Chapter 25: Chapter Twenty-Five - Jessica

I woke to a sore body.

Every crevice felt like I’d ran a marathon the day before or I'd been hit by a truck. It was a blissful pain. One that I wanted to relive over and over. My neck hurt the worst. I touched the spot where Mason had marked me and smiled into my pillow.

At least, I thought it was my pillow. Prying my eyes open, I looked at Mason’s face smashed against the pillow, his arm wrapped tightly around me.

My leg was wedged between his thighs, and my pillow was his chest. He was warmer than a normal person, his body hard beneath me while I knew I felt soft to him.

The morning light streamed through my window, brightening the room so I could see it was nearly 9 AM. I attempted to move softly not to wake him and slipped from the bed. He groaned but didn’t move.

I walked into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee with a giant smile on my face. This was the kind of sore I liked. We’d spent two more hours exploring one another. None of it disappointed.

It was odd to know this was it. Mason was my person, and we were both so young. I nibbled on the side of my mouth while pouring myself a cup of coffee.

The night before had been perfect. Far more perfect that I expected it to be.

Opening my laptop on the kitchen counter, I scrolled through emails and suggestions from Jamie about my story. I knew being mated to Mason, and knowing their secret put me in a tough spot.

Knowing the real reasons why they chased after ‘monsters’ made me want to stop the articles. If the town became too interested it would cause strain on the boys.

I didn’t want to add to it. Plus, I didn’t want the town prying around here. It was enough that I had a mate, but I didn’t want some government officials to show up wanting to run tests on the pack.

Maybe I could steer the spotlight off the ‘monster’ and to something else. Which was hard to do since this town was so small. I noticed something in the paper the other day about a festival coming to town. Perhaps I could find a lead there and write the best article this town has ever seen.

“What are you thinking about?” Mason asked.

I jumped, spilling some of my coffee onto the tops of my toes. “Ouch!” I shouted.

Mason chuckled, walked over and used a paper towel from the counter to wipe my toes. “I’m sorry. I need to remember you can’t sense me like I can you.”

I turned to meet his gaze and my heart thudded. He was shirtless, his hair a mess and he looked good enough to eat. Who looked this good in the morning? Not me, that was for sure.

“It’s okay. I was in a daze thinking about The Eagle.”

Mason furrowed his brow as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “Yeah? You’re thinking about work after last night? Maybe I should work on my game.”

I laughed. “Last night was amazing. I was thinking about The Eagle’s articles about you all. I need to find a way to deter them from writing about you.”

He leaned against the counter and watched me. “We’re good at hiding. Plus, most people are afraid to come into the woods to get a story. Jamie has been around long enough to know that these woods aren’t safe. She won’t be creeping around here for too long, ya know?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I’ll keep an eye on it. What do you have planned today?”

He pulled out his phone. “Jacob wants me to come run the woods with him. I think they found something that he wants my opinion on.” He lifted his gaze. “But this afternoon, before the sun sets, I want to take you on a run through the forest. I would run at night but being alone with you wouldn't be smart. Just in case we run into trouble."

Excitement flooded me. I’d only seen him from a distance once, and in my dreams. “I’m excited about that, by the way. Turns out, I’ve never been riding on a werewolf before.”

He faked a gasp. “Really? Who would have thought?”

I grinned over my mug. “I’m going to make pancakes. Do you have time for some?"

“I have a few minutes. Let me help you.”

We spent the next twenty minutes making chocolate-chip pancakes and talking. It was easy to talk to Mason. He was laidback and listened. As if he wanted to know all about me.

We sat down at the dining table to eat our pancakes when someone knocked on the door. It opened before I could get up and Jacob walked into the room.

He looked curious, nosy was more like it, and stopped cold at the doorway. Mason met his gaze, and they shared some sort of private communication. “Can you not do that?” I asked.

Jacob looked at me and blinked. “We can speak in our heads,” he said, pointing toward his neck. “You’re marked.”

A blush built on my cheeks, and I shoved a big bite of pancake into my mouth. “Go ahead and make yourself at home. I made enough for you, too.”

He gave me a sheepish look as he sat across from me. The attention had me hot all over. “Stop staring at me,” I hissed.

He grinned as he piled pancakes onto his plate. “I’ve never seen one so close before. Grandmas had faded by the time I got old enough to see it.”

I cupped my tattoo. “It fades?”

Mason nodded. “After your mate dies, it does.”

I sighed in relief. Not that we would never die but that hopefully it was years away. Jacob stabbed his pancake while staring at my neck.

I mumbled under my breath, shifted my hair and angled my neck. “Go ahead, get a good look.”

He stormed around the table and bent down to look at it. He seemed mesmerized by it. I couldn’t blame him because it was utterly beautiful. “It’s great. Congratulations to you both.”

He sat back down, while I continued to eat. Mason seemed uncomfortable and I couldn’t pinpoint why. “What’s the matter?” I asked.

Mason shifted in his seat. “Seth doesn’t believe you’re my mate. I can’t wait for him to see the mark, the bastard,” he mumbled.

Jacob gave Mason a look. “He’s just jealous. We all are. We want a mate but it most likely won’t happen any time soon.”

I felt pride in knowing a mate was cherished amongst the boys.

“What did you find last night?” Mason asked.

“A trail that led to clothing,” Jacob said.

“That’s good, right?” I asked.

He shrugged. "The scent dies when they shift, and I can’t pick up another one. It’s so strange.”

“The town is small, maybe you can recognize the clothing?”

“It’s women’s clothing,” Jacob said.

Mason glared at him for a long moment. “The lycan is a girl?” he asked.

Jacob nodded. “Looks like it. Unless the lycan is smart enough to fool us with women’s clothing. I don’t think he or she would have the time to do it. I think our lycan in a woman.”

I ate my food in silence. Apparently, this was news to the boys and made me uneasy. It was enough to make friends in this town, but to be self-conscious of someone turning into a monster, added to my reasons to stay inside.

Mason cleared his throat. “We probably need to go. Thank you for the pancakes. I’ll see you this afternoon?” he asked.

I nodded, while he leaned over and kissed me softly.

When I pulled away Jacob was smiling at me like a kid catching his parents kissing. “Stop it, that’s weird,” I mumbled.

Jacob got up, shoveling an entire pancake into his mouth and winked at me. “Get used to it. Plus, I could smell y’all’s sex a mile away. It’s no secret anymore. The entire pack knows what you two have been up to.”

“Yay,” I said sarcastically.

Though none of me cared one cent about what they knew. My body was on Cloud 9. I’d never felt so alive in my entire life.

And something told me it would only get better with time.