You look so much younger than twenty-five!" Luca exclaimed.
Jimmy chuckled, shaking his head. "Back where I come from, people always told me I looked older."
"They must be lying," Luca said, his eyes scanning Jimmy's face. "You look so young. When we first met, I honestly thought I was the older one."
Luca went quiet, holding back the flood of questions he wanted to ask. He was curious about Jimmy's world, but the fear of how Jimmy might react kept his curiosity at bay. He stayed silent, keeping his thoughts to himself.
"So," Jimmy asked, breaking the silence, "how am I supposed to get out of here? You told me your brother is a beast."
Luca winced. "Ouch. That hurts. You're basically calling me a beast, too. Would a 'beast' save your life?" He looked toward the window. "It's getting late; we should get some sleep."
"Where am I supposed to sleep?" Jimmy looked at the floor. "I can't sleep on this grass. I need something soft."
"Okay, okay," Luca sighed. "I'll go hunting."
"For what?"
"You said you can't sleep on the grass, right? I'll go find some furs for you."
Jimmy tried to protest, telling Luca he could manage, but Luca insisted. Eventually, they both lay down to rest. As the moonlight filtered in, Jimmy spoke up again. "I'm curious... how do you turn into a wolf?"
Luca chuckled softly. "We only turn when we want to hunt, or during the full moon. But even like this, our senses are sharp. We can smell or feel things from far away."
"Are you guys... harmless?" Jimmy whispered.
"Few are," Luca admitted. He grew somber. "I've heard stories about my mother, but I never met her. I was told she didn't want anything to do with me. To me, she's dead. I tell everyone I don't have a mother."
Jimmy looked at him with concern. "Are you okay, Luca?"
"I don't know," Luca responded honestly. "Maybe I've just grown to resent her. Unlike my step-brothers, who have their mothers by their sides, I've always felt like I don't belong here. I hate my family." He turned the question back. "What about yours?"
Jimmy was speechless. He had grown up with his parents always by his side. As an only child, he had never felt left out or unloved. He didn't know how to tell Luca that without sounding like he was rubbing it in.
"If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine," Luca said. "Maybe you just don't feel like it."
"It's not that," Jimmy said quickly. "I just don't want to seem like I'm bragging."
Luca laughed. "It's fine. I've heard it before. Don't worry about it."
"I'm tired," Jimmy said, yawning. "Goodnight, Luca."
But Luca couldn't sleep. He wasn't used to sharing his space, and having someone else in the cabin felt awkward yet strangely nice. He turned to look at Jimmy, who was already fast asleep. He looked so peaceful—like a "sleepy puppy," Luca thought.
Unable to help himself, Luca leaned in. One kiss wouldn't hurt, right? He hesitated for a heartbeat, then leaned down and pressed his lips to Jimmy's. Shaken by his own boldness, Luca quickly shifted away, putting distance between them as his heart raced.
But Jimmy wasn't actually asleep. He had felt everything. He lay there, blushing in the dark, realizing how shy Luca was. Tomorrow, Jimmy thought, I'll confront him. Or... maybe I'll just act stupid and see if he confesses on his own.
By morning, Luca was already gone. He returned later with fresh meat, fruit, and the furs he had promised. While they were eating, Luca's ears twitched. Noise was coming from the bushes.
"Hide!" Luca hissed at Jimmy. He quickly grabbed some blood from the raw meat and smeared it on the cabin walls to mask the human scent.
A girl stepped out of the brush. It was Amy, Luca's childhood friend. "It's been so long since you came out to hunt," she said, looking around suspiciously. "What have you been doing in this cabin?"
"Can I trust you, Amy?" Luca asked, his voice trembling.
"We've been friends since we were little! How can you even ask that?" Amy looked hurt. "I'm disappointed, Luca."
"I do trust you," Luca said softly. "I'm just scared. It's a huge secret." After making her promise to stay silent, Luca called Jimmy out.
Jimmy stepped out with a smirk. "Wow. What a show. That was some great acting, Luca."
"This isn't a joke," Luca snapped. He turned to Amy. "I found him injured. I healed him. I know it's forbidden, but I'm going to help him cross to the other side."
Amy was speechless. "A human? Luca, if your brothers find out, they'll behead us both!"
"As long as you help me, we'll be safe," Luca promised.
Amy looked at Jimmy, her eyes narrowing. "How do we know this human won't draw attention to us?"
"Hey," Jimmy interjected. "You can ask Luca. have I caused any trouble since I've been here?"
Amy forced a smile and reached out to shake Jimmy's hand. "I hope we get along. Nice to meet you." But deep down, as she looked at him, she knew things were changing. She wasn't ready to share her best friend with a human.