Auri was humming to herself as she prepared breakfast. She must have had a good sleep last night.

I, however, had not gotten as much sleep as I wanted last night. We had sat on the bed and watched a movie about a world where people did not have the ability to transform into animals (the concept was so wild to me). Just as she had said, Auri had fallen asleep halfway through it. I had tried my best not to touch her, but her unconscious self had been rolling over to me and grabbing me every other minute. It had not been easy falling asleep when my heartbeat had been throbbing in my eardrums and my body had been lighting up in flames at Auri's every touch.

I slumped onto the table and suppressed a yawn. "Going to work today?"

"I'm thinking of taking the day off," Auri said as she slid a few pancakes onto my plate. "I want to help you with your situation. Maybe I could go to your territory and talk to your father?"

"Don't." I shook my head. I remembered the way my father had called wererabbits 'prey' and shuddered. "It won't turn out well. Trust me."

"Oh... How about talking to Celine or Max and getting them to help you?"

"No, don't drag them into this. I don't want their standing in the pack to be affected."

Auri's lips stuck out in a small pout. She slid into the chair next to me and sighed. "So... no one can help?"

"No one in the pack. I could possibly get help from other wereanimals." I thought for a while. "Maybe the werebears. They had a feud with my father for the longest time and might be willing to get on my side. I could go talk to them."

"You werewolves are so strange," Auri muttered, stabbing absentmindedly at her pancakes. "Nobody can veto the Alpha's orders?"

"No such thing. The Alpha's word is always final unless someone challenges him and takes over."

"Challenges him?"

"Yeah, like a fight to the death."

"Oh." Auri blinked. "Oh. Oh my god. To the death? That's crazy!"

I took some time gulping down my food as I wondered. Having grown up in the plains, I had never thought about how strange our traditions must sound to other wereanimals.

"You're right, it kinda is," I agreed. "It's not common though, we do try to keep things peaceful. The Alpha usually chooses an heir and everyone usually agrees with the decision. Now that I'm out, my father would need to choose another heir for the pack." Speaking the last sentence left a bitter taste in my mouth.

"That's... strange. You werewolves are strange," Auri repeated softly. "And you guys have this... mate thing, too. With the magical tattoos and all that. Celine was talking about her mate, your brother, and how werewolves only mate with one person for the rest of their life. Is that true for everyone in your pack?"

"That's the norm, yeah, as far as I know. What about the wererabbits?"

"It depends. If we're basing it on my experiences, then not at all." Auri rolled her eyes as she stuffed more pancakes into her mouth. "But well, my parents managed to find each other and stuck together for quite some time. Lucky them, I guess. But a lot of us don't."

"Not all of us can find a mate either. I mean, I don't have one."

Auri's eyes darted towards me. "Oh? Do you want to?"

I tilted my head. "I've never thought much about it, to be honest. I guess... I just didn't think I'd find someone."

"Why would you think that?" Auri chided. "You're awesome, Bodie. Anybody would be lucky to be your mate."

My heart skipped a beat at that. It was not that I had thought nobody would want to mate with me. I had just never bothered to give it much thought. The idea of a mate never really appealed to me. But as I stared at Auri's earnest expression, for the first time in my life, I thought about it. I thought about having a mate.

Why was it that Auri could always make me do things I never thought I would ever do?

"I think I'll be lucky if she chooses me back," I said.

Auri's eyes widened before she gave me a knowing smile. "I'd choose you."

I dropped my fork, but I did not bother picking it up. "You- You would?"

Auri nodded. "You're awesome, Bodie. You're kind and caring and sweet and thoughtful. I love talking to you. I've never felt more free and relaxed talking to anybody." Her smile broadened. "I'd choose you."

My cheeks, my face, my entire body, heated up. I did not expect myself to have the guts to say what I said, and I definitely did not expect Auri to reply like that. My heart thumped against my chest as I stared at her. Her every feature flooded into my senses: her adorable face, glistening eyes, curved lips. Her nose twitches, quiet breaths, her scent...

I recalled asking Celine before she had mated with my brother.

"How do you know he is the one for you?" I had asked.

And she had answered. "When you know, you know."

And right now, at this moment, I knew.

I found myself lowering, leaning towards Auri. She returned my gaze, sitting up and reaching towards me too.

And then, we kissed.