After some looking, Austin was finally able to find the broom and hammer. The majority of the rest of the day was spent helping to clean up the mess he had made.

He used the broom and dustpan to sweep the crystalised flowers into wooden bins, while Jason chipped away at the stuck rocks on the floor. It didn't take too long to get everything packed away, especially with the other kids and creatures that were milling about the room helping.

"Austin." appeared in the doorway and beckoned the younger boy over.

He was led to the room Miss McCain had been working in while everyone else had been cleaning up. She gestured to a table where several items were sitting. "An ocean alloy knife forged with the nectar of a crystal moon flower, an overcoat woven from thunderbird feathers. Let's see, there's also a glashtyn hide, a serviceable belt, and I think I'll go ahead and throw in a string of steel ivy and a loupe of fluorspar." She smiled proudly at all of the items on the table.

Austin didn't know what to say. He had just met this woman and made a complete mess in her home, now she was making these things for him? "They just need a bit of tweaking. They should be finished by the time everything is all cleaned up."

After the room was cleaned up as Austin's arms were sore from carrying so many boxes. After putting the cleaning supplies away, he found Kylee with Willow, Vega, Lumiya, Jackson, Lupin and Aki. The four of them had been helping him with the boxes.

He was surprised to see them there. Kylee smiled, "We just wanted to help."

Austin was grateful for their help. He thanked them and promised that they would be finished soon. After putting the cleaning supplies away, it wasn't long before Miss McCain appeared with a brown paper bag.

She handed it to Austin and was surprised at how heavy it was. "Here you go. Well, Take care now. And you behave." She sent Jason a withering glance. He looked annoyed. "Don't worry, you'll be fine." She patted Austin on the head as he opened the shop door for them. As they walked down the street, Austin sent one last wave back, and Miss McCain hardily returned it.

The walk back to the train station was quiet, neither saying a word, but that was alright with Austin. He was content to just enjoy the walk, the warmth of the sun, and the company of Jason and the others. He was grateful for their care and support.

He hoped that it would be enough to help him get through this difficult time. He was determined to stay strong and make the most of the situation.

When they arrived at the station and waited for their train, Austin never thought to see Seattle. He was excited to see the city, but he also felt a deep sense of sadness from leaving behind people in Minnesota at the orphanage. He felt a sinking feeling in his chest.

Austin hoped that he would be allowed to come back and explore the city again soon. As they waited, he observed the other people there. He noticed how friendly everyone was and how excited they were to be there. Austin felt a sense of hope and he was determined to make the best of it.

They didn't have to wait very long before their train arrived. They sped farther and farther along into the country. They arrived back home. Home. How weird and wonderful that word was. He took in the smell of the late afternoon, and the grit in the air that came from the dusty road they walked. Crickets were just beginning to sing in the underbrush. It was peaceful. "Based on that display earlier, I take it you like dandelions."

It had been so quiet that Jason' comment startled him "I think so. I don't know many flowers, so wouldn't really know. I just had a happy memory of them. Miss McCain had said to think of a flower, and I had been given a poppy flower as a gift once, while I was in the orphanage."

"Orphanage, It's the place you ran away from." Jason said.

"Yes, looking back at it now I was so depressed back then." Austin said.

"Why were you in the orphanage? How longer were you there? Could your family not care for you? Did they die, or did they abandon you?" Jason said.

"Yes?" Austin couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Jason seemed startled and cocked his to the side at his reaction. "I'm sorry, it's just that you're so blunt. Most people don't just come out and ask those sorts of questions."

"Whatever happened in the past doesn't change the facts of the present." He walked closer to him. "You are here now, with me, with us." He reached out a hand and put it on his shoulder.

Austin felt his heart swell with emotion. Jason's words meant more to him than he could ever express. He took a deep breath and nodded.

"I know that's true, but the past lingers. It doesn't blow away as easily as dandelion seeds in the wind. I know that I am here now, and I intend to make the most of it." They began walking again, and he thought about Jason and the way he would say the truth so bluntly.

It felt safe and even comforting after having dealt with years of going through the foster care system, Austin knew Jason was right - the past was in the past. All he could do was focus on the present and make the most of his life.

As they saw the house as he crested over the hill as the sun went down, Austin took a deep breath and a feeling of hope washed over him.

"Oi! Anakin!" They both looked up to see a man standing by the front door of the house, waving enthusiastically at them. He was wearing a priest's habit and a light gray wool sweater. A cross sat around his neck, and a bible was gripped in one hand, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Welcome home!" he said, his warm voice full of joy. The man sprinted up to them and started yelling at Anakin. "Didn't I write back to tell you when I would be arriving, and you decided to pop out just when I was getting here. That's plain rude!"

"We had some errands to run." Anakin answered.

"Your housekeeper hates me so much she wouldn't even let me in the house. I've been stuck out front this whole time!" he said.

"I don't hate you, I told you you have to wait here, you know I have someone to take care of." Alisa said.

"Of course, do you think that he's going to make it?" the man said.

"Of course, he's slowly recovering from the poison." Alisa said. "I don't know why you bothered coming if all you're going to do is complain."

He growled in frustration. Austin would be too if someone was brushing him off as Alisa was doing to this man. The man stopped when he noticed Austin. "So I take it you're the new apprentice? Austin, wasn't it? Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Simon Kalm. Welcome to the team. I'm sure you'll be a big help to us." Simon extended his hand and Austin shook it.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, and my name is Asutin Resse." Austin said.

"I was dropping by here to see if you two would do me a bit of a favor." Simon said.

"How could I have guessed?" Alisa brushed past the man and made his way into the house. Simon, Austin and the others followed him. Everyone seated themselves in the living room.

After setting his things down on a desk in the corner, he joined them and sat next to Jason and Simon on the couch while Anakin took the armchair.

"You know, I was waiting two whole hours." Simon said.

Alisa ignored him and turned to Anakin. "What's the favor?" she asked.

There are some matters the church isn't able to deal with at this time. They should be easy enough for you, though." Simon said.

"Three? That's quite a few." Alisa said.

"I know you all don't want to get involved in this after what happened to Bruce, but someone needs to do it," Simon said. "Please."

Alisa sighed. "Alright," she said. "What do you need us to do?"

"The church got this picture from a spy, I believe that you recognize her." He pulls the envelope out of his coat pocket, reveals a photo of a young woman in black, Alisa and Anakin nodding in agreement. They turned to Simon.

"We'll take care of it," Anakin said. "We'll let you know how it goes."

"Oh, Austin, Simon here serves as the priest at the village church. Although, given that he reads sermons both as a priest and a pastor, you might say he's something of a fence straddler." Alisa said.

"I prefer well-rounded scholars, thank you." Simon set the cup of tea down to make his retort.

"Anyhow, there's no reason to be nervous around him. Simon is a bit of a coward, you see." Alisa said

"Yes. I am but a poor pitiful lamb. See how I cower in fear before the terrible wolf." Simon said.

"Die." Anakin said.

Austin stifled a chuckle as she watched them. They acted like siblings that were messing with each other and seeing how much they could get away with before getting into trouble.

"Austin, I expect that you've had a rough go of it lately." Simon put a hand on her shoulder. "My sympathies. It must have been truly awful. You're welcome to come around the church when you tire of this miserable old curmudgeon. You can cry on my shoulder."

"Enough, Simon." Alisa said as she came in and set the dinner food on the table before protectively wrapping her arms around Austin.

"I know that I'm not welcome, I'm not pleased to be doing this either. I assure you nobody from the church is eager to stir up trouble with werewolves that have already lived longer than we know." Simon said as he stood up and faced her. "Is it ready? The usual?"

"Yes." Alisa walked over to Simon and handed him a small white paper bag.

"Nothing is better than this medicine. I'm not exaggerating. Oh, here," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of folded papers. "I found that encyclopedia entry you wanted." He handed the papers to Alisa, who stuffed them in his own pocket. Then Simon turned back to Austin. "The whole land swears by this medicine! You'll learn a lot as his apprentice, including the art of crafting medicines, truly miraculous ones. The medicine of a mage is both effective and gentle to the body, so I hope you'll study well."

Austin could feel a smile growing on his face. He couldn't wait to start learning. "You can count on it." He then opened the door and was off down the path. Simon seemed to get Alisa' nerves, but he hoped he would come back and visit. "He seems like a nice man, and it was obvious that he thinks highly of what you do, Guys. Although, it seems that the church is a point of contention between the two of you. If the church doesn't approve of magic, why does he come here and take the medicine you make?"

"Well, we..." Jason said.

"Jason, it's almost moonlight." Jackson said.

"Ok, it's getting late, I'll explain everything later." Jason said.

A sense of unease hung in the air as Austin stood at the edge of the wooden mansion. The conversation had taken a strange turn, and the mention of werewolves had left him all feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Jason, what do you mean about werewolves?" Austin's voice echoed in the night, his words laced with a hint of disbelief.

Jason hesitated, his eyes darting nervously between his friends. "Well, it's a long story," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "But let's just say that our relationship with the church is...complicated."

Jackson, his brow furrowed in confusion, leaned in closer. "What do you mean, 'complicated'?" he asked.

Jason took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for a confession. "Well, you know how the church has always had a...let's say, strained relationship with certain supernatural beings," he said. "Werewolves, for example."

A collective gasp escaped from his friend' lips. "Werewolves? Are you serious?" Austin exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment.

Jason nodded grimly. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. Our family has been...involved with the church for generations. It's a secret we've kept for centuries."

Austin fell silent as the moon, now high in the sky, cast an eerie glow over the yard, its light illuminating the ancient that seemed to hold secrets of their own. The conversation had taken an unexpected turn, leaving Austin with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"But why?" Austin finally managed to utter, his voice trembling slightly. "Why would your family be involved with the church?"

Jason's expression turned somber. "Because, my dear friend," he replied softly, "we're not just any ordinary family. We're the descendants of a long line of werewolves."

The revelation hung in the air, heavy and oppressive. The moonlight seemed to intensify, casting long and distorted shadows of the friends as they stood there, grappling with the implications of what they had just heard.

"Werewolves?" Austin repeated, his mind struggling to comprehend the magnitude of Jason's words. "But why would your family be werewolves?" his voice barely above a whisper, Austin's mind reeled at Jason's revelation. Werewolves, mythical creatures of folklore and horror movies, werewolves, were now a part of his reality. A torrent of questions and doubts flooded his thoughts, each one more bewildering than the last.

Jason's eyes met Austin's, their gazes locked in a battle of disbelief and understanding. "I know it's hard to fathom," Jason began, his voice a mixture of weariness and resignation. "But it's the truth. My family has been carrying this legacy for generations, passed down through blood and lineage."

Austin's mind raced, searching for any logical explanation, any rational alternative to the supernatural claims Jason was making. But as he looked at Jason's unwavering expression, he realized that his friend was not joking, not fabricating a wild story. The truth was stranger, far stranger than any fiction he had ever read or seen.

Austin's heart raced in his chest as he stared at Jason, his eyes wide with disbelief. "How is this possible?" he asked, his voice trembling. "How can someone become a werewolf?"

Jason took a deep breath, his expression somber. "Well, there are two types of werewolf, bit or born," he explained. "I'm a born werewolf."

Austin's mind raced, trying to process this new information. "Born werewolf?" he repeated. "What do you mean?"

"It means I was born with the werewolf gene," Jason said. "It's a genetic condition that's passed down from generation to generation. It's not something that you can catch or be infected with."

Austin shook his head, still struggling to comprehend what Jason was telling him. "But that doesn't make sense," he said. "Werewolves are supposed to be mythical creatures. They're not real."

"I know it's hard to believe," Jason said, "but it's true. Werewolves exist, and I'm one of them."

Austin stared at Jason, his mind reeling. He had never met anyone like Jason before. He had always thought of werewolves as fictional creatures, but now he was face-to-face with one.

"So what happens now?" Austin asked. "What do I do?"

"There's nothing you need to do," Jason said. "Just know that I'm not a monster. I'm just a person who happens to be a werewolf."

Austin took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. He realized that Jason was right. He wasn't a monster. He was just a person.

"Okay," Austin said. "I think I can handle that."

Jason smiled. "I'm glad," he said. "And if you have any questions, just ask."

Austin nodded, feeling a sense of relief. He was glad that he had met Jason. He was finally starting to understand what it meant to be a werewolf.

After their intense conversation outside, Jason decided to take Austin up to his room,

"So...now that we're a little more comfortable with each other," Jason said as he opened the door to his room, "let's see if we can get to know each other a little better."

"Sounds good to me," Austin replied, stepping inside. "But what do you want to talk about?"

"Anything you want," Jason said. "I'm an open book."

"Well, let's start with the basics," Austin suggested. "What's your favorite color?"

"Blue," Jason answered without hesitation. "It's the color of the sky and the ocean. It's just so calming and peaceful."

"That's a great choice," Austin said. "My favorite color is green. It's the color of nature and growth. It makes me feel happy and hopeful."

"I like that," Jason said. "So what's your favorite animal?"

"Dogs," Austin answered quickly. "They're just so loyal and loving. I've always had a dog in my life, and I don't know what I would do without one."

"I'm a cat person myself," Jason said. "But I can definitely see the appeal of dogs. They're great companions."

"So what's your favorite food?" Austin asked.

"Pizza," Jason answered. "It's the perfect food. It's got everything you could want: cheese, sauce, bread, and toppings. Plus, it's just so delicious."

"I agree," Austin said. "Pizza is definitely up there for me, too."

And so the two of them continued to talk, getting to know each other better with each question. They talked about their families, their friends, their hopes and dreams. And by the end of the night, they felt like they had known each other for years. Jason also wanted to show Austin his new collection of vintage vinyl records and share his love of music with him, Austin was immediately drawn to the wall of records that covered one entire wall. He ran his fingers over the spines, reading the titles and artists. Jason smiled, watching Austin's face light up with curiosity and wonder. He pulled out a few of his favorite records and placed them on the turntable. The music filled the room, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

An unfamiliar scent assaulted Austin's nose. It was harsh, but vibrant, if smells could be like that. It seemed fresh. In a few minutes, Austin was finally able to identify the smell. Grass, and a spring breeze filled with pollen. An open field. Where was the smell coming from? so the grassy scent couldn't be coming from outside. But it also couldn't have originated inside the building.

"Austin, Austin, Austin." Austin stirred as he heard someone close by callout to him. Wearily, he slowly began to blink the sleep from his eyes. He was met with the sight of a warm woolen blanket, and a soft bean bag chair and no Jason.

She didn't recognize this bed. Blearily, she looked around the room, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings. How on earth had she gotten here? Where was he? A continuous raping at the window made it hard to think. Austin glanced at what was making the noise. Pounding on the windowpane was a small winged creature. "Austin!"

Upon seeing his miniscule visitor, Austin's memories of the day before came back. He had thought that it was just a dream. With a tired yawn, he opened the window to let his visitor in. It flew around her head, before taking a seat in his palm and smiling up at him. "I remember, you're my Good Neighbor."

"Hello again. Care for a midnight stroll? There's a lovely forest nearby." Jade said.

Austin glanced around the room and saw that there was no clock to tell the time. Outside, the moon was gleaming in the center of the sky, signaling that it probably was somewhere around the witching hour. With the insane day that he had, Austin was having trouble keeping his eyes open, much less having the energy to venture inside an unfamiliar forest.

"I don't think so. Perhaps tomorrow." Austin did his best to suppress a yawn. He had always been a person who needed his full eight hours of rest.

"Oh, come on. It will be fine." She leaned in close and lowered her voice to a whisper, as if telling him a secret. "We'll just go out for a little bit. A good walk will wear you out, and you'll sleep that much better."

"I'm already so tired, and I'm sure Jason wouldn't want me to go out wandering and get lost."

The Good Friend pouted and crossed her arms. "That's silly, that werewolf. I'm sure he wouldn't mind since I'll be guiding you. Now let's get going." She flew off and started trying to pull a coat out of the dresser. Seeing that the little thing wouldn't leave him until it got what it wanted, Austin let out a tired sigh. He looked inside one of the drawers to find a warm looking cloak was neatly folded up inside, he pulled it on, and the thing practically drug him out of the house.

Austin did his best to quietly make his way through the darkened house, but his new surroundings were unfamiliar, and he accidentally tripped over a small table that he hadn't seen. He had been able to catch it before it had fallen to the ground, but it still made quite the noise. He was silent for a moment, listening to see if he had awoken anyone, but the house remained quiet and dark. Without any more missteps, they made it outside, and Austin quietly shut the door behind them, making sure to not lock himself out. As they passed the house, Austin thought he saw someone standing at a second story window. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked again, but found no one there.

Austin followed her new acquaintance down a dusty road until they came to the end of the path, a few paces away from the trees that marked the beginning of the forest. Austin hesitated stepping off the beaten path, but the faerie begged him to follow her. As they entered the forest, Austin paused to look up at the treetops. He had never seen this many trees in one place before. The bright moon showed through the leaves of the trees and cast shadows on the forest floor. Millions of small twinkling lights surrounded them, and Austin gasped in awe as he watched them sparkle and shine.

"So, tell me about your family." Jade said.

Her Friend startled him out of his thoughts. "Family? I don't have one. My mother abandoned me when I was very young."

"What was she like? Was she kind to you?" Jade said.

"I don't know. I don't remember them, but I like to think so." Austin said.

"Aww, that's unfortunate." The Good Neighbor sent her a pitying look. Was it? He had been so young when his mother abandoned him, he didn't have memories to remember them by to make him sad, of course he would have liked to have known her, but he most often chose not to think about her. "What about other members of your family?"

Austin did his best to hide that the question was a sensitive one. "I don't really know them that well." The Aerial must have sensed his discomfort, because he did not press the matter.

They continued walking, the trees never seeming to end. Austin had heard stories on the news of campers going into the woods and getting lost.

At the time, he thought that they must be stupid for losing their way, but now that he was actually in a forest for the first time, he realized it would take some skill to be able to find his way back.

The forest seemed to get darker as they went, and from the shadows, creatures with glowing eyes stared back at them. "We should probably head back, we've gone pretty far."

"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head about it. Let's keep going. It won't be a problem. After all, you weren't going to be returning to him anyway." Austin cast a wary glance at the creature. It had a sly smirk at its face as it pulled on his coat. It giggled maliciously. "I can't believe we finally managed to pull one over on the werewolves!"

"What?" Austin tried to process what it meant, but he was so tired it was hard to think.

"I'm taking you back to our land, shining one. The others will be terribly cross if I don't!" Austin began to realize his situation. He was being kidnapped.

In a clearing that lay up ahead, where the Faerie was pulling him towards, she could see a bright light. The light was coming from in between two rocks.

"Don't be nervous. It will be great. It will be a lot easier than living in the human world. Look! The way is even open!" The aerial released him and flew towards the rock formation. "This portal leads to the Faerie Kingdom! A world of freedom and fun. You'll like it, I promise!"

Austin didn't come any closer to the portal, not wanting to be dragged in against his will. The Good Neighbor saw that he wasn't coming forward. "Well, come on!" It pulled at his cloak, and although she was tiny, Austin's tired legs made it easy for her to be dragged forward.

"No. I'm going back." Austin yelled as he began walking back.

"Oh? Back where? You don't even have family waiting for you." Jade said.

Austin froze in place and a bunch of hands appeared to hold him back.

Jade said. "You might as well live a happy, giddy life on this side."

"You're right. I have no one." Austin said as he begins walking back toward Jade and the Fairy Kingdom portal, he reaches his hand out toward Jade, but suddenly pulls back.

"What's wrong, Austin? Austin." Jade said.

"I can't." Austin said as he digs her hand into his arm hard enough to draw blood. "I have to go home."

At that moment, a chorus of eerie howls echoed from the depths of the forest, causing the aerials to shudder and tremble visibly. Austin's attention was drawn back to the ground, where a pack of color-furred wolves stood beside him, their fangs bared and eyes glinting with hunger.

Jade's heart sank as she realized the gravity of the situation.

"Jason, how did you know where we were?" she asked, her voice laced with fear.

Austin's gaze shifted to the alpha of the pack, a majestic gray wolf with piercing blue eyes. Recognition dawned on him as he uttered the wolf's name.

"Jason," he said, his voice a mixture of shock and awe.

The wolf stared at Austin with an air of familiarity, its tail twitching ever so slightly. As the seconds ticked by, an extraordinary bond seemed to form between them. Austin could sense the wolf's intelligence and loyalty, and he realized that he had encountered this remarkable creature before him.

In a moment of shared understanding, Austin reached out his hand cautiously. To his amazement, Jason responded by nudging his snout gently against Austin's palm. A wave of relief washed over everyone present as they witnessed this unexpected display of trust.

Realizing the wolf's protective presence, Austin felt a glimmer of hope amidst the perilous situation he faced. As the wolves stood guard him against the Faerie.

"You think you can protect our shining light, Bonehead? I wouldn't be so sure!" Jade said.

"We can and we will." Alisa said.

"You're welcome to join us when you change your mind, Austin. Goodbye!" Without another word, the fey creatures slipped back through the portal. As they passed through, the light dimmed and the gate closed.

"Austin." Alisa said.

He prepared himself for a stern reprimand, but all that came was Alisa' reassuring hand on his shoulder, "We learned a good lesson tonight, didn't we. Fey creatures are fond of seducing humans with sweet words and pretty promises. I'm sure you'll be more careful in the future." she said.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Austin said.

"No, we should have told you right away." Alisa said as Jason drew him closer, putting him on his back. burying him in fur, Austin floundered for a second. "That is my duty to you, after all. You're one of us. Depends on us."

Jason nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on Austin's face. "We were afraid of how you would react, Austin," he admitted, mentally. "We didn't want to hurt you or scare you away. But we should have known better. You're stronger than we thought, and you deserve to know the truth."

Austin, still processing the revelation, met Jason's eyes with a mixture of vulnerability and determination. "Thank you for telling me now," he said softly. "I appreciate your honesty, even if it's hard to hear."

A sense of relief washed over Alisa and Jason as they watched Austin come to terms with his newfound reality. They had feared his reaction but realized that their bond was stronger than any secret could break.

As Jason walks through the forest with Austin on his back.

"We'll need to fix up your arm when we get home. I can't have my future mate be scared." Jason said, mentally.

Austin said. "Ahh...Huh? mate? Who is who's...

"Oh, have I not told you yet? you are officially a mate of Jason Gray." Alisa said.

"Pardon?" Austin said.

Three: The Secret Life of the American Wolf

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