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The cottage was only a few minutes away, on the outskirts of the town, near sweeping scenery that connected to a gorgeous meadow.
“Yes, I suppose it was,” she said, beginning to grind her teeth.
Mason needed to know more about her but also realized that she was incredibly closed off. She certainly didn’t have the appearance of a lone wolf. Her soft brown hair was tied up into a loose ponytail and appeared shiny and well-kept. Her clothing didn’t have any wrinkles, and her orange blossom fragrance showed that she was hygienic. None of that necessarily meant that she was deceiving him. Her attitude certainly matched that of a wolf with far too many years alone … no social finesse.
“This is you,” Mason said.
The cottage was small in comparison to the majority of the homes on the pack property. It was used when there were pack meetings during the summer months, using half the indoors as a gathering place with sliding doors left open. It was well-kept and furnished with couches, a fully stocked kitchen, and a small nook of a bedroom with a double-sized bed.
It wasn’t exactly lavish, but it wasn’t a hole, either. Mason found himself feeling self-conscious as he unlocked the front door with his key, hoping it was suitable for a woman he’d just met.
“It has a rustic feel to it, doesn’t it?”
Ash carried her things in and took a look over the living room, which also had a cozy fireplace along with a dining roomtable. She gave him an affirmative nod, then set her duffle bag on the couch.
“This is nice. I appreciate you letting me stay here on the property. I know that isn’t customary,” Ash said, shedding her coat.
“You seem like you have a lot to contribute, and I want to know more about your story,” Mason said boldly. “To warn you, the pack is pretty nosy. So, a few of them may come around to introduce themselves. That’s also very customary.”
Ash smiled, the sides of her eyes crinkling, eyes sparkling. She then stuck out her hand, finally meeting his eyes.
“Thank you, Mason. I’m going to settle in here. Maybe we can talk more? I want to know your story, too.”
Mason lifted his hands to her without a second thought, clapping in a sturdy handshake. But the second their skin collided, something changed.
The earth and the sky seemed to shift, the universe spinning. The touch crackled in Ash’s eyes, as Mason was sure it did in his as well. His wolf howled in victory deep inside the wells of his heart.
He could imagine her, all of her, deep inside him, swirling and blending with all of him. It was a cosmic sensation, something ineffable that very few of his kind were able to encounter, much less pursue with the full hot darkness of their desires.
Fated mates. She’s my fated mate.
Mason let go, as did Ash, her face having gone pale. He cleared his throat and had to force himself to spin around, dizzy, his heart hammering violently in his chest.
“Let me know if you need anything else. The fridge is full, but do let me know. You know where to find me.”
He thought that she yelled out thank you, but Mason couldn’t be entirely sure.
Twilight had descended, the splash of red and orange fusing seamlessly with the dance of lilac. Mason followed the pathway in a dreamlike state and returned home, having forgotten entirely about the tongue-lashing that awaited him.
“Now, why did you do that?”
Derek waited for him in the kitchen, having helped himself to some of Mason’s vintage whiskey. He sat on a stool, swirling the amber liquid with his lips pulled tight.
Mason stopped in his tracks at the doorway and grunted.
“Last time I checked, I was the alpha, right?"
Mason snatched an empty glass from the bar and poured himself a drink. Derek was not fazed.
“You know that we are already in the shit with these rumors, right?” he implored, rising from the stool. “We can’t throw in a rogue wolf like this. It will only make matters worse.”
Mason shot back the whiskey, stinging his throat with a pleasant warmth. He wasn’t going to tell Derek just yet about what he had experienced. His heart was still doing a violent waltz in his chest. He barely understood the profound nature of what had hit him like a tidal wave. But still, Derek was starting to piss him off.
“We can’t just reject her, Derek. It’s important to me, as it is our pack, for us all to embrace those in need. You know that. And because of these said rumors, wouldn’t it make more sense to keep ones we don’t know close? To keep a better eye out for … I mean, on them.” Mason hoped his beta didn't catch his slip-up.
Derek came out of the kitchen holding his drink and stood by the bar where Mason was frozen still. They were shifters, after all, and could pick up the sensations of one another without often needing to ask … some far more salient and skillful than others.
“There is always a possibility that those we let in will spoil the pack. Don’t let some pretty girl walk in here and ruin all of the progress you’ve made.”
