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📝Synopsis:What happens when years of devotion turns into meaningless affection?
Emma and her cousin once rescued twin wolf beastkin brothers, deciding to raise them separately. Thirteen years later, Emma has always cherished and cared for her adopted wolf Brian, believing he holds gratitude toward her. However, a casual conversation she overhears completely breaks her heart. Brian never treasures her kindness, even wishing he had been adopted by her outstanding cousin instead. In an instant, all her long-held feelings fade away completely.
💎GENRE: Engagement Breakup, Werewolf Attack, Love-Hate
#reelshort #reels #FYP #film #series #Movies #drama #shortdrama #fullmovie #EngSub #englishmovies #Dailymotion #ROMANCE #RomanticDrama #BILLIONAIRE #UndercoverBillionaire #CEO #FemaleSuccess #SecondChanceLove #FirstLove #ForbiddenLove #lovestory #marriage #RevengeStory #Betrayal #SecretReveals #HiddenIdentidy #Fantasy #ceoandcinderella #Christmas #officiallife #BingeWorthyShorts #2026
💟Full & Free Playlist-HD: https://www.dailymotion.com/ReelShort-Hot-Drama-Hub
🛎Notice: ReelShort Hot Drama Hub is an officially authorized publisher of ReelShort content.
📝Synopsis:What happens when years of devotion turns into meaningless affection?
Emma and her cousin once rescued twin wolf beastkin brothers, deciding to raise them separately. Thirteen years later, Emma has always cherished and cared for her adopted wolf Brian, believing he holds gratitude toward her. However, a casual conversation she overhears completely breaks her heart. Brian never treasures her kindness, even wishing he had been adopted by her outstanding cousin instead. In an instant, all her long-held feelings fade away completely.
💎GENRE: Engagement Breakup, Werewolf Attack, Love-Hate
#reelshort #reels #FYP #film #series #Movies #drama #shortdrama #fullmovie #EngSub #englishmovies #Dailymotion #ROMANCE #RomanticDrama #BILLIONAIRE #UndercoverBillionaire #CEO #FemaleSuccess #SecondChanceLove #FirstLove #ForbiddenLove #lovestory #marriage #RevengeStory #Betrayal #SecretReveals #HiddenIdentidy #Fantasy #ceoandcinderella #Christmas #officiallife #BingeWorthyShorts #2026
Category
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Short filmTranscript
00:05Brian and Logan were twin wolf beast kin that my cousin Isabella and I rescued from the underground
00:10beast trade back then the two of us stood there staring at those filthy little wolf pups and
00:16without even needing to say much we each decided to adopt one I took Brian Isabella took Logan
00:2213 years passed in the blink of an eye all that time I believe that even if Brian didn't like
00:27me
00:28he would at least feel grateful that I had saved his life that illusion shattered the day I
00:33accidentally overheard him talking to some other beast kin someone asked Emma's been really good
00:40to you why are you always so cold to her who asked her to be good to me you've got
00:46it good and don't
00:48even realize it good then I guess I should thank Emma properly if she hadn't taken me first me'd be
00:53the one with Isabella right now I mean makes sense compared to Isabella the head cheerleader Emma's
00:58just nothing special a dull ache spread through my chest every feeling I had held on to for Brian
01:04over the years quietly disappeared when I got home I sat on the living room couch until well past midnight
01:10again and again I picked up a mirror staring at the girl reflected in it I had always thought I
01:15looked
01:15average but now the longer I looked the worse it seemed with a surge of disgust I tossed the mirror
01:21aside all I could see in my mind was Isabella's radiant effortless smile I lowered my head and
01:26let the weight of my own insecurity swallow me home the sound of the front door opening broke the silence
01:31Brian walked in reeking of bourbon barely sparing me a glance before turning toward his bedroom
01:36I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and stood up for the first time I reached out
01:40trying to grab
01:41his tail my hand was immediately slapped away he stepped back his face full of irritation don't touch me
01:46it was exactly the same reaction as the first time I had tried to touch his wolf ears even after
01:52I had
01:52taken him in and cared for him with everything I had for 13 years a bitter laugh slipped out of
01:57me
01:58so if you're not pretty even your sincerity isn't worth anyone taking seriously I didn't even notice when
02:03my tears began to fall one by one onto the hardwood floor by the time I looked up again I
02:09was alone in
02:09the living room my thoughts drifted as they always did back to high school and the annual fall homecoming
02:14carnival I used to bring a big box of Texas's barbecue and find Brian in the backyard Brian
02:20will you come to the carnival with me this year he'd lift his head out of the pool water dripping
02:25from his hair no but a lot of people bring their bee skin with them no if you want someone
02:31to go with
02:32you go adopt another one from the shelter so every year I went alone I would stand off to the
02:38side
02:38watching Logan who had the exact same face as Brian yet always wore the gentlest smile
02:44he would ruffle Isabella's hair and ask Isabella do you want that teddy bear
02:49she'd nod with a bright smile rising onto her toes to reach for his wolf ears and Logan would always
02:55bend down for her patient and indulgent I watched him like a thief quietly craving the life Isabella had
03:01but one time Jason a few of his buddies shoved me onto the grass his voice was dripping with mockery
03:06well look who it is Emma a straight A nerd where's your little bee skin didn't feel like coming out
03:12with you one of his friends snickered her bee skin and Isabella's are twin wolves right the older one
03:18ended up with the prom queen and the younger one got stuck with an ugly duckling I refused to back
03:23down
03:23gritting my teeth I pushed myself up and swung my fist straight at his friend's face he went down hard
03:29before he could even react Chase lunged at me trying to fight back but I slammed him to the
03:34ground and kept hitting him until someone finally pulled me off the end result was predictable all
03:38of us were called into the principal's office I thought my mom would be on my side instead right
03:43in front of the principal and Chase she sighed in annoyance honestly what were you thinking they
03:47weren't even wrong why would you hit someone over that I tugged lightly at the sleeve of her coat
03:51mom I said barely above a whisper she acted like she didn't hear me let's be real she went on
03:56you're not exactly pretty and now you've got this terrible temper too even the bee skin you raise
04:00doesn't care about you I don't know how I ended up with a daughter like you sometimes I wish Isabella
04:05were my child instead that night I cried my eyes out in Central Park when I finally went home my
04:09father
04:10greeted me with a sharp slap across the face he said I closed my eyes and fell into a heavy
04:17sleep my
04:18messed up schedule left my mind blank when I woke up again when I pushed the door open I realized
04:22it was
04:23already dusk Brian was out but his presence lingered everywhere in the apartment I grabbed a slice of
04:28pizza and forced myself to eat then started packing up everything that belonged to me there wasn't much
04:32really after I got into college at 18 I was afraid my parents would treat Brian badly so I took
04:38him with
04:38me at my poorest I could only afford a run-down studio apartment he slept on the bed and I
04:44took the
04:44couch Brian was well over six feet tall and he would bump his head every time he walked through the
04:48low
04:49doorway so I worked non-stop picking up every part-time job I could find until I finally saved
04:54enough for a down payment on a small two-bedroom townhouse love has a way of making you feel like
04:58you owe everything so I bought Brian more things than he could ever need I never once considered
05:03that he didn't want any of it this time I decided to give him what he actually wanted freedom after
05:08I
05:08finished packing I walked out of the home Brian and I had shared the next morning when the staff at
05:12the
05:12Bureau of Non-Human Affairs asked me for the third time if I was sure I wanted to terminate my
05:17bond
05:17with Brian I still nodded when a human dissolves a bond unilaterally financial compensation is
05:22required I left the townhouse to him at the office Emily handed me the bond termination certificate
05:27then hesitated before asking Miss Emma would you like to give this to Mr. Brian in person or should
05:32we mail it on your behalf I took out the letter I had rewritten over and over again the night
05:35before
05:36please mail it to him I said and include this there were only two sentences in the letter I am
05:41sorry
05:41Brian I took you away without your consent so this time I am giving your freedom back to you I
05:46walked out
05:47of City Hall got into my car and left Los Angeles behind my new life would begin in Florida somewhere
05:52by the ocean waiting for warmer days ahead since my new job was as a lecturer at a university in
05:57Miami
05:57I rented a small beach house with the yard the evening sea breeze carried a faint salty smell as I
06:02walked
06:02along the shore wearing a mask the orange glow of the sunset was just right soft and beautiful I took
06:07a
06:07photo then out of habit open my iMessage chat with Brian scrolling up it was nothing but messages from me
06:13photos of little trinkets I found at vintage markets strange shaped clouds in the sky the slow growth of
06:18a sunflower he rarely replied most of the time all I ever got back was a short dismissive yeah the
06:24last
06:24message in our chat was from the day I heard the truth I had asked him where are you I
06:28can come pick
06:29you up he never replied by then he must have already received the bond termination certificate and still he
06:35could not even bring himself to say goodbye all that was left in my chest was a dull spreading ache
06:39after thinking it over I realized my new life should not be tied to the past so I changed my
06:44phone number deleted my old Instagram and created a new account I packed my schedule as full as possible
06:49just to earn a few nights of uninterrupted sleep some of the more outgoing college girls like to chat with
06:54me between classes professor Emma why do you always wear a mask on campus because I'm not very pretty
06:59who said that oh my god I swear I will shut them up there is no such thing as an
07:04ugly girl she sounded
07:05completely sincere and the others around her nodded in agreement just as indignant I would laugh it off
07:11and smoothly change the subject soon enough they started talking about the bee skin they had at
07:15home then they asked me professor what kind of bee skin do you have I did not know how to
07:19explain
07:19everything that had happened with Brian so I gave them a simple answer he died they fell silent for a
07:24long moment until the bell rang and class began after that during my two weekly lectures students would
07:29often bring me little things a Starbucks latte a blueberry muffin or a bar of Hershey's chocolate I could
07:35never finish at all that was when I started thinking about the little fox bee skin on campus who survived
07:39by
07:40collecting recyclables bee skin were usually striking in appearance and fox bee skin were among the most beautiful of all
07:46but this one had deep crisscrossing scars covering both sides of his face he was afraid of scaring the students
07:51so he only
07:52came out late at night that evening when I left the lab and went looking for him it started pouring
07:56out of nowhere a figure
08:04and then the other one had to come out of nowhere the other one had to come out of nowhere
08:09I'm sorry ma'am I must have misheard please don't mind me the autumn rain carried a sharp chill
08:14he was soaked through water dripping steadily from his clothes I looked at him and said gently you don't have
08:19to hide your face I've seen you around I have hot water and a dryer in my office
08:23come upstairs and get warmed up he hesitated then slowly lowered his hands and nodded thank you ma'am
08:29once we got into my office under the bright lights I realized how young he was around 18 or 19
08:34about the
08:35same age as my freshman while he was showering I went next door to the lab to ask about him
08:39my
08:39colleague Arthur was always eager to talk and he filled me in without hesitation that little fox is
08:45named Finn I heard he used to be incredibly good looking his former handler tried to sell him to the
08:50red light district in the underground beast trade he refused and even bit someone before escaping
08:54during the escape his face got slashed up when the people from the black market saw he was disfigured
08:59they beat him badly and threw him into the ocean lucky for him the university rowing team pulled him
09:04out since then he's been scraping by on campus selecting recyclables I asked where does he live
09:10there's a rundown shed behind the hill on campus Arthur frowned slightly Emma I heard your beast can
09:15passed away you're not thinking about adopting him are you I bit down on the straw of my hot latte
09:19and
09:20didn't answer Arto's voice suddenly sharpened he looks like that who would want to adopt him
09:24his words overlapped with the voices from my past she looks so plain who would ever like her but why
09:29we have hearts too we want to love and be loved just the same I looked at Arthur and said
09:33quietly
09:34he isn't ugly he's just been hurt and he's kind he's sweet I've seen him share the food he collects
09:39with homeless people nearby I've seen him donate his spare change to the beastkin protection agency
09:44so please don't say things like that about him again when I stepped out of Arthur's office
09:48I saw Finn standing in the hallway his blonde hair and tail were still damp his eyes were brimming with
09:53tears feeling a little awkward I changed the subject if it's hard to do it yourself I can help dry
09:58it I
09:58took the towel and gently dried his hair and tail then used a hair dryer to finish the job it
10:03was my
10:03first time drying a bee skin's tail and I was clumsy I accidentally hurt him more than once and kept
10:08apologizing Finn's face turned red it's okay I'm already very grateful to you when I finally finished I
10:14handed him a muffin and the latte he didn't take them after a long pause as if gathering all his
10:18courage he spoke again ma'am I don't eat much could you adopt me my hand froze mid-air Finn
10:25continued
10:26I know I'm not good looking but I can cook wash dishes mow the lawn I can get massages and
10:30I know
10:31how to grow roses I smiled then took off my mask and met his eyes but I'm not good looking
10:35either
10:35would you still choose me Finn gently reached out and touched my cheek his movements careful almost
10:40reverent you're very cute he said softly I want to go with you my eyes stung I blinked quickly holding
10:48back the tears and took his hand as we walked out of the lab building together the rain had stopped
10:52and just like that I chose a family for myself I completed the paperwork and adopted Finn just like
10:58he promised he did everything beautifully he kept the beach house spotless filled the yard with blooming
11:03hydrangeas and brought me hot home-cooked lunches at the lab running those spectral analyses today nearly
11:08killed me Arthur said as he wandered in from next door shamelessly helping himself he took a big
11:13spoonful of beef stew and let out a low whistle damn Finn can cook this is incredible meanwhile the
11:18one at my place does nothing but curl up on the couch and watch Netflix honestly Arthur should have
11:23been grateful Brianne could not cook at all then again maybe he just never bothered to do anything like
11:28that for me that night I had the nightmare again a memory buried deep in my mind I was 17
11:34Isabella and
11:35Logan went with me and Brian to Universal Studios Orlando halfway through the day the park was hit by
11:41a sudden indiscriminate attack explosions erupted from every direction Logan shielded Isabella while
11:47I grabbed Brian's hand and ran for the exit we were near the eastern side of the park but the
11:52flying
11:52debris still cut into everyone we were only steps away from the exit when it was blown apart right in
11:58front
11:58of us at the time I had been running ahead and never noticed what happened in that instant but in
12:03the dream
12:03I saw it clearly both Logan and Brian threw themselves toward Isabella without hesitation
12:08I was left alone collapsing into rubble and dust with no one caring whether I lived or died Logan
12:14and Brian were only relieved that Isabella was safe later I lay unconscious in the ICU for days my parents
12:20and Brian stayed by Isabella's side comforting her as she cried from the shock a voice echoed in my mind
12:26mocking me Emma C no one in this world loves you it came from everywhere repeating itself over and over
12:32surrounding me until I could not escape it in the dream my soul seemed to float above crouch down clutching
12:38my
12:38head as I tried to argue back that's not true that's not true then faintly someone grabbed my hand and
12:46pulled me
12:46forward a voice said Emma that's not true everyone deserves to be loved I woke with a start the first
12:52thing I saw was
12:53Finn sitting at my bedside wiping the cold sweat from my forehead his face tight with worry when he saw
12:59my eyes open
12:59Finn he finally let out a breath tears slipped down my face before I could stop them Finn can you
13:04hold
13:05me he climbed onto the bed and pull me into his arms I clung to him like a child pouring
13:09out everything I
13:10had been holding inside Finn gently patted my back murmuring soft reassurances I did not have to worry
13:15about him snapping at me to leave him alone I did not have to worry about him brushing me off
13:20and
13:20disappearing into distractions and I definitely did not have to worry about him looking at me with cold indifference
13:25I want to hear a song I whispered Finn hummed softly you are my sunshine my only sunshine you make
13:31me
13:31happy when skies are gray with Finn taking care of me I started getting better little by little the
13:37sunlight was especially bright today Finn and I were in the backyard hanging sheets out to dry we ended up
13:43laughing and playing around on either side of the fabric the breeze lifting it between us then someone
13:48called my name from beyond the fence Emma I turned around Brian was standing there the hanger slipped from my
13:53hand and fell straight onto the grass Finn noticed the shift in my expression immediately and stepped
13:59in front of me without hesitation I tugged lightly on the hem of Finn's flannel shirt it's okay I know
14:04him go take care of the blue crabs in the kitchen I just need a minute to talk to him
14:08we walked over to
14:09a wooden bench by the shore the ocean breeze tangled my hair I forced a small awkward smile it's been
14:14a
14:14while Brian he stared at me his voice cold who's that fox my new fostered bee skin
14:25Brian and Logan were twin wolf beast kin that my cousin Isabella and I rescued from the underground
14:30beast trade back then the two of us stood there staring at those filthy little wolf pups and without
14:36even needing to say much we each decided to adopt one I took Brian Isabella took Logan 13 years passed
14:43in the blink of an eye all that time I believe that even if Brian didn't like me he would
14:48at least feel
14:48grateful that I had saved his life that illusion shattered the day I accidentally overheard him
14:54talking to some other beast kin someone asked Emma's been really good to you why are you always
15:01so cold to her who asked her to be good to me you've got it good and don't even realize
15:09it
15:09good then I guess I should thank Emma properly if she hadn't taken me first me'd be the one with
15:13Isabella
15:14right now I mean makes sense compared to Isabella the head cheerleader Emma's just nothing special
15:19a dull ache spread through my chest every feeling I had held on to for Brian over the years quietly
15:25disappeared when I got home I sat on the living room couch until well past midnight again and again
15:31I picked up a mirror staring at the girl reflected in it I had always thought I looked average but
15:36now
15:36the longer I looked the worse it seemed with a surge of disgust I tossed the mirror aside all I
15:42could see
15:42in my mind was Isabella's radiant effortless smile I lowered my head and let the weight of my own
15:47insecurity swallow me whole the sound of the front door opening broke the silence Brian walked in
15:52reeking of bourbon barely sparing me a glance before turning toward his bedroom I wiped my tears with the
15:57back of my hand and stood up for the first time I reached out trying to grab his tail my
16:01hand was
16:02immediately slapped away he stepped back his face full of irritation don't touch me it was exactly the
16:07same reaction as the first time I had tried to touch his wolf ears even after I had taken him
16:12in
16:12and cared for him with everything I had for 13 years a bitter laugh slipped out of me so if
16:18you're
16:18not pretty even your sincerity isn't worth anyone taking seriously I didn't even notice when my tears
16:24began to fall one by one onto the hardwood floor by the time I looked up again I was alone
16:29in the living
16:29room my thoughts drifted as they always did back to high school and the annual fall homecoming carnival
16:35I used to bring a big box of Texas's barbecue and find Brian in the backyard Brian will you
16:41come to the carnival with me this year he'd lift his head out of the pool water dripping from his
16:45hair no but a lot of people bring their bee skin with them no if you want someone to go
16:51with you
16:52go adopt another one from the shelter so every year I went alone I would stand off to the side
16:58watching
16:59Logan who had the exact same face as Brian yet always wore the gentlest smile he would ruffle
17:05Isabella's hair and ask Isabella do you want that teddy bear she'd nod with a bright smile rising onto
17:11her toes to reach for his wolf ears and Logan would always bend down for her patient and indulgent I
17:17watched him like a thief quietly craving the life Isabella had but one time Jason a few of his buddies
17:23shoved me onto the grass his voice was dripping with mockery well look who it is Emma a straight
17:29day nerd where's your little bee skin didn't feel like coming out with you one of his friends snickered
17:34her bee skin and Isabella's are twin wolves right the older one ended up with the prom queen and the
17:40younger one got stuck with an ugly duckling I refused to back down gritting my teeth I pushed myself up
17:46and
17:46swung my fist straight at his friend's face he went down hard before he could even react chase lunged at
17:51me
17:52trying to fight back but I slammed him to the ground and kept hitting him until someone finally
17:56pulled me off the end result was predictable all of us were called into the principal's office I
18:00thought my mom would be on my side instead right in front of the principal and chase she sighed in
18:05annoyance honestly what were you thinking they weren't even wrong why would you hit someone over
18:09that I tugged lightly at the sleeve of her coat mom I said barely above a whisper she acted like
18:14she
18:14didn't hear me let's be real she went on you're not exactly pretty and now you've got this terrible
18:18temper too even the bee skin you raised doesn't care about you I don't know how I ended up with
18:22a daughter like you sometimes I wish Isabella were my child instead that night I cried my eyes out in
18:27Central Park when I finally went home my father greeted me with a sharp slap across the face he said
18:35I closed my eyes and fell into a heavy sleep my messed up schedule left my mind blank when I
18:40woke up
18:40again when I pushed the door open I realized it was already dusk Brian was out but his presence lingered
18:45everywhere in the apartment I grabbed a slice of pizza and forced myself to eat then started packing
18:50up everything that belonged to me there wasn't much really after I got into college at 18 I was
18:55afraid my parents would treat Brian badly so I took him with me at my poorest I could only afford
19:00a
19:01run-down studio apartment he slept on the bed and I took the couch Brian was well over six feet
19:06tall
19:06and he would bump his head every time he walked through the low doorway so I worked non-stop picking
19:10up
19:11every part-time job I could find until I finally saved enough for a down payment on a small two
19:15bedroom townhouse love has a way of making you feel like you owe everything so I bought Brian more
19:20things than he could ever need I never once considered that he didn't want any of it this
19:24time I decided to give him what he actually wanted freedom after I finished packing I walked out of the
19:29home Brian and I had shared the next morning when the staff at the bureau of non-human affairs asked
19:34me
19:34for the third time if I was sure I wanted to terminate my bond with Brian I still nodded when
19:38a human
19:38dissolves a bond unilaterally financial compensation is required I left the townhouse to him at the
19:44office Emily handed me the bond termination certificate then hesitated before asking Miss
19:49Emma would you like to give this to Mr. Brian in person or should we mail it on your behalf
19:52I took
19:53out the letter I had rewritten over and over again the night before please mail it to him I said
19:57and
19:57include this there were only two sentences in the letter I am sorry Brian I took you away without your
20:03consent so this time I am giving your freedom back to you I walked out of city hall got into
20:08my car and
20:08left Los Angeles behind my new life would begin in Florida somewhere by the ocean waiting for warmer
20:13days ahead since my new job was as a lecturer at a university in Miami I rented a small beach
20:18house
20:19with the yard the evening sea breeze carried a faint salty smell as I walked along the shore wearing a
20:23mask the orange glow of the sunset was just right soft and beautiful I took a photo then out of
20:28habit
20:28opened my iMessage chat with Brian scrolling up it was nothing but messages from me photos of little
20:33trinkets I found at vintage markets strange shaped clouds in the sky the slow growth of a sunflower he
20:38rarely replied most of the time all I ever got back was a short dismissive yeah the last message
20:44in our chat was from the day I heard the truth I had asked him where are you I can
20:48come pick you up
20:49he never replied by then he must have already received the bond termination certificate and still
20:54he could not even bring himself to say goodbye all that was left in my chest was a dull spreading
20:59ache
20:59after thinking it over I realized my new life should not be tied to the past so I changed my
21:04phone number
21:04deleted my old instagram and created a new account I packed my schedule as full as possible just to
21:09earn a few nights of uninterrupted sleep some of the more outgoing college girls like to chat with me
21:14between classes professor Emma why do you always wear a mask on campus because I'm not very pretty
21:19who said that oh my god I swear I will shut them up there is no such thing as an
21:24ugly girl she sounded
21:25completely sincere and the others around her nodded in agreement just as indignant I would laugh it off
21:30and smoothly change the subject soon enough they started talking about the beeskin they had at home
21:35then they asked me professor what kind of beeskin do you have I did not know how to explain everything
21:40that had happened with Brian so I gave them a simple answer he died they fell silent for a long
21:44moment
21:45until the bell rang and class began after that during my two weekly lectures students would often bring
21:50me little things a starbucks latte a blueberry muffin or a bar of hershey's chocolate I could never finish it
21:55all that was when I started thinking about the little fox beeskin on campus who survived by collecting
22:00recyclables beeskin were usually striking in appearance and fox beeskin were among the most
22:05beautiful of all but this one had deep crisscrossing scars covering both sides of his face he was afraid
22:10of scaring the students so he only came out late at night that evening when I left the lab and
22:14went
22:15looking for him it started pouring out of nowhere a figure darted toward me a fluffy foxtail swaying behind
22:20him I called out softly hey little fox huh the young beeskin turned around and noticed me immediately
22:26lowering his head he quickly covered his face with his hands I'm sorry ma'am I must have misheard
22:31please don't mind me the autumn rain carried a sharp chill he was soaked through water dripping
22:36steadily from his clothes I looked at him and said gently you don't have to hide your face I've seen
22:41you around I have hot water and a dryer in my office come upstairs and get warmed up he hesitated
22:46then slowly lowered his hands and nodded thank you ma'am once we got into my office under the bright
22:50lights I realized how young he was around 18 or 19 about the same age as my freshman while he
22:56was
22:56showering I went next door to the lab to ask about him my colleague Arthur was always eager to talk
23:02and he filled me in without hesitation that little fox is named Finn I heard he used to be incredibly
23:07good-looking his former handler tried to sell him to the red light district in the underground beast
23:11trade he refused and even bit someone before escaping during the escape his face got slashed up when the
23:17people from the black market saw he was disfigured they beat him badly and threw him into the ocean
23:22lucky for him the university rowing team pulled him out since then he's been scraping by on campus
23:27selecting recyclables I asked where does he live there's a rundown shed behind the hill on campus
23:32Arthur frowned slightly Emma I heard your bee skin passed away you're not thinking about adopting him
23:37are you I bit down on the straw of my hot latte and didn't answer Arto's voice suddenly sharpened
23:41he looks like that who would want to adopt him his words overlapped with the voices from my past
23:46she looks so plain who would ever like her but why we have hearts too we want to love and
23:51be
23:51loved just the same I looked at Arthur and said quietly he isn't ugly he's just been hurt and he's
23:56kind he's sweet I've seen him share the food he collects with homeless people nearby I've seen him
24:01donate his spare change to the Beastkin Protection Agency so please don't say things like that about him
24:06again when I stepped out of Arthur's office I saw Finn standing in the hallway his blonde hair and tail
24:11were still damp his eyes were brimming with tears feeling a little awkward I changed the subject if it's
24:16hard to do it yourself I can help dry it I took the towel and gently dried his hair and
24:20tail then
24:20used a hair dryer to finish the job it was my first time drying a Beastkin's tail and I was
24:25clumsy I
24:26accidentally hurt him more than once and kept apologizing Finn's face turned red it's okay I'm
24:31already very grateful to you when I finally finished I handed him a muffin and a latte he didn't take
24:36them
24:36after a long pause as if gathering all his courage he spoke again ma'am I don't eat much could
24:42you
24:42adopt me my hand froze mid-air Finn continued I know I'm not good looking but I can cook wash
24:48dishes
24:48mow the lawn I can get massages and I know how to grow roses I smiled then took off my
24:53mask and met
24:53his eyes but I'm not good looking either would you still choose me Finn gently reached out and touched
24:58my cheek his movements careful almost reverent you're very cute he said softly I want to go with you
25:05my eyes stung I blinked quickly holding back the tears and took his hand as we walked out of the
25:10lab
25:10building together the rain had stopped and just like that I chose a family for myself I completed
25:15the paperwork and adopted Finn just like he promised he did everything beautifully he kept the beach house
25:20spotless filled the yard with blooming hydrangeas and brought me hot home-cooked lunches at the lab
25:25running those spectral analyses today nearly killed me Arthur said as he wandered in from next door
25:30shamelessly helping himself he took a big spoonful of beef stew and let out a low whistle damn Finn can
25:36cook this is incredible meanwhile the one at my place does nothing but curl up on the couch and
25:40watch Netflix honestly Arthur should have been grateful Brianne could not cook at all then again
25:45maybe he just never bothered to do anything like that for me that night I had the nightmare again
25:51a memory buried deep in my mind I was 17 Isabella and Logan went with me and Brian to Universal
25:57Studios
25:58Orlando halfway through the day the park was hit by a sudden indiscriminate attack explosions erupted
26:04from every direction Logan shielded Isabella while I grabbed Brian's hand and ran for the exit we were
26:09near the eastern side of the park but the flying debris still cut into everyone we were only steps
26:15away from the exit when it was blown apart right in front of us at the time I had been
26:19running ahead
26:20and never noticed what happened in that instant but in the dream I saw it clearly both Logan and Brian
26:25threw themselves toward Isabella without hesitation I was left alone collapsing into rubble and dust
26:31with no one caring whether I lived or died Logan and Brian were only relieved that Isabella was safe
26:36later I lay unconscious in the ICU for days my parents and Brian stayed by Isabella's side
26:42comforting her as she cried from the shock a voice echoed in my mind mocking me Emma C no one
26:47in this
26:48world loves you it came from everywhere repeating itself over and over surrounding me until I could not
26:54escape it in the dream my soul seemed to float above crouch down clutching my head as I tried to
26:59argue
26:59back that's not true that's not true then faintly someone grabbed my hand and pulled me forward a voice
27:07said Emma that's not true everyone deserves to be loved I woke with a start the first thing I saw
27:12was
27:13Finn sitting at my bedside wiping the cold sweat from my forehead his face tight with worry when he saw
27:19my eyes open he finally let out a breath tears slipped down my face before I could stop them
27:23Finn can you hold me he climbed onto the bed and pull me into his arms I clung to him
27:28like a child
27:29pouring out everything I had been holding inside Finn gently patted my back murmuring soft reassurances
27:34I did not have to worry about him snapping at me to leave him alone I did not have to
27:38worry about him
27:39brushing me off and disappearing into distractions and I definitely did not have to worry about him looking
27:43at me with cold indifference I want to hear a song I whispered Finn hummed softly you are my sunshine
27:49my
27:49only sunshine you make me happy when skies are great with Finn taking care of me I started getting
27:55better little by little the sunlight was especially bright today Finn and I were in the backyard
28:00hanging sheets out to dry we ended up laughing and playing around on either side of the fabric
28:05the breeze lifting it between us then someone called my name from beyond the fence
28:09amma I turned around Brian was standing there the hanger slipped from my hand and fell straight
28:14onto the grass Finn noticed the shift in my expression immediately and stepped in front
28:19of me without hesitation I tugged lightly on the hem of Finn's flannel shirt it's okay I know him go
28:24take care of the blue crabs in the kitchen I just need a minute to talk to him we walked
28:28over to a wooden bench by the shore the ocean breeze tangled my hair I forced a small awkward smile
28:33it's been a while Brian he stared at me his voice cold who is that fox my new fostered
28:43beastkin
28:44Brian and Logan were twin wolf beastkin that my cousin Isabella and I rescued from the underground
28:50beast trade back then the two of us stood there staring at those filthy little wolf pups
28:55and without even needing to say much we each decided to adopt one I took Brian Isabella took
29:01Logan 13 years passed in the blink of an eye all that time I believe that even if Brian didn't
29:07like me
29:07he would at least feel grateful that I had saved his life that illusion shattered the day I accidentally
29:13overheard him talking to some other beastkin someone asked Emma's been really good to you
29:20why are you always so cold to her who asked her to be good to me you've got it good
29:26and don't even
29:28realize it good then I guess I should thank Emma properly if she hadn't taken me first me'd be the
29:33one with Isabella right now I mean makes sense compared to Isabella the head cheerleader Emma's
29:37just nothing special a dull ache spread through my chest every feeling I had held on to for Brian
29:43over the years quietly disappeared when I got home I sat on the living room couch until well past midnight
29:50again and again I picked up a mirror staring at the girl reflected in it I had always thought I
29:55looked
29:55average but now the longer I looked the worse it seemed with a surge of disgust I tossed the mirror
30:01aside all I could see in my mind was Isabella's radiant effortless smile I lowered my head and let
30:06the weight of my own insecurity swallow me home the sound of the front door opening broke the silence
30:10Brian walked in reeking of bourbon barely sparing me a glance before turning toward his bedroom
30:15I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and stood up for the first time I reached out
30:19trying to grab his tail my hand was immediately slapped away he stepped back his face full of
30:25irritation don't touch me it was exactly the same reaction as the first time I had tried to touch
30:30his wolf ears even after I had taken him in and cared for him with everything I had for 13
30:35years
30:35a bitter laugh slipped out of me so if you're not pretty even your sincerity isn't worth anyone taking
30:41seriously I didn't even notice when my tears began to fall one by one onto the hardwood floor
30:46by the time I looked up again I was alone in the living room my thoughts drifted as they always
30:51did
30:52back to high school and the annual fall homecoming carnival I used to bring a big box of Texas's
30:57barbecue and find Brian in the backyard Brian will you come to the carnival with me this year
31:02he'd lift his head out of the pool water dripping from his hair
31:05no but a lot of people bring their bee skin with them no if you want someone to go with
31:11you
31:12go adopt another one from the shelter so every year I went alone I would stand off to the side
31:18watching Logan who had the exact same face as Brian yet always wore the gentlest smile he would
31:24ruffle Isabella's hair and ask Isabella do you want that teddy bear she'd nod with a bright smile
31:30rising onto her toes to reach for his wolf ears and Logan would always bend down for her patient and
31:36indulgent I watched him like a thief quietly craving the life Isabella had but one time
31:41Jason a few of his buddies shoved me onto the grass his voice was dripping with mockery well look who
31:47it is Emma a straight-a nerd where's your little bee skin didn't feel like coming out with you one
31:53of
31:53his friends snickered her bee skin and Isabella's are twin wolves right the older one ended up with the
31:59prom queen and the younger one got stuck with an ugly duckling I refused to back down gritting my
32:04teeth I pushed myself up and swung my fist straight at his friend's face he went down hard before he
32:09could even react Chase lunged at me trying to fight back but I slammed him to the ground and
32:14kept hitting him until someone finally pulled me off the end result was predictable all of us were
32:18called into the principal's office I thought my mom would be on my side instead right in front of the
32:23principal and Chase she sighed in annoyance honestly what were you thinking they weren't even wrong why
32:28would you hit someone over that I tugged lightly at the sleeve of her coat mom I said barely above
32:32a whisper she acted like she didn't hear me let's be real she went on you're not exactly pretty and
32:37now you've got this terrible temper too even the bee skin you raise doesn't care about you I don't know
32:41how I ended up with a daughter like you sometimes I wish Isabella were my child instead that night I
32:46cried my eyes out in Central Park when I finally went home my father greeted me with a sharp slap
32:51across
32:51the face he said I closed my eyes and fell into a heavy sleep my messed up schedule left my
32:59mind
32:59blank when I woke up again when I pushed the door open I realized it was already dusk Brian was
33:04out but
33:04his presence lingered everywhere in the apartment I grabbed a slice of pizza and forced myself to eat
33:09then started packing up everything that belonged to me there wasn't much really after I got into college
33:13at 18 I was afraid my parents would treat Brian badly so I took him with me at my poorest
33:19I could only
33:20afford a rundown studio apartment he slept on the bed and I took the couch Brian was well over six
33:25feet tall and he would bump his head every time he walked through the low doorway so I worked non
33:29-stop
33:30picking up every part-time job I could find until I finally saved enough for a down payment on a
33:35small
33:35two-bedroom townhouse love has a way of making you feel like you owe everything so I bought Brian more
33:40things than he could ever need I never once considered that he didn't want any of it this time I
33:44decided to
33:45give him what he actually wanted freedom after I finished packing I walked out of the home Brian and I
33:50had shared the next morning when the staff at the bureau of non-human affairs asked me for the third
33:54time if I was sure I wanted to terminate my bond with Brian I still nodded when a human dissolves
33:59a
33:59bond unilaterally financial compensation is required I left the townhouse to him at the office Emily
34:05handed me the bond termination certificate then hesitated before asking Miss Emma would you like
34:09to give this to Mr. Brian in person or should we mail it on your behalf I took out the
34:13letter I had
34:13rewritten over and over again the night before please mail it to him I said and include this there were
34:18only two
34:19sentences in the letter I am sorry Brian I took you away without your consent so this time I am
34:24giving
34:25your freedom back to you I walked out of City Hall got into my car and left Los Angeles behind
34:29my new
34:30life would begin in Florida somewhere by the ocean waiting for warmer days ahead since my new job was
34:35as a lecturer at a university in Miami I rented a small beach house with a yard the evening sea
34:40breeze
34:40carried a faint salty smell as I walked along the shore wearing a mask the orange glow of the sunset
34:45was just
34:45right soft and beautiful I took a photo then out of habit opened my iMessage chat with Brian scrolling
34:50up it was nothing but messages from me photos of little trinkets I found at vintage markets strange
34:55shaped clouds in the sky the slow growth of a sunflower he rarely replied most of the time all I
35:00ever got
35:01back was a short dismissive yeah the last message in our chat was from the day I heard the truth
35:06I had asked him where are you I can come pick you up he never replied by then he must
35:11have already
35:11received the bond termination certificate and still he could not even bring himself to say goodbye all
35:16that was left in my chest was a dull spreading ache after thinking it over I realized my new life
35:21should
35:21not be tied to the past so I changed my phone number deleted my old instagram and created a new
35:26account
35:27I packed my schedule as full as possible just to earn a few nights of uninterrupted sleep some of the
35:32more outgoing college girls like to chat with me between classes professor Emma why do you always
35:37wear a mask on campus because I'm not very pretty who said that oh my god I swear I will
35:42shut them
35:42up there is no such thing as an ugly girl she sounded completely sincere and the others around
35:47her nodded in agreement just as indignant I would laugh it off and smoothly change the subject soon
35:52enough they started talking about the bee skin they had at home then they asked me professor what
35:56kind of bee skin do you have I did not know how to explain everything that had happened with Brian
36:01so I gave them a simple answer he died they fell silent for a long moment until the bell rang
36:05and class
36:06began after that during my two weekly lectures students would often bring me little things
36:10a starbucks latte a blueberry muffin or a bar of hershey's chocolate I could never finish it all
36:15that was when I started thinking about the little fox bee skin on campus who survived by collecting
36:20recyclables bee skin were usually striking in appearance and fox bee skin were among the most
36:24beautiful of all but this one had deep crisscrossing scars covering both sides of his face he was afraid
36:29of scaring the students so he only came out late at night that evening when I left the lab and
36:34went
36:34looking for him it started pouring out of nowhere a figure darted toward me a fluffy
36:39fox tail swaying behind him I called out softly hey little fox huh the young beast can turned around
36:45and noticed me immediately lowering his head he quickly covered his face with his hands I'm sorry
36:50ma'am I must have misheard please don't mind me the autumn rain carried a sharp chill he was soaked
36:55through water dripping steadily from his clothes I looked at him and said gently you don't have to hide your
37:00face I've seen you around I have hot water and a dryer in my office come upstairs and get warmed
37:05up he hesitated then slowly lowered his hands and nodded thank you ma'am once we got into my office
37:09under the bright lights I realized how young he was around 18 or 19 about the same age as my
37:15freshman
37:15while he was showering I went next door to the lab to ask about him my colleague Arthur was always
37:21eager
37:21to talk and he filled me in without hesitation that little fox is named Finn I heard he used to
37:26be
37:26incredibly good looking his former handler tried to sell him to the red light district in the
37:30underground beast trade he refused and even bit someone before escaping during the escape his face
37:36got slashed up when the people from the black market saw he was disfigured they beat him badly
37:40and threw him into the ocean lucky for him the university rowing team pulled him out since then
37:45he's been scraping by on campus selecting recyclables I asked where does he live there's a rundown
37:50shed behind the hill on campus Arthur frowned slightly Emma I heard your beast can passed away you're
37:55not thinking about adopting him are you I bit down on the straw of my hot latte and didn't answer
38:00Arto's voice suddenly sharpened he looks like that who would want to adopt him his words overlapped
38:04with the voices from my past she looks so plain who would ever like her but why we have hearts
38:09too
38:09we want to love and be loved just the same I looked at Arthur and said quietly he isn't ugly
38:14he's just been hurt and he's kind he's sweet I've seen him share the food he collects with homeless
38:19people nearby I've seen him donate his spare change to the beast can protection agency so please don't
38:25say things like that about him again when I stepped out of Arthur's office I saw Finn standing in the
38:29hallway his blonde hair and tail were still damp his eyes were brimming with tears feeling a little
38:34awkward I changed the subject if it's hard to do it yourself I can help dry it I took the
38:38towel and
38:39gently dried his hair and tail then used a hair dryer to finish the job it was my first time
38:43drying a
38:43skin's tail and I was clumsy I accidentally hurt him more than once and kept apologizing Finn's face
38:49turned red it's okay I'm already very grateful to you when I finally finished I handed him a muffin
38:54and the latte he didn't take them after a long pause as if gathering all his courage he spoke again
38:59ma'am I don't eat much could you adopt me my hand froze mid-air Finn continued I know I'm
39:06not good
39:06looking but I can cook wash dishes mow the lawn I can get massages and I know how to grow
39:11roses I
39:11smiled then took off my mask and met his eyes but I'm not good looking either would you still choose
39:16me Finn gently reached out and touched my cheek his movements careful almost reverent you're very
39:22cute he said softly I want to go with you my eyes stung I blinked quickly holding back the tears
39:28and
39:29took his hand as we walked out of the lab building together the rain had stopped and just like that
39:33I
39:33chose a family for myself I completed the paperwork and adopted Finn just like he promised he did everything
39:39beautifully he kept the beach house spotless filled the yard with blooming hydrangeas and brought me
39:43hot home-cooked lunches at the lab running those spectral analyses today nearly killed me Arthur
39:48said as he wandered in from next door shamelessly helping himself he took a big spoonful of beef stew
39:53and let out a low whistle damn Finn can cook this is incredible meanwhile the one at my place does
39:59nothing but curl up on the couch and watch Netflix honestly Arthur should have been grateful Brianne could
40:04not cook at all then again maybe he just never bothered to do anything like that for me that
40:08night I had the nightmare again a memory buried deep in my mind I was 17 Isabella and Logan went
40:16with me and Brian to Universal Studios Orlando halfway through the day the park was hit by a sudden
40:21indiscriminate attack explosions erupted from every direction Logan shielded Isabella while I grabbed
40:27Brianne's hand and ran for the exit we were near the eastern side of the park but the flying debris
40:32still cut into everyone we were only steps away from the exit when it was blown apart right in front
40:37of us at the time I had been running ahead and never noticed what happened in that instant but in
40:42the
40:42dream I saw it clearly both Logan and Brian threw themselves toward Isabella without hesitation I was
40:48left alone collapsing into rubble and dust with no one caring whether I lived or died Logan and Brian were
40:54only relieved that Isabella was safe later I lay unconscious in the ICU for days my parents and Brian
41:00stayed by Isabella's side comforting her as she cried from the shock a voice echoed in my mind
41:05mocking me Emma C no one in this world loves you it came from everywhere repeating itself over and over
41:12surrounding me until I could not escape it in the dream my soul seemed to float above crouch down
41:17clutching my head as I tried to argue back that's not true that's not true then faintly someone grabbed
41:24my hand and pulled me forward a voice said Emma that's not true everyone deserves to be loved I
41:30woke with a start the first thing I saw was Finn sitting at my bedside wiping the cold sweat from
41:35my forehead his face tight with worry when he saw my eyes open he finally let out a breath tears
41:41slipped
41:41down my face before I could stop them Finn can you hold me he climbed onto the bed and pull
41:46me into his
41:47arms I clung to him like a child pouring out everything I had been holding inside Finn gently patted my
41:52back
41:52murmuring soft reassurances I did not have to worry about him snapping at me to leave him alone I did
41:57not have to worry about him brushing me off and disappearing into distractions and I definitely
42:01did not have to worry about him looking at me with cold indifference I want to hear a song
42:05I whispered Finn hummed softly you are my sunshine my only sunshine you make me happy when skies are
42:12gray with Finn taking care of me I started getting better little by little the sunlight was especially
42:18bright today Finn and I were in the backyard hanging sheets out to dry we ended up laughing
42:23and playing around on either side of the fabric the breeze lifting it between us then someone called
42:27my name from beyond the fence Emma I turned around Brian was standing there the hanger slipped from my
42:33hand and fell straight onto the grass Finn noticed the shift in my expression immediately and stepped in
42:38front of me without hesitation I tugged lightly on the hem of Finn's flannel shirt it's okay I know him
42:44go take care of the blue crabs in the kitchen I just need a minute to talk to him we
42:48walked over
42:48to a wooden bench by the shore the ocean breeze tangled my hair I forced a small awkward smile
42:53it's been a while Brian he stared at me his voice cold who is that fox my new fostered bee
42:59skin
43:04Brian and Logan were twin wolf bee skin that my cousin Isabella and I rescued from the underground
43:10beast trade back then the two of us stood there staring at those filthy little wolf pups and without
43:16even needing to say much we each decided to adopt one I took Brian Isabella took Logan 13 years passed
43:22in the blink of an eye all that time I believe that even if Brian didn't like me he would
43:27at least feel
43:28grateful that I had saved his life that illusion shattered the day I accidentally overheard him
43:34talking to some other bee skin someone asked Emma's been really good to you why are you always so cold
43:41to
43:41her who asked her to be good to me you've got it good and don't even realize it good then
43:49I guess I
43:50should thank Emma properly if she hadn't taken me first me'd be the one with Isabella right now I mean
43:54makes sense compared to Isabella the head cheerleader Emma's just nothing special a dull ache spread through
44:00my chest every feeling I had held on to for Brian over the years quietly disappeared when I got home
44:06I sat on the living room couch until well past midnight again and again I picked up a mirror
44:11staring at the girl reflected in it I had always thought I looked average but now the longer I looked
44:17the worse it seemed with a surge of disgust I tossed the mirror aside all I could see in my
44:22mind
44:22was Isabella's radiant effortless smile I lowered my head and let the weight of my own insecurity swallow me
44:27home the sound of the front door opening broke the silence Brian walked in reeking of bourbon barely
44:33sparing me a glance before turning toward his bedroom I wiped my tears with the back of my hand
44:37and stood up for the first time I reached out trying to grab his tail my hand was immediately slapped
44:42away he stepped back his face full of irritation don't touch me it was exactly the same reaction as
44:48the first time I had tried to touch his wolf ears even after I had taken him in and cared
44:53for
44:53him with everything I had for 13 years a bitter laugh slipped out of me so if you're not pretty
44:58even your sincerity isn't worth anyone taking seriously I didn't even notice when my tears
45:03began to fall one by one onto the hardwood floor by the time I looked up again I was alone
45:09in the
45:09living room my thoughts drifted as they always did back to high school and the annual fall homecoming
45:14carnival I used to bring a big box of Texas's barbecue and find Brian in the backyard Brian will you
45:20come to the carnival with me this year he'd lift his head out of the pool water dripping from his
45:25hair
45:26no but a lot of people bring their bee skin with them no if you want someone to go with
45:31you go adopt
45:32another one from the shelter so every year I went alone I would stand off to the side watching Logan
45:39who had the exact same face as Brian yet always wore the gentlest smile he would ruffle Isabella's hair
45:45and ask Isabella do you want that teddy bear she'd nod with a bright smile rising onto her toes to
45:52reach
45:52for his wolf ears and Logan would always bend down for her patient and indulgent I watched him like
45:57a thief quietly craving the life Isabella had but one time Jason a few of his buddies shoved me onto
46:03the
46:03grass his voice was dripping with mockery well look who it is Emma Australian nerd where's your little
46:10bee skin didn't feel like coming out with you one of his friends snickered her bee skin and Isabella's
46:16are twin wolves right the older one ended up with the prom queen and the younger one got stuck with
46:20an
46:21ugly duckling I refused to back down gritting my teeth I pushed myself up and swung my fist straight
46:26at his friend's face he went down hard before he could even react chase lunged at me trying to fight
46:32back but I slammed him to the ground and kept hitting him until someone finally pulled me off the end
46:36result
46:37was predictable all of us were called into the principal's office I thought my mom would be on
46:41my side instead right in front of the principal and chase she sighed in annoyance honestly what were
46:46you thinking they weren't even wrong why would you hit someone over that I tugged lightly at the sleeve
46:50of her coat mom I said barely above a whisper she acted like she didn't hear me let's be real
46:55she went
46:55on you're not exactly pretty and now you've got this terrible temper too even the bee skin you raised
47:00doesn't care about you I don't know how I ended up with a daughter like you sometimes I wish Isabella
47:04were
47:04my child instead that night I cried my eyes out in Central Park when I finally went home my father
47:09greeted me with a sharp slap across the face he said I closed my eyes and fell into a heavy
47:16sleep
47:17my messed up schedule left my mind blank when I woke up again when I pushed the door open I
47:21realized it
47:22was already dusk Brian was out but his presence lingered everywhere in the apartment I grabbed a slice
47:27of pizza and forced myself to eat then started packing up everything that belonged to me there wasn't much
47:32really after I got into college at 18 I was afraid my parents would treat Brian badly so I took
47:37him
47:37with me at my poorest I could only afford a run-down studio apartment he slept on the bed and
47:43I took
47:43the couch Brian was well over six feet tall and he would bump his head every time he walked through
47:48the
47:48low doorway so I worked non-stop picking up every part-time job I could find until I finally saved
47:53enough for a down payment on a small two-bedroom townhouse love has a way of making you feel like
47:58you owe
47:58everything so I bought Brian more things than he could ever need I never once considered that he
48:03didn't want any of it this time I decided to give him what he actually wanted freedom after I finished
48:07packing I walked out of the home Brian and I had shared the next morning when the staff at the
48:12Bureau of Non-Human Affairs asked me for the third time if I was sure I wanted to terminate my
48:16bond with
48:16Brian I still nodded when a human dissolves a bond unilaterally financial compensation is required
48:21I left the townhouse to him at the office Emily handed me the bond termination certificate then
48:27hesitated before asking Miss Emma would you like to give this to Mr. Brian in person or should we mail
48:31it on your behalf I took out the letter I had rewritten over and over again the night before
48:35please mail it to him I said and include this there were only two sentences in the letter I am
48:40sorry
48:41Brian I took you away without your consent so this time I am giving your freedom back to you I
48:46walked out
48:46of City Hall got into my car and left Los Angeles behind my new life would begin in Florida somewhere
48:51by the ocean waiting for warmer days ahead since my new job was as a lecturer at a university in
48:56Miami
48:57I rented a small beach house with the yard the evening sea breeze carried a faint salty smell as
49:01I walked along the shore wearing a mask the orange glow of the sunset was just right soft and beautiful
49:06I took a photo then out of habit opened my iMessage chat with Brian scrolling up it was nothing but
49:11messages from me photos of little trinkets I found at vintage markets strange shaped clouds in the sky
49:16the slow growth of a sunflower he rarely replied most of the time all I ever got back was a
49:21short
49:21dismissive yeah the last message in our chat was from the day I heard the truth I had asked him
49:27where are you I can come pick you up he never replied by then he must have already received
49:32the bond termination certificate and still he could not even bring himself to say goodbye
49:36all that was left in my chest was a dull spreading ache after thinking it over I realized my new
49:41life
49:41should not be tied to the past so I changed my phone number deleted my old Instagram and created
49:46a new account I packed my schedule as full as possible just to earn a few nights of uninterrupted
49:51sleep some of the more outgoing college girls like to chat with me between classes professor
49:55Emma why do you always wear a mask on campus because I'm not very pretty who said that oh my
50:00god I swear
50:01I will shut them up there is no such thing as an ugly girl she sounded completely sincere and the
50:06others around her nodded in agreement just as indignant I would laugh it off and smoothly change the
50:11subject soon enough they started talking about the bee skin they had at home then they asked me
50:15professor what kind of bee skin do you have I did not know how to explain everything that had happened
50:20with Brian so I gave them a simple answer he died they fell silent for a long moment until the
50:25bell rang
50:25and class began after that during my two weekly lectures students would often bring me little things
50:30a Starbucks latte a blueberry muffin or a bar of Hershey's chocolate I could never finish it all that was
50:35when I started thinking about the little fox bee skin on campus who survived by collecting recyclables
50:40bee skin were usually striking in appearance and fox bee skin were among the most beautiful of all
50:45but this one had deep crisscrossing scars covering both sides of his face he was afraid of scaring the
50:50students so he only came out late at night that evening when I left the lab and went looking for
50:55him it started pouring out of nowhere a figure darted toward me a fluffy foxtail swaying behind him I called
51:01out softly hey little fox huh the young bee skin turned around and noticed me immediately lowering his
51:07head he quickly covered his face with his hands I'm sorry ma'am I must have misheard please don't
51:12mind me the autumn rain carried a sharp chill he was soaked through water dripping steadily from his
51:16clothes I looked at him and said gently you don't have to hide your face I've seen you around I
51:21have
51:21hot water and a dryer in my office come upstairs and get warmed up he hesitated then slowly lowered
51:26his hands and nodded thank you ma'am once we got into my office under the bright lights I realized
51:31how
51:31young he was around 18 or 19 about the same age as my freshman while he was showering I went
51:37next door
51:37to the lab to ask about him my colleague Arthur was always eager to talk and he filled me in
51:42without
51:43hesitation that little fox is named Finn I heard he used to be incredibly good looking his former
51:48handler tried to sell him to the red light district in the underground beast trade he refused and even bit
51:53someone before escaping during the escape his face got slashed up when the people from the black market
51:58saw he was disfigured they beat him badly and threw him into the ocean lucky for him the university
52:03rowing team pulled him out since then he's been scraping by on campus selecting recyclables I asked
52:08where does he live there's a run-down shed behind the hill on campus Arthur frowned slightly Emma I
52:13heard your bee skin passed away you're not thinking about adopting him are you I bit down on the straw
52:18of
52:18my hot latte and didn't answer Arto's voice suddenly sharpened he looks like that who would want to adopt
52:23him his words overlapped with the voices from my past she looks so plain who would ever like her but
52:28why we have hearts too we want to love and be loved just the same I looked at Arthur and
52:32said quietly
52:33he isn't ugly he's just been hurt and he's kind he's sweet I've seen him share the food he collects
52:39with homeless people nearby I've seen him donate his spare change to the beastkin protection agency so
52:44please don't say things like that about him again when I stepped out of Arthur's office I saw Finn
52:48standing in the hallway his blonde hair and tail were still damp his eyes were brimming with tears
52:53feeling a little awkward I changed the subject if it's hard to do it yourself I can help dry it
52:57I took the towel and gently dried his hair and tail then used a hairdryer to finish the job it
53:02was my
53:02first time drying a bee skin's tail and I was clumsy I accidentally hurt him more than once and kept
53:07apologizing Finn's face turned red it's okay I'm already very grateful to you when I finally finished I
53:13handed him a muffin and the latte he didn't take them after a long pause as if gathering all his
53:18courage
53:18he spoke again ma'am I don't eat much could you adopt me my hand froze mid-air Finn continued
53:25I know I'm not good looking but I can cook wash dishes mow the lawn I can get massages and
53:30I know
53:30how to grow roses I smiled then took off my mask and met his eyes but I'm not good looking
53:34either
53:35would you still choose me Finn gently reached out and touched my cheek his movements careful almost
53:40reverent you're very cute he said softly I want to go with you my eyes stung I blinked quickly holding
53:47back the tears and took his hand as we walked out of the lab building together the rain had stopped
53:52and just like that I chose a family for myself I completed the paperwork and adopted Finn just
53:57like he promised he did everything beautifully he kept the beach house spotless filled the yard with
54:02blooming hydrangeas and brought me hot home-cooked lunches at the lab running those spectral analyses
54:06today nearly killed me Arthur said as he wandered in from next door shamelessly helping himself he took a
54:12big spoonful of beef stew and let out a low whistle damn Finn can cook this is incredible meanwhile the
54:18one at my place does nothing but curl up on the couch and watch Netflix honestly Arthur should have
54:22been grateful Brianne could not cook at all then again maybe he just never bothered to do anything
54:27like that for me that night I had the nightmare again a memory buried deep in my mind I was
54:3317 Isabella
54:35and Logan went with me and Brian to Universal Studios Orlando halfway through the day the park was hit by
54:40a
54:40sudden indiscriminate attack explosions erupted from every direction Logan shielded Isabella while I
54:46grabbed Brian's hand and ran for the exit we were near the eastern side of the park but the flying
54:52debris still cut into everyone we were only steps away from the exit when it was blown apart right in
54:57front of us at the time I had been running ahead and never noticed what happened in that instant
55:02but in the dream I saw it clearly both Logan and Brian threw themselves toward Isabella without
55:07hesitation I was left alone collapsing into rubble and dust with no one caring whether I lived or died
55:13Logan and Brian were only relieved that Isabella was safe later I lay unconscious in the ICU for
55:18days my parents and Brian stayed by Isabella's side comforting her as she cried from the shock a
55:24voice echoed in my mind mocking me Emma C no one in this world loves you it came from everywhere
55:30repeating itself over and over surrounding me until I could not escape it in the dream my soul seemed to
55:36float above crouch down clutching my head as I tried to argue back that's not true that's not true
55:41then faintly someone grabbed my hand and pulled me forward a voice said Emma that's not true everyone
55:49deserves to be loved I woke with a start the first thing I saw was Finn sitting at my bedside
55:54wiping the
55:54cold sweat from my forehead his face tight with worry when he saw my eyes open he finally let out
56:00a
56:00breath tears slipped down my face before I could stop them Finn can you hold me he climbed onto the
56:05bed and pull me into his arms I clung to him like a child pouring out everything I had been
56:10holding
56:10inside Finn gently patted my back murmuring soft reassurances I did not have to worry about him
56:15snapping at me to leave him alone I did not have to worry about him brushing me off and disappearing
56:20into
56:20distractions and I definitely did not have to worry about him looking at me with cold indifference I want
56:25to hear a song I whispered Finn hummed softly you are my sunshine my only sunshine you make me happy
56:31when skies are gray with Finn taking care of me I started getting better little by little the sunlight
56:37was especially bright today Finn and I were in the backyard hanging sheets out to dry we ended up
56:42laughing and playing around on either side of the fabric the breeze lifting it between us then
56:47someone called my name from beyond the fence Emma I turned around Brian was standing there the
56:51hanger slipped from my hand and fell straight onto the grass Finn noticed the shift in my expression
56:56immediately and stepped in front of me without hesitation I tugged lightly on the hem of Finn's
57:01flannel shirt it's okay I know him go take care of the blue crabs in the kitchen I just need
57:06a minute
57:06to talk to him we walked over to a wooden bench by the shore the ocean breeze tangled my hair
57:11I forced
57:12a small awkward smile it's been a while Brian he stared at me his voice cold who is that fox
57:17my new fostered bee skin
57:21starboard
57:22there's one of'ml
57:23man
57:23in there
57:24i
57:24there
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