Dust

-"That was very interesting!" Robin said as soon as the movie ended.

-"Right? it's a true masterpiece."

-"I see why it's your favorite movie."

-"All of Hitchcock's movies are my favorites... except for 'North by Northwest'. 'Strangers on a Train' was also just ok."

-"Totally. at first I thought it was a love story about two strangers who fall in love in a train and boy I was surprised." she said chuckling.

-"You know, no one in the mansion is half as interested in classic movies as you are. so you're somewhat the first person I can talk to about them."

-"Well I am honored then." she said, getting up and bowing dramatically and then walking towards kitchen. "anyways what do you want for drinks?"

-"Oh don't bother."

-"None sense! you're my friend and it's our night out...well night in. you can't go without drinks!" she said.

-"I appreciate it but really, I should get going." I said and got up.

-"Really? it's just 11:30."

-"Yeah but you should get to work tomorrow and I also have a lot of work to get done."

-"Oh fine! run along and get to sleep. you shouldn't be late for school tomorrow." she said smirking.

-"Har har." I said smiling and got my coat as she walked towards the front door and crossed her arms looking at me.

-"You need a cab or something? or you have a car?"

-"No I walked here and I can walk back."

-"You sure?"

-"Yup." I said and looked at her. "so um...see you I guess?" I said, raising my hand for her to shake it. she looked at it and raised a brow.

-"Ok next time I see you, drop the tie and the handshaking. we're not business companions, we're friends." she said taking me in a hug. this time I was expecting it and hugged back sooner. she was shorter than me so my head was right on top of hers and I could smell her lovely hair which smelled exactly like her scarf.

I didn't want her to break free.

But eventually she did, smiling.

-"We should do this again soon. another movie night and this time, I'm picking." she said.

-"Fine with me. we'll set the date when I come to cafe to get my tea."

-"Deal!" she said happily.

-"So see ya." I said.

-"See ya yourself Dusty." she said. I walked out waving goodbye at her.

I walked out of her house and into the street. I looked up at her window. her curtains were closed but I could see the light behind the curtain. the streets were fully empty then but lights of many windows were still on. the silence of the street gave me some time to think.

She said she felt something. on that day... when I touched her in my wolf form. she felt it she just didn't know what it was. I didn't know wether or not she felt attached to me too but I hoped not. cause then she wouldn't only be attached to me, she would have been attached to the wolf on her sketch too and that scared me.

I also couldn't get the sketch out of my mind. not because it was expertly drawn but because it was a sketch of me...some part of me at least but it was still me.

And that was exactly the reason I didn't want a human as my mate. cause I knew, one way or another, I would hurt her. what if I got angry and suddenly shifted to wolf and injure her?...or kill her? I imagined that scenario in my head where she was bloody and lying on her apartment floor. I shut my eyes to get the picture out of my head.

I knew I'd regret coming on this date.

By then I arrived at the gates of the mansion. I walked in snow covered garden and through the front door. the hallway was dark and quiet. everyone was sleep. then I saw a light coming out of the kitchen at the end of the hallway.

I approached it to find Mrs. Luis working in the kitchen.

Mrs. Luis was the mansion's main chef and head of all the staff. she was in her sixties and the oldest member of the staff who lived in the mansion. she was originally from a small werewolf village in New England. she started working here after her husband died. and ever since my stepmother died she was like a mother to not only me, but Alex and Elsa too.

-"Mrs. Luis?" I called her name and she jumped a bit.

-"Jesus Christ Dust! you scared the living daylights out of me!" she said and held the small silver cross around her neck.

-"Sorry, sorry!" I said, rubbing back of my neck while she took a deep breath.

-"No it's ok. I just didn't think anyone else was awake at this time." she said and got back to brewing her tea.

-"Midnight tea?" I asked.

-"I have trouble sleeping. do you want some?"

-"I wouldn't mind." I said and sat down, taking my coat off. she poured us two cups of steaming tea and sat in front of me. she took her round glasses off and cleaned it with her apron.

-"So Dust, what kept you up?"

-"Oh I wasn't sleeping. I was out."

-"So I see. and you're wearing a tie..." she said smirking.

-"Yes...?" I said, raising a brow.

-"You can't keep anything from me you know. who is she?" she asked, still smirking.

-"h-huh!?" I said choking on my tea and coughing." w-what are you talking about?"

-"You know. come on spill it out."

-"...what gave me away?" I asked, chuckling nervously.

-"Well you almost never go out and specially not at this time and when you do, you don't wear a tie. and I can smell your cologne from 3 miles away."

-"Heh...you're quite the detective."

-"What do you know? so, who is she? or is it a he?"

-"No, no! it's a she!" I said.

-"Ok then tell me everything."

-"I...I don't know where to start?"

-"The obvious question... is she your mate?"

I looked at her brown eyes. I didn't know if I could tell her about Robin being a human. although I had told Alex and besides I trusted Mrs. Luis with my life.

-"Yes, she's my mate... and she's a human." I looked at her, waiting for her reaction.

-"Holy Mary...are you serious?" she asked and I nodded. she gently held the silver cross around her neck. "does anyone else know?"

-"Only Alex. I didn't want to tell Alpha cause...I want to reject her."

-"What?! why?"

-"She's a human Mrs. Luis! I don't want her to go through the same thing my mother did."

-"That was different Dust. this girl is your mate. she's chosen for you. you can't just ignore that."

-"...How was it like? for you? when you found your mate?" she looked at me silently before a smile slowly appearing on her lips.

-"Oh Dust...it was magical. I knew it the moment our eyes met and then when he first held my hand, I was sure. I was just 19 with very few boyfriends in my resume thanks to a strict religious father. but then there was Robert. he was visiting family in the small village I lived in. it was a werewolf village with werewolf community so we all knew each other like family."

"One day he sat next to me in the Church and just started talking...which got me talking too. we talked during the entire ceremony and by the end when we wanted to go home, he shook my hand and suddenly we both knew we were meant for each other. it was destiny. he was my mate and the best person I could spend my life with."

-"...That's not for me."

-"Oh you may think this now but if she's your mate, you're not gonna find anyone better than her. describe her to me." she said excitedly. I chuckled and looked at the steam coming out of my cup.

-"She's short..."

-"You men. details!" she said,

-"Well she's white, has very long auburn hair and some very...cute freckles on her face. her eyes are the kind of baby blue that you just want to sink in them. she seems delicate and she's really strong. she's an artist and is the...most positive and imaginative human being I have ever met."

-"She sounds lovely dear." she said smiling.

-"Yeah... that's why I'm gonna keep her safe from all this."

-"Well... whatever you want, you can choose. it's your life after all." she said looking at me while I looked in my cup.

-"...Do you have any advice for me?"

-"hmmm... I can't tell you what to do but...if you love her, if you really really love her, never let her go. cause the second you do, she's gone forever. the universe has showed you your path, don't let it down." she smiled and got up and patted me on the back, leaving with her cup of tea.

I sat there looking at my cup. I tried to think over the hard choices I had to make. I tried but all I could think of was Robin.