He scrunches his eyebrows together before taking a deep breath. I could see he was trying to plan what to say before he said it.

"We're basically humans," he starts out, huffing a big breath through his nose. "But we have special abilities-I guess if you want to put it that way-and we live differently." He laughs nervously, scratching the back of his neck. This makes his muscles bulge slightly. No, no, he's dangerous. He's different, way different. Don't think that way. "Yes, we do turn into wolves; Whether we just decide if we want to or not, but if we get so pissed off we can get triggered into turning."

I nod slowly, though I'm not sure if I'm getting all of this. "We also have advanced hearing, sight, strength, and speed." He lists off quickly, all in one breath I might add. Damn, it sounds like he's just as nervous as I am right now.

"Now on the way we decide to live our lives." He instantly moves on. Yup, he's nervous. "The whole population of werewolves are sectioned into packs. But there are certain wolves who decide to leave their pack, and or they've been kicked out. Those wolves are called rogues."

What can someone do to be kicked out? Eat someone's pet cat? Ha...is that offensive?

He sighs running a hand through his dark hair. "Every pack has a leader, they are called Alphas. They're stronger, bigger, they have all of the control. Then there's a second in command, they're the Beta. They're in charge of the warriors, and when the Alpha's out they step in." I nod once again trying to understand everything.

Breathing in I look back up to him, "Is there anything else that I should know?" I question monotonously.

Greyson smiles slightly, "I'm the Alpha of this pack, the Hudson pack." My jaw drops and he just smiles. Now I recall Jared calling him that many times, 'Alpha.' "Koda is my Beta, Sebastian and Jared are my two best warriors. And Faye's just the badass of the group." He laughs and a huff out a few laughs before I stop myself looking down.

But now it makes sense why Greyson was so much larger than that other wolf. Why Jared was the one that tortured me. He is the best warrior after all, I think bitterly.

"Is that all there is need to know?" I ask once again. I just have a feeling he's hiding something.

He smiles bashfully twisting his hands together, "Actually no." Knew it.

"There's still a few more things I haven't told you yet." I raise my eyebrow slightly. "Every wolf has a mate. But some may never find their mate. It's the luck of the draw usually." His smiles grows and becomes warm and vulnerable. "You see a mate is what humans might call a soulmate. It's like their other half, someone who can complete the other. You'd do anything for them, even if it means stopping a bullet. They can be werewolves or humans."

Wait, when I first saw Greyson he said mate. And if I do recall later that night Greyson told Jared he couldn't kill me because I was his mate.

No, I can't. I can't get into another relationship. I mean I gave my whole heart to Jack and he shattered it. I can't go through that again. I can't be broken again. Seeing Jack kissing another girl, kissing Addie, hurt worst than the electrocution. I just can't.

Plus, I might still have feelings for Jack. I'm stupid I know, but he's my first serious relationship.

"You're my mate Willa," he tells me happily placing his hand upon my knee. I shudder involuntarily feeling the sudden heat of his hand.

He looks at me with such warmth, such a welcoming feeling.

But I can't do this. I can't do this to myself. "I-I need some time," I tell him shakily as my breath intensifies rapidly. Mate? Soulmate? Greyson's mate? It can't be true, I mean I just met him.

But is it different for werewolves?

Holy shit, werewolves are a thing. Greyson's a werewolf. Same with Faye, Koda, and Sebastian. They're all beasts that turn into wolves. And one of them calls me mate?! This is insane!

Abruptly I stand up, but as soon as I do black dots fog my vision. Lack of oxygen is finally getting to me as I think of all the things that just plowed into my head. Making the impossible become possible.

But as hard as I try, I can't breathe normally. Shit, I'm having a panic attack. What's new?

The next thing I know is that my shaky knees give out sending me towards the ground. "Willa!" Greyson yells, and my head is softly caught before blackness takes up my whole vision.

~~~

Slowly I regain my consciousness. I hear the constant beep of a heart monitor to the right of me.

Well at least I'm not dead.

I feel something connected to my left hand. Groaning I slowly open my eyes wanting to see what's in my hand. "Willa?" I feminine voice appears.

Blinking I look to where the voice came from, and I see Faye slightly smiling at me. "It's about damn time you woke up," she whispers.

I was about to question why she was whispering but I suddenly hear a little snore coming from next to me.

I whip my head over seeing a sleeping Greyson lounged lazily in a chair next to my bed. He grips my hand firmly in his. As his head looks comforted and broken, as it slings back in the chair.

"You're my mate Willa," Greyson's voice plays back in my head.

Slowly I try pulling my hand away from his grasp. Though that's until Faye speaks up quickly, "You've been out for 30 hours Willa, and Greyson hasn't left your side the whole time." My eyes enlarge as I snap my head up to her. She laughs slightly before continuing, "You should've saw him when he came into the pack house. You were dangling in his arms bloodied and out cold. And he was all frazzled and freaking out. I've never seen him like that before," she says with amusement in her eyes.

"He was worried about me?" I question looking back to Greyson. I don't know why, but I thought Greyson wouldn't freak out that much. That he wouldn't be that concerned about my safety.

Faye giggles, "Of course he was concerned. He's your mate Willa. When you're hurting he's hurting. When you're happy he's happy. When you're health is at stake, he'll do whatever it takes to get you back and thriving."

I smile slightly even though he can't see me. How Faye just explained it, I feel like there's greater things to learn about what mates really mean to a werewolf. And what Faye told me it sounds like Greyson actually cares about me. Give him a chance, a voice in my head speaks up.

I'm actually considering it? It's just that I don't want to get heart broken again.

Greyson twitches slightly in his sleep making me smile wider. He looks so peaceful sitting there. His lips are opened slightly as little snores escape them. His black hair is tousled over his eye, casting a slight shadow over his face tired face.

I can't get myself to look away, until-"You know I had to convince Greyson to actually set you down on the hospital bed." I return my glance back to her with my eyebrow slightly raised. "He was having conflicting emotions in his head. He wanted to get you help, but his wolf was telling him he needed to hold onto his mate."

"His wolf?" I question.

She nods continuing, "Every werewolf has their wolf inside their head-pretty much. It speaks to us, sometimes has a completely different personality. But it gives us advice when we're in hard spots. Sometimes the wolf will even come out and speak through us." I raise my eyebrow quizzically once again. "You can tell when you're speaking with someone's wolf when their eyes are golden. Which is actually strange? But I'm a werewolf so..." We both laugh quietly.

It's weird, but it's fascinating.

Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I see movement. I look back over to Greyson to see him rubbing his eyes groggily.

As he opens his eyes he blinks at me. Once, then twice, then finally a third time registering that I'm finally awake. "Oh my god Willa! You're alright!" He smiles widely sitting up in his chair.

"Yeah, I told her how much of a baby you were when you walked into the pack house," Faye laughs.

Greyson growls lowly, "I wasn't a baby. Just worried." He says defensively, he sounds like a little toddler.

I smile putting my right hand over his that was still tightly encasing mine, "Uh-I-" I take a deep breath, "Thanks for being worried about me," I shake my head looking down at our hands. "And staying with me while I was asleep." He smiles widely at me, and little dimples pops out on his cheeks.

But then it starts wavering and he looks down to our connected hands. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you frequently get panic attacks? Or did you just get triggered by what I told you?" He says frowning.

"I often get panic attacks," I start out. "But I didn't get one just because you told me I was your mate." I see him stiffen and look up to me. "It's just been the past few days have been so overwhelming and horrid. So I was just overwhelmed with all the new information, so I was due to have one at anytime."

I hear an awkward cough and I completely forgot Faye was still in the room, "I'm uh-I'm just going to leave." She says hurriedly scurrying out of the room.

I laugh silently pulling my attention back to him. "So it wasn't because I said you were my mate?" He questions hopefully.

"I think that's what sent me over the edge," I admit sighing/slightly cringing.

But that's when I saw his face. He looked so broken and sad like I just killed his puppy. I had to explain myself. "I just don't know anything about you Greyson. It would be hard mending a relationship with someone whom I barely know." I quickly add, wait do I mean that?

He nods, slightly pulling a smirk onto his face. "Alright little one, what would you like to know?"

Smiling slightly I throw my free hand up in the air, "I don't know? Your story, why you're the person you are today." I tease.

Greyson smiles back at me, squeezing my hand slightly. "Well, I was born the eldest of three. Me, Faye, and my littlest sister Lillie." Alright I guess he's answering what I told him.

He smiles fondly at the mention of his little sisters' names. "I'm 26, Faye's 20, and Lillie's 7." Wow, big age difference between him and Lillie.

But then his eyes bulge making eye contact with me, "Wait how old are you?" He asks worryingly.

I smile slightly at his confuzzled state, "I'm 20."

He takes a deep breath out tightening his hand around mine, "Good."

"Checking to see if I'm legal?" I raise my eyebrow smirking devilishly, just joking with him.

"Yup!" He says cheerfully popping the 'p' and I freeze at his bluntness. He sees that and smirks back at me, "Anyways." He instantly moves on, "Back onto my story." He says quickly changing the subject.

"I grew up training to be the Alpha since my dad was one. My mentor, Flint-" his face immediately hardens at the mention of his name. "-he wanted to make me tough and strong like any Alpha should be. But to a 10 year old kid I didn't totally understand what that meant. So he taught me what it meant to be tough, by-uh. By beating me," my mouth drops open slightly. "Since werewolves heal quickly he'd just do it over and over again once the gashes healed." I grip his hands tighter as I see him start shaking with anger. "My parents had no knowledge of this because Flint always said that if they found out he was going to hurt Faye. Yes, I was young but I knew he couldn't hurt my baby sister. So I took all the beatings" His eyes darken in color, almost becoming black. I can tell that he's close to transforming, and that wouldn't be very good.

While he was staring off into space having a conflict in his own head I moveover in my bed.

Faye told me that his wolf just wanted to hold onto his mate, and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

I don't care if my head is screaming at me to lay back down, I need to calm down Greyson. He seems calm when we're next to him.

I make sure not to rip out my I.V or the wires stuck to my chest monitoring my heart, when I get out of bed.

And I know it sounds weird when I say, I was never fully terrified of what Greyson really was. It was like I was okay with the fact that he was a werewolf, just the whole mate thing made me weary. But, that doesn't mean he doesn't frighten me slightly.

I climb onto his lap, throwing my hands around his head giving him the biggest, reassuring, hug I could conjure up.

I don't care if it's weird that I'm sitting in his lap. That I started warming up to him in an instant. I know what he's been through, I've been through the whole beating experience myself. I always needed someone who understood me, but alas no one did. I need to give him the reassurance.

I also couldn't let him transform here, he'd be livid. He might hurt someone, hurt himself. I've calmed him down before, when he was arguing with Sebastian and I'll do it again.

Greyson quickly snaps out of his trance, slowly wrapping his arms around my midsection. "You're not suppose to get out of bed little one." He whispers.

"I know, but I saw how angry you were getting and I-" he suddenly sticks his head in the crook of my neck taking in a big whiff.

I can't help but giggle which makes him pull back, looking at me with a little smile on his face. "Why do you do that?" I ask smiling, my arms loosely wrapped around his neck.

He shrugs slightly, replacing the smile on his lips. "It calms me down. My wolf also likes how you smell," he simply tells me.

I furrow my eyebrows playfully, "And what do I smell like?" I laugh.

Greyson thinks for a second, "It's like a mixture of vanilla and the scent of the air right after it's rained."

"That's a weird combination?"

"But it's what you smell like!" He testifies smiling, "You smell good though." He tells me, and just to make a point he pulls me closer sniffing me once again, and I laugh loudly.

Yup, there it is. There's the snort that appears when I laugh too hard. Wow, I haven't heard that in a while.

Looks like Greyson is just as surprised as I am 'cause he pulls away quickly looking at me with an amused smile on his face. "What?" I question settling down from my laughing fit.

"I've never heard you laugh like that before," he says breathlessly, smiling widely.

I tuck my hair behind my ear looking down. "Yeah it's been awhile," I admit.

"Why's that?" He asks with a straight face.

I mean should I tell him? It's only fair that I tell him my story since he told me his.

I know it's crazy, but I feel like I can trust him with my story. He had the trust in me to say his own.

Im all sorts of messed up today.

So with a deep breath I look back up to him. "This is a long, emotional story so hold onto your seatbelt." I try to joke, but it falls short with my not so enthusiastic laugh.

He nods seriously, staring into my eyes waiting for me to talk.

"When I was born my birth parents left me outside a random house, left and forgotten by my birth parents. The people that they left me with took me in as their own, and I grew up only knowing them as 'Mom and Dad.' I had a happy life, they were amazing parents up until I was 9. My dad died in an accident at work. He was a construction worker and there was a malfunction with the crane and all the lumber fell on top of him." I say as my voice gets lower in volume. "So then it was just Mom and I, she was never the same after Dad's death. But then she met another guy, and this guy made her happy once again. His name was Darren, and I was never very fond of him. But hey, he made my mom happy and that's all that mattered." I pause for a second taking another deep breath. Greyson tightens his grip around my waist, reassuring me.

"But then came my 13th birthday, worst birthday of all time." I laugh bitterly, "That's the day I found out my mom had stage four breast cancer." I quiver out, I feel Greyson's hand on my face and I quickly realize he was wiping off a tear that escaped from my eye. I smile gratefully at him before continuing. "She died 4 months after that and I was left with Darren. He and I both went into a major depression. I wouldn't leave the house, I barely ate, I barely lived." I remember those days being some of the worst. Living life, but not living at all.

"Later I got out of the depression by help from friends, but Darren escaped depression by alcohol. Soon he started blaming everything on me. It just started out with yelling, but then it got...physical." I hiccup out gripping harshly onto Greyson's shirt. "I'd get beat for everything! Not cleaning up after myself, not going to the store to pick him up more beer, any chance he could get he would beat me." Pulling my hoodie down slightly to show just below my collarbone, I reveal three cigarette burns all aligned onto my skin as if it was a connect the dots.

Greyson removes one hand from my waist, and he lightly touches the burns.

I shiver involuntarily, staring at his reaction. But he just has a blank expression as he stares at my collarbone lightly tracing my wounds.

And without another word he pulls down the neckline of his shirt revealing an 'x' shape just below his collarbone as well. How did I not see that when he had his shirt off after he transformed? "This was from wolfsbane, an herb toxic to werewolves. Flint constantly marked this spot over and over again so it was a constant reminder that he was always watching." I shiver at the satanic message. How could someone do that to a kid?

"What I'm saying Willa is that we are just alike. We've been through some of the same things, and look at us. We're here now, thriving and better than ever." I start tearing up to his words, "They're just bullies that didn't know how to handle themselves so they became heartless beasts."

Yup, there it is. The water works.

I fling myself onto Greyson wrapping my arms around his shoulders squeezing him tightly.

Someone who finally gets me.

He tightly wraps his arms around my waist pulling me tighter against him, hiding his face in the crook of my neck.

It's weird how so many things can change in an instant. First, I was terrified of him. Then I started being grateful for his kindness. After that I pass out from him telling me I'm his mate. Now, I'm hugging him tightly on his lap. What am I doing?

I don't know, but it just feels right.

So for who knows how long we just stay in each other's embrace. Peacefully we just sit there, that's until I hear Greyson take another big whiff.

Immediately the mood is broken as my snort makes an entrance.

Pulling back from our hug, I hit him playfully on the chest. "You're so weird," I say in between breaths.

He smiles largely at me, rubbing his thumbs in mindless circles on my lower back. He was about to say something back to me but there was a small knock on the door. This causing our heads to whip around to see who was coming in.

What we see is an elderly women with round circular glasses, and her dark brown hair was becoming grey at the roots.

Once she looked up her eyes grew big and she adjusted her white coat, "Oh no. I'm so sorry Alpha, I'll come in at a different time." She rushes out seeing us in the predicament we're in.

Greyson chuckles, while I just look mortified. "No, no, Dr. Fleming. You can come in," he gives her his million dollar smile.