Revised 11.7 18

I ran as fast as my legs would take me. Even with the burning in my legs, I still run relentlessly. I trip and fall down hard on my knees.

I push myself up until I'm kneeling on the soft, leafy forest floor. I release the sobs I was holding in and let the tears fall. How can this all be true? Half of me wants to just write this lady off as a looney. But the other half kind of wants to believe her.

My thoughts are muddled, I can't think straight. I'm not even going to go back to that house. I don't owe anyone anything. What does she really expect me to do with that information? Even if what she says is true, I didn't grow up as a fairy... fae.... or whatever I'm supposed to be. So, what am I to do now?

I hear a twig snap and I look behind me but there's nothing there. That's when I notice how dark it is in here. Why did I run in here? I'm so freaking stupid. My heart starts to pound hard in my chest as I start feel the trees closing in around me. Shadows begin to move in a vicious pattern before me.

I stand and start to walk in the direction that I think I came from. "Great! Now I'm lost!" I dig in my pocket to grab my cellphone and I realize I forgot that I didn't have it in the first place. Lyla never gave it to me.

What am I going to do now? I start to mentally freak out as I try to find my way back. That's when I see a figure walking towards me. Fear pools in my belly as I start to back up and my back hits a tree. My body starts quiver in fear but I try to act brave anyways.

"Samantha??" I hear the figure call out my name.

"Jacob, Is that you?" I reply even though I know it is him.

"Yes. You can come out now, I'm alone. I just want to talk." He says, his voice alot closer now.

I continue forward until we've closed the gap between us. I wrap my arms around his waist and hold tightly just to make sure he is real and not a figment of my imagination. "I'm sorry, Jacob. I'm glad you're here."

He uses his hand to lay my head against his chest. "No need to apologize but you do need to slow your heart rate down though. There's no need to be afraid anymore." His voice is low and husky as he responds.

I pull away slightly and ask, "Why don't I have to scared anymore? Because your a werewolf?"

He stiffens at my statement. "She told you?"

"Yes, she did. Whether I believe what she said is a whole other story." I say sarcastically.

"Do you want to know the truth?" I can hear the fear behind his voice.

"Yes, if that's what it is. The truth I mean."

"The truth is I am a werewolf." He stands proudly when he says the last word. He looks so handsome as the moonlight bounces off his cheek. I place my hand on his cheek and He leans into it. A smile filling his face as he stares down at me.

"Can I see?" I ask unsure if I really do what to see his wolf.

"If your sure?" He asks. I nod in response.

"Okay, but I'm an alpha so that means my wolf is a very large. But just remember I will not hurt you. No matter how scary I may look."

"Okay." I whisper. He walks behind a large tree and I call out "Where are you going?"

His silk voice carries through the forest as he says, "I have to remove my clothes or they'll be shredded when I transition. I will be right out or I can take my clothes off right here if you prefer." He shoots a cocky smile my way causing a deep blush to spread over my cheeks. "No. I'm okay."

A minute later, a huge black wolf walks out and my feet stay firmly planted. He easily towers over me even when he is sitting on his hind legs.

Oh crap! It's all true. After seeing this, how can I not believe everything Lyla said. Jacob continues to walk very slowly towards me when he sees that I haven't moved.

At first, I still try to reason with myself that it's not real but the moment I see that this wolf has the same beautiful hazel eyes as Jake does, I believe without a doubt.

He stops a few steps away from me and lays down, placing his large head on the ground. I walk the rest of the way cautiously and kneel in front of him. A low growl comes from his chest when he places his head in my lap. I rub the soft pitch black fur on top of his head. His eyes close and he leans in more.

"Your beautiful, Jacob." I whisper and his eyes open at statement. He lifts up his head and licks the side of my face.

"Ewwww! Jacob!!!!" I say laughing and wiping all the saliva off the side of my face.

He runs back behind the tree and a few minutes later he steps out fully clothed and he has big smile on his face.

"You weren't afraid of me?" He asks. He looks at me with an expression that seems like pride.

"At first a little but it went away when I saw your eyes and that's how I knew it was really you. You really are beautiful, you know." I look down and then my head shoots back up. "Hey! Is that why Mia likes you so much?" I say pointing at him.

"Yea, at first she wasn't sure about me but I displayed my dominance and she quickly recognized my wolf. She's real smart and sweet, you trained her well."

I smile and remember that it's been almost a whole day since I've seen her or fed her. "Oh my gosh. She's been alone for a whole day now. I've gotta go. Can you show me the way back?" I ask as I start to walk towards the direction he came from.

"We don't have to rush. I have Scarlett taking care of Mia. She brought her back to my house."

"Oh okay. I'm not sure if I want to stay out here any longer though." I say still walking.

"Why? I'm scarier than anything you'll find out here." He says laughing a bit.

"Um. I guess your right. But what could you possibly want to do out here." I say back as I stare out into the deep thick woods.

"I know a place close by I'd like to show you if you don't mind a walk. I know you'll love it when you get there. Do you trust me?"
He asks and extends his hand out, waiting for me to grab onto it.

"Yes." I say quickly and truthfully. In the short amount of time that I've gotten to know him, I can't help feel a pull getting stronger and stronger between Jacob and I.

Sparks emanate from his hand and I feel goosebumps travel up my arm and down my back. I can't help it but I think I've fallen in love with Jacob. I have never felt this way with anyone in my life. Not even with Tim. What I have with him is more like a brotherly love. With Jake, I feel almost afraid of really letting him in because I don't want to get hurt.

But this feeling inside, I just don't know if I can ignore it. He makes the sun and the moon shine brighter. I can feel the past melting away when I'm with him. I can forget it all and be happy if I can love him. The best of it all, the more I love him --the more I feel like I can love myself.

The way he look back at me. His eyes say it all. I can see that he cares for me as deeply as I do for him. There's longing in his eyes when he looks at me.

I'm about to open my mouth to tell him when I see a beautiful waterfall cascading down the side of the mountain. There's a small pool of water at the end of it. The moonlight glistens on the surface of the dark blue water. It looks as if there are stars swimming inside of it.

I gasp. "It's breathtaking." I look at Jake to see him staring at me instead of the amazing sight before us. "Yes, you are." He smiles at me, reaching out and softly caresses my cheek. I push his hand away and turn to face the water.

"What's wrong? Talk to me, please." He asks.

"Um, I need to tell you something. The other night in the club, it wasn't the first time something like that happened to me. Since I turned 10 years old, my uncle would come into my room every week and rape me. At first, it was just gentle touches on my arms and back. Then, he quickly turned towards my private areas. I cried and yelled but help never came. I even told my aunt and she just called me a liar and got angry with me for thinking of her husband that way. You can't be with me, Jacob. I'm used and broken. I wanted to keep myself pure for my husband but that man took it from me."

I can hear Jacob pacing behind me but I don't stop and look, I just keep going. "I always thought to myself, how could my family do this to me and now it makes sense. They weren't my real family. Now you know my dirty little secret. I'm sorry I'm not who you thought I was, I wish I could be. I had to tell you the truth, I couldn't live with it any longer. Your the only one I've ever told besides my Aunt. My brother and Tim have no idea."

He doesn't say anything to me at first. He's so quiet that I think he may have just left me here but that thought quickly changes as I feel his arms come around my waist pulling my up towards him.

He holds me in his arms for a moment and asks me to look at him since I'm apparently fascinated with my hands at the moment. I look into his eyes and he says, "Im so sorry, Samantha. You should have never had to go through any of that. What he did was wrong to put his hands on a child and do what he did to you is sick and twisted. It was not your fault. I don't care about all that. I love you so much already and it won't change ever. When they told you about werewolves, did they explain or say anything about mates."

"Not much. Lyla, my real Aunt told me how my parents died saving a werewolf and his mate from some vampires."

"The moon goddess created werewolves to protect the humans. When she created us she also made a mate for us as well. I was made for you and you were made for me. What I am trying to say is that we belong together.

You are amazing, sweet, beautiful and strong -- I'm so lucky to have you in my life. I'm yours completely forever, my love. I'm not going anywhere and I won't let you either." He says as he wraps a hand around my neck and pulls me closer to him. Our lips are inches away. I close my eyes and whisper, "I love you Jacob Midnight. I'm yours, if you'll have me."

With that, he kisses me. It starts off slow as if he's testing the waters. He nips at my bottom lip. I reach up and grip his hair, the kiss quickly turns passionate.

Can it get any better than this? I think to myself as I stand looking towards the starlit sky in the arms of my mate.