the knowledge that most people talked to their animals like they could understand. Instead Bella thoughts turned to the future, and telling her mother.

But she knew she had to leave whatever her mother's reaction would be, every day like a frayed ribbon she loses a thread; a thread of her life and strength.

A/N: So what do you think? Let me know if I should continue. And for those reading Something about Home and You Promised Forever my two other stories; they should be updated by Friday, Saturday at the latest. I've had a hard time with both those stories, I know where I want them to go but I just can't seem to get them there. Oh well, I'll cross my fingers and hope.