I remember being alone in the woods with those eyes staring back at me in the trees. Only this time it was light out and there was no barking Miles for me to worry about. And the eyes, they were different this time. They didn't seem to be glaring, but instead pleading. And the light allowed me to finally see around those eyes. It was the face of a wolf with beautiful russet colored hair, gently moving in the wind. Like something out of a movie.

Those eyes.

I've seen them before. I just sat on my floor watching those eyes, begging me to understand something that was so completely out of my realm of knowledge. Only this time instead of being on the handsome man I've come to know, they rested on this…creature. This wolf. I still wasn't fully grasping this situation that I've somehow landed myself in.

I vaguely heard my name being spoken but I couldn't place where it was coming from.

For now it was just me and this wolf.

Jacob.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I was able to piece together that this wolf was Jacob. That he somehow managed to shift into what stood before me but that was all I could put together. I tried to think of what he was saying before he had disappeared into the trees but it was like my brain wasn't working.

The wind whispered my name again.

I wondered if I could take a few steps and reach out and touch the fur. It looked so soft. And the look in his eyes was doing something to my insides. Like he wanted me to understand everything but was waiting for me to bolt at the same time. Maybe I was just waiting for him to move and then my body would just go into flight mode.

"Baylee." It came in so clear that I knew it wasn't the wind whispering my name but I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. I didn't look very hard though. I couldn't tear my eyes away from what I was seeing. It wasn't until something warm touched my arm. I looked down and nothing was there.

"Come on, Bay." The voice was much more clear this time. I blinked a few times and the scene changed around me, morphing into blackness. Was this just all a dream? "Please just open those pretty green eyes for me." I could feel something warm lean down and touch my shoulder.

I blinked a few times I was met with a room that seemed just a pinch too bright and what looked to be my paint chipped ceiling. The same ceiling I'e stared at while laying wide awake for weeks now.

It was silent for a moment. I turned my head a little to see where the warmth spreading down my arm was coming from. Jake's head snapped up from resting against my shoulder to look at me with frantic eyes. His hand rested on my forearm. Everywhere his skin rested against my own burned.

"Hey, you're awake." Despite the frantic look on his face, his voice was calm and smooth. I found it oddly comforting.

I tried to sit up but a pounding in my head caused me to pause and flinch.

"Careful." He mumbled beside me and I felt a hand on my shoulder blades help guide me up. "I— I tried to catch you but I wasn't fast enough. I don't think you hit your head but better safe than sorry." He rambled.

He tried to catch me? I tried putting his words into a scenario that made sense in my brain.

Obviously nobody caught me because my heard hurt like hell. My body fells like it was dragged through fire and then over some hot coals just to add insult to injury. I tried thinking about what happened before everything went fuzzy but all my brain could come up with is all the shameful things I'd do for some ibuprofen right now.

"Do you remember what happened?" He asked so quietly I wasn't sure if I heard him correctly.

I tried to think back as best as I could. I remember being surrounded by trees but I couldn't remember if that was a dream or reality.

I decided to test the waters and see if he would give me some clues to work with. "I was outside." He nodded. Okay, good. I was in the right direction.

"In the trees." Again, he nodded. I really hoped I was actually dreaming.

"And you were there." Another nod.

I had to have been dreaming, right? He did say something about me hitting my head so maybe I just couldn't tell the difference between what was real and fake.

I couldn't have been dreaming about that perfectly russet colored fur though. And how one minute Jake was standing there and the next I was face to face with a giant creature. Dog. Wolf.

I stared down at my hands for a minute letting my mind catch up. I finally took a deep breath and turned to look at him. He was staring at me like he was on eggshells. It didn't seem like a fitting gesture for him. I was used to his demeanor being one the commanded attention, even if he didn't realize it. It was like he was the biggest person in the room usually. Only this time it was the opposite.

I stared into his eyes and it was like a floodgate of memories coming back to me.

It was always those fucking eyes.

At what point in my brain did those eyes shift from the monster stalking me in the forest to that man who now sat in front of me? Why was my brain unable to comprehend anything for a split second every time we found ourselves in a staring contest?

"What is happening?" I whispered without even realizing it. I attempted to run a hand through my hair but was met with a clump of tangles. That was going to be a bitch to brush out.

"I'm sorry, Baylee. This isn't how I wanted any of this to go." He looked ready to cry. I guess that was better than the panicked look…

"And what exactly is 'this'?" I was semi thankful that my brain was running on autopilot. I didn't even have time to think of the words before they left my mouth. It was probably for the best. The more I thought about things, the more I managed to screw them up.

"There is a Quileute legend about spirit warriors." He took a deep breath and I was waiting for him to start crying but he held strong. "Essentially it's about a group of Quileute's who phased into wolves in order to protect people on the rez." I was waiting for him to continue but he paused there. I could only blink at him.

"Okay…" I was losing patience.

His eyebrows pinched together for a second and for the millionth time today, he seemed out of his element. Like he was at a loss for words.

"And…?" I egged him on. I was starting to feel awkward. He raised an eyebrow for a moment before he started laughing. He put his hands in his face and continued to laugh. I had an overwhelming feeling of deja vu where I was missing the joke. He took a deep breath to calm down and stood up from where he was sitting next to me. The bed instantly seemed cooler. I wasn't sure that I liked the feeling of it.

"It's true." There was no tone of humor in his voice, despite the fact we laughing only seconds ago.

"It's true?" I repeated trying to make sense of what he even said in the first place. Or why he would find my impatience funny.

"Yes."

Okay, so he said people phase to wolves. Was this some magic juju?

"Why?" Again my brain was spitting words out on its own.

"Why?" He parroted back. "Why what, exactly?"

"I don't know. Just why?" It seemed like a broad enough question.

"It's a legend thats been around for generations and generations. I can't exactly give you the science about it but I can tell you everything else." He started pacing which made me a little nervous. "It's a gene passed down though certain family lines. It needs to be triggered. The last generation wasn't affected but we were."

I understood the words he was saying but not what he was talking about. Like listening to a story but you missed the first half of it.

So it's a gene. And it makes his turn into this thing…dog. Wolf.

"Is it a full moon?" I turned to look out the window only to realize it was light outside.

"Oh fuck. What time is it?" I shot out of the bed and looked to the poor excuse of a nightstand but my phone wasn't sitting on the charger. I looked on top of the bed but didn't see it.

"If you're looking for you phone, I think Embry put it on the coffee table." He rubbed his face again. "I probably should have put it on the charger. Sorry about that."

"Someone grabbed my phone?" I blinked trying to put together when it would have left my hand. Then I remembered the other big dude in the apartment and then going outside with Miles afterwards.

Miles.

"Where the hell is my dog?" I started panicking and ran for the bedroom door.

"He's fine!" Jacob said but I was already practically tumbling into the living room. I was instantly met with Miles jumping up from where he was laying by the door. His tail instantly started wagging and I took a deep breath to try and calm my rapidly beating heart. I bent down and grabbed him into a hug. I've never been so relieved to have his wet nose all over my face.

Was I setting myself up for early heart failure?

"I wouldn't let anything happen to him. I know what he means to you." I jumped at the sound of Jake right behind me.

"Thank you." It was a knee jerk reaction. In reality I didn't know if I should be thanking him when he's the reason I was in this mess in the first place.

I looked around the room. Zack was still passed out on the couch and looked like he hadn't moved once since he got here. I stepped around Miles to check and see if he was even still breathing. I was a horrible excuse of a friend. It didn't help that I felt like I was living in the twilight zone. Less than a day ago I was talking to a mind reader and watching someone turn into a dog all right after getting a phone call from my ex's best friend looking for a place to stay. You couldn't make this up even if you tried.

"He hasn't moved much since the lee- Edward stitched him up. That's okay though. Should just probably shake him awake in a bit t make sure he can function. Edward said he'd probably be in pain for a while." Jake stayed by his spot by the door which I appreciated.

"Edward was the mind reader?" I felt stupid just saying it out loud.

"Yeah." He answered quietly. "Listen, I'll answer anything you want to know. Just please don't run away from me."

I turned to look back at him and he had that serious expression on his face that I desperately wished would do away.

"And the other guy here?" I almost didn't know if I wanted an answer to that. I was loosing track of who was friend or foe at this point. Although what did I know anymore? A year ago I never thought I would see Zack again, let alone have him sleeping on my couch.

"That was Embry. He's part of the pack. I trust him with my life."

"So he's what you are?" I didn't even know what to ask about. I vaguely remember him explaining it but my brain felt like it was mixing fact and fiction together.

"Spirit warrior." I must have had a blank expression because he took another breath and carried on. "A wolf. Yes." He answered with sincerity.

Okay, so while I still felt like I was riding the train to crazy town, at least I wasn't riding it alone.

He took a deep breath and turned sideways to lean up against the door frame and looked up towards the ceiling. "Like I said, I'll answer anything you want to know just not here. Nobody else can know about any of this so when he wakes up, you can't talk to him about anything." He nodded to Zack laying on the couch with his chin.

"So what am I supposed to say about his head? That I just magically had the supplies and skill to sew him up?"

"I guess you could tell him I have a…friend…who is going to med school or something?" I knew it wasn't his friend in any way just based on his demeanor. Which made me nervous.

"A friend..?" I dug.

"No. But that's the best answer if you're explaining to him." He turned back to the ceiling.

"So what's the real story?" I almost wished I wouldn't have actually asked but I couldn't bring myself to regret it. It was like a car accident. You don't want to watch but your brain can't get you to turn away.

"I told you Baylee, I'll explain anything, just…" He turned away for a second like he needed to gather himself. "Just not here."

I stared at him for a second and decided I didn't like that answer. I stood tall ready to speak my mind until he pushed him self off the door frame and essentially threw himself at me. I jumped but he caught me before I could really move.

"Please, Baylee." He grabbed both my hands in his and for a moment I felt like I was filming a bad movie. "I know all of this sounds psychotic but I'd give anything for you to just hear me out. I helped your friend, I haven't held anything back, and I showed you all I could to prove it all. Please. Please just hear me out."

His eyes started watering.

No.

This fucking psycho wasn't going to make me cry too and yet I couldn't stop my eyes from burning too.

What the hell was happening? I had someone I hadn't talked to in over a year now beat to hell and passed out on my couch and a werewolf begging almost at his knees.

What the fuck was my life?

The Game by Milky Chance

Sorry for the obnoxiously late update. I suck.