“Don’t move, May,” Aiden commanded in a low voice as he positioned himself in front of me. The wolf’s yellow eyes tracked his movements, its lips pulled back in a menacing snarl.
My heart raced with fear as I clung tightly to my husband’s arm, my body trembling like a leaf in the wind.
“That must be him, Aiden,” I whispered, barely able to form words as adrenaline flooded my system.
“Not now, May. Just stay behind me.” Aiden’s firm grip on my hand kept me rooted behind him as the wolf continued to advance, its thick fur bristling and its teeth bared.
“Trust me, Aiden. Let me try,” I pleaded, trying to push past him. But he stood his ground, his jaw set in determination as the wolf growled louder, spittle dripping onto the pristine white snow.
With a few more steps forward, the wolf’s demeanor shifted suddenly. Its eyes darted between us, uncertainty flickering across its face before it let out a deafening howl and lunged at us.
I screamed, and Aiden quickly shielded me with his body as we braced for impact.
But after a few seconds of tense silence, we cautiously looked up to find the wolf had disappeared into the night. My legs gave out from under me, and I collapsed onto the frozen ground, still shaking with fear and adrenaline. Aiden joined me on the ground, his arms wrapping around me protectively.
“It’s gone,” I gasped, still unable to believe what had just happened.
“It’s okay, May. We’re safe now,” Aiden comforted me as we caught our breaths.
“That must be Joel!” I exclaimed once I was able to form words again.
“May, I love you but you’re being delusional,” Aiden spoke after a moment, his tone tinged with frustration. “We should just ask Joel in the morning instead of sneaking around like this in the cold night. And for the last time, he’s not a werewolf.” He sighed, pulling me up from the ground and guiding me toward the guest house.
As we walked back, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. I had been so sure that Joel was a werewolf. But maybe Aiden was right, maybe it was just my imagination running wild. Regardless, I was grateful to have him by my side tonight as things could have easily gone differently.
The sun had just begun to peek through the curtains, casting a golden glow on our bedroom. I stirred and reached out for my husband, but my hand found only empty sheets. The sound of rustling fabric caught my attention, and I groaned, knowing what it meant. Aiden was already up and rummaging through our closet.
“Why do you always wake up so early?” I grumbled as he emerged from the closet, freshly showered and dressed in a ridiculous Christmas sweater that our daughter Freya had made for him in class.
“I don’t want to miss a single moment of this special day,” he said with a mischievous smile, holding up the matching sweater for me to see.
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes in amusement, looking at the ugliest sweater we’ve both seen, but I knew we had no choice. With a sigh, I reluctantly agreed to wear the tacky sweater for the sake of keeping our overly dramatic daughter happy.
Aiden laughed and pulled me off the bed, wrapping his arm around my waist, pushing me into the bathroom to freshen up before we made our way downstairs. Despite my initial resistance, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of warm holiday spirit wash over me. After all, it was Christmas eve.
As we approached the main house, the tantalizing scent of freshly baked gingerbread cookies wafted through the crisp winter air. Our children were already busy unwrapping the gifts from my mom and surprisingly, Joel as well. The sound of their laughter and chatter filled the cozy home, enveloping us in a warm sense of contentment.
Freya’s bright eyes caught sight of us first, and she ran toward us with joyful abandon, her arms outstretched. “Daddy, Mommy!” she exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with excitement. I scooped her up into my arms, reveling in the familiar weight of her hug around my neck. “You’re wearing the sweaters!” Her glee was infectious as our other children also joined in on the fun.
“Let’s go see what Santa left for us!” Aiden chimed in, playfully ruffling through their hair before leading the way into the living room, with Cody on his shoulders. The fireplace crackled merrily, surrounded by stockings overflowing with treats and gifts.
The room practically hummed with anticipation as our children eagerly tore into their stockings. Freya was always the most exuberant, her eyes sparkling with sheer delight as she unwrapped her presents. She never failed to receive the most thrilling gifts, and today was no exception—a stunning pair of ice skates complete with a matching helmet.
Orion and Cody were equally thrilled with their new video games, while Zora squealed with joy at her new set of books. Each child had unique interests and personalities, making it a joy to watch them open their gifts.
Aiden had surprised me with a beautiful emerald scarf that perfectly matched his captivating green eyes, along with two tickets to Seychelles for a romantic getaway in a few months. In return, I gifted him a personalized book chronicling our journey together, filled with custom artwork capturing our special moments.
Joel and my mom also joined in on the gift exchange, their presence adding to the joy and surprise of the evening. My heart skipped a beat as Joel pulled out a small box, its deep red color catching the light and reflecting it back onto our faces. With a confident smile, he got down on one knee, his eyes locked with my mom’s.
“Ruby,” he began, his voice filled with emotion. “As cliché as it may be getting a ruby for you, I knew it had to be the color of the moment. This ring symbolizes the love and commitment we share, a bond that grows stronger with each passing day.”
I looked at my mom’s reaction to see her holding back her tears.
“You came into my life at the most unexpected moment, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Tears welled up in my eyes as I saw my mom reach down to hold Joel’s hand, most definitely, feeling overwhelmed by his love and sincerity. Her face was now also streaked with tears, her own emotions bubbling to the surface.
When she didn’t reply to his proposal, Joel’s expression faltered for a moment before she turned to me, silently asking for my approval. And I couldn’t deny my mother this happiness—not after everything we had been through together.
With a nod and a tearful smile, I gave them both my blessings. As my mother accepted the ring from Joel’s trembling hands, I knew that this union would only bring more joy and love into our lives.
However, there were still unanswered questions lingering in the air, ones that needed to be addressed before my mom and Joel got married. Even though I was grateful and overjoyed by this moment, I was determined to get those answers one way or another tonight.
As darkness descended once again, I eagerly prepared for the night ahead. Aiden was dutifully putting our children to bed and had promised to meet me once they were sound asleep. Waiting in my mother’s greenhouse, I was comforted by the familiar sights and smells surrounding me.
The lush greenery and vibrant blooms had returned after years of neglect, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace and nostalgia wash over me.
As I gazed out into the night, a shadow caught my attention, and my heart leapt with fear. But as I recognized the familiar silhouette of my husband, I let out a sigh of relief and welcomed him into the warmth of the greenhouse.
Aiden was prepared this time around, dressed in his thick fur boots, black wool coat, and matching hat. His eyes were serious but held a glimmer of excitement for our nightly rendezvous.
“We’re really doing this again?” he asked with a small grin. I nodded eagerly, knowing that if last night was any indication of what we were dealing with, then we needed to be even more cautious tonight.
“Yes! He’s going to marry my mother. We need to know the truth about him. Whatever secrets he’s hiding, we’ll uncover them tonight,” I declared determinedly. Without another word, I led Aiden into the dark woods, back to the same clearing where we had encountered the mysterious wolf just yesterday. This time, I was determined to catch him in the act.
“I still don’t understand why you insist on playing this game of cat and mouse instead of confronting him directly. We could simply ask him ourselves,” Aiden reasoned with concern in his voice. But I wouldn’t hear it. The thrill of discovery and the desperate need for answers fueled my determination.
“Because, this way we know if he’s telling the truth or not,” I replied, quickening my pace, Aiden close behind. As I playfully teased Aiden for being a “boring old man,” a cold snowball hit the back of my neck, interrupting our banter. Laughing, I retaliated with a snowball of my own, dodging his aim and throwing another.
Our playful rivalry continued until we both called a truce, panting but grinning from ear to ear. But then, as we stood in the snowy forest, I heard something. Aiden hushed me, and we both listened intently to the sound of crunching snow approaching us.
He motioned for me to hide behind a nearby tree, and I did so, peering out at the figure coming toward us. It was a wolf, the same gray one we had encountered on our last stakeout. Remembering my research, I convinced Aiden to let me rub pine needles on both of us to mask our scent. He thought I was crazy but eventually agreed.
Just as Aiden opened his mouth to speak, I quickly covered it with my hand as a larger wolf emerged from the thick bushes. This one had similar features to the gray one, but it was a darker gray. Without saying a word, I mouthed “Joel?” to Aiden, who rolled his eyes at me but humored me.
In an instant, the wolves’ bodies contorted in grotesque angles as bones snapped and stretched, their fur falling away to reveal massive, humanoid forms. I couldn’t believe my eyes—it was him, just as I had suspected. My breath caught in my throat as their heads whipped around to face us.
Aiden’s hand covered my eyes, shielding me from their naked forms, and I could hear Joel cursing beside us before Aiden finally released his hold. Before us stood two men, no longer wolves, but towering figures, humans. One of them was someone I knew all too well.
“It can’t be real,” Aiden stuttered, his voice shaking with fear. I reached out to touch his arm in comfort, but I was speechless at the miraculous transformation before us. The cold wind blew fiercely, causing our hair and clothes to whip around us. I could see the breath fogging in front of the two men, one of whom I didn’t recognize.
Joel wore a look of shock and concern on his face, while the other man seemed equally bewildered. “What’s happening?” Aiden’s voice quivered with genuine terror. I placed a reassuring hand on his arm, trying to steady myself as well.
The two men exchanged a glance before turning back to us. There was a silent understanding passing between them, as if they were speaking to one another. Their eyes met for a brief moment before refocusing on us.
“We need to talk,” Joel spoke calmly but cautiously as he took a step forward. “I can explain everything, but you have to trust me.”
Aiden and I exchanged a bewildered look, both of us still processing the shocking revelation we had just been given. I could see the crisis brewing in Aiden’s eyes, but he was trying to stay calm for my sake.
“I know this is a lot to take in, but please, May, Aiden, just give me a few minutes to explain…,” Joel pleaded with us, his gaze shifting between our expressionless faces. “Please,” he added softly at our continued silence.
“Why don’t I take my leave? Joel, I’ll see you soon.” With that, the man bid his farewell and left, casting one last lingering glance in our direction.
“You’re a…?” Aiden’s voice trailed off, unable to finish the question. But at least he was starting to speak again.
“A werewolf? Yes.” Joel confirmed what we already knew. “I didn’t mean for you to find out like this, but yes, I am a werewolf.” Aiden let out a shaky breath that soon turned into an unexpected chuckle.
“Obviously, this is all quite surprising for us. Perhaps we should make our way back home and sit down to talk things through?” I suggested gently, nudging Aiden who was still struggling to contain his amusement, a coping mechanism of his.
He coughed as if trying to dispel the absurdity of it all before following Joel and me out of the clearing and back toward home.
As we entered the solarium and took our seats—Aiden beside me and Joel across from us—the silence stretched on uncomfortably. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Aiden spoke up hesitantly.
“So…does Ruby know about this?” My heart clenched at the mention of my mother. I wasn’t sure how she would handle this.
“No, not yet,” Joel admitted, shifting uncomfortably. His feet tapped nervously against the ground.
I could tell he was hesitant to reveal the truth, but I knew my mom would need a lot of reassurance when she found out.
“Are you planning on telling her?” I asked, trying to figure out the best way to break the news to her.
“Yes, actually. I have a plan.” Joel looked at me with determination in his eyes. “I’ve invited your mother to visit my hometown…”
I couldn’t help but notice how nervous he seemed, and it made me realize that he wasn’t such a bad guy after all.
“Do you love her?” I blurted out, needing to know his true intentions. Joel’s head whipped toward me, his mouth hanging open in shock.
“Of course I do. May, your mother isn’t just some random woman I met. I’ve been waiting for her for centuries. She’s my…”
Aiden and I exchanged bewildered glances as Joel trailed off, struggling to find the right words.
“Wait…you’re how old again?” Aiden finally spoke up, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.
Joel scratched the back of his head nervously, looking a bit flustered.
“Well, I’ve lost count over the years but I’m over seven hundred years old.”
My jaw dropped as we processed this information.
“Seven hundred? How is that possible? What…what are you?” Aiden’s voice trailed off as he stared at Joel in stunned disbelief.
My mind was racing with questions too, trying to comprehend how someone could be so old and yet look like a man in his fifties. Which was another reason why I’d had my apprehension about him when I’d first met him, as I had assumed he was ten years younger than my mom. But he was older, a lot older.
A heavy sigh escaped Joel’s lips as he braced himself for the difficult task of explaining his past. “Let me start from the very beginning,” he began, his voice carrying a hint of weariness.
“I was born in the thirteenth century and had a fairly normal life. A hardworking father, a caring mother, three older brothers, and a younger sister. We weren’t well off, but my parents made it work, and we all pitched in to help out as well, doing small menial jobs around the neighborhood, when we weren’t in school.
“But things took a drastic turn when I was attacked one night. It was a class issue. I was bleeding and stranded in the cold. I could only lie there helplessly as my life slowly slipped away.
“That was when I saw it—a magnificent wolf, with fur as white as freshly fallen snow. Despite my injuries and fading consciousness, I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. I thought it was going to save me, but little did I know that it would change my life forever.”
Joel paused for a moment before continuing, his words coming out in a rush now.
“You see, that wolf wasn’t just any ordinary creature. Pure-white wolves are incredibly rare, and they are believed to come from royal bloodlines. They possess the power to turn mortals into werewolves—the purebreds, born as both human and wolf.
“And that’s exactly what happened to me on that fateful night. After it bit me, I passed out. When I woke up, I was completely healed, but on the next full moon, I had shifted into a werewolf, and everything about my life changed.”
Aiden and I exchanged glances, still trying to process this story that seemed like a fable as Joel finished recounting his past.
“Legends speak of werewolves and their cosmic fate, a destined mate waiting in the intricately woven threads of eternity. For those who are born into the ancient lineage of these shape-shifters, the search for a soulmate becomes an intrinsic part of their existence. A connection that transcends time and space, bound by a force that intertwines destinies and weaves them together in a tapestry of forever.
“But for those who bear the mark of the Moon Goddess, turned wolves created in the moonlit shadows, the concept of soulmates takes a different turn. We were never meant to be a wolf in the first place; our fates carved a different story for us, one where we roam alone under the light of the full moon.
“However, it seems that soulmates do not abide by the rules of origin or circumstance. Regardless of the lunar kiss that turned us into wolves, we all have soulmates, even humans.” Joel paused to look at us.
“It is a bond that goes beyond fur and fang, beyond moonlit howls and primal instincts. It is someone who completes the puzzle of your existence, a partner who complements the symphony of your life at both its highest crescendos and its lowest whispers.
“A soulmate is more than just a romantic notion; it is a cosmic collaboration, a dance of energies that find their rhythm in the grand design of the universe. Like two stars aligning in the vast expanse, soulmates navigate the celestial seas of life together, etching a love story that transcends all boundaries.
“Whether destined by werewolf lore or guided by the unseen hand of fate, the concept of soulmates weaves a tale of connection, understanding, and an eternal bond that defies the limits of mere mortal existence.”
Aiden and I exchanged a small glance of resonance, and I held his hand tighter. Joel’s words somewhat resonated with me as I looked at Aiden. I understood what Joel was saying.
It was how I felt with Aiden, like he completed me. We had fallen in love without ever meaning to, and we craved each other’s presence and touch, even when we were away from each other.
Joel’s gaze was earnest as he looked at me, his voice soft and sincere. “For me, that person was your mother, May,” he said, his eyes filled with emotion.
“I can’t say for certain if she is my destined mate, but her laughter was the sweetest melody I had ever heard.” He glanced down at his hands before meeting my eyes again.
“From the moment I saw her, I knew she was the one. I wanted to tell her the truth all this time, but how do you reveal that you’re a seven-hundred-year-old werewolf who has been hopelessly in love with someone for centuries without even knowing about them?” Joel let out a rueful chuckle at the absurdity of it all.
“But now she deserves to know the truth. And I hope that when she learns about it, she can accept me for who I am.”
Aiden finally found his voice and asked the question we were all thinking. “And if she doesn’t?”
“I’ll respect her decision,” Joel replied simply, his gaze dropping to the floor. It was clear he had thought about this possibility before.
“Wow…” Aiden’s shock and disbelief were evident in his wide eyes. There was a tense silence in the room, as if the air itself was charged with anticipation.
I watched as Joel’s hands began to fidget with a loose thread on the edge of his shirt, a nervous habit of his. “I know this must all sound insane to you,” he said. He looked up, his eyes meeting mine with an intense gaze that sent shivers down my spine.
The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, their implications almost overwhelming. “I can’t change who or what I am. And I would never want to force Ruby into something she doesn’t want.”
There was a long pause, but this time it wasn’t uncomfortable. His vulnerability and honesty touched me in a way that I couldn’t fully comprehend.
Joel’s piercing gaze shifted between Aiden and me, his expression serious and determined. “Now you know my secret. I trust that you both will guard it well. The world we live in is not kind to beings like us.”
“I…we will,” I stuttered, finally finding my voice amid the shock and confusion that flooded my mind. Aiden stood tall and strong beside me, a pillar of support in this surreal moment.
My worry began to mount as another question surfaced in my mind. “Will you turn her into a werewolf as well?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly with concern.
There was a heavy pause, pregnant with unspoken words, before Joel finally replied in a low, gravelly voice. “No. I don’t have the ability to even if I wanted to. Only the purebred wolves possess that gift. And they went extinct long ago.
“But once I mark her as my mate, our lives will be irrevocably intertwined. If I were to die, she would follow suit, and vice versa. A wolf without a mate, once they’ve bonded, becomes dangerous and feral, and trust me, that is not something anyone wants to witness.”
My head spun with this new information, but before I could ask any more questions, we were interrupted by the sound of small footsteps pattering toward us.
“Mommy?” The sweet voice of my daughter Freya broke through the tense atmosphere. She stood in the kitchen doorway, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
“Sweetie, what are you doing up?” I crouched down to her level, smiling at her adorable, disheveled appearance. “I woke up and saw that the window in my room was open. I tried to find you and Daddy, but you weren’t in your room.”
Aiden appeared behind me, concern etched on his face. “Did you open the window, Freya?”
She shook her head, still drowsy and slow-moving. We exchanged worried glances before Joel joined us, having overheard the conversation.
“I’ll go check on it,” he said calmly, but his furrowed brow revealed his own concerns. It hadn’t occurred to me until now that there could be something potentially dangerous lurking outside our home.
