NOTE: It's been a while since I've seen Wizards of Waverly Place, so please forgive me for any inconsistencies with the canon storyline, or attribute it to non-canon writing, which this will likely involve anyway. Thanks! I hope you enjoy!

PROMPT: At my worst, I worry you'll realize you deserve better. At my best, I worry you won't. (I've never been better.)

Thinking of using this prompt for a little mini-series about WoWP, so it'll follow a few (connected but technically probably still readable as stand alone pieces) one-shots. This turned a little bit away from where I originally was inspired to go, but may still follow the prompt in further updates. We shall see.

Alex was frozen in place, her stomach dropped as Mason bolted out the door. Dinner had been going so well- they had been going so well- so why was he leaving so suddenly? Insecurity bubbled inside her at the thought that maybe it hadn't been going as well as she thought - if history was anything to go by her track records with boyfriends wasn't exactly great. Neither were friendships for that matter, but that was a whole other topic that she brushed aside for now.

Quickly, biting her lip to stop it from wobbling, she threw down her napkin and rushed after him. She was only a minute behind, so she rushed in an effort to catch up. The door closing behind her stopped Harper from following.

"Mason!" she called desperately, "Mason, what's wrong? Why are you leaving?" she managed to snag his coat sleeve by her fingertips and he turned, looking nervous and pained. "What's wrong?" she repeated the question in a softer voice.

"I'm sorry, I have to go." He parroted the words back, planting a quick soft kiss to her forehead, "I just have to go. I'll call you, I promise." He made it a few steps away when her voice found her again, "What? I don't understand- Do you not- is there-" she cut herself off, "Is there someone else?" She choked on the question, her heart pounding harshly.

Her eyes burned, and she knew tears would be on the way soon. Mason seemed to choke on air as he sucked in a surprised breath and immediately turned back, rushing to her and grabbing her arms. "What- No! Of course not Alex, there is only you, and I'll explain everything later, but I have to go." he met her eyes before looking back up towards the sky worriedly. Confused, she followed his gaze, watching as the clouds cleared enough to see the full moon glowing vividly above them. She immediately turned back when he let go of her arms, watching as he groaned. "Mason?" she gasped his name, hearing the strain in his voice. She watched him stumble a few steps away from her once more, before he leaned heavily into the stone wall, bracing himself on his forearm. "Mason." she whispered and reached out a hand as she took a tentative step closer. He threw his free arm out backwards, holding it up to tell her to stop

"No, stay away!" he pleaded, keeping himself turned away. "You need to stay away." he rumbled and she stumbled a step back as she watched the change happen. He gripped at the wall, and she watched his nails become sharp enough that he left scratches in the stone. His hair seemed to lengthen and she swore he let out a growl. The sound was deep and almost guttural as he repeated himself, "Stay away! You need to stay away!"

Moonlight beating down on them, she stared confused with tears starting to fill her eyes. He lightly swung a now clawed hand, a signal warning to match what he just repeated. "Please." He rasped, a deeper, rougher edge to his voice that reminded her of the wolf-like growl she had just heard. She stared at his hand, the sharp claws that were unfamiliar to her at the end of his long slender fingers, and it hit her so suddenly that she couldn't help but let out a hiccuping laugh. He stiffened and she cut herself off, biting her lip.

Reaching out she gently tugged on his sleeve, "Mason." she repeated his name softly, "It's okay."

"No, it's not." he replied, but didn't pull his arm away, his sleeve still caught in her fingertips. Quickly she side-stepped him and without thinking leaned into him, her face in his neck and arms wrapping around his chest. "Yes it is." she mumbled. "You won't hurt me." she soothed. Slowly he turned his head and wrapped his free arm around her too, the other still braced on the wall.

"But Alex-"

"Your big secret is that you're a werewolf, isn't it?" she leaned back just enough to see his face, and his heart leapt into his throat seeing the tears she had already shed over him. To his surprise, she gave him a watery smile, and the same hiccuping laugh as she continued, "Well my big secret is that I'm a wizard." It took a second for her words to register, to recognize that she hadn't been laughing at him, that she hadn't been afraid when he had growled at her, that she was in fact alright.

"I'm dangerous." he said simply, feeling his own eyes begin to water. His angel, his Alex, was right here in front of him and didn't seem to be running away in terror like previous girlfriends had when they accidentally found out his family secret. She continued to hold him even though he knew he looked very wolf-ish. The state that was, according to the whole magical dimension, his most dangerous state. Trying to be gentle he cupped her cheek, and watched mesmerized as she leaned into his touch.

"Not to me." she assured him.

It was on the way back upstairs to her family's apartment that she shook her head, tugging him along by the hand. "I get why you didn't tell me, I mean I didn't exactly tell you either– but did you really have to act all secrety? You really had me starting to wonder if there was someone else." She spoke with a grimacing frown, glad her fear was unfounded.

"I'm sorry, Love," he sighed, kissing her fingertips. "I didn't realize how much my secret was going to be a problem until it was."

He paused outside of their door. "I promise." he declared, placing yet another soft kiss to her fingertips and then to her forehead. "I promise you're the only one for me." The smile she gave him made the admission worth the gamble, and he was surprised when she leaned back in to return the feeling with a soft kiss. "I think…" she paused with a sharp breath in, "I think I love you." she whispered to him, her cheeks flushing red as she turned, an embarrassed but happy look on her face. He barely had time to blink at her, transfixed, before being pulled along back to the dinner they had both left so suddenly maybe 20 minutes ago.