Chapter 23: Chapter 23

I woke that morning to a clattering outside of my bedroom door. I blinked in the sunlight that was streaming through my window and rubbed my eyes to rid them of the sleep that had nestled its way into the corners. I stretched with a groan and cocked my head to the side as the clattering hit my bedroom door.

“Mum?” I croaked, my dry mouth disabling me from being able to talk normally. I looked to the side of the bed where I usually kept a glass of water on the bedside drawers. I frowned when I couldn’t see anything but my phone.

My bedroom door opened with a bang and I jumped as I watched mum bustle in with a load of washing. She dumped it on my bed and waved her hand over it as if to say ‘Get this done’. I leaned over and checked the time on my phone and rolled my eyes. Eight am on a Saturday and she was busying herself with all the housework.

“Mum it’s the crack of dawn,” I yawned sarcastically, “Can I not do it in a bit? I want to go and see...”

I stopped as the image of a beast stepped its way into my mind. A snarling, drooling, snapping wolf staring me right in the eyes. My heart began to race as I remembered the events of yesterday and the way Mason’s eyes glowed beneath the thick tufts of black fur.

“Mason?” Mum finished for me, waggling her eyebrows.

’Keep it together,′ I thought to myself,’She has no idea.′

“Uh yeah,” I replied breezily as I stepped out of bed and dodged around her as she fussed around the bedroom.

“We were talking about you last night,” Mum commented as I left the bedroom.

I took a step back and poked my head around the door frame with my eyebrows furrowed, “Saying what?” I asked suspiciously.

Mum grinned and leaned on the hoover, “Oh just how smitten Mason seems with you. Jane is so excited for a woman whose only son is falling for someone. I remember my first boyfriend, his motherhatedme. You must have made a really good impression on that family.”

I barked a singular laugh, as I felt my insides twist, “Hah yeah, she’s...they’re great.”

’Your new best friend is a werewolf,′ I wanted to scream at her, but instead I plastered a smile on my face and continued my mission into the bathroom. I relieved myself and placed my head into my hands as I was sat on the toilet. How was I supposed to go back to that house and face them all? I slapped my hands down on my thighs and felt pain radiate from my hip. Frowning I stood and lifted my shirt to see the claw marks that Mason had left imprinted in my skin. The small cuts had begun to heal, just leaving scabs and redness behind.

’We would never hurt you′ Josie had said, but was she aware that Mason had already done so? I pulled up my pajama pants and let my shirt fall back down. I stood in front of the mirror and distracted myself by plaiting my hair into two French braids. I opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out two paracetamol; I knew I would end up getting another headache today.

Mum came into the bathroom and smiled as she clocked my hair, “Very nice,” She commented, “I’m sure Mason will like it.”

“I didn’t do it for him,” I snapped and suddenly retracted, noticing mum’s shocked expression, “I just mean I fancied plaits today. Not everything I do is for a boy.”

“Smart,” She replied, “I suppose you haven’t known him very long. I find myself forgetting that sometimes, I just feel so welcome and at home in that house.”

“Makes one of us,” I muttered underneath my breath as I shut the cabinet door.

“Hmm?” Mum questioned, having not quite heard me.

“Makes two of us,” I said louder, walking away from her and back into the bedroom. “Don’t come in, I’m getting ready,” I called.

I threw on some old black jeans and a plain purple t-shirt, I wasn’t in the mood to be impressing anybody today. ′Besides,′I thought to myself sarcastically, ′if Mason would happily drag me back home with his teeth, then I doubt he’s going to change his mind because of what I’m wearing.′

Still, I fished around in my makeup bag for my concealer. My eyes still hadn’t recovered from the amount of crying they did yesterday, and although I wasn’t too concerned about my appearance, I didn’t want to look ill. I applied the concealer and swiped some black waterproof mascara over my lashes. When done, I grabbed the small, brick phone I always kept on the nightstand and checked through my messages.

Just one.

’Meet me at the fountain at ten, we can go for breakfast and talk.

Mason.′

I heaved a sigh, ′I’d rather shit in my hands and clap’I thought, but shook it out of my head. I needed answers and I wasn’t going to get them by wallowing in fear tucked up in my bed. I sent a quick message back to let him know that I would be there, trying to ignore my shaking hands as I pressed send. I went to put the phone back on the nightstand, checking the time as I did so. Now nine am, I had plenty of time to either calm my nerves or send them so sky high they weren’t coming down.

I tried to busy myself for another hour, helping mum with the household chores and fussing with my hair.

“Will you leave it alone?” Mum sighed as she caught me re-plaiting the ends for the fifth time in fifteen minutes. “You look like you’re about to have a nervous breakdown.”

′Already had about three of those,′ I thought, but turned to her and sighed, “I’m meeting Mason for breakfast at ten,” I explained.

“Where?” She asked.

She could love Mason like a son, but I knew the prospect of me being alone with any man sent her hackles rising. If she knew I was about to meet a giant, hairy beast manifesting itself as a man, then her heart would probably stop.

“At the fountain, so probably Josie’s café or another little spot in the middle of town.”

She visibly relaxed, “Alright, keep your phone on.”

I nodded in response and told her I would have to get going. I jogged down the stairs, my stomach already fluttering with a thousand angry butterflies. I decided on wearing my black trainers, should I need to make a quick getaway. The thought was there in my mind, but logic told me that there was no way he would try anything in a town full of ordinary people.

Stepping onto the main high street, I was greeted by many happy Saturday shoppers, blissfully unaware of what really lurked in the woods surrounding their little home. I watched almost everyone that passed me, wondering if they knew or if they were really human. Could it be possible that there were more than werewolves out there? It was a question I was determined to ask Mason.

As I came upon the beautiful fountain, I was reminded of my initial reaction upon seeing the wolves playing in the water. Yet, despite all I knew, I couldn’t help but still think of it as beautiful. Mason was stood beside it, his back to me covered in a black, leather jacket. I could feel part of me just want to jump on him, but I shook it away.

‘Not the time to be horny over his back,’I told myself.’That, very hot, back also gets covered in fur.′ I swallowed and took a long breath as I got closer, I had to be strong for myself. I was done cowering and crying, I had come for answers and I wasn’t about to shrink back in fear.

Just as I was about to tap him to alert him I was here, he spun around with a dashing smile on his face. His eyes softened as he took me in, but I was surprised when he didn’t step forward.

“I’m glad you came Heidi.”

I nodded, “I need answers,” I replied curtly.

“Shall we head for some breakfast? There’s a little bistro on the corner that shouldn’t be too busy at this time of day, we should be able to talk there.”

“Yeah, sounds good,” I breathed, allowing him to lead the way.

We walked in silence, although I could tell he was bursting at the seams trying to tell me something. I couldn’t take it for much longer, “You look like you’re about to combust,” I told him.

He shook his head, but continued walking, “I’ve been beating myself up about yesterday. What happened was the absolute worst way I wanted it to go. Seeing you so scared it...it broke me.”

I didn’t reply, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to say. Mason opened the door for me and I thanked him as I entered the sweet, little bistro. Only three of six tables were occupied and a lady behind the counter greeted us as we entered.

“Good morning, sit anywhere and I’ll take your order in a moment,” She called.

Mason thanked her as I pointed to a little table in the corner of the café, right next to the window.

“Yes, that’s perfect,” Mason agreed.

We sat down and the lady took our drink orders. Mason ordered a black coffee and myself a mango smoothie.

“You must have questions,” Mason asked, folding his hands together on the table.

“Millions,” I admitted.

“I will answer anything you ask me,” He reassured me. “No question is stupid, I promise.”

“Are fairies real?” I blurted.

I glared at Mason as I watched him try not to laugh, “No love, as far as I am aware, fairies do not exist, or at least no one I know has ever met one.”

“What does exist then?”

“Myself and my family are lycanthropes,” He began, “I am aware of vampires, but they are so few and far between that I believe there are only a couple left in existence. Witches are a little more common, but they keep to themselves in covens. You would either be very lucky or unlucky to come across a witch.”

Mason was about to speak again, but stopped himself as I looked up to spy the lady coming with our drinks.

“Any food this morning?” She chirped.

“I’ll have the large breakfast,” Mason replied, “With an extra sausage and no black pudding.”

“I’ll have the same, but small.”

“Black pudding for you darling?”

I made a face, “No thankyou.”

“I’ll be back with those soon as possible.”

I turned back to Mason, “It’s not a full moon thing so what else is different from the fairytales?”

Mason smiled, “Think of us as humans that evolved differently. We have the ability to shift from our human selves into wolves. Many of us prefer to live our lives as wolves without hardly ever turning back into our human selves. We can turn at will, we don’t fizzle if we touch silver, we do prefer to live in packs for our own safety...” He paused, trying to think another trope about werewolves in movies.

“Why do you want me so badly? Why can’t I leave?” I asked next, I knew I would have to ask otherwise I’d completely bottle it.

Mason sighed, “Remember when I went away for a few days and you felt poorly?”

I nodded, “What has that got to do with anything?”

“Wolves are pack creatures, both were and regular wolves. Wolves also have one partner for life. In lycans, this bond is amplified, we can usually sniff out or sense our life partner before we have even introduced ourselves. We believe that everyone on earth, those that are deserving, have a soulmate. Someone made explicitly for you. Lycan’s just have the ability to sense theirs’s far better than other creatures can.”

I wanted to yell at him, to tell me what on earth this had to do with me, but deep down I knew. Mason thought I was his life partner.

“You think I was made for you?” I whispered.

“-and I was made for you,” He replied.

“That’s insane,” I breathed. “You would have never met me if I hadn’t moved here.”

Mason shrugged, “Fate always finds a way.”

The lady came back with our meals, pausing our conversation. I cut up my sausage into tiny pieces as I contemplated what I was hearing.

“I can’t be,” I said after a few moments silence. “You must have made a mistake!”

Mason slowly put down his knife and fork. He breathed out through his nose and closed his eyes.

“The bond does not lie,” He spoke with a clipped voice. “You can deny it all you want but you are my soul mate whether you like it or not. What you choose to do is up to you, but now that we’ve established a...connection it’s going to be next to impossible to be apart.”

“So what? I’m destined to be with you for the rest of my life? Where’s my choice?”

Mason sighed, “I didn’t want to be mated to a human either. But fate gave you to me and I am beyond grateful. Isaac is still to find his life partner and some wolves go their whole lives alone. Most wolves consummate their bond within days and are completely in love from the moment they meet. I am not asking for you to profess your love to me, I am just asking for a chance.”

I stared at my breakfast that was beginning to go cold. My appetite had completely disappeared and I was just left with thoughts racing through my head.

“Mason I...I’m going to need some time. You’re not even human and this is all just so much...”

“We can go as slowly as you want. You can take as much time as you need,” Mason reassured me. “But you need to know that I can’t let you leave Penshaw Lake, I can’t let you that far out of my sight and not know if you’re okay. Wolves are very protective of their family and their soulmates, we would do anything for them.”

I took a slow bite of my toast as I thought about what he was telling me, it was so much information, I was glad I had taken the paracetamol.

“Is there anything else I should know?”

“There is a hierarchy within packs,” He explained. “Everybody contributes, everybody works and we all work together to manage the peace within the pack and keep everybody happy. There is an Alpha and Alpha Female, a Beta and Beta female. There are warriors, healers, childcare providers. Nobody suffers, if a serious crime is committed then they are cast out for good.”

“Who is the Alpha of your pack?” I asked.

I spied a blush appear on Mason’s cheeks and his chest puffed out a little with pride, “My father passed down the title to me a couple of years ago. Isaac is my beta.”

I laughed, “Well surely I can’t be your partner then. There’s no way your pack would want a human to lead beside you?”

Mason grinned in response, “My pack already adore you, especially Dee, Josie and Kate.”

My face paled, “I am no leader, Mason I can’t there’s just no-”

“Hey,” He held his hands up, “One step at a time yeah?”

I took a deep breath and sent a small smile his way.

“Yeah. One step at a time.”