Chapter 23: Chapter Twenty-Three - Jessica

Werewolves? Werewolves.

So many things about this made sense, but then on the other hand, werewolves? Had I fallen into some sort of foreign realm? My own cousin just shifted into a giant wolf in front of me and I wasn't sleeping.

How had they hidden this for years?

I never suspected anything as a kid. There were signs now that I was an adult, but I never expected them to shift into giant wolves.

My gaze shifted toward Mason driving me toward my house. As if the realization that my cousin and his friends were wolves wasn’t enough, now I was mated to Mason.

It explained a lot but there were so many questions.

I couldn’t wait to ask them, but then again, I wanted him to touch me. To put me out of my misery. It explained why I felt so connected to him.

“You’re making me nervous,” he said in the cab of his truck. "I can't pinpoint your emotions. There are too many."

I chuckled. “You’re nervous? I just found out I’m destined to be with you, and you turn into a giant wolf.”

The corner of his mouth tugged into a smile that caused goosebumps up my arm. “Yeah, it’s pretty overwhelming.”

“I’ll say,” I said, tapping my fingers along my thigh. “Have you always turned into a wolf?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I have. Well, since about fourth or fifth grade. I knew before then. It’s been in our families for years. My dad figured it had skipped him and would hit me.”

“Do you like it?” I asked.

Mason’s brows furrowed. “Yeah, even if I didn’t, I’m stuck this way. There is no way to get rid of him. We're together forever."

Mason turned into my driveway and nerves slithered up my skin. “Does he talk to you?” I asked.

Mason parked. “Yeah, he urges me to do things. Sometimes they’re insane and other times I agree.”

I nibbled on my bottom lip, staring at my closed front door. The tabby cat sat by the door, waiting for me. “Does my cat not like you because he senses you’re a wolf?”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Not a big cat person. They don't like me for obvious reasons."

I grabbed the handle of the door. “I can’t imagine why…”

Mason reached over and touched my hand, drawing my attention toward his green gaze. “There is no pressure, you know that right. We have a lot to talk

about. The mating. The marking. I’m sure you have questions.”

“One or two,” I said.

Mason smiled. “Then let’s go talk about it.”

I got out, the humid air stuck to my skin and sweat formed. The tabby cat hissed at Mason as we approached and raced into the woods. I chuckled while opening my door and allowing him inside.

The silence felt deafening at the moment, until he braced his hand on my lower back and guided me toward the couch.

I kicked off my wedges and sat down.

Mason sat beside me, resting one arm on the back of the couch and his eyes settled on me. “What do you want to know?”

I curled my feet underneath me. “What’s a mark exactly?”

He cleared his throat. “It’s where a wolf bites you and their mark, their brand in other words, appears on your skin. That way, other wolves know you're taken and not to overstep their boundaries."

My mouth parted. “You bite me? Does it hurt?”

He shrugged. “I’m not sure. I think it does at first but then it turns into…pleasure. It’ll link me to you. I’ll be able to sense when you’re near or what your emotions are. You’ll feel me too, but not as vividly because you’re human.”

“Do the other boys have mates?”

He nodded. “Yeah, everyone does. I’m lucky enough to have mine here. If they don’t wander past Slade Springs, the likelihood of finding them is slim.”

I rested my arm against the back of the couch and touched my fingertips against Mason’s. “The electricity is our connection?”

He slid his fingers inside of mine and grinned. “Yeah.”

“Is that how you knew I was your mate?”

Slowly shaking his head, he said, “No. I smelled you. It’s a wolf thing. He’d been restless for days before meeting you. Then when I walked into the house on the day of the funeral, I knew.”

It felt surreal knowing Mason instantly knew I was his mate. It sent shivers along my spine. What a blessing to know who your soulmate was as soon as you met them.

“Does Aunt Tasha know about you guys?”

“I think she has her suspicions, but Jacob has never told her anything for certain. He’s our alpha. It’s up to him to make sure we work together and keep the town safe. I’m his Beta. I’m second in command.”

I lifted a brow. “That’s why you didn’t want to tell him.”

“Partly,” he said.

Silence enveloped the room. A heavy blanket of need settled over me. “Will you be staying every night with me now?”

“If you want me to. We don’t have to hide anymore."

“Seth looked angry about it,” I said.

Mason’s face turned stormy. “Yeah. He thought since we told you that you were fair game. It seems I'm not the only one that had my eyes set on you. Over my dead body.”

I grinned. “I like this possessive side of you. It’s cute.”

He gave me a sheepish look. “Cute? What am I? Ten?”

I shrugged and stood slowly. “Maybe twelve," I teased. "I’m going to get a quick shower. I’m sweaty and I want to get comfortable.”

He gestured toward the hallway. “I’ll be here waiting.”

I slipped out of the living room and walked toward my bedroom. I gathered my change of clothes and went into the bathroom.

A humid breeze slipped into the house and my breath hitched. Had I left the bathroom window open? That wasn’t like me. I shut the window and locked it, feeling Mason’s presence in the doorway.

“Did you leave that window open?” he asked, his jaw tight.

“No. I don’t think so,” I said, placing my clothes on the sink. “Do you think someone came into the house? Way out here…oh, wait. Did the lycan come inside?”

Mason double-checked the window. “I don’t smell it. I’ll be in your room while you shower. If you hear or see anything, tell me. You really need a curtain for this room.”

I nodded, fear snaking a path down my spine. Mason stepped over and tilted my head upward. “Are you okay?”

“Now that I know what y’all turn into, and that there is a lycan, suddenly I’m more afraid than ever.”

“You don’t have to be afraid. I’m right here.”

He pressed a soft kiss on my mouth, and gestured toward the shower. “You can shower. I’m across the hallway.”

He walked into my bedroom and I listened to the bed move under his weight. I hurried to strip and get into the shower. Once the hot water warmed me, I felt safer than before.

Maybe it was a coincidence that my window was open. I doubted it, but maybe. I took my time washing my body, and shaving my legs. I was spending the night with Mason and I wanted it to be perfect.

Even though I knew he was meant for me, I was scared to death to let my guard completely down. He’d kissed me, tasted me, but doing anything other than that made my entire body hot.

Mason cleared his throat from the doorway. “Are you okay? You seem…uneasy.”

He could sense everything. I closed my eyes and tried to get myself together. “I’m fine.”

Mason lingered; I could hear his heavy breathing. “You’re nervous,” he said, his voice closer than before.

“I’m nervous,” I agreed.

“You don’t have to be, Jessica. I told you that. There is no pressure.”

I knew what he meant by no pressure. That we didn’t have to do anything that I didn’t want to do. However, I wanted to do them. I craved them. I had since the first moment I saw him.

I reached my hand out of the shower, grabbed a towel and wrapped it around me. When I stepped out of the shower, Mason’s gaze swept over me. “I’m not pressured,” I whispered. “I can’t stop thinking about you. I want you so bad that my body aches.”

Mason smiled lazily and stepped forward. “Say the word and I’ll give you everything you want.”