I couldn't believe my eyes.
Blue Jeremy—Blue Gem—was straddling the back of a massive gray wolf like this was a completely normal extracurricular activity. His arm was wrapped around the creature's thick neck, muscles straining as if he was genuinely trying to choke it out. Meanwhile, the wolf twisted and bucked violently beneath him, snapping and growling, clearly offended by the audacity of this blond lunatic clinging to its spine like an unwanted backpack.
It growled.
Oh my God.
The sound wasn't just loud—it was earth-shaking. It rolled through the forest like thunder cracking open the sky, vibrating through the branch beneath me and straight into my bones.
And Blue?
Blue was laughing.
Laughing.
Not nervous laughter. Not scared laughter. Full-on, delighted, having-the-time-of-his-life laughter.
What kind of psychopath laughs while wrestling a monster wolf?!
The second wolf—the equally gigantic, equally terrifying companion—didn't rush to help. It didn't attack. It didn't even look concerned. Instead, it barked once, almost lazily, then walked over to a nearby tree and sat down.
Sat.
Down.
Like it had front-row tickets to the dumbest show on Earth.
It watched them the way a parent watched two children roughhousing in the yard.
Meanwhile, I was still clinging to the branch, my soul halfway out of my body, reconsidering every decision that had led me to this exact moment—including being born.
Blue held on for an impressively long time. His fingers dug into the wolf's fur while the creature thrashed beneath him, twisting, snapping, trying everything to throw him off.
Then finally—
The wolf succeeded.
It jerked violently, and Blue lost his grip.
He hit the ground hard.
Before he could recover, the wolf lunged and pinned him beneath its massive body.
I screamed.
A full, panicked, undignified scream tore out of my throat.
Blue was dead.
He was absolutely dead.
I had just watched a human being get flattened by a supernatural wolf, and I was next on the menu.
But screaming was apparently the worst possible decision I could have made.
The second wolf—the one lounging like an uninterested babysitter—snapped its head toward me.
Its glowing eyes locked onto mine instantly.
It growled. Low. Slow. Hungry.
Oh no.
Oh no, no, no.
Its gaze burned into me, and in that moment, I knew with complete certainty that I was going to die in this forest. My obituary would read: Mason Carter, age eighteen, died because he made the poor life decision of trusting Blue Jeremy.
I tightened my grip on the branch, my hands trembling violently.
This was karma. This was punishment for not fighting harder when Blue dragged me out here. This was how I became human-flavored protein for dogs.
I squeezed my eyes shut briefly, already whispering apologies to every deity that might be accepting last-minute forgiveness applications—
And then, I heard it— laughter.
I froze.
Laughter. And it was coming from beneath the wolf.
Slowly, cautiously, I opened my eyes and they almost bulged out of my sockets.
Blue was alive.
Alive!
And laughing!
He lay pinned under the enormous wolf like he was enjoying a weighted blanket instead of imminent death.
"Alright," he said between breaths, still grinning. "Get off me. I give up. You win."
The wolf paused.
Then—to my absolute disbelief—it stepped off him. Not aggressively. Not reluctantly. But casually.
Its tail even wagged.
Wagged!
I stared, my brain completely disconnecting from reality.
Blue pushed himself upright, brushing dirt from his clothes like he hadn't just nearly died. Then he reached forward and wrapped his arms around the wolf's massive neck.
He hugged it. He hugged it!
The wolf leaned into him, tail swaying happily.
Meanwhile, the second wolf—the one that had just threatened to turn me into lunch—approached them. Once it reached Blue, it stretched its neck forward and gently licked his face.
Blue laughed softly and hugged that one too. I didn't know whether to cry, faint, or file a police report against the laws of nature.
They stood there together, the three of them, looking weirdly… happy. Like some deeply dysfunctional family reunion. And I was still twenty feet up a tree, clinging to it's bark like a traumatized squirrel.
Eventually, Blue pulled away and looked up.
At me.
"Mason!" he called casually, like we were meeting at a café instead of a wolf crime scene. "Come on down."
Absolutely not.
"Hell no!" I shouted immediately. "I'm not about to become dog food!"
Both wolves turned toward me and growled in perfect offended synchronization.
Oh great. I'd insulted them. Blue burst out laughing. "Don't call them dogs," he said. "They don't like that."
He said it so seriously. Like they'd file an emotional complaint to him. Then he added, completely calm, "Come down, Mason. These are my parents. They won't hurt you."
I blinked.
Parents.
Parents?
Yes. Of course. Naturally. Completely reasonable. Blue Jeremy was insane.
Certified. Dangerous. Unfixable.
And I was apparently insane too, because I had followed him into the forest.
He kept calling for me to come down. I kept refusing with the determination of someone who valued continued breathing.
Finally, he sighed.
And then—because nothing in my life was allowed to make sense—he climbed the tree. Effortlessly, he climbed and reached me in seconds.
"Blue—what are you doing?" I started.
He didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed my waist. Before I could protest, he threw me over his shoulder.
"What are you doing?!" I yelped and then he jumped.
We fell like baby birds falling of a tree.
The air rushed past my face. At this point, I honestly thought I was going to die; but shockingly, he landed perfectly on the wolf's back.
That was the exact moment my brain shut down. The fear was too much to handle. Suddenly, everything went black.
********
When I woke up, the first thing I heard was music.
Soft.
Distant.
And laughter.
My eyelids felt heavy, my body weak, like I'd been asleep for months. Slowly, I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was fire.
A large campfire crackled in front of me, sparks floating into the dark sky.
It was night.
People sat around the flames; teenagers, young adults, boys and girls. Some danced to the music. Someone stood nearby grilling meat, the smoky scent drifting through the air.
It looked like a party. A forest party.
Which raised several deeply concerning questions in my mind.
Where am I?
I shifted slightly and froze.
There was an arm around my waist. A Strong, warm and possessive arm. My breath hitched.
I turned my head slowly and nearly fainted again. It was none other than Blue Jeremy.
I was sitting on his lap. I was sitting on Blue Gem's lap!
My head had been resting against his shoulder and his arm was wrapped around me like it belonged there.
I gasped and immediately tried to stand, but his grip tightened around my waist.
"Oh," he said casually, looking down at me. "You're finally awake. For a second there, I thought you died."
His lips curved into a smirk.
Up close, his face was unfair. His lashes were long, his blue eyes reflected the firelight like actual gemstones, his expression was calm and confident and devastatingly handsome.
My brain, unfortunately, stopped functioning again.
"Earth to Mason," he said with an amused look on his face like he was aware I was checking him out.
I snapped out of it and jumped off his lap like it was on fire.
What was happening? Why was I here? Who were these people?
The last thing I remembered was landing on a wolf like a kidnapped potato.
"I can't believe you passed out for five hours," Blue said, amused.
My head whipped toward him."Five hours?!" I shrieked.
The wolves. I spun around, searching for them.
"If you're looking for my parents, they're not here," Blue said without needing me to ask. "They went home two hours ago."
Home.
Right.
Because wolves had homes now.
"Parents?" I repeated weakly. "How could those… those wolves be your parents? Are you hearing yourself right now?"
I gestured wildly around us.
"And why did you bring me here? School ended hours ago! My parents are going to kill me! I'm grounded for life!" I swallowed hard, lowering my voice slightly. "And… who are all these people?"
Blue was still sitting on the log, his back resting lazily against the tree like he owned the entire forest. His arms were crossed, and he watched me with open amusement, like I was the evening's main entertainment.
"Answer me!" I yelled.
Before Blue could respond, five strangers approached—three guys and two girls—stepping into the firelight like they'd been summoned by my confusion.
"Finally," one of the boys said, stopping right in front of me. He had long black hair that framed his sharp, elegant face, and he was easily the most intimidatingly handsome person I'd ever seen in real life. "The princess is awake."
Princess?
I shrank back slightly on instinct. Stranger danger was screaming in my head.
"Oh my god," the second guy breathed, staring at me like I was a rare collectible. His black hair was cut short, his jaw sharp enough to cut metal. "He's adorable."
Adorable?
Was I being bullied or adopted?
Before I could decide, the third guy stepped forward. He was Black, with beautiful curls and striking features, and he moved with effortless confidence. He extended his hand toward me.
"Since you're finally awake," he said smoothly, "would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"
My brain stopped working.
These men looked like they belonged on magazine covers, not in a random forest party, and yet they were all looking at me like I was the main event. It was deeply suspicious.
Before I could respond—or regain basic motor function—the two girls shoved the boys aside.
Both of them were stunning. One had rich red hair that glowed like firelight itself, and the other had dark brunette waves and the cold confidence of someone who knew exactly how beautiful she was.
"The cute boy isn't dancing with anyone but me," the redhead declared, grabbing my arm possessively.
Cute boy?
Me?
Did I hit my head harder than I thought? Was this a medically recognized hallucination?
The brunette scoffed loudly. "Please. He's obviously dancing with me."
I opened my mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Nothing came out.
Thankfully—or unfortunately—Blue finally stood.
"Alright, back off," he said calmly. "He's not dancing with anyone tonight."
They all groaned in dramatic disappointment like spoiled actors losing a role.
Blue turned to me and smiled faintly. "Mason, don't mind them. These are my friends." He pointed lazily.
Friends? Blue had the ability to make friends?
"The guy with the long hair is Ethan." Ethan gave me a small, polite nod.
"The rude one who asked you to dance is Gilbert. We call him Bert."
"I wasn't rude," Bert protested immediately.
Blue ignored him.
"And this," he gestured to the curly-haired guy, "is Henry. The redhead is Abigail. And the brunette is Fiona."
They all greeted me at once, voices overlapping in friendly chaos.
I blinked, overwhelmed.
Then Ethan stepped forward and held something out.
My school bag.
I stared at it like it might disappear.
"I got it from the chemistry lab," he said casually. "And don't worry. I cleaned up your cake mess."
My mouth fell open. "How did you—"
"Blue asked me to," Ethan replied simply.
I turned to Blue.
He gave a small, unapologetic nod and suddenly, the memory hit me.
The lab. Caleb. The cake. The words.
"You heard… what Caleb said, didn't you?" I said quietly suddenly feeling embarrassed.
Blue didn't hesitate.
"I did."
He uncrossed his arms.
"And you sat there crying for nearly an hour," he continued bluntly. "Honestly, are you an idiot? How could you let him talk to you like that?"
My chest tightened.
Blue's voice softened just slightly.
"I couldn't stand watching you cry like your life was over," he said. "So I brought you out here. To remind you your life could end in a thousand different cool ways instead of something pathetic like Caleb breaking your heart."
I stared at him.
That was… simultaneously the worst and most meaningful comfort speech anyone had ever given me.
"Shut up, Blue," Abigail snapped, smacking his arm lightly.
She turned to me, her expression warm.
"Don't listen to him. I don't know who Caleb is," she said, "but if he broke your heart, he must be a complete idiot not to see what a total catch you are."
Fiona nodded in agreement.
Henry crossed his arms. "His loss."
Bert added, "Massive loss."
Ethan simply gave me a reassuring look.
Something fragile inside my chest loosened.
They all knew. They somehow knew I liked guys. And none of them looked disgusted. None of them looked at me like I was something broken. None of them called me a disease.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
They were strangers.
But somehow, they'd shown me more kindness in ten minutes than Caleb whom I had known for eight years, showed me today.
Blue stood suddenly. "It's time for you to go home."
Immediate protests erupted.
"Already?!" Abigail groaned.
"He just woke up and hasn't had any fun yet." Henry argued.
"Let him stay," Bert added dramatically.
But Blue didn't budge. He reached for my hand and pulled me gently to his side.
We walked toward the edge of the clearing, where a sleek, low machine sat waiting like a predator at rest.
A Lamborghini Huracán. Its black exterior reflected the firelight like liquid shadow.
My heart skipped. Who's car was this?
Blue opened the passenger door for me like it was the most normal thing in the world and I climbed in silently.
He circled the car and slid into the driver's seat. Moments later, the engine roared to life—a deep, powerful sound that vibrated through my bones.
We drove, leaving the fire behind. Leaving the wolves. Leaving the impossible behind.
The forest swallowed us whole as we sped through the narrow dirt paths. Branches blurred past the windows. Small animals scattered at the sound of the engine.
At least twice, I was convinced we were about to crash into a tree.
"Blue!" I shouted, gripping the seat.
He laughed. "Relax."
Relax?
Yes, let me relax while dying at 120 kilometers per hour in a forest driven by a man who wrestles wolves recreationally.
Eventually, the trees thinned. Streetlights appeared and civilization returned.
Blue's expression shifted. The amusement faded, replaced by something colder.
"I'm serious, Mason," he said and I turned to looked at him.
"Never let anyone talk to you the way Caleb did today again." His jaw tightened. "If it ever happens again… I'll kill him."
My stomach dropped. He didn't sound like he was joking.
"…Why?" I asked quietly.
He didn't look at me.
"Why what?"
"Why do you care?"
The words hung in the air between us. He didn't answer. Instead, a slow smirk formed on his lips and then, the car stopped.
I looked up and was shocked to see my house.
Already.
"That was fast," I whispered.
Blue leaned back slightly. "We're here," he said. "Goodnight, Mason."
So that was it. No explanation. No answers. Just chaos… and wolves… and fire… and him.
I unbuckled my seat belt slowly. "Thank you," I said softly.
He glanced at me. "No need," he replied. "I did it for me."
I frowned. "What does that—"
"Good night Mason." Blue interrupted me with a smile. He didn't answer any of my questions.
I slowly stepped out of the car and shut door shut.
And seconds later, the Lamborghini disappeared down the street, its engine fading into the night.
I stood there, staring after it, wondering if any of it had been real.
Had I really skipped school… and spent half the day with Blue Jeremy?
The terrifying, beautiful, completely unhinged Blue Gem?
I was still standing there, lightly pinching my cheek to confirm I hadn't died somewhere in the forest, when a familiar voice cut through the night.
"Mason."
I froze.
Caleb stood a few steps away, blocking the path to my door.
His arms were crossed like an angry parent and his eyes narrowed.
"Where the hell have you been?"
His gaze shifted to the empty street where the car had vanished.
"And whose car was that?"