I do not own any characters associated with this story.

It was a quiet night, the moon lit up the snow covered mountains as the wind blew trees and snow around Valerie as she sat in the forest looking up at the moon that faced her. Smiling to herself she picked up her basket and turned to hear a twig breaking. Looking around she saw no one but her footsteps, turning back to head home she faced a big animal. "What big eyes you have." Valerie said in a whisper. Valerie emerged from her sleep this was the third restless night in row she's had the same dream, rubbing the sleep from her eyes she walked over to the window and peered out, the sun was just starting to rise. After getting dressed she pulled her hair back and pulled her red cloak on that her grandmother had made for her for her wedding when she was engaged to the rich Henry Lazar. Grabbing her wicker basket she pulled her hood up and walked out of the cottage and started down the path to her village of Daggerhorn. Pulling her cloak closer she looked around the woods that surrounded her. She stood and listened to the wind, smiling she continued down the path when someone grabbed her from behind and pinned her to a tree. Valerie opened her eyes to see dark eyes looking back at her. Valerie smiled. "Where were you, I woke up and you weren't there." Peter smirked as he kissed Valerie's forehead and pushed a strand of lose hair out of her face. "I had work early, I thought I told you." Valerie shook her head. "Nope, but its okay, I was just worried that's all." Peter lifted her chin and gave her a passionate kiss. "There's nothing to be worried about." Valerie smiled and kissed him back. "Good, now will you walk into town with me?" Peter cocked his head to the side. "I'll do something better, I'll race you."

Valerie reached the gate of Daggerhorn as Peter grabbed her waist. "Looks like I win again, you should work out more, starting to get a little slow." Valerie said with a giggle. "Oh is that so?" Peter asked as he gave her a small kiss. Valerie grabbed Peter's hand as they walked through the gates. "I just have to go check on my mother, get some things for the cabin, then we can go back there and . . ." Peter gave her a small smile. "Yeah, I know what you mean." Peter said with a small chuckle. Valerie walked up the stairs to her mother's while Peter walked around keeping a low appearance. "Mother, are you home?" Valerie set her basket on the table near the door and saw her mother knitting. "Mother, you really need to get out of here, get some air at least, Papa's never coming home. If he was, wouldn't he be back by now?" Valerie's mother shook her head slowly. "I should've told him, I should have just told him about Lucy not being his, maybe he would have stuck around, stopped him from drinking?" Valerie's mother wept softly as Valerie knelt down. "It's not your fault Mother." Valerie's mother pulled her arm away quickly. "You don't know that Valerie, once you become a mother, you'll know exactly how I'm feeling." Valerie's mother grabbed the water bucket near the boiling pot in the fire place and left. Valerie sat looking at the flames and wondered if she would ever have a family with Peter, wondering if he would want to pass on the curse that he has to know live with.

Valerie exited her mother's cottage and walked down the path leading to the exit when Roxanne ran up to her. "Valerie, oh my God, I haven't seen you in forever." Roxanne said as she gave Valerie a big hug. "Roxanne, I know I'm sorry, I just . . . it hasn't been easy since my father took off, and with Lucy I just needed to leave. How are you, how have you been since Claude?" Roxanne and Valerie walked down the path a little ways. "It's been tough, some days I don't know how to get out of bed, my mother she won't talk to me; I think she blames me for not watching him, keeping him safe." Valerie ran a hand up Roxanne's arm. "I'm so sorry Roxanne, I know what you're going through, I'm sorry I haven't been a better friend and checked in on you and your folks. Roxanne gave Valerie a slight nod. "It's okay, you probably wouldn't want to check in, my parents are always fighting, over littlest things, but sometimes its better you know, they don't fight and its calm." Valerie nodded her head and smiled. "It will get better I promise, and you just need to give you mother sometime, I'm sure she will come around." Roxanne and Valerie continued down the path. "Yeah, I'm sure you're right, well here's my stop, you should come around more often, we're having a big bond fire in couple of days you should come." Valerie waved her friend goodbye. "Maybe I will." Valerie said as she left her friend's house and continued on her way.

Valerie found Peter sitting on a stump near the gates. "What are you doing?" Valerie asked as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Waiting for you, people in the village were giving me some uncomfortable looks, so I split, decided to wait here." Valerie looked at Peter with concern. "Do you think they know?" Peter smirked. "If they did, a mob of people would be after me right now, remember, I'm sure everything is fine. So how was your visit with your mom?" Valerie grabbed his arm and placed it over her shoulder. "Terrible, she's still grieving over Papa, I don't even think she's left the cottage since, all she does is knit and make soup." Valerie and Peter walked down the path towards the cabin. "She just needs time Val, I mean she literally just lost her husband, her daughter, and she doesn't even know why, and then you decide to leave that's, that's got to be a lot to handle. She'll come around, I promise." Peter said as he kissed the top of her head. "You always know how to make me feel better, that's what I love about you." Peter smirked as they reached the door to the cabin.

Inside Valerie started to make soup as Peter cut up some bread. "So I ran into Roxanne, I guess her family's not doing so well either, but she invited me to the bond fire I guess they are having." Peter looked up as Valerie relaxed in the chair across from the fire. "Are you going to go?" Valerie shrugged. "I don't know, part of me wants to go and get involved with the whole village activities again, but the other part wants me to stay here with you." Peter smiled as leaned over Valerie. "You should go, besides I won't be with you in couple days anyway." Valerie looked over at Peter. "What why?" Peter looked down at the floor and took in a couple small breaths. "Because it's the blood moon Val, I can't be here know what could happen. I don't know what I would do if I . . . ever hurt you." Peter said in almost a whisper. "But you came back; you said you wouldn't come back if you didn't know how to control it." Valerie said in protest. "Val, I'm sorry, but this is my curse and my choice, besides it will just be for three days and then, I'm yours." Valerie's eyes began to swarm with tears. "I just don't want you leave, I get scared you won't come back, I just love you Peter and I care what happens to you, when you leave anything can happen." Peter placed his chin on top of Valerie's head. "I love and care about you too Val, don't worry okay, nothing is going to happen I promise." Valerie moved her head kissed Peter passionately and then nuzzled closely under his chin.

Peter and Valerie were awoken by loud gongs going off. Valerie sat straight up as she looked at Peter. "No, it can't be." Valerie got dressed quickly as she ran out the door not waiting for Peter. Valerie ran down the path as fast as she could as she heard Peter yelling her name. Valerie stopped as Peter grabbed her arm. "Valerie relax it might not be a wolf attack." Valerie looked at Peter and shook her head. "Then why would they ring the gongs, are you coming with me or not?" Peter led Valerie down the path till they reached the clearing where the town's people had formed. Valerie found Roxanne. "Roxanne who is it?" Roxanne in tears shook her head as Valerie stared in shock on who was the latest wolf attack.

I hope you enjoy it so far, let me know what you guys think so far.