Eliza picks me up at the hospital later. My parents are going to stay one more night and come home in the morning. I drive Eliza to her house since she drove my car before finally pulling up in the driveway of my home. Waiting there is an all too familiar blue truck. When I step out, Jasper steps out of his and walks up to me. I chew on my lip. I'm alone with him, and a conversation seems inevitable.

"I'm so sorry for everything I've put you through. I forced this life onto you that you never wanted. If in the future you can even find it in yourself to forgive me—"

I wrap my arms around myself. "Yes. Yes, I forgive you."

He looks shocked. "You do?"

I nod.

He takes a hesitant step forward. "Do you think one day you'll give me a chance?"

"A chance to. . ?"

"Take you on a date. A good and proper date. Where we can start over."

I tilt my head to the side and close the distance between us. "Why do we have to start over?"

"Because I made a horrible first impression."

"If we forget the bad how could we ever be real? It would all be a lie, wouldn't it?"

"I'm not going to rush you into anything. We can even act like we aren't mates if that's what you want."

"Yes, I'll go on a date with you, Jasper."

"You will?"

"The worst that could happen is we go up flames, but I'm already a werewolf so I might as well take some risks."

He places his hands on my waist and my stomach tightens.

"And you know"—I meet his eyes—"kissing you right now isn't that big of a risk so. . ."

And he kisses me like a man would regardless of how much of him is wolf.

~The End