I cocked my head to the side and raised an eyebrow at him. “You seriously expect me to believe that? Werewolves are a myth. A bedtime or campfire story. Total bogus.”

Xavier looked at me with a serious expression. “We are no myth. We simply coexist beside your kind and come to this realm when the full moon appears. Some of us choose to live in this realm at all times, but most choose to live among the humans and assimilate into your world outside of our haven.”

I shook my head slowly. “I don’t get it. Why would supernatural creatures coexist if they have this realm to themselves?”

Xavier smiled. “Because we want, more than anything, to have everything.”

“Everything?” I asked sounding skeptical. “Like what?”

“Fame, fortune, happiness; the usual stuff everyone else wants. For example, Charlotte is actually a rather famous concert pianist in Japan.” Xavier shrugged then. “We all have dreams and some just can’t come true in this realm.”

I sighed. “Can you show me any proof?”

Xavier smiled at me then. “I don’t think you really know what you’re asking, so I’ll let it slide this time.”

“No, I mean it. I want proof. You expect me to just take your word that you are a werewolf and that supernatural creatures just live here? I mean. How hard would I have to hit my head to just believe something like that?”

“This is your last chance to change your mind,” Xavier warned me.

“Prove it to me!” I shot back, and then my eyes went wide with horror at the next sight that filled my eyes.

The sound of cracking bones filled the air as I took in the sight before me. The flesh was ripping away from bone and bones were reshaping and bending at impossible angles. It was disgusting to take in, and yet, I could not look away as the handsome man before me melted into a beast. I bit my lower lip, panic raging through me at the realization that I had asked for this. I had been dumb enough to ask a werewolf to transform in front of me to prove it was not a lie. And now I did not know if I would make it out alive.

The giant wolf’s body towered over me. It was much taller than me! I stared at the shape before me, eyes wide and mouth agape. This would absolutely be my luck. The wolf took a step closer, and I took a step backward but bumped into the wall. I closed my eyes tight waiting for the attack that was bound to happen… but it never came. I opened my eyes a crack and saw that the wolf was simply sitting on its haunches panting quietly, tongue sticking out to the side like a pup. I shook my head in disbelief. “Now what?” I wondered out loud.

The wolf simply yawned lazily and jumped on the bed before lying down. The creature seemed to melt again, and the sickening sound of cracking bones filled the air once more. I covered my ears and grimaced until Xavier as I knew him lay before me. He had his arms behind his head and looked at me with a self-satisfied expression that made me feel my cheeks flush. I balled my hands into fists.

“Believe me now?” He asked me.

“I guess so.” I said begrudgingly. “When will you let me go free?”

“Well…” Xavier teased. “Since you fell into our realm and now you know about us…You can never leave the realm.”

I glared at Xavier. “You can’t possibly expect me to live among you here!?” I said in disbelief.

“You can’t.” He said simply. “You are not one of us and according to my father, the leader who knows you’re here… You can only stay until you’ve recovered from your head injury.”

“But where will I go?” I asked unhappily. “If I cannot leave and do not know how to leave anyways, where am I supposed to go? I don’t know anyone here, nor do I have anywhere to go!”

“That isn’t my problem,” Xavier said simply.

My mouth fell open at his words. “You’re absolutely heartless.” I accused.

“If I was heartless, I would have left you in the forest alone.” He said.

I shut my mouth at that. He was right. He did not have to take me in at all. “So why don’t you help me?” I asked.

“I am helping you.” He answered looking unhappy. “I took you in before someone else could get to you. The problem is that only pack members are permitted to live here. If you wanted to become one of us…”

“Not even an option!” I hissed angrily.

“Well then I’m doing everything that I can, but my hands are figuratively tied in this situation.”

I sighed heavily then. I could not believe my horrible luck, but at least I had a place to stay for now. “So, what else is out there?”

“The usual stuff. Angels, demons, goblins, griffins, monsters, mermaids, sphinxes, unicorns, witches and wizards, zombies, vampires, ghosts, dragons, fairies, elves, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.”

I groaned and rubbed my temples. “How am I supposed to survive out there on my own?” I asked him with a frown.

“Look. You would not even tell me your name. How am I supposed to want to help you more than I already have if you can’t even trust me with something so simple?”

I clenched my teeth at his words. He was right. I had decided not to even tell him my name. “Harley Lynn.”

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Xavier asked as he sat up on the bed and looked at me.

“My name is Harley Lynn.”

Xavier seemed to think for a moment before he scoffed. “What an odd name.” He retorted.

I gave him a glare and put my hands on my hips. “Well so is Ulfrich.”

Xavier gave a laugh. “I think we’ll get along just fine.” He told me as he smiled.

His smile was contagious, and I found myself grinning despite myself. “So how long do I have to figure everything out?” I asked him.

“Well, the full moon is tomorrow, and I have responsibilities to the pack this whole week starting tomorrow.” He said thoughtfully. “You have three days… maybe five if I can talk to my father again.”

“I see,” I said feeling uncertain what else I could possibly say. I did not know what kind of world I was living in now or how I would survive out in the thick of it all. It terrified me and made me almost want to reconsider his offer to become a werewolf, but logic dictated that becoming one of them would be a bad idea if I ever wanted to find a way back home to the ordinary world.

“I do have a friend that I can contact on your behalf,” Xavier said shortly, a smirk on his lips.

I remained silent, waiting for him to speak further. When he did not, I finally asked. “But will you contact them on my behalf?”

“What’s it worth to you?” Xavier teased.

I glared at him. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I asked, what my help worth to you?” He said again.

I shook my head. “I don’t know. What do you want?” I asked although I had a feeling that I would not like whatever it was that he was thinking about.

He moved to stand and walked over towards me until he was close enough that I could feel his breath on my face. He grabbed my wrists, pinning them over my head, and leaned against me before whispering in my ear hotly. “Let me mark you. Become my mate. You’ll eventually have to become a werewolf to remain with us, but you can take your time to decide when.”

I tried to free my hands to shove him away, but his iron grip held my hands in place. I tried to pull back away from him, but my back was already against the wall, and I had nowhere to go.

“No,” I said, trying to worm free of his supernatural strength. “I won’t do it.”

He smiled then warmly and released me, taking a step back. “That’s the kind of attitude that will take you far here in this realm.” He told me looking certain. “I’ll go see my friend, but be warned, his help does not come without a price.”

I swallowed thickly. I did not like the sound of that, but what other choice did I have? “Are there no other options?” I begged.

“I can always set you free to figure everything out on your own, or you can accept the help from me or my friend.” He said with a shrug.

“I’ll accept help from your friend,” I said obstinately. “Only if you tell me the conditions of the agreement first.”

“The conditions are not up to me to decide.” He said giving me a look with one brow raised. “If you become my mate, you don’t have to become a werewolf until you’re ready.” He reminded me.

And that is the story of how I became the mate of the pack leader’s son.