Episode 4

"Anastasia"

After my rejection, I felt like discarded, horrible trash; I didn't want to live anymore. I was determined not to fight and would surrender to the deepest ice, until suddenly, after a long time lying in the snow without strength and nearly dying of hypothermia, my wolf awoke, bringing me a survival instinct.

Diane- You will not die here!

A strong light radiated from my body, warming me completely. My flesh, which was trembling with cold, was now warm.

I look around and realize it's already daytime. Strands of my hair rest on the snow, and only now do I notice: my hair is white...

"Did the snow freeze me that much?"

Diane- Haha, silly! That's your original hair color.

Anastasia- What do you mean? How strange...

Diane- Don't call it strange! It's your origin, be proud. For years I've watched you suffer in silence. You are humble and meek, you deserve to be happy...

Anastasia- Origin? And what about our mate?

Diane- Send him to hell!

Anastasia- Hahaha... You are incredible, wolf!

Diane- His wolf is whining and calling me, but I won't let him locate me until he controls that imbecile human of his!

Anastasia- And how will we survive without him?

Diane- I have an idea what to do.

Anastasia- What are you going to do?

Diane- I just need you to go to the human world.

Anastasia- I would like to, but I don't know what to do to get there. Everything is surrounded by magic, and it's strictly forbidden for a wolf to enter the human world.

Diane- After everything they did to you, you're still going to obey their damn rules?

Anastasia- Thinking about it that way, no, I won't!

Diane- Great! We'll get there by simply teleporting.

Anastasia- Hahaha, you're good at telling jokes. That doesn't exist! Only if I were a witch or a wizard would I be able to do that.

Diane- Witches and wizards aren't the only ones who can do that, beautiful!

Anastasia- What do you mean? I'm completely lost, what am I after all?

Diane- A dragon.

Anastasia- Hahaha, you continue to surprise me, wolf.

Diane- I'm not kidding. You are a dragon!

Anastasia- Wait, seriously? How is that possible? Dragons have been extinct for millennia...

Diane- I can't explain your origin to you here, Anastasia! I just need you to trust me and close your eyes.

I close my eyes and she says:

Diane- Imagine yourself in the human world you saw.

Anastasia- How do you know?

Diane- Focus!

I try to do that, but without success...

Diane- Relax, you're tense!

I try to relax, but it's impossible with my chest ripped apart from being rejected. What if I go back? After all, we're mates, and he won't be able to escape this bond.

Diane- Are you seriously thinking about going back to those scum?

Anastasia- I don't know the human world; I could end up dying there or becoming an aberration "that needs to be extinct."

Diane- I'm your wolf, you need to trust me...

I feel something warm in my chest, and somehow it ends up comforting me...

I try again and feel my feet float, I panic, and end up falling face first into the snow.

Diane- Still the same clumsy girl as always...

Anastasia- What?

Diane- What, what?

Anastasia- What you just said...

Diane- What?

Anastasia- "Still the same," why do I have the feeling I already know you?

Diane- We don't have time for this! Our mate will end up sensing us if we stay this close to him. I'm doing my best to block him, but he's getting even more desperate. I need you to react!

With the desperation of facing him, I end up feeling my feet float, and suddenly a white flash appears. I close my eyes, and when I open them, I find myself on a busy road full of vehicles... I look around like a fool, completely lost, until...

"WATCH OUT!!"

I'm brutally pushed to the ground, causing both of us to fall, and I hear the man who almost ran me over yell:

"WHY DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, YOU CRAZY WOMAN!!"

What a daring human. If I were in my wolf form, I would tear apart his tacky car.

"Are you okay?"

The human boy who saved me looks at me, checking for scratches. He's blond with blue eyes and looks at me with admiration, longing, and... Desire?

"Why the hell am I seeing human emotions?"

Diane- It's because you're a dragon.

Anastasia- Now you show up, huh? I almost died there...

Diane- Barely... With so much energy, I ended up shutting down. In short, you need to distance yourself so he doesn't see your wounds heal in front of him.

Anastasia- What?

Diane- Look at your knee.

I look at my knee and notice it's bleeding... I'm not feeling pain, in fact, I'm not feeling anything!

"Aaahh, what is happening??"

Diane- Calm down, don't freak out. You'll scare the human!

"Are you okay?"

I look at the individual in front of me and think:

"Humans are quite handsome..."

Diane- Don't even think about it! You already have a mate, you fool.

Anastasia- Can you stop calling me those rude names?

Diane- Force of habit.

"Hey..."

The boy, noticing my trance, tried to get my attention...

Anastasia- Hi...

"Are you okay?"

Anastasia- Just a little sore...

I lie, covering my knee, which, incredibly, was already completely healed. Normally wolves regenerate, but it takes minutes or even hours. I myself only regenerated after long 5 hours, as I was weak and incapable...

I push those thoughts away and focus on the boy in front of me.

"My name is Guilherme, but you can call me Gui. And you?"

Anastasia- My name is Anastasia...

Gui- Nice to meet you, Anastasia...

•Guilherme is 22 years old...•

Gui- Why were you standing in the middle of the highway?

Anastasia- I had a setback...

I speak, remembering teleporting out of nowhere.

Gui- Sorry to say this to your face, but you're so beautiful it hurts my eyes.

I was completely embarrassed by that; I'm not used to being called beautiful by anyone.

Diane- Well, get used to it!

Gui- Sorry if I made you uncomfortable. It's just that I'm amazed at how surreally beautiful you are...

I feel my cheeks heat up...

"Damn, I'm definitely blushing..."

Gui- You don't have to be embarrassed. Come here...

He said, extending his hand to help me up. I took his hand and stood up. His gaze on me didn't go unnoticed by my wolf...

Diane- I don't like this human already.

Gui- Do you have any family here?

I spoke sharply:

Anastasia- No. They're all dead to me!

Gui- Sorry...

Anastasia- No need to apologize.

He looks around, running his hands through his hair, and says:

Gui- Do you at least know where you are?

I speak sincerely:

Anastasia- In the human world?

Gui- Haha, you're funny.

Gui- We're in the USA, New Jersey...

"In other words, the human world..."

Gui- Do you have anywhere to go?

Anastasia- Actually, no.

Gui- If you want, you can come to my place.

I looked at him incredulously and said:

Anastasia- I'm not that kind of girl...

Gui- Haha, I misspoke, sorry. I don't stay there, and most of the time I only go there to get some things. I live in the dormitory at my work. If you want, I can lend you my apartment until you figure out your situation here...

Anastasia- Okay, I accept, thank you!

Gui- I'm not a scoundrel who would leave a lost girl on a highway.

Anastasia- Haha, thanks again!

I followed him to his car, and now I allowed myself to notice the differences between my world and this one. Back in the pack, the streets are made of stone, and the cars are completely different from these, and almost nobody has them, since we don't need them that much.

Now it's your turn, Diane...

Diane- I'm looking for your sister...

Anastasia- What? No, no. My sister is a snake and will kill me when she finds me, simply for being the Alpha's mate.

Diane- No, the other sister. Your real sister!

Anastasia- Now I'm even more lost...

Diane- Calm down, the pieces will fall into place over time.

Gui- So, shall we go?

I followed Guilherme to a car near the road that seems to be his. We get in the car, and he starts driving. During the ride, I'm impressed by how evolved humans are. Huge buildings that look a bit like the Alpha's castle, along with fancy glass stores, seem commonplace here. In the pack, only noble families can have stores like that...

Gui- Are you ever going to tell me how you ended up here?

Anastasia- It's complicated...

Gui- I understand... If you ever want to talk, I'm all ears.

I remain silent, remembering all the humiliations I went through in my homeland. Insults, persecution, envy, misunderstandings, and hatred were all that surrounded me! I never received love from anyone and was always considered a monster. What could be different here? After all, how did my beauty come back? Why is he being so kind? These questions swirled in my head, and I can only come to one conclusion: he feels sorry for me, that's all!

Diane- You're the only one who feels sorry for yourself.

Gui- Do you like apartments?

* What is that?...*

Damn, how do I answer?

Diane- Just say yes...

Anastasia- Yes, I like them.

Gui- Phew, that's good...

I didn't quite understand until he arrived at a building that looked more like a castle but straight and tall. I followed him, and we entered this building. We started walking until we reached something resembling a huge metal door.

The doors of this thing opened, and he stepped inside this thing. It was like a mini room. I was a little apprehensive but ended up going in, until suddenly this thing started moving, making me panic and sit on the floor with my hands on my chest.

Gui- Is everything alright?

He bends down and puts his hands on my forehead.

Gui- Do you have claustrophobia?

Anastasia- What's that?

Gui- You don't know what claustrophobia is?

He asked with a mixture of surprise in his eyes. I just nodded with shame...

Gui- Well, it's when you're afraid of enclosed spaces...

That serves as a good excuse, but I can't lie anymore.

Anastasia- No, I don't.

Gui- Then why are you scared?

Think fast, Anastasia...

Anastasia- I'm anxious, that's all.