Against All Odds.

It's a warm summer night, and the stars are shining brightly in the sky. As she walks, she can't help but feel a sense of unease. Something about the night feels different, and she can't quite put her finger on it. All of a sudden, she hears a rustling in the bushes nearby. Laura takes a deep breath and slowly starts walking towards the sounds. As she gets closer, she can hear the rustling getting louder and louder. And then, out of the shadows, steps a huge, black wolf. He's staring directly at her, his eyes glowing a bright, piercing yellow. Laura is frozen in fear, unable to move.

The wolf takes a few steps towards Laura, and then suddenly, he starts to change. His fur recedes, his body shrinks, and within a few seconds, the wolf is gone, replaced by a man. He's tall and muscular, with dark hair and piercing eyes. And he's completely naked! Laura is stunned, not sure what to do or say. The man takes a few steps towards her, and then speaks in a deep, rumbling voice.

"I'm sorry if I scared you," he says.

"I didn't mean to."

Laura is frozen in terror, unable to move or speak. The man takes a step closer to her, and she can feel the heat radiating off of his body. "Please don't be afraid," he says.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

Laura finally finds her voice.

"Who are you?" she asks, her voice trembling. "My name is Derek," he replies. "And I think we should talk."

"I know this must be a lot to take in," Derek says, "but I need you to hear me out. I'm not a monster, despite what you might think. I'm just a man who was cursed with this condition a long time ago. And I've been searching for someone like you ever since."

Laura still doesn't know what to think. But something about Derek's voice is strangely soothing, and she finds herself wanting to hear more.

"What do you mean, someone like me?" she asks.

"I mean someone who can see past the curse, and see the man beneath it," Derek says. "Someone who's not afraid of what I am, but is instead willing to give me a chance. Someone who's brave and kind, and doesn't judge others by their appearance."

Laura is starting to relax a little, and she takes a deep breath.

"So you're not a bad person," she says. "You just have a... condition."

Derek nods.

"That's exactly right. And I'd like to show you that I'm not the monster everyone thinks I am."

"I know this is a lot to ask, but would you be willing to come with me, so I can show you?" Derek asks.

Laura hesitates, unsure of what to do. On the one hand, she's still a little scared of him. But on the other hand, she's intrigued by what he has to say.

"I'm not sure," she says. "I need some time to think about it."

Derek nods. "I understand. Take all the time you need. But I hope you'll give me a chance."

With that, he turns and walks back into the shadows, disappearing from sight.

Laura stands there for a moment, processing everything that just happened. Then, she turns and starts walking home. As she walks, she can't stop thinking about Derek. Is he really as harmless as he claims to be? And if he is, what would it be like to get to know him? She's never met anyone like him before, and she can't help but feel drawn to him. When she finally gets home, she lies awake in bed, her mind racing with thoughts of the mysterious man she met in the woods.

The next day, Laura goes about her usual routine, but she can't stop thinking about Derek. As she's working at her job, she keeps glancing at the clock, waiting for the day to end. Finally, it's time to go home. And as soon as she walks through the door, she knows what she has to do. She grabs her coat and heads back out the door, determined to find Derek and hear him out. As she walks through the woods, she remembers the path she took the night before. And soon, she finds herself standing in front of the same spot where she first met him.

The air is still and silent, and there's no sign of Derek. But just as she's about to give up and turn around, she hears a rustling in the bushes. She turns, and there he is. Derek is standing there, watching her.

"I was hoping you'd come back," he says.

"I knew you'd be curious."

Laura takes a deep breath.

"I am curious," she admits. "But I'm also scared. What if you're not who you say you are?"

Derek look at her, his expression softening.

"I understand your fear," he says. "But I promise that I won't hurt you. I just want to show you who I really am."

Laura looks into his eyes, and for the first time, she feels a sense of peace. She knows that she can trust him.

"Okay," she says. "I'll come with you."

Derek smiles.

"Thank you," he says. "I promise you won't regret it."

And with that, he leads her deeper into the woods. They walk for what feels like hours, until they come to a small clearing. In the center of the clearing, there's a large, ancient-looking tree.

Derek leads Laura over to the tree, and they sit down in front of it.

"This is the Tree of Life," he says.

"It's said to have magical powers. And I believe it can help you understand who I really am."

Laura looks at him, puzzled.

"How?" she asks.

Derek reaches out and touches the tree, and as he does, a golden light starts to emanate from it. The light swirls around them, and Laura feels a sense of calm and serenity wash over her. Then, images start to appear in the light.

The images are like a story, playing out in front of them. Laura sees a young boy, running through the woods. He's laughing and smiling, until he comes to a lake. Suddenly, his face changes from joy to fear. And then, the boy is gone, replaced by a man. The man is sitting alone in a small room, his face filled with sadness. He looks up, and his eyes meet Laura's. She gasps, realizing that the man is Derek.

"This is my story," he says.

"And now, you know the truth."