I found an injured werewolf. During my downtime, my favorite thing to do was bury my face in his soft, thick fur and fall asleep. Later, after he healed and transformed back into his human form, he warned me, his eyes blazing with a fierce light. "A werewolf has only one mate in their entire life. I already have a she-wolf I love, and I will never, ever accept you." With that, he ran off. I was left standing there, utterly stunned and confused. What was he talking about? I’d been treating him like a dog. What did any of this have to do with being his mate? ... Later, I bought a big, goofy Labrador. As I was walking him home, I found the werewolf crouched by my front door, a look of utter misery on his face. "You humans are so fickle," he sobbed. "Get rid of it. Keep me instead, please? My fur is thicker and softer than his. I eat less, and I can earn money—all of it for you. "...If you don't agree, I'll eat that stupid mutt you're holding!" 1 It was the third month since I’d found the werewolf when he vanished into the dark and stormy night. Right before he left, he shot me a ferocious glare and warned me, "A werewolf has only one mate in their entire life. I already have a she-wolf I love, and I will never accept you! Get those disgusting thoughts out of your head. I will never love you!" And just like that, he was gone, leaving me frozen in place, completely bewildered. What on earth was he talking about? I had been treating him like a dog this whole time. What did that have to do with being his mate? 2 Finding the werewolf was a complete accident. At first, I thought he was just a large dog. But on the third day after I brought him home, I found him transformed into a man. He was sprawled lazily across my sofa cushions, munching on potato chips while watching TV. When something funny came on, his big, fluffy tail wagged back and forth with delight. In that moment, I think my brain short-circuited. I just stood there, questioning my own sanity. Later, with a look of utter disdain, he condescendingly explained the whole werewolf thing to me. Only then did I realize he was a perfectly normal—if evolved—creature. "So, can you eat kibble?" I asked, gently kneading his ear. "Don't—don't do that!" His face flushed a deep crimson, radiating heat as he took a step back. He answered me seriously, "I eat meat. I would never touch dog food. I'm not one of those pathetic, tail-wagging creatures that grovel for human affection." I just stared at him. He was going to be high-maintenance. 3 The werewolf’s departure was as sudden as it was strange. I racked my brain for a while, trying to figure out what his deal was, but eventually, I gave up. Life returned to its calm, predictable rhythm. That is, until two weeks later. A potential client asked to meet at a café to discuss a project, so I brought my laptop and went. While we were talking, my eyes drifted, and by sheer coincidence, I saw him. The werewolf. He was in his human form—tall, powerfully built, and dressed in a sharp suit. His eyes were cold and distant as he leaned against the railing of the second-floor landing, gazing down at the crowd below with an air of impatience. "Miss Hayes, do you know Mr. Blackwood?" the client asked, noticing my gaze. His voice was full of hope. "He's a major shareholder in Apex Industries. I picked this place specifically because I know he’s a regular here. Perhaps you could introduce us?" I blinked, realizing he was talking about the werewolf. I shook my head. "No, I don't know him. I was just thinking he's very handsome. Sorry." The client sighed, unable to hide his disappointment. His attitude toward me cooled for the rest of the meeting. I didn't mind. After I finished my presentation and was getting up to pay, I saw the werewolf again. He had his head tilted, speaking to a chic, sophisticated woman. They were standing incredibly close, their bodies almost overlapping, as if he were holding her in a loose embrace. It almost looks like they're kissing, I thought, turning my eyes away without another thought. On my way home, I passed a pet shelter and saw a big, beautiful dog in the window. A golden Labrador. I placed my hand on the glass. As if on cue, he looked up, broke into a wide, goofy grin, and lifted a paw, pressing it against the glass right where my hand was. In that instant, my decision was made. I was taking him home. 4 Having a dog was so much easier than having a werewolf. My new dog couldn't talk, he loved his kibble, and he was impeccably behaved. Whenever I wasn't home, he would just lounge lazily on the rug, waiting for me to come back and take him for a walk. I took him everywhere—the beach, the park, even to see the seals at the aquarium. One day, I stopped at a coffee shop, but the barista said dogs weren't allowed inside. I tied his leash to a post by the door and told him to be a good boy. Suddenly, two figures appeared beside me. It was the werewolf, and with him, the woman from the other day. The woman stared at my Labrador's happily wagging tail and sneered. "Dogs… such beggars for human affection. They're a disgrace to all canines." Beside her, the werewolf's gaze darkened, his eyes fixed on me with a stormy expression. I ignored them both. I ruffled my Labrador's head and whispered, "Be a good boy, sweetie. Mommy's making you meatballs tonight." Then, I stood up and walked right past them without a single glance. 5 When I came out, my dog was gone. The leash was unclipped, and both it and the dog had vanished. For a second, I froze. The werewolf was standing by the door, lighting a cigarette. Seeing my panic, he let out a sound that was a mix of scorn and excitement. "See? It abandoned you. How could you expect loyalty from a creature with no real intelligence?" Werewolves could smoke? I turned away from him in disgust and started walking, calling out my dog's name and asking passersby if they'd seen a golden Labrador. After walking for over a mile with no luck, a knot of panic began to tighten in my stomach. Just as I was about to call Animal Control, that smug, irritating voice sounded beside me again. "He's gone, so just let him go. What's so great about that dumb mutt anyway? Can't even follow his owner's scent. It's a disgrace to the canine family. And what's so good-looking about him? All yellowish-brown, like a pile of... well, you know. You shouldn't just get a dog, you know. Canines are very possessive..." That was it. I snapped. "What is wrong with you?" I hissed, my voice shaking with suppressed fury. He froze, his expression turning to one of pure disbelief. "You're yelling at me? For that stupid dog? You've only had him for two weeks, and you're yelling at me for him! What's next, are you going to set him on me? You can't do this to me." He looked genuinely hurt. So hurt, in fact, that he looked like he was about to cry. His normally narrow wolf eyes were wide and glistening with an angry red tint. I was speechless. I had no idea what was going through his head. "He's my dog. Of course I'm going to protect him. Besides, you're the one who said we have nothing to do with each other." I looked him up and down, taking in his expensive, custom-tailored suit. Then, I held out my hand. "Looks like you're doing pretty well for yourself in the human world. You can start by paying me back for all the meat you ate while I was taking care of you. I need to buy my dog some new toys." "You—you!" He looked like he was about to choke on his own rage, stammering, "A dumb mutt doesn't need toys..." "Mr. Blackwood!" A man's voice cut him off, calling from across the street. The client from the other day came jogging over, his eyes shining with excitement. He turned to me, his attitude a complete one-eighty from our last meeting. "Miss Hayes! Why didn't you tell me you knew Mr. Blackwood? That project—we'll sign immediately! I'll have our legal team draw up the contract right now. If I'd known you two were so close, we wouldn't have wasted all this time!" I just stood there. My dog was missing, and now I was being forced to work on my day off. Damn werewolf. I forced a smile, and when the client wasn't looking, I shot the werewolf a death glare. His expression crumpled into one of even deeper hurt, his big eyes welling up with tears that threatened to spill over at any second. 6 It was already seven in the evening by the time I finished signing the contract. Exhausted, I walked out of the office building only to find one man and one dog locked in a standoff by the entrance. My golden Labrador's body was tense, his paws scraping against the pavement as he let out a low growl, warning off the threatening "wolf" scent of the man across from him. The werewolf, however, stood with his arms crossed, an air of complete disdain on his face as he spoke to the dog in a language I couldn't understand. ...Was he actually talking to my dog? Could dogs understand the language of wolves? I stood there in disbelief for a moment before walking over and stroking my dog's head to soothe him. "It's okay, sweetie, don't be angry. Mommy's back." The werewolf was silent for a moment, then he walked over and crouched down beside me, his head lowered. "What are you doing?" I asked. "I want you to pet me, too." He nudged his head closer. "You took care of me, too. You can't just pet him and not me." I was at a loss for words. I'd already learned his identity from the client. Aiden Blackwood. The youngest son of the prestigious Blackwood family, a major shareholder in Apex Industries, one of the country's largest tech firms. He was part of the absolute top tier of wealth and power. How could he be such a shameless wolf? I stood up, my face cold. "Was it you who took my dog earlier?" "I didn't steal him," he mumbled. "The leash was loose. It came off with one tug, and then he just followed the scent of a hot dog I had. It wasn't my fault..." I just stared at him, my silence a clear accusation. He bit his lip. "Okay, fine. I was wrong." He looked utterly dejected. "You're just too nice to him. You pet his head, you buy him toys, you even kiss him. I got jealous. You used to only have me, your one and only wolf." 7 "Weren't you the one who said you already had a she-wolf you loved? That we were finished, and that I should stop lusting after you?" I asked, my voice like ice. "That woman you were with the other day... is she the one?" "You're using my love for her to taunt me now? Is this the loyalty you were talking about?" "I'm not being disloyal! That she-wolf is my sister! My actual, born-from-the-same-mother sister!" he explained, flustered. "It was you! You were hugging another man! I got angry, and that's why I said all those hurtful things. A werewolf has only one mate for their entire life. We're not like you humans—so fickle, so unfaithful..." His voice grew softer and more wretched with every word until he was wiping tears away with the back of his hand. "You saved me, you saw me in my pure wolf form, you touched me and held me so many times... that makes you my mate! You can't betray me!" I… It works like that? 8 "I don't like you. I only touched you before because I thought you were a dog... well, a canine. I don't know how your werewolf people define the term 'mate,' but in the human world, hugs and pets don't seal the deal." I was brutally direct with him. "I got a commission from that project, which should cover the cost of your food while you were at my place. We're even now. I don't like you, and I don't want to be your mate. Please stop doing these... strange things. Goodbye. Or rather, let's just never see each other again." With that, I grabbed my Labrador's leash and walked away, my pace quick, desperate to put distance between myself and this bizarre werewolf. He didn't follow. I let out a sigh of relief. Back home, I made my dog a hearty soup with beef, tofu, and cabbage, served with a side of kibble. I sat and watched him lick the bowl clean, my heart aching for him. "That mean werewolf made my baby starve all day," I murmured, stroking his head. "Next time we see him, we'll bite him, okay?" My dog grinned and gave me a high-five with his paw. That night, I was drifting in a hazy state between sleep and wakefulness when I felt something soft and furry brushing against my chin. Thinking it was my dog, I instinctively pushed it away. "Lucky, stop it, honey. Let Mommy sleep." The furry thing paused for a second, then pressed in closer, its tongue darting out to lick my neck. Once, twice. The wet, sticky sensation sent a hot shiver down my spine. My eyes snapped open and met a pair of dark, narrow ones. They were staring straight at me, as if they wanted to devour me whole. It was the werewolf.
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