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But then she could see it. The high cheekbones, the same shaped eyes and nose. The way they stood, staring back at her as Lacey’s eyes studied them, were exactly the same.
The girl offered her a small, shy smile.
Lacey returned it with one of her own. “Hi.”
Silence seemed to stretch into eternity as no one spoke for a long moment. Eventually, Mason flicked his gaze between the two women, his eyes betraying his thoughts. “Karis, this is Lacey.”
Karis nodded towards her. “Nice to meet you, Lacey.”
“Likewise.” What else did you say to the sister of the man you just had the best night of sex with?
Mason took a deep breath before he opened his mouth again. “Lacey is my mate.”
Disbelief shot across Karis’ face, and her mouth dropped to her chest. Her eyes shot from Lacey towards her brother, then back again. “When did you have time to find a mate?”
Shrugging, Mason gulped down a mouthful of coffee as if this wasn’t a conversation he really wanted to have. Not that Lacey could blame him in the least. “I didn’t. She found me.”
Not knowing what to say to that remark, Lacey slid a glance in the girl’s direction. “How’s your leg? Did that gunk your brother put on actually help?”
“Yeah, it’s right as rain now, as Mom would say.” Her blue eyes flicked towards Mason, the uncertainty within them as clear as day.
The corners of his mouth tugged slightly upwards, and he gave her a reassuring nod. “It’s OK. Lacey knows what we are.”
Despite the soft tone, Mason’s words didn’t seem to help alleviate any fears. Brows arching sky-high, Karis’ expression transformed from shock into worry.
Setting his cup down, Mason turned his attention back to his sister, and rubbed a hand over his face. “There’s something else. You need to start packing. We need to leaving.”
Both Karis and Lacey turned to him, confused at his words. “What? Why?” she asked.
“Hunters attacked Lacey yesterday. I killed two of them, but it won’t be long until someone discovers the bodies, or the third guy starts opening his mouth about the wolf that jumped them. It’s time to go.”
“But the six months aren’t up yet!” Karis cried, disappointment shrouding her eyes, her fists balling at her sides. “I don’t want to leave.”
He cut her a sidelong glance, his eyes firm on the matter. “Hopefully this will be the last time we have to, but it’s happening. Get packing.”
Karis spent the next few minutes arguing with her brother, but Mason remained stonelike to her pleas. She stormed off, muttering how much her life sucked.
After she’d left, Mason fixed his gaze upon Lacey. “You’d better get ready, too.”
“Me?” she asked, her tone filled with surprise. “Why me?”
“You’re coming with us.”
“What?”
Mason stepped forward and the rich scent of sandalwood and ginger played with her senses. She breathed it in, and it encircled her senses. “You’re my mate. Where I go, you follow.”
A hint of anger wove its way through her chest at the matter-of-fact tone. “Like hell I am!” She’d spent her life living the way she wanted to. There was no way she was allowing any man, no matter how many orgasms he gave her in a single night, the right to dictate to her where she went.
An unhappy sigh escaped the confines of his mouth and for a brief moment, he closed his eyes, as if preparing himself for a battle he really didn’t want to fight. “Lacey, I’ve told you before. The mating mark isn’t something you get can rid of. It’s for life. Neither of us can escape it.”
Lacey snorted. “So that means I’m to follow you around like a love-sick puppy?”
Ha, try and see what happens if you try that, buster. I’ll stick a collar around your neck and chain you to a fucking tree!
Mason stepped forward and placed gentle hands around her upper shoulders. His dark eyes bore down upon her face. “Puppies are cute, and you’re gorgeous. But when a shifter takes a mate, its forever. We can’t be apart from each other. But I need to protect my sister no matter what, and that means I can’t risk us staying here.”
Lacey stepped away from him, and his hands slipped from her arms. “I don’t understand.”
