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Mason nodded along. The movie murmured in the background as she moved in closer to him, lifting her legs to rest on his. He grabbed them and pulled them in, igniting her sweet blush as he ran a hand up and down her thigh.
“You can tell me, Ash. I’m curious, that’s all. Unless you don’t feel comfortable."
She shook her head indignantly. “I am fine telling you about it. Which is strange in itself… Being a loner always came naturally to me. And my family. My biological father wasn’texactly a great guy. He left my mother and me quite young. We were in a pack, but they didn’t do anything to help. My mother became ostracized.”
Mason watched her eyes move into the past, those emerald gems growing muted.
“The alpha didn’t treat her very well. She struggled to take care of me. Men took advantage of her. Eventually, she got really sick and passed away, but again, no help came from the pack.”
Mason expected her eyes to swell with tears, but they didn’t. It was a nightmare she had adjusted to and seemed accepting of.
“I grew up with a fantasy about packs. I was taught that they were solid, reliable ground. I barely felt any of that. So, when I was seventeen, I ran off. I got myself some shitty jobs, but when I was alone, I felt free. Free of all that tragedy."
Mason laid a hand on her cheek, and she met his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Ash. That is not how packs are supposed to be. You are right. They should be solid ground. That is how I try to keep mine."
She nodded, her eyes twinkling back to life. It soothed the part of Mason's heart which was broken for her.
“You do a phenomenal job,” she said, running her hands through her hair. “But, yes, finding the council after that made sense. I could apply my newfound sense of independence and monitor the same packs that were doing a remarkably shitty job.”
A scene of a gunfight during the movie turned their attention away for a moment. Mason reached for the remote and turned the volume down, then slouched, his hands returning to caressing her legs.
“You were saying? How did the council find you then?”
“It was just a matter of applying for a job, really,” Ash said, lowering her body so she was horizontal on the couch. “They were looking for interns to work as a go-between for bothhumans and shifters. It’s a rapidly growing industry, mostly because police have their heads up their asses and have no idea how to cope with interspecies interactions."
Mason agreed. He had an understanding with the local sheriff, but it would be a lie to say that it didn't take some compromise.
“It felt good to be there. I got good at it really quickly. I was promoted to being an agent and have gone undercover many times. Mostly to investigate crappy alphas who don't deserve their roles.”
Mason picked up some venom in her words. He couldn’t blame her.
“You’ve done that for how long?" Mason asked.
Ash stared up at the ceiling. “Ten years now. Feels like a lifetime."
“And how does your wolf feel about the change? Now that you’ve found your mate?”
Ash appeared thrown by the question. She stumbled on her words, rubbing her forehead.
Mason felt bad. He ran both hands up and down her legs with added pressure, then left them to settle on her waist.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to catch you off guard,” he said. “I just want to know everything about you. You intrigue me.”
Her body had gone rigid, then slowly but surely returned to its malleable state.
“It’s okay. I suppose the question is apt. I hadn’t thought about it up until now … and I guess I’m surprised to say that she’s pretty fuckingserene.”
She emphasized the last word. Mason frowned.
“Why is that surprising?”
“I’m rarely calm. I have been restless for the majority of my life. The council brought me some stillness, but the constantly moving, ever-changing kind."
Mason took a deep breath, his eyes averting hers thoughtfully. He didn’t want to overstep, but he also didn’t want to keep his thoughts to himself. Having a mate made you want to pour your entire heart and soul into every sentence.
“Well, maybe, just maybe, your wolf was restless because she hadn't found her purpose. Or her mate.”
