Wolf raced after the rabbit, heart pounding with the thrill of the hunt. His paws tore at the earth, sending dirt and bits of grass flying. He bared his fangs in a lupine grin when he saw that he was gaining. His muscles tensed. He pounced and sunk his teeth into the rabbit. Wolf sat on his haunches and glared at the rabbit. Then he lifted his head and howled his triumph into the night. With a lick of his lips and a satisfied growl, Wolf began to feed.

The rabbit began to shift and blur. Wolf blinked and shook his head. When he opened his eyes again, the rabbit was gone, replaced by...no! ...Virginia!

Wolf looked down at his paws...no hands now. They were covered in blood. Virginia's blood!

"No!" screamed Wolf as he shot up in bed. He was shaking uncontrollably. "Viginia? Virginia!!"

"What is it? What's wrong?" a sleepy voice mumbled. "Wolf, are you allright?" Virginia asked.

"Oh, cripes! You're ok!" Wolf exclaimed. "I didn't..." He stopped, not wanting Virginia to know about his dream.

"You didn't what?" Virginia asked, concerned. Wolf was still shaking. She held out her hand to him and he came to her. He wrapped his arms around her almost fiercely.

"Nothing. Nothing to worry about. Just a silly nightmare is all," Wolf said.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. Go back to sleep."

Virginia stroked his head, trying to comfort him. Something was definitely bothering him but she didn't push him. In the morning they'd both be rested. She'd talk to him then.

As Virginia drifted back to sleep, Wolf looked out the window of their apartment. The almost full moon shone brightly, mocking him. Wolf groaned and held Virginia tighter.

Meanwhile, back in the 9 Kingdoms, in a little hut in the swamp...

Acorn awoke with a start. He had thought he'd heard something. Something coming from downstairs.

"Come to me!" a voice sounded in his head.

"I don't think so," Acorn said. There was a sudden, sharp pain behind his eyes. Acorn cried out, clutching his head in his hands.

"Come to me now!" the voice screamed in his head.

Acorn stumbled to the cellar door, still holding his head. "I definitely don't have a good feeling about this," he said to himself. But he went downstairs anyway, just hoping the blinding pain in his head would cease. As he reached the bottom step, it did.

The ancient corpse of the Wicked Stepmother lay in the middle of the room. Why it wasn't dust by now, Acorn would never know. A rotting, bony hand reached up and the voice in his head said, "I need you to find a certain wolf for me."

A mirror beside the corpse shimmered, and an image came into focus. Acorn didn't know why, but he was suddenly compelled to do exactly as the Wicked Stepmother wished.

Virginia woke and reached for Wolf, only to find him gone. His side of the bed was still warm so he couldn't have been gone long. Virginia sighed. She knew he was going through his monthly cycle but she wasn't exactly sure what that entailed. She had meant to ask him but they'd been busy doing other, more important things.

Virginia smiled. These last couple of weeks with Wolf had been the most wonderful time of her life. Showing him the sights of New York had made her look at the city in a whole new light. Wolf had such an enthusiasm about everything that she wondered how she could have ever thought of New York as boring.

When they had returned to her father's old apartment, she almost didn't recognize it. The Murrays had completely renovated the entire place, even knocking down a few walls to make the apartment bigger.

Mr. Murray had wanted to know when "master" Tony would be back. Virginia had said he was out of town but she and Wolf would be staying in the apartment for a while. Mr. Murray had obviously been disappointed, but then he had gleefully realized that he could serve Tony's family until the master returned. Virginia had liked the service at first but now it was just annoying. She did, however, have to restrain Wolf from taking advantage of the situation. She had come home one day to find Wolf in a newly aquired hot tub, one leg hanging over the side with Mr. Murray attached. He had been giving Wolf a pedicure while old Mrs. Murray was working on Wolf's manicure. Wolf's face had been covered in foam, with the younger Mrs. Murray delicately shaving away.

When Wolf had realized she was in the room, a variety of emotions had played across his face: pure extasy for all the pampering he was receiving, guilt for having been caught, and delight that he had a new gift for Virginia. "Isn't this great?" Wolf had asked. "Did you know that you can order stuff right off the tv?"

"Wolf, how are we going to pay for this?"

"Mr. Murray said I could use his credit card."

"You can't use his card to pay for everything you want!"

Wolf had looked like a child who had just been told he could no longer have his most cherished toy. "Why not?" he had asked.

Virginia had been about to reply when she thought about it. Why not indeed. She had always felt Mr. Murray had never paid her father enough for all the work that he did. Mr. Murray could well afford a few luxuries and she HAD always wanted a hot tub. "Well, allright," she had relented, "But just ask me first before buying any more big purchases, ok?"

Wolf had lit up, pleased that he had gotten his way. Then he had grinned wolfishly. "Everyone out, please. I want to be alone with my creamy, dreamy Virginia!"

After the Murrays had left, Wolf had growled softly and said, "Come here!"

Virginia had to stiffle a giggle. He still had shaving cream all over his face and he had looked quite silly. But she had went to him anyway. A good soak would help after a long day at work. But from the look on Wolf's face, he wasn't going to let her rest anytime soon. And he didn't.

Virginia smiled at the memory. Then she stretched and got out of bed. She missed her morning cuddle from Wolf. She wished he hadn't left but maybe he needed time to himself right now. God knew she couldn't stand anyone when it was her time of the month. She'd let him have his space for today but vowed that the next time she saw him, they would talk.

Realizing she had once again spent too much time daydreaming, she headed for the shower, hoping she wouldn't be late for work yet again.

Wolf was pacing back and forth in a secluded part of Central Park. He liked it here. It reminded him of home, ecxept for one thing. "Pigeons! Squirrels!" Wolf was muttering to himself. "Nothing here to hunt. No deer, no sheep (he moaned a little at that thought), not even a cute fuzzy bunny! Just pigeons and squirrels!" He growled.

Wolf missed Virginia already but his dream scared him so much that he had went off by himself. "You can never be too careful," he said to a squirrel who was watching him from an out of reach branch. "If I'm not around Virginia, then I can't hurt her. Right?" The squirrel scampered away. "Besides, it's just for tonight. Tomorrow everything will be back to normal and it'll be fine. Yes, that's it, everything will be fine."

Virginia took her usual route home. Funny how things quickly went back to routine after she and Wolf had arrived back in New York.

She looked up at the full moon and thought of Wolf. She hoped he would be home. Just then, Virginia thought she saw a flash of yellow up ahead. She slowed her bike. Wolf's eyes glowed like that when he was in a "wolfish" mood.

"Wolf? Is that you?" Virginia called softly. She didn't want to attract undue attention if it wasn't him.

She could see now that the glowing lights were indeed eyes, peering out at her from a large shrub. Virginia smiled. It had to be Wolf. What else could it be? "Is it your turn to hide?" Virginia called playfully. "If it is, you didn't do a very good job! I saw you a mile away!"

A growl emanated from the shrub. Virginia's smile faded. That didn't sound like Wolf's growl, not even when he was angry. Virginia backed away, suddenly frightened.

The eyes glowed even brighter. The owner of the eyes exploded through the shrub with a flash of fur and a gleem of fangs.

Virginia screamed and ran for her life.

"Virginia? Where are you?" a familiar voice broke through her haze of pain. "Virginia! Prince, find her boy!"

Virginia heard a bark and struggled to open her eyes.

"Good boy! Oh my God! Virginia! Somebody call an ambulance!"

Virginia opened her eyes just a crack. Her father was leaning over her, a very worried expression on his face. "Don't worry, honey," Tony said. "Wendell's gone to get help. What happened to..."

Virginia couldn't fight the pain any longer. She slipped into the darkness that beckoned her.

Wolf woke up under a park bench. He crawled out and stood up groggily. He squinted at the sun. "Morning! Now I can go back to my beautiful bride-to-be!" He turned, prepared to sprint towards their apartment and ran smack into Wendell.

"Wendell! How good to see you! Why are you here?" Wolf asked quickly. He was almost shoving Wendell along in his haste to get back to Virginia.

"Wolf..." Wendell started.

"I don't suppose we could talk while we run?" Wolf interrupted.

"Wolf, listen to me."

There was something in Wendell's voice that made Wolf's hackles rise.

"Where were you last night?" Wendell asked.

"Umm...I don't really know for sure but I think I was in the park all night. Why?"

Wendell stared at Wolf with an unreadable look in his eyes. His next words came out in a rush. "Virginia's been hurt. She was attacked. They think it was a dog," He paused. "Or a wolf."

Wolf felt like he'd been hit by a train.

"She's at the hospital now but she won't wake up. Wolf, did you..." Wendell didn't finish. He didn't really want to know.

Wolf hadn't moved. He seemed frozen to the ground. Wendell turned away then glanced back. "The baby is doing well, at least." Wendell thought Wolf would want to know. "Virginia's injuries were mostly to her arms. She must have fought...the wolf off. Tony and I must have frightened it off before it did any more serious damage. However, she must have hit her head when she fell down. That's why she won't wake up."

Wolf continued to stare at Wendell with a blank face. Wendell turned and left Wolf standing there.

Wolf stared after Wendell, unmoving for what seemed like hours.

No, it can't be true. I couldn't have! But how else to explain it? I can't remember! I could have no no no!

Wolf screamed "NO!" into the morning sun. The human word slowly turned into a wolfish howl. Pigeons took flight. Squirrels scampered to the boundaries of the park. Morning joggers picked up their pace.

Wolf ended his howl with a heart-broken sob. He sank to his knees and cried harder than he ever had in his entire life.

Night had fallen once again on the 10th Kingdom. Tony sat at his daughter's bedside holding her hand. He didn't want to believe that Wolf had done this but all signs seemed to point to him.

A nurse came into Virginia's room and told him that visiting hours were over. Tony kissed his daughter on her forehead. "I'll be back in the morning."

Tony left, followed shortly by the nurse. All was quiet for a moment. Then the window to the room was slowly opened. A figure was silohetted in the moonlight before it dropped down from the windowsill.

Wolf just stood there. Virginia was so still. She had bandages wrapped around her arms and one around her head. Wolf advanced closer and noticed one bandage very near her throat. He whimpered. He had gone for his beloved's throat?!

Wolf moved to Virginia's bedside. He reached out a trembling hand and stroked Virginia's cheek. He moved his hand down to her stomach. Wolf sensed the cub's presence, strong and healthy. He knew that Wendell had said the baby was fine but he had to see for himself.

Wolf had never been so angry at one person. He just never thought that anger would be directed at himself. He dragged a chair closer to Virginia's bed and sat down. He laid his head on her unbandaged shoulder and took ahold of her hand. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

It was almost a week before Virginia opened her eyes. Tony jumped when he heard her groan. "Virginia! At last! I was getting worried that you'd never wake up!"

"Daddy?"

Tony had to lean closer. Her voice was just a soft whisper. "Yes, honey, it's me. How are you feeling?"

Virginia just moaned softly and closed her eyes again. Then they shot back open. "My baby!"

Tony quickly tried to reasure her. "You're baby's fine, Virginia. No need to worry."

Virginia sighed and relaxed.

Tony looked at her uncomfortably. "Virginia, what happened? Who did this to you?" Tony held his breath, afraid of the answer.

Virginia felt tired but she managed to answer, "A wolf..."

Tony frowned. "Wolf?! Are you sure?"

Virginia struggled to answer but the darkness swallowed her once again.

Tony felt his temper rage. How could Wolf do this to his daughter? She was all he had had for fourteen years! The thought of loosing Virginia was almost more than he could take.

Tony thought he saw a flash of yellow outside the window. When he went to investigate, there was nothing there.

That night, when the nurse came to announce the end of visiting hours, she found that Tony had already left. She checked on Virginia and went on to her next patient.

The window to Virginia's room was once again opened. Wolf jumped down from the windowsill and went to Virginia's side. He reached out to touch her cheek when the door to the bathroom was flung open with a loud bang! Wolf jumped and crouched into a defensive position.

"Get away from her!" Tony growled.

Wolf growled too but it was directed at himself. How could he not have scented Tony? There were too many smells in this building that he just wasn't paying attention. Besides, he had been more concerned with Virginia. He looked down at her. She did look a little better. She was less pale, at least.

Wolf pulled his attention away from Virginia to look at Tony. He felt the barely controlled rage that Tony was projecting.

"Did you do this to my dauthter?" Tony asked through clenched teeth.

Wolf didn't neet Tony's eyes. "I don't know," Wolf said in an anguished whisper. "I can't remember anything."

"Can't remember?! How can you not know if you viscously attacked the woman who is supposedly the 'love of your life'?"

Wolf winced.

Tony lost it. He lunged at Wolf, fist raised, ready to punch Wolf's lights out. Wolf didn't even flinch. He just looked at Tony with haunted eyes and waited for the blow to come. It was as if he wanted Tony to him him. Tony lowered his arm and growled, "Get out."

Wolf took one last look at Virginia. Then he turned and leapt out of the window.

Tony watched, impassively, not even caring if Wolf got hurt on the way down.

For the next couple of weeks, Virginia was in and out of consciousness. Tony was by her side almost every day. Wendell came to visit a few times to make sure Tony ate and got some rest.

Tony didn't bring Wolf into the short conversations he had with Virginia when whe was awake.

Virginia was getting better over those weeks but it was a full month before the doctors said that Virginia could go home.

Virginia had asked Tony several times where Wolf was but her father either changed the subject or gave some excuse to his absence. While she was changing to go home, Virginia tried again. "Dad, have you seen Wolf?"

"No." he answered gruffly.

"What's the matter with you? Why won't you talk about Wolf?"

"How can you ask me that? He's the one that did this to you!"

Virginia stared at her father, her mouth hung open in shock. "What? Are you serious? Wolf didn't attack me! I said it was A wolf!"

"Did you ever think that maybe he could BE a wolf? A real wolf?" Tony asked. "Remember in Little Lamb Village? He didn't look so good then. Maybe he's some sort of...oh, I don't know, a werewolf?"

"A werewolf?! Come on, dad! You don't really believe that Wolf would actually hurt me, do you?"

One look at her father told Virginia he thought exactly that. "No! I can't believe that! I won't!"

"Virginia, he didn't deny it," her father said softly.

"I've got to find him and figure this all out," Virginia said as she pulled her shoes on.

"It's almost dark," Tony said. "Let me at least go with you."

"No! The way you feel about Wolf right now...well, it just won't help anything. I've got to do this on my own."

Virginia left her father standing in the hospital room, still protesting.

Virginia stomped through Central Park, furious at her father. Then her anger softened a bit. He just wanted to protect her. She knew that he had spent almost all his time at the hospital. He was just being irrational. "A werewolf!" she scoffed out loud. "Of all the silly..." Well, Wolf DID have a tail. What if he really did turn into a real wolf when the moon was full? Virginia could have kicked herself for not talking to Wolf about this sooner. This was important information that she should know about.

She wondered if Wolf even knew she'd been hurt. Why hadn't he been to see her in the hospital?

Virginia suddenly froze. She felt as if someone or something was watching her. She jumped as a branch snapped behind her. She whirled around but saw nothing. Virginia's heart was pounding. "I've delt with trolls, evil queens, even singing mushrooms. I can handle a simple mugger...right?" she thought. "Maybe I should just go home and look for Wolf in the morning."

Just as she started to head back to the apartment, a wolf crashed through the brush and lunged for her throat! Virginia screamed and threw up her arms to protect herself. The wolf's teeth sank into her arm. Intense pain shot through her and she fell back stunned. She watched the wolf as it paced in front of her snarling, her blood dripping from its fangs. Virginia clutched her bleeding arm to her chest. "Not again," she thought. Was this the same wolf that attacked her before? Well, it had to be. How many wolves could be running around Central Park? Wolves weren't supposed to attack people. At least that's what all those nature books had said that she had bought. She had read them to try and understand Wolf's animal side a little better.

The wolf before her snarled and woke her from her musings. She searched around her for something to use as a weapon. There! A thick branch lay not two feet to her right. Warily watching the wolf, she slowly reached for the branch with her good arm. As her fingers grasped the wood, the wolf leapt at her, fangs gleaming in the full moon light. Virginia whipped the branch around and caught the wolf on the side of its head. The wolf yelped and fell, dazed. Virginia felt a sharp pain on the side of her face. She reached up and touched her cheek. Her hand came away bloodied.

The wolf shook itself and lunged at her again. Virginia tried to get up to run but there was no time. Just as the wolf reached her, there was a flash of fur that slammed into the wolf and sent it flying. Another wolf! Virginia watched in horrified fascination as the two wolves circled each other, snarling and growling. Suddenly, they attacked, fangs snapping, each trying to get a hold on the other's throat. One wolf yelped as the other tore a chunk of fur from its hind leg. It turned and vicously bit the other wolf on its back. Virginia watched, unsure what to do. Should she run? She shakely stood up and backed away. She turned to run.

Suddenly there was a loud yelp and a whimper. Virginia froze. The only sound that filled the night was the heavy panting of the victorious wolf. Virginia slowly turned around. One wolf was laying on the ground with the other standing over it, trembling with exhaustion.

The wolf turned and looked at her. Virginia gasped and was about to flee when she noticed something strange, maybe even familiar, in the wolf's eyes. She stared. "Wolf?" she whispered, unbelieving.

The wolf stared back then collapsed to the ground with a whimper.

"Wolf!" Virginia cried. She didn't know how she knew but she knew this was her Wolf. She ran to him, dropped to the ground and gently craddled his head in her lap. His breathing was shallow and he was bleeding form several places where the other wolf had bit or scratched him. "No!" Virginia cried. "Please be allright! Don't leave me!"

Virginia sat there in the grass rocking Wolf and crying. She was unsure if she should move him. She didn't want to hurt him anymore than he already was. Wolf shifted and groaned. Virginia's eyes flew open and she looked down at Wolf. He was shaking violently. She placed a hand on his head, trying to get him to lie still. Underneath her hand, she felt his fur shifting, receeding. Virginia gasped. Wolf's snout was also receeding and his body was lenghtening. Paws turned into hands, fur into skin. Soon Wolf was as she knew him. But he was still unconscious and bleeding.

Virginia took off her coat and wrapped it around him. She ripped the sleeve off her shirt and used it to try and stop the bleeding on his leg, what seemed to be the worst of his wounds. Virginia ran her fingers gently through his thick hair. She couldn't loose him! "Please wake up!" she whispered. As if he heard her, Wolf groaned and slowly opened his eyes. "Oh, Wolf!" Virginia cried. "Please tell me you're ok!"

Wolf looked up at her with confusion. What had happened? Where was he? Why was Virginia crying? Then he noticed the blood on her cheek...and her arm! He closed his eyes tight and whispered, "No! Not again!" How could he? He turned his face away from her in anguish.

Virginia stared at him. "Not again?" What did he mean by that? She frowned, thinking. Not once did she ever think that it was Wolf that had attacked her. But maybe he thought...

"Oh, Wolf, no! You don't think..." She gently but firmly pulled his head around to make him look at her. When he finally met her eyes, her heart cried out from the pain she saw in his eyes. Tears were streaming down his face and he tried to pull away again. Virginia clasped his head in her hands and forced him to look at her. "How could you ever think that you'd do something like this to me?" she told him gently. "You love me. I love you. Wolves never hurt their mates."

Wolf looked at her, so wanting to believe her but he was unsure. He didn't remember anything. He almost never did when he was in wolf form.

Virginia saw the uncertainty in his eyes. "Look," she said, pointing behind him.

He looked. Laying on the ground, in a pool of blood, was a man, his throat torn. Wolf looked closer and noticed that the man had a tail. "Another wolf!" he exclaimed. He glanced back at Virginia, hope beginning to blossom in his heart. He didn't do it? He hadn't hurt his sweet Virginia? Wolf slowly smiled.

Virginia smiled back when she saw his familiar wolfie grin. She fiercely wrapped her arms around him and clasped him close to her heart. Wolf gasped and whimpered in pain.

"Oh! Sorry!" Virginia said as she loosened her grip.

Suddenly Wolf tensed and gripped her arms. "The cub! Is he.."

"The baby's fine, Wolf," Virginia said. "My arm was hurt, that's all."

Wolf put his hand gently on Virginia's stomach. Then he looked up at her and smiled.

"Wolf, why didn't you ever tell me you could turn into a wolf?"

Wolf's smile faded. "You didn't ask?" he tried.

"Oh, don't give me that. How long do you think you could have kept that from me?"

Wolf sighed. "I didn't think that you'd like that side of me. I didn't want to frighten you or...or...or be repulsed by me."

Virginia stroked his cheek. "I love you, Wolf, every part of you. I know that it took me a while to realize that but I accepted our 'destiny', as you put it. Next month, don't run away, ok?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now, let's get you back to the 4th Kingdom. Looks like you might need stitches on that gash in your leg."

Wolf let Virginia help him up.

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

"Virginia! Where are you?" Tony shouted. He turned at a fork in the path and saw his daughter...with Wolf! He was leaning over her. Tony couldn't tell what was happening but he wasn't about to wait to find out. He ran towards Wolf, shouting, "You bastard! Stay away from my daughter!"

"Dad, no!" Virginia screamed.

Tony slammed into Wolf, throwing him to the ground. Wolf yelped, then whimpered. Tony was about to punch Wolf when Virginia threw herself at her father, struggling to keep him away from Wolf.

"What are you doing?" she yelled. "Stop! You're hurting him! He didn't attack me!"

Through his angered haze, Tony noticed that the coat Wolf was wearing had slipped open. Wolf had several scratches and bite marks on his bare chest. Blood was still flowing from a couple of the deeper cuts. "What...?" Tony said as he frowned. He realized that Virginia was still yelling at him.

"He didn't do anything to me except save my life!" she was shouting. She looked at Wolf and added, "Again."

Wolf grinned. "I'd ask for my reward but I don't think I'm up for a game of hide and seek."

Virginia almost giggled as she helped Wolf up again. She turned back to her father, who was sitting in the grass looking totally confused. She pointed to the man lying behind them. "That's who attacked me, not Wolf," she said.

Tony hadn't even notice the other figure. Suddenly, he felt very ashamed of himself. "Wolf, I'm really sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You weren't thinking," Virginia scolded gently.

"It's allright, Tone," Wolf said. "It wasn't anything that I wasn't thinking myself. Now, can we go? I want Virginia to see a doctor."

"Me?" Virginia said, "You're the one bleeding all over my coat!"

"Oh! Sorry! Do you want it back?" Wolf started to take off the coat.

"No! Keep it on!" Virginia laughed. "We're going to have a hard enough time dragging one naked man to the mirror. We don't need two!"

Tony took off his own jacket and wrapped it around the dead wolf. "So much for this coat," he muttered.

As they were walking to the mirror, Wolf suddenly said, "Huff Puff! I'm hungry! Can we stop for a little bacon before we go?"

"Wolf!" Virginia and Tony cried in unison.

"What? Aww, come on! I haven't had anything to eat in hours! I'm ravenous!"