I was awoken by two male voices arguing.
"We have to find where she came from! We have to return her!"
"We cannot! She was most likely running for a reason, Jonathan! We do not want to ruin her effort by putting her right back where she began!"
"But she cannot stay here, Elias! She is an outsider! She cannot be trusted!"
"I never said we had to trust her! We just have to let her stay long enough to heal."
"She's human. It will take her at least a month!"
"Then so be it!"
"Why didn't you just finish her off?"
"It's complicated!"
"Is she your mate?"
"No. She is not."
"Good. My wolves have enough problems without having a human mate to add to it. Now, Elias, go check up on her."
"Yes, alpha."
Alpha? Mate? Wolves? Finish me off? None of this made any sense at all. Were these people just messing with my head? Were they murderers? Or were the witches right? Were werewolves real? Were these men capable of transforming into beasts? If so, I was doomed. I just knew that I would soon meet the end if they were. I mean, I was Plain Jane. I was mortal me. No one and nothing special, I was just... There.
A hand on my shin startles me, and my eyes fly open and flick to the intruder. The familiar face from yesterday hovers above me, looking down into my eyes.
"How are you feeling?" A deep voice asks me.
"Fine, I suppose. Where am I?"
"A cabin in the woods."
"I..." As events of yesterday come to mind, I start to panic. "I have to go!"
"No, no. Calm down. You're safe here."
He sits and begins explaining a few things, like why I'm here, when I can leave, and why he saved me.
"Now, what is your name?"
"I'm Anastia."
"Anastia, I'm Elias. It's nice to make your acquaintance. So, what are you running from?"
"I... I can't tell you."
"I've told you some things. Haven't I earned it?"
"Fine, but only if you tell me w-what you are."
"I can try, but you'll freak out."
"So be it."
"Deal. Spill."
"I'm running from my father."
"You ran away from home?"
"No. Well, yes, but for a good reason. He's an awful man. Pease don't make me go back!"
"Sh, sh, I won't."
"So... What are you?"
"I am a werewolf."
"What's an alpha?"
"The leader werewolf of a pack."
"A pack of what?"
He chuckled. "Werewolves."
"Oh. What are mates?"
"Y-you sure do ask a lot of questions."
"Well, excuse me for being curious and cautious. Now, what are mates?"
"Mates, as in soul mates. True love. A bond that werewolves share with other werewolves. Female with male. One on one. A couple. Bound together by fate."
"Like in the tales that witches tell?"
"Yes. You've been near witches?"
"Yes."
"I don't believe you."
"Has anyone ever told you about how witches are territorial and leave marks?"
"Yes."
"I have one."
He takes a deep breath before standing up and saying, "show me."
I lift my pant leg only enough to reveal the small star-shaped scar on my ankle.
"Incredible." He says breathlessly.
"You mustn't tell anyone, Elias. Promise me."
He looks at me hesitantly.
"I promise."