This story has been on my mind for ... well a few months actually. I just finished it today. So I will be posting chapters as often as I get reviews. If I don't get five reviews this chapter, second chapter will not be posted until I do:P I hope you guys like!

"You cannot go out now," I murmured to the six year old. "The werewolves are roaming the forest."

"But Daddy's out there!" Declan cried. "And Mummy's not back from putting the trash away."

I sighed and ran my hand through his hair, "I know. Just sit tight with me for a little while, Declan."

"But you're Alpha's mate," Declan said. "You can let us out."

"I cannot overrule the Alpha, Declan. I'm sorry. But you are just going to have to follow the rules," I said softly. "Go on and play with the others. They should all be back soon."

"Where's my mum?" he asked quietly.

"She'll be fine," I promised. "Now go on."

He sighed in defeat and ran off to the kids on the other side of the mess hall. I continued to peek out of the front window, searching for any sign of the men.

"No sign?" an Irish accent asked.

I looked up to the flame haired woman and shook my head, "They should be back soon, Badra."

"And Irina?" she asked, referring to Declan's mother.

"They took her," I whispered, diverting her eyes to look back out the window. She touched my sandy hair in a motherly way.

"It's not your fault."

"We shouldn't be hiding in the Forbidden Forest," I told her. "There are many dangerous things out there."

"We cannot change their decision. This is the safest place for our kind."

I sighed, "I know. It doesn't mean it's the wisest."

"They'll be here soon. I'll feed the children."

"Thank you, Badra," I said quietly.

I peered back out of the shutters and winced as the sunlight hurt my eyes before they could readjust. Three days till full moon.

I saw the men approach, deer and bear - the natural Muggle population game - hanging from their shoulders. They dropped it next to the door of the mess hall.

"They're back!" I called as I saw my mate lead the entire male pack back into the entrance.

The children all ran to the door, thankfully after they ate, and waited patiently for their fathers.

My mate was the last one through, as we didn't have any children. . . yet.

As the children and the mates greeted their men, I slipped to meet with Fenrir, my mate.

"They took Irina as she ventured to burn the trash," I told him immediately.

He buried his face into my neck, breathing in my scent, "We smelt something, but we couldn't trace it far. We lost her scent by the edge of the woods."

"Do you think it was him?" I asked, pressing my face to his chest.

I felt him nod, "I'd place my highest bets that it was him."

I sighed and pulled away from him, "I received a letter while you were gone."

"A letter?" he murmured, confused.

I nodded, "We've been found by the Order. The Dark Lord's still searching for us, since you disappeared from his rank."

"I had to keep my pack alive," Fenrir said fiercely. I touched his face softly.

A small smile tainted my lips as I saw his protectiveness of his pack. "It's been twenty-six years, and yet you still think the same as the day I met you officially."

He shrugged and pulled me to his chest protectively as he scented me. With one of his massive hands, he pulled my hair from the right of my neck and sniffed deeply before running his tongue into the crook of my neck. I shivered in delight at the feeling. Fen was the best mate ever.

"Alpha," a man greeted. I recognized him as Declan's father, the second in command - Beta.

"Beta," Fenrir acknowledged.

"What shall I tell my children of their mother?" Beta asked. He looked like he hadn't slept and his eyes were blood-shot, either from crying or lack of sleep, you couldn't tell. But I knew him, and knew it was from lack of sleep.

"She's been taken. I don't tolerate lies amongst my pack, nor secrets," Fenrir said simply. His eyes tightened around my middle and I gently eased his arms away from squeezing too hard.

"Of course, Alpha. Thank you."

Beta retreated quickly, and Fenrir took my arm. "Let's go home. We need to prepare for the full moon."

We left and walked to our small cottage, and I smiled as I took in the children playing rugby in the dirt and mud. They were only allowed outside if their fathers were in the village. If not, they were sheltered indoors.

"You smell different," Fenrir said.

I nodded, rolling my eyes, "I couldn't really hide it from you, could I, Alpha?"

He growled in satisfaction at the title I purred to him, "Hide what?"

I smirked and touched his hand, guiding it to my hip, "Can you sense it?"

His eyes widened as he felt what I wanted him to feel, "No. . ."

"Yes. You know we age slower than other witches and wizards. We live two hundred years, Fen, and it's just the time for us."

He eyed me and then pressed his other hand onto my other side. "The new Alpha?"

I nodded slowly and his eyes widened. I giggled as he became deathly pale and pulled a blanket from the beaten up couch. Nothing was brand new here. Fenrir's eyes were wide, and he watched me with a growing redness in his face.

"Fen, breathe," I soothed, worriedly.

He swallowed hard, "H-How far?"

"Not too," I assured him. "Two months at most."

He sighed in relief and I ran my hand across his cheek. "The letter I was talking about earlier. It's for you."

"Do you know what its about?"

"I didn't read it all."

I pulled it out of my back pocket and he quickly scanned through it, reading what Dumbledore's elegant scrawl wrote.

"Read it," he said. And then he started to pace. That couldn't be good. I scanned the letter as well and sighed at what I read.

Dear leader of the Forbidden Forest werewolf pack,

I wish to negotiate peace between us. We offer you a lifetime of equality if you chose to join the Orders side in the war. We will send a spokesperson for our side to the Black Lake tomorrow night at eight. We understand that exposure is a risk, and we hope to see at least one of you in our presence for as long as you wish. The Order and myself need your help and we're willing to negotiate hunting grounds.

Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore

"What are you going to do?"

He turned to look at me, "It's either equality or nothing."

I nodded slowly, "And you'll go with their offer, then?"

His dark brown eyes held my hazel for only a moment, "Yes."

I smiled briefly, touching his cheek, "This will be a good thing."

"I planned on staying out of the war, Roma," he whispered.

"Sometimes it's best to act then to avoid the inevitable. We would have gotten involved either way. And let's just be thankful that it wasn't the Dark Lord."

"He's still out for my blood, Roma. There's a difference."

I sighed and traced the bags under his eyes with my thumb, "I know. You need to sleep, Fen. You can't just keep staying up all day."

"The pack needs me-"

"They need you at your strongest. Not falling asleep on your feet," I chided.

He sighed, knowing I was right, but he'd never admit it. "Then I'll just have to take pepper-up potion."

"I'm letting you out of this house until you get a full nights rest," I warned.

"Roma-"

"Fenrir," I challenged.

"Only you," he chuckled, kissing my forehead. "I'll go sleep."

I looked to the window, "Do you want me to keep watch?"

"Come with me," Fenrir said firmly. "We've hardly had a moment to ourselves since the war started."

"But the pack-"

"Roma," Fenrir said in his Alpha tone. I felt the command settle deep in my bones before he could even get the words out. "Come with me."

"If you insist," I smirked. I opened the door to the bedroom and looked around. Things were cleaner in here, because we were both hardly in it, but occasionally we had our moments. We hadn't had those in nearly two months, though. The Death Eaters were closing in on us and we were losing people all the time.

I got in the small bed, Fen getting in next to me. As I blew the bedside candle out, his arms snaked around my waist and pulled me close to him. This was all I needed, was him close to me. Without his scent, I'd go insane. And we drifted off to sleep.

Review please:) 5=2nd chapter!