Chapter 16

ISABELLA

When I left their house, I went straight home, thank God Alex wasn't there. I don't even know what I could have said to him. I took off my ridiculous dress and went to relax on my couch, watching stupid reality shows and eating junk food. I wonder if I have a sign on my forehead that says "Stupid chick." I ask them for sincerity and instead, I get a tall tale about werewolves and whatnot. I never thought Asher would come up with this kind of nonsense. I feel like such a fucking idiot.

My phone vibrates and I'm not surprised to see a message from Alex asking if I'm still with the Black brothers. I quickly reply that I'm at home and don't want to talk or see anyone.

I know he'll understand that this mission was a total fiasco, but I know he can't imagine how much.

All this makes me doubt myself, maybe I'm meant to be all alone, single, all my life. Maybe I should start looking into buying my first cat to keep me company or maybe a dog, at least he could defend me if need be. But a dog in an apartment is certainly a bad idea, but I'm not going to move into a house when I'm on my own. I'm rambling. I'm going completely mad.

The doorbell rings once and I'm still on the couch. The doorbell rings a second time and I get up to open the door for Alex.

I see Jax's face as I open the door and try to close it immediately, but he holds it with his hand.

"Please, I just want to talk." He tells me and his beaten-dog eyes crack me up. I have no willpower.

I shift to let him in. I cross my arms in front of my chest. I'm not wearing the sexiest pajamas ever, on the contrary. I had no idea I'd have visitors when I put on my black leggings and oversized Gremlins t-shirt.

"First of all I wanted to tell you that everything Ash told you is the truth. This is who we are."

"Okay, go away." Seriously? He's here to continue his brother's bullshit.

"Don't you want to listen to me? Fine. I'll show you then!" He says before starting to undress. I try to stop him but he continues, until he's as naked as the day he was born. I put my hands over my eyes to keep from looking at him.

"What the fuck, Jax, what are you doing? You think seeing your dick is going to convince me?"

He doesn't answer me, and when I pull my hands away, I feel like my legs are going to let me down.

A black wolf with a white spot around his right eye is exactly where he was a few moments ago.

"Jax?" I ask uncertainly as I look at the wolf.

It squeaks and approaches me. When his head touches me, my legs literally give out and it's pitch black.

I blink a few times and slowly regain consciousness. I'm lying on the sofa with a cushion under my feet. Did I fall asleep in front of the TV? I rub my temples and memories slowly resurface, Jax came and he .... oh shit. I stand up abruptly, making my head spin.

"Hey take it easy, baby." Jax says and I notice him coming toward me from the kitchen with a glass of water. "Here you go. Drink this slowly." I accept the glass of water, putting aside my fear.

I have absolutely no idea what to think about what happened earlier. I look at Jax, fully clothed, and think I must have imagined the whole thing.

As if reading my mind, Jax gives me a small smile as he sits down on the sofa next to me. "Your imagination hasn't played tricks on you." He sighs, shaking his head. "I wanted you to believe us, and this is the only way I could think of."

I shift to move away from him, setting the glass down on the coffee table in front of me.

"Please don't do this. Don't be afraid of me... of us."

"I... I..." I stammer, unable to formulate a coherent sentence. My ideas aren't clear, so how can my words be? It's NOT POSSIBLE. My brain keeps screaming at me that this is simply impossible, but I know I've seen what I've seen, and they don't strike me as the kind of people to joke about a subject like this.

"I'll give you as much time as you need. I've waited for you all my life, I can still do it but promise me you'll think about it."

I look at him blankly, my knees against my chest. After a few seconds of silence, he stands up. "I'll let you digest all this." He heads for the front door and just as his hand touches the handle I call out to him.

"How can this be? This isn't supposed to exist."

JAX

"How can this be? This isn't supposed to exist." She says to me just as my hand touches the handle of the front door. Thank goddess, she's talking to me!

When she fainted in front of my wolf form, I was afraid it was over for good. But the worst was when she pulled away from me, I saw the fear in her eyes and that really hurt.

I turn back to face her and I'm sure she sees my relieved smile.

"I know, but we do exist. We live hidden, in a community and some of us live with humans." I pause. "We're totally harmless with humans, I can guarantee it."

"So you were born this way?" She asks as she lowers her legs and I gently approach her. When I sit down next to her, she doesn't move away and I sigh inwardly.

"It's exactly as Asher explained it to you. Our wolf came to us at puberty."