Chapter 2 Two
"Danica," the gentle voice slowly drifted through the darkness, attempting to rouse Danica. "Hey, wake up."
Somehow she felt connected to the voice, not just on an emotional level but on another level that was hard to quite fathom.
As she tried to determine just what that feeling was, she could feel herself begin to fall. As she fell, she felt her mind and body reconnecting once more before finally becoming one entity.
Now she could understand why she had the feeling of floating. Two strong, protective arms were carrying her.
Prying her eyes open, she waited for her foggy vision to clear so she could see exactly who was holding her. She could make out the outline of a strong, chiseled jaw with dark stubble peppering it.
Next were full lips that sat in a frown, followed by high cheekbones that sat underneath blazing green eyes that held an air of determination, and above all that messy golden hair that stuck up in tufts around his perfect face.
Gasping, Danica began to struggle as she determined that it was Mason who was carrying her.
"Relax." His deep voice rumbled near Danica's ear. "I'm not going to hurt you."
It wasn't fear of being hurt that surged through Danica. It was something so much more; it was an all-consuming fire that scorched through her entire body from simply being touched by Mason. The feeling wasn't unpleasant, but it was something Danica couldn't understand, and not knowing terrified her.
"PUT ME DOWN!"
Frowning Mason stopped moving and gently placed her on her feet in front of him.
In that moment, the fire that had been running through Danica ceased to exist, leaving her feeling cold and hollow.
Trying to ignore the confusion that was beginning to boil within her, she found herself wondering exactly how she got into this position to begin with.
She remembered being at the party being a wall flower. She remembered glowing red eyes watching her. She remembered a large black wolf snarling at her, then...
"Y-you," she began, pointing a shaking finger at Mason. "YOU WERE A WOLF!"
Danica began to back away as her heart began to race.
"Danica, calm down," Mason urged, trying to come near her again.
"STAY BACK!" Danica shrieked as her foot caught a root, making her stumble. "Don't...AH!"
As she began to fall backward, a strong arm wrapped around her, righting her balance. Once more, the fire she felt earlier exploded through her.
"Don't touch me!" she snapped, jerking free of Mason's hold. "What the hell are you?"
"Calm down first."
"How can I remain calm? I must be going crazy!" Danica sputtered. "You were a wolf! No, not a wolf, a werewolf! But werewolves are just fictional creatures from books and movies. I must be dreaming."
Reaching out, Mason grabbed Danica's shoulders in an attempt to sooth her.
"Breathe, Danica; you aren't going crazy, and you weren't dreaming. This is all very real."
Feeling almost manic, Danica locked her gaze with Mason's as she tried to claw her way back to sanity. Something about his deep green eyes soothed her as she stared unblinking into them.
"Have you calmed down?" Mason asked, sounding hopeful.
"I think so," Danica responded, taking a deep breath and then releasing it. "But I still feel like I've gone mad."
Smiling, Mason nodded.
"Mason, why are you concerning yourself with me?" Danica asked, focusing on the situation at hand. "Like, how did you even know who I was?"
Mason was three years older than Danica and an extreme playboy. He had been a senior when Danica was a freshman in high school, and anytime she would see him around the halls or on the quad, he would be with a different girl.
"Do you not feel it?" he asked, his expression turning to confusion.
"Feel what?"
Was he referring to the pleasant fire she felt pulse through her every time they touched? Or the odd connection she felt to him when she looked into his eyes?
Frowning, Mason touched Danica's cheek gingerly; the place he touched lit up in delight, causing her heart rate to spike.
"I was wondering this when you were being attacked as well, but why didn't you change?" he asked, furrowing his brows. However, before she could respond, understanding flashed in his eyes. "You just turned eighteen."
"Change?" Danica asked, "I don't quite understand."
Before any other words could escape, a wave of dizziness hit her, causing her to stumble.
"Woah there," Mason gasped, reaching out. "Careful."
The surge of fire that began to race through her from his touch grounded her once more.
"Mason," she managed shakily. "What's happening?"
"How about we head back to that party of yours first? I'm sure your friends are worried about you."
"Are you avoiding my question?" Danica asked, her annoyance flaring. "Don't you dare."
Mason's head tilted back as he let out a loud laugh.
"Don't worry, I'm not. I just think you should at least tell them goodnight before we go somewhere to talk."
Unable to focus due to the heat running through her from Mason's touch, Danica found herself obediently nodding.
Satisfied, Mason released his hold on her face, allowing the cold, empty feeling to fill her once more.
Whimpering, she found herself reaching out a hand to grab hold of Mason's. A sigh escaped her lips as the warmth again seared through her.
Beside her, Mason smiled from ear to ear, showing his dazzlingly white teeth.
Hand in hand, Danica and Mason began making their way through the woods together. Although the atmosphere should have been awkward given the fact they were basically strangers, it was comfortable and almost easy being together, as if this was where they both belonged.
"Mates," Mason murmured as if reading Danica's thoughts.
Turning her head, Danica furrowed her brow.
"What did you say?"
"Mates," Mason repeated once more.
"What are you talking about?"
"I know you feel it," Mason lifted their entwined hands. "The fire, the connection," he continued. "You're my mate, my Luna."
Frowning Danica pulled her hand from Mason's, allowing the empty coldness to consume her.
"This is all so much to take in."
"Slowly," Mason said simply. "I will explain everything to you slowly."
Nodding her head, Danica began walking again, but this time she didn't grab Mason's hand, instead choosing to wrap her arms around herself.
When they found their way back into the clearing, the party was in full swing. A large fire blazed in the center of the already drunk partygoers, lighting the sky with a red glow.
"Shall we?" Mason asked, motioning towards the crowd.
"I guess," Danica responded.
Together they made their way into the crowd, earning themselves odd stares as people took them in.
Danica wasn't sure if it was due to the fact Mason was with her or if it was due to the fact he wore nothing but sweatpants. Either way, all the attention he was drawing toward her was making her extremely uncomfortable.
Excusing herself, she rushed away to go find Amy or Heather.
She managed to find Amy first flirting with a guy Danica vaguely remembered named Donald beside the keg. Her face was flushed from one too many drinks, and she had a case of the giggles as Donald whispered something in her ear.
Moving forward, she grabbed Amy by her arm and smiled at Donald.
"Can I borrow her for a minute?" she asked him sweetly.
"I'll be right back," Amy assured him with a wink before allowing Danica to pull her away.
Once they were far enough away from others' earshot, Danica stopped and turned her attention to her drunk friend.
"What's up? Amy asked, squinting. "You ok?"
"I'm fine, just not feeling too well," she lied. "I think I'm going to go ahead and head home."
At her words, Amy began to pout.
"But this party is for you," she whined. "How can the guest of honor leave?"
Danica smiled as she stopped the laugh that threatened to escape. This party definitely had nothing to do with her; almost everyone who was there didn't even really know who she was.
"I'm sure no one will miss me," Danica said instead. "I will call you tomorrow, ok?"
Amy opened her mouth to say something, but Danica had already begun to move.
All she could think was that she needed to get home. She needed to get home and curl up in her bed. Once she did that and fell asleep, she would wake up the next day to find that everything was a dream.
Her home was dark when she arrived. It seemed her adoptive mother had already headed to bed for the evening, which was good since she didn't know how to explain her panicked mood.
Thanking her lucky stars, she began to make her way through the white gate that surrounded their home, only to be stopped by a hand grabbing her wrist.
She didn't need to turn and see who it was due to the warmth she felt surging through her.
"Why'd you leave all by yourself?" Mason's voice asked, "Don't you know it's dangerous?"
"I think the most dangerous thing right now is you," she countered.
"Did you forget about that rogue already?"
"Rogue?" Danica repeated, turning to meet his gaze. "What the hell is a rogue?"
"Have you not been taught anything?"
"I truly have no idea about anything that you are saying," she started trying to keep calm. "People shifting from wolf to human is something that should only exist in movies and books." As she said the words, Danica felt even crazier. "I don't want any part of whatever world you live in. I'm just a normal person."
It was Mason's turn to look confused.
"Normal person?" he said the word like he couldn't quite understand it. "Danica Robinson, you are anything but a normal person."
"How am I not normal? I'm a normal soon-to-be college freshman; how am I any different from anyone else out there?"
"Are you not aware of it?" he asked, leaning closer.
Gasping, Danica took a step back, trying desperately to put distance between her and Mason. She knew if he touched her and that fire pulsed through her again, she wouldn't be able to think straight.
"Not aware of what?" Danica asked, crossing her arms across her chest. "What am I supposed to be aware of?"
"Danica, you are a wolf just like me," Mason said, fully closing the distance between them so that Danica's back pressed against the gate behind her. "How is it possible you aren't aware?"
Eyes widening, Danica shook her head in refusal.
"How could I possibly be a wolf? I don't shift during the full moon?" she insisted, a hysterical laugh escaping her once more.
"We shift for the first time during the full moon after our eighteenth birthday," Mason explained, placing his hands on the gate behind Danica so she was trapped in front of him. "The next full moon is three days from now. That will be when your first change will be."