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“Damn, sweetheart.” Ashen stands, his legs shaky. “I said blame me. Not take away my ability to have children.”

I shudder at that thought. “Trust me, the world is better off.”

“Mother fucking fuck. I need to go write my will before I keel over from blunt force trauma.”

My arms cross in front of me, eyes rolling to the side. “Drama queen.”

“Buzzkill.”

“Uncivilized scone.”

“So, I’m dumb and I’m bread?” Ashen looks at me through his now messy hair, giving me the smallest smile. It feels like a truce between us, and something in that feels…good.

Josten places his hand on the back of my shoulder. “Sumner, don’t insult bread like that.” I snort, never having heard a remark like that from him. He’s normally so positive and sweet. Turns out, he’s also hilarious.

“Sure, team up on the injured. That’s a great look for the human and mutt duo.” He turns his full focus to me. “And for the record, I wasn’t there when any of that happened. I’m actually the one who stopped it. So you basically crippled a man for no reason.”

“Wait…really? Then why would you tell me to blame you?”

“I don’t know. I thought I was being noble or some shit. Didn’t know you were going to go straight for my soul.”

“Your soul’s in your pants?”

Ashen mumbles something under his breath, waving us off as he begins to stammer his way down the road. Likely to ice his crotch. Painful for him, refreshing for me. I feel invigorated. Ready to take on anything.

“Well, that was interesting,” Josten says, turning to face me. “It’s getting pretty packed in there. I know you’re not big on crowds. What are your thoughts on skipping the rest of the party? It’s a clear night out. Come for a run with me?”

“By run, you mean I climb on your back and you run, right?”

“It would take until morning to even get to the woods otherwise,” he teases.

I’m a single door away from a real-life fairytale ball, and I couldn’t be happier to leave.

There is nothing like the thrill that comes from riding a wolf while he runs at full speed through the woods. The loud thudding of his four massive paws against the earth, the alluring howls that echo through the night air, the wind dancing through my hair, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

Coming here was my undoing. This world, this town, I’m in no way a part of it. But there is magic here, and it can be so beautiful. There’s a part of me, deep down, that wishes things were different. If I was meant to belong anywhere, I would want to belong here.

I’ve never had a home. Not really. I’ve been an outcast all of my life. Unwanted. Unloved. Even my own mother ran away from me. Things feel like they’re changing though. I’m changing.

We stop at an open meadow. I slide off Josten, staring at the diamonds above us. Auras of colored lights sway above the treetops, stretching for miles in all directions. We have the perfect view from here.

Josten nuzzles me between my shoulders. I turn around, staring into his large black eyes, and run my hand over the top of his nose. He yelps playfully, sweeping his wolf tongue across the side of my face.

“Gross.” I laugh, wiping my arm over my now wet cheek.

Josten transforms back into the man who’s become my saving grace, chuckling as he picks up the bag we’d brought so he can change into his suit again. His eyes find mine once he’s fully dressed. The black irises of the wolf haven’t fully faded yet, and only a few specks of his natural brown shine through. I like Josten like this. Half man, half beast.

We find a flat grassy area, lying down so we can look up at the sky. It’s quiet, save for the soothing sounds of nature all around us.

“What do you think of Vera?” Josten asks after a while of silence.

Thoughts of my new friend come over me, and I smile. “She’s nice.”

“Do you think she’d ever notice me?”

I turn to face him. He has his arms crossed under his head, focus set on the glowing world above.

“Isn’t she a witch? I thought you all kept to your own kind, to keep the order pure, or whatever.”