Baxter:

Daniel held out his shirt to me.

“Here, wear this.”

I stared at it for a moment without saying anything.

My shoulders were broader than his, so he must have dug out one of his baggier shirts for me.

I took it from his hands and pulled it on quickly.

Now, I was standing there in black shorts and Daniel’s oversized shirt.

Everything around me felt unfamiliar, like I had stepped into a different world.

“How are you feeling?” Daniel asked as he sat beside me.

He lived in a high-rise apartment.

It was beautiful, though a little too quiet right now.

From what I had heard, his parents were out of town at the moment, which was probably a good thing.

I really did not want to be around anyone else right now.

“I just want to know who I am,” I replied.

Daniel nodded slightly.

“Of course. Not knowing your own name must be frustrating,” he murmured before slowly pushing the pizza box toward me.

“You and Livia—” I began as I took a bite of the pizza.

It felt like I had not eaten in forever.

“Are you two together or something?”

As soon as the question left my mouth, he laughed.

Still, there was something painful hidden beneath it.

“She would never date someone like me,” he muttered.

The way he said it made it obvious that he liked her, but she did not feel the same way.

“Why not?” I asked in confusion.

“Well, have you seen her?” He glanced down at his hands. “She’s beautiful. Brilliant. And special. Way more special than I could ever be.”

His voice sounded tired by the end of it.

“Do you think you had someone?” he asked quietly. “Someone you loved?”

For a moment, my thoughts drifted.

Then nothing came.

I closed my eyes, and the second I did, a familiar scent filled my senses.

It was soft and warm, carrying something from my past with it.

Then I saw dark brown hair with a faint red tint woven through it.

An unusual color, but beautiful.

“You okay?”

The moment Daniel placed his hand on my shoulder, I opened my eyes and frowned.

“I think I have a mate.”

The words had barely left my mouth before Daniel’s expression twisted.

“Um-what?” he asked, staring at me in confusion.

“Y-Yeah. A mate,” I repeated.

This time, he sounded both shocked and afraid.

“Why is it so shocking?” I asked, watching his face carefully without blinking, making

sure I did not miss a single detail of his reaction.

“It’s just that if-” He hesitated

before looking away. “If that’s the

first thing that cane to your mine then it means you have a wolf. And if it

that’s true, you’re in the wrong part

of the land.”

His words made the hair on the back of my neck rise.

I tilted my head slightly, still staring at him.

It felt like I understood parts of what he was saying, yet there were still people

missing from my memories.

Faces I could not remember no matter how hard I tried.

“What do you mean by I’m in the wrong part?” I questioned. “Didn’t your researchers

say they found me here after the accident?”

The second the words left my mouth, Daniel swallowed hard.

He looked horrified, as if I had just caught him in a lie.

“I don’t think you should be asking so many questions. Why don’t you get some rest?”

Daniel had barely said that before trying to stand, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

The moment I did, he dropped onto the couch like he weighed nothing. “Wow-you’re strong,” he remarked, staring at me with clear unease.

“Listen, we’re only saying this for your safety he continued. “This is the human part of the world. Werewolves don’t come here. So for you to mention a mate especially if you came from the other side “He paused again and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Imean, you were brought here in a car, and then you got into an accident. We still don’t know who brought you.”

I could tell the last part was a lie. I could feel it.

“Listen,” Daniel said again, his tone more serious, this time. “Don’t talk to anyone about your past right now Our president is in a coma, and everything’s complicated at the moment. Please, just trust us For your own safety, don’t say anything to anyone. And don’t try to contact anyone either.”

He suddenly looked deeply uncomfortable with the entire conversation, like he regretted sitting down beside me in the first place.

“Then I want the truth,” I said firmly. “No more excuses. No more lies. I want to remember my past.”

Before I could say anything else, his phone rang.

Livia’s name flashed across the screen.

Daniel looked at it, then glanced at me before quietly excusing himself.

He did not go far, though.

He only walked a few steps away before answering the call.

“Yeah, you’re calling at the perfect time,” he muttered under his breath while keeping one eye on me. “You’re saving me from a very awkward conversation.”

He was not even trying to hide it.

Then I watched his eyes widen so suddenly that he looked ready to leap out of his

skin.

I could not tell whether he was more shocked or excited.

“That’s great news,” he exclaimed. “I’ll be there in a minute, okay?”

He ended the call and turned to me with a grin.

“You know the medicine we gave you? It’s the same medicine we gave the president. And he woke up. He’s finally awake.”

He sounded genuinely thrilled, while I still had no idea what was happening.

Still, if the president was awake, maybe I would not have to hide anymore. Maybe whatever danger surrounded me would finally disappear.