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Ash nodded, then finished her bowl, scraping the bottom for every last morsel. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was.
“Ready for a drink?”
“That would be delightful,” Ash replied.
Mason took the bowl from her and took it into the kitchen, leaning into the fridge and grabbing two beers. He twisted off the caps with barely any effort, then tossed them onto the counter. She wondered what those strong hands could do to herbody, and her nipples perked at the thought. She forced herself to get it together. Ash had pulled her legs up to sit with her feet under her butt, a defensive pose, if anything. She felt the simultaneous need to protect her body from being too open, at odds with the urge to open all at once.
It was like being pulled by two ropes.
He handed her the beer, then clinked it together with his own.
“To new beginnings?”
“To new beginnings,” Ash repeated, smiling.
They each chugged their drink. It was refreshing and helped Ash’s mind settle.
“Do you enjoy being an alpha then?” Ash asked.
Mason rested his beer on his leg, his gaze growing thoughtful.
“Sometimes. I enjoy being a leader to people who need it. Other times, it can be exhausting, especially when falsities begin to rise …”
He trailed off, clearing his throat. Ash raised an eyebrow. There was something there, shrouded, that he knew he shouldn’t reveal to a complete stranger.
“Falsities?” she said, tilting her head. “I have only heard good things about you and the pack. That’s the main reason why I came here."
Mason shook his head, taking a long gulp of his beer. The bright, jovial wolf who had entered only a minute before had disappeared. He had darkened, and Ash was curious.
“It’s nothing. I don’t want to bore you with the details. It comes with the territory, dealing with people who like you and people you don’t. Like a politician.”
He swiftly changed the subject, inching closer to her. Ash was slightly thrown off.
“What about you?”
“Me?” she said, her tone going squeaky for a second. “What about me?”
“What skeletons lay in your past? Hmm? What kind of hauntings?”
She smiled at him, hiding the blossoming pinpricks of red with another drink. She told him about her past, feeling a give-and-take that was often required during interviews where trust was vital. She dropped in bits of information that were true, such as her harrowing time with a previous pack … which was also crucial to earning the trust of the subject. She couldn’t spin too many lies to Mason, not with their bond. He’d sense something off much quicker than most.
“That’s awful. I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, moving in even closer. “I want you to know that the pack here is supportive. I have made extra efforts to make sure that toxicity is squashed before it even begins to flourish. I promise you that.”
Ash had set her empty beer bottle down, her heart raging inside her chest. He moved in even closer, studying her, waiting for her to stop him. But she was paralyzed with excitement. There was no way she was going to stop him.
“I feel like I want to kiss you,” he murmured.
“Then do it,” she breathed back.
Mason hooked her chin and crushed her lips with his. She let out an animalistic groan while her fear and anxiety melted away like an ice cap under the sun. Her mouth opened, welcoming his tongue, and he let out a sensual moan. It could have gone further, but Mason pulled away. His eyes were a blue, hazy fire.
“It’s better that I go,” he said breathlessly. “Enjoy the beers. Let me know if you need anything else.”
Ash was frazzled, her body an inferno of desire. It was good that he left. She desperately needed a cold shower and to get her head on straight.
SIX
MASON
