ticked by seemed to last an eternity.

Then Jed exhaled. He fell a step back, keeping a good distance between the two of us. Suddenly, he seemed to fold in on himself, lowering into a crouching position, but the shift was so simultaneous that I almost didn't catch it. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I registered the reason he constantly wore his hoodies unzipped – because it aided for a far smoother transition.

But that was peripheral, and all I could fixate on at that moment was the way his body seemed to curl and distort in odd angles and positions, bones cracking and the sifting sounds of fur over skin. It looked like it hurt, but the change was so fluid that it seemed almost beautiful to watch. I'd already prepared myself for this but what unfolded before my eyes was still far more fascinating than anything I'd ever expected to see.

And I couldn't take my eyes off him, until Jed was replaced – or turned – into a frighteningly familiar black wolf with piercing green eyes, the same one that had haunted my dreams ever since I first saw it.

And then I smiled. "I knew it! I knew you were a werewolf. Okay, maybe it took me awhile to believe because your kind's supposed to be mythological, but – wow." My smile widened and I admired the way the dim light from the hall seemed to reflect off its fur. His fur? I was going to have to get accustomed to considering Jed in his werewolf form too.

Shaking my head in amusement, I took a step forward and tentatively reached out a hand. But Jed quickly fell a step back, and even in his wolf form, I could see that every inch of him looked braced for an attack. Eyes watchful, ears pricked, tail tucked between his hind legs.

"Okay, no touching," I held up a hand in a placating manner, the other hand still clutching the book tightly. "Got it." Stepping aside, I pulled the door open for him. "You need to get out, don't you?"

He stepped past me, heading out into the clearing ahead. But then he paused, head tilted as he glanced at me over his shoulder. It took a moment or two before I finally realised what he wanted me to do.

"Oh, you want me to go with you?" I laughed when he simply waited. Human or wolf, Jed seemed to have infinite ways in attempting to communicate with me. "Okay, just let me change into something warmer."

I changed quickly, pulling a warm jumper over and grabbed another blanket just in case it got cold out. It tended to be around here, maybe because we were so close to a forested area and so far from the city, but I didn't want to catch a chill. Taking my book and phone with me, I headed downstairs and realised that Jed was patiently waiting for me outside.

I locked the door and smiled at him. "Lead the way."

It turned out that the place he wanted to bring me to wasn't far off at all. It required a bit of climbing, up a small hill some distance behind his house. There was a canopy of trees behind us, but the moonlight bathed the clearing in a sweet glow, and I could see the rest of the houses from our vantage point.

But what stole my breath was the werewolves running in the distance. Some were farther in the valley, but others were wandering around the houses.

"So, this is like a community of wolves?" I glanced at Jed, watching his ears prick up as he heard everything I said, even as he kept his gaze fixed on the other werewolves up ahead. "Or a pack? That's what it's called, right?" He looked at me and I nodded. "Pack it is."

I settled down on the soft, cool grass, tucking the blanket beneath me and watching as Jed slowly laid down on the ground a couple of feet away. Even lying down, he was far larger than the normal size of a wolf and I stared at him for a moment before turning to my book. It was dark out, but the moonlight, along with the soft glow from my phone, was sufficient lighting and I flipped open the book, holding it up to the bookmarked page.

"See, it says here that lycanthropy is the ability to shape-shift into a wolf or hybrid wolf-like creature," I read softly, placing the book down on the blanket so that Jed could see it. "The belief in werewolves, along with similar species such as vampires or revenants, was said to have existed since the Middle Ages, with its roots lying strongly in European folklore. Lycanthropy is believed to be hereditary, or an affliction from a bite by an existing werewolf. Were you bitten?" I looked at Jed. "Inherited?"

The only movement from him was a subtle shift of his right paw.

Right.

"Clever," I mused. Right paw for right answer – his lycanthropy was inherited. "Keep that up and I'll buy a packet of dog treats for you next time." A low growl resonated from him and I laughed. "I'm kidding! Okay, where were we?" I ran a finger down the page and picked up from where I left off. "Right. Abilities. Werewolves are known to have the physiology commonly known to wolf species – such as heightened senses, stamina and agility. However, they may also possess other abilities – such as enhanced reflexes and regenerative healing, along with telepathy or empathy within their own kind." I paused, and glanced at Jed. "You can read my mind – "

He shifted his left paw. Wrong.

" – no, you can't read minds. But you can send messages to someone, say, Adrian?"

Right.

"Interesting. Now I understand all the silent conversations you seem to have with Adrian. I thought the two of you just liked looking at each other a lot," I grinned when Jed huffed beside me. Reaching forward, I flipped the page on the book. "Says here that werewolves are suspected to be susceptible to silver. In alchemical symbols, metals are often associated with the classical planets along with their respective deities. For instance, the Sun rules gold, Mercury rules mercury or quicksilver, Venus rules copper, Mars rules iron, Jupiter rules tin and Saturn rules lead. The moon, of course, rules silver."

I chanced a glance at Jed, only to realise that his eyes were closed, paws tucked beneath his head. But his ears were still pricked, and once I stopped reading, he cracked open his eyes to look at me. I smiled and picked up the book, setting it onto my lap.

"The legend of werewolves' vulnerability to silver can be dated back to the Beast of Gévaudan, the Brothers' Grimm tale of a bullet-proof witch, or folk songs about a Bulgarian leader called Delyo – all of whom were invulnerable to everything but silver bullets. In folk belief axiom, the Law of Contagion posits that when two entities come into contact, a magical link is formed between them. Many thus believe that since the moon holds power over werewolves, then so does the metal that belongs to the moon."

I looked at Jed. As if sensing that I had something to say, he opened his eyes.

"So you're vulnerable to silver? Like silver bullets and knives?"

Right.

"It's a good thing that the knife I had that day was plain steel. And I'm sorry I stabbed you. But here – "

I reached up to unhook the chain from my neck.

" – this is the only piece of silver I have with me. My mom's. She died when I was little so I don't really remember her or miss her much," I shrugged. "And I know – I'm being paranoid and a tiny silver chain isn't going to hurt you because it's not a weapon but I'm not taking any chances. I'm keeping it away from you – probably chuck it in a box or something when I get back," I stuffed the chain into the pocket of my jeans and smiled at him. "So you don't have to be afraid of me, alright?"

He shifted a paw, bright eyes holding me captive.

Right.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Saturday was when we ran out of all the essentials required to have a good breakfast. Eggs. Bread. Milk. Juice. Cereal. Ham. Fruits. It wasn't a surprise, because I'd started making it a habit of cooking at least twice a day. And Jed, as a werewolf, seemed to have twice the appetite of a usual man his size.

When I told Jed that we were running out of food, he grabbed his jacket and keys.

"We're going to get food?" I slid off the bar stool and reached for my phone, tucking it neatly into the pocket of my shorts, before grabbing the book I was currently reading. "Great."

It was bright out, the perfect kind of weather for a morning stroll. And so I was pleasantly surprised when Jed opted for walking instead of taking the car. I was a few steps behind him and he slowed, waiting until I was beside him before starting a new pace that matched mine.

We soon arrived at a little café called Salt & Pepper. Jed's presence didn't go unnoticed by the customers. Most looked stunned to see him, while several murmured greetings.

I didn't miss the way words like "Alpha" and "Luna" were thrown into the mix.

We settled in a corner booth and I looked around. "This reminds me of the diner I used to work at," I told him. "I don't miss waitressing, but it wasn't a bad environment."

Jed stared at me for a moment before he turned, eyes latching onto the woman at the counter. She was in the midst of pouring a cup of coffee for one of her customers, but she quickly glanced up and looked our way. She set the coffee pot down and headed our way, wiping her hands on her apron in an almost nervous manner.

I raised my eyebrows at Jed, who simply stared blankly at me. "Did you just mind-link her?"

He shrugged.

"You know, most people just raise their hands to signal the waitress. You werewolves could really use some lessons on etiquette," I teased, trying but failing to suppress a smile when Jed's eyes twinkled in what seemed like good-humour.

The woman came up, and up close, I could see that she was a few years older than I was. "Alpha," she greeted, dipping her head respectfully before turning to me. "Luna, it's so great to finally meet you."

I glanced at the nametag on her apron and smiled. "Nice to meet you too, Lorraine."

She seemed to relax at my greeting. "So what can I get for you this morning?"

I looked at Jed, mouthing the words, "what's good here?"

"Alpha is getting his usual breakfast set," Lorraine informed me. "With extra bacon, eggs and toast on the side. And coffee, black."

"I'll have the same. Minus all the extra – um, toppings," I added quickly, when she began to pen my order down. "And I'll have tea instead of coffee, no milk, just sugar."

"Got it," she scribbled the last of my order down and paused, looking directly at me. "By the way, Alpha tells me that you've been looking for a job and you're more than acquainted with the food and beverages industry. Have you thought about applying here?"

"As a waitress?"

"As a chef," she corrected. "My previous chef – well, she went into retirement awhile back and since then, I've been managing on my own. But I'm no chef. I get pastries from a deli nearby and I make decent coffee and sandwiches, but other than that, it's a one-man show. Some days my brother Lance pitches in to help and other times it's Spike, my ma – boyfriend – "

"You mean mate," I said, with a pointed look at Jed. He gave a visible jolt of sheer surprise, and quickly grabbed a menu, propping it in front of himself to avoid having to look at me. Smiling wryly first at him, then at Lorraine, who was watching us in thinly-veiled amusement, I nodded. "Yeah, I figured. And I'd love to work here, though I'm not sure if I'm entirely qualified for the job."

"Nonsense. Alpha wouldn't recommend you if he didn't think you were capable enough to handle this job."

"Well, if you're sure – " I hedged, chancing a glance at Jed, whose gaze seemed to soften as he met my eyes over the menu. He gave a quick nod and I smiled at Lorraine. "Okay, then. I'm in."

"Great! Just give me awhile to sort out some details and I'll drop by in a couple of days to run the terms by you."

"Sure. And thank you," I added, as Lorraine nodded at us before returning to the kitchen counter. Turning back to Jed, I realised that he still had the menu propped up in front of him and I smiled, reaching over to pull it away from his face. "Oh, no, you don't. You're going to explain to me all about werewolf matings and the likes of it, big boy."

He bit his lip and set aside the menu. His cheeks were still tinged a faint crimson hue and for the millionth time, I wondered how it was possible that a guy like him could be considered a murderer by Bianca and her court. I knew what I had seen that night and I didn't doubt it – Jed had killed another wolf.

But there had to be a reason for it. And I was adamant on finding out the truth.

I filed that thought aside and focused on the topic at hand. Flipping open the book I'd grabbed earlier, I began to read. "Werewolves share biological instincts as actual wolves. However, mating does not occur seasonally. Once a werewolf reaches the age of eighteen, the werewolf is able to identify its mate. Once mated, werewolves are known to be largely monogamous and the bond is for life." A smile flitted across my face. "That's a nice notion."

He frowned in confusion.

"It's just – too often, you see relationships falling apart and people falling out of love," I mused quietly, taking the corner of the page between my fingers and fiddling with it in an almost absent-minded manner. "So – this is nice, you know? Finding that one person who was meant for you because it was written in the stars. Not falling out of love for a lifetime, just falling in love deeper and deeper with that person every single day." I met his gaze, noticing the way he was looking right back at me, an intent expression on his face like he was trying to memorise every part of this conversation. I smiled and took a deep breath. "What about you? What do you want?"

He stilled. But after a second or two, he reached over to the napkin holder at the side of the table and drew out a piece, before grabbing the pen attached to the notepad. He began to write. I was buzzing with curiosity but I held back, keeping my arms folded over the book as I watched him.

But he suddenly looked up, posture tensed and the pen clattering down onto the table. His reaction was far swifter than anything else, but I noticed the shift in the atmosphere seconds later, even if my realisation was far later than anyone else's. Because everyone's attention was fixed on the three men who'd just stepped into the café.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lorraine demanded.

"Surveillance down in Phobos isn't as tight," another of the men countered, before heading towards the counter and dropping his bag down on the empty stool. "Come on, just give us some food and we'll be on our way."

"You're hunting down our Alpha," Lorraine replied. "There's no reason for us to offer anything to you."

There were murmurs of agreements at this. But when the same man tried to reach for Lorraine, the hostility suddenly went off the charts as some of the other customers stood up. There were angry curses and shouts and yells to, "get the hell out of here" and I glanced over at Jed.

He looked at me and, for a moment, I swore I could see a sliver of fear in his eyes. But then he flickered his eyes towards the nearest exit and I realised that he wanted us to make a speedy escape. Without hesitating, I clutched the book tightly to my chest and stood up. Jed grabbed his jacket, tossed some bills on the table – even though we technically hadn't had our food yet – and we made a beeline for the door.

He had just placed a hand on the glass surface of the door when a voice stopped him. "Trevino!" One of the men was looking our way, his eyes sharp and a mocking smile on his face as he surveyed us. Jed tensed, but didn't turn around. "You've got a lot of nerve to take over your pack and still come here for some fucking breakfast."

In my peripheral vision, I noticed that several more customers had stood up, their postures all stiff like they were bracing for an inevitable fight. Even Adrian and Spike had come in through the side door, and Lance was removing his jacket, tossing it on the counter beside Lorraine. Order was hanging by a thread and everyone seemed to be waiting for someone – Jed – to make the first move.

The mocking grin on the man's face grew when Jed remained motionless. "Does your pack – these poor, innocent people here – do they know that you killed your entire family to become Alpha of the Titans?"

I froze.

"Do they know that you killed women and children just to get to where you are today? Do they know the amount of blood on your hands? All those missing people – gone, dead, because of you?"

I couldn't breathe. My eyes flickered up to Jed, only to find that he was already looking at me.

The man didn't miss our silent exchange. "Does that blonde slag you call your mate know what you did? What you are? Or is she just like you – "

But the words were barely out of his mouth when he was slammed back against the nearest wall, the trays nearby clattering to the ground amidst the collision. Adrian was seething, his face contorted with barely-restrained fury as he wrapped a hand around the man's throat.

"That's our Luna you're talking about," Adrian said, his voice deathly amidst the startled silence. "And I suggest you retract your statement if you want to make it out of here alive."

The man spat at him. "Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged," Adrian said coolly. "Now shift."

"Gladly." The man grinned as a sheen of fur covered his thick arms. "Might want to watch your back."

Adrian's eyes widened just as two brown wolves leapt onto him from behind. And then there was a cacophony of yells and the sound of bones cracking as Lance, Spike and several other people around simultaneously shifted. It was all a blur from there, a flurry of wolves snarling and attacking each other, until I couldn't differentiate one from the other.

As Jed began to shift, Lorraine pulled me towards the door.

"Come on!" She yelled, above the chaos, "he's going to be fine! Don't worry about him." She dragged me some way down the pavement and placed her hands on my shoulders, scanning my face worriedly. "Luna, you're not looking too good. I need you to breathe – "

The howls and growls around me was all I could register. But my mind was filled with thoughts of Jed, suspicions flooding in like a tidal wave deep enough to drown in.

" – he'll be out before you know it." Lorraine stopped and waved frantically at someone in the distance. "Alpha, over here!"

I quickly spun around, just in time to see Jed step out of the diner in only his jeans. There was barely a scratch on his body, but Adrian, who'd stepped out with him, was cradling a bloody arm and had more bruises than I could count. But the moment Jed's eyes locked on me, I found myself gasping for air again, my mind pounding with something very, very much like fear.

His eyes widened and he took a step towards us, but I instinctively wrenched myself out of Lorraine's arms. "No," I gasped, holding a hand out to stop him. "No – stop – "

Spike, Lance and several other people had come up behind, and they were all staring at me with matching expressions of confusion and worry. But my attention was fixed solely on Jed, the way he froze in his steps, the expression on his face stricken at my words.