Page 62 of Becoming His

I startle awake to a deep howl piercing the darkness. My claws dig into the bark, keeping me from falling from the tree limb. The tormented sound rings again, and I realize it’s Masen. I give a short yip to answer him back. Before I can climb down from the tree, he crashes through the underbrush panting. His wolf is still magnificent, his size still astounds me. If I wasn’t a wolf, I wouldn’t be able to spot him. His black color leaves him to blend into the darkness seamlessly. His head thrashes back and forth as he scents the air. When his eyes find me up in the tree, he growls angrily. Why the hell is he mad at me?

Because I’ve been looking for you for hours, his voice sounds in my head.

Oh, is my only reply.

You covered almost every inch of our property, and I never thought to look up in the trees, he adds flabbergasted.

Well you have to get creative when you don’t have a four thousand acre refuge to play in. I couldn’t let just anyone find me, I say defensively.

You scared me, he says sadly.

I didn’t mean to. I was just taking a break and must have fallen asleep. I was coming back, Masen, I reply with conviction.

Will you come down from there, please? I hop down to the next branch until I’m low enough to jump to the ground.

His muzzle roughly pushes my side, turning me so he can inspect me. I stand still and let him rub his scent all over me. Are you ready to go home yet, Little One, he asks when he’s finished.

Sure.

The walk back is quiet. When we reach the clearing, he asks,where’d you put your clothes?

Ah, I’m wearing them, I say confused. I tell my wolf thank you and pull her back, shaking out my limbs to relive the tingle.

Masen stands from his crouched position. “Where are your clothes?” I question, looking at his naked body.

“I can’t shift with my clothes they shred, no one can,” he says, looking at my clothes that are perfectly intact.

“Ah well, I can.” I motion down my body.

“I can see that, baby. Have you always been able to?”

I nod. “Yeah, I never knew any different. I thought everyone could.”

He comes closer and wraps his hand around the back of my neck. “No, definitely not. It’s just one more thing that makes you extraordinary. Can I kiss you?” he whispers. I give a slight jerk of my neck, and his soft lips cover mine. He takes his time tasting every inch of my mouth, never pushing deeper into my mouth, content to explore my lips with his teeth, lips and tongue. It’s tender and consuming. His long fingers tunnel into my hair as he tilts my jaw with his thumbs, angling me for his attention. I move my body closer to him, seeking his warmth and the comfort his big body gives me. One of my hands twines through the hair at his nape while the other arm laces beneath his arm then up his back hugging him to me. The kiss slowly ends, and he just holds me. “I’m sorry for everything, Little One, all of it. None of that should have happened. I should have transferred her the day you came home to me. I should have called her or had someone else tell her, especially after this weekend.” He nuzzles my head. “You deserve much better from me.” He’s ashamed of himself. I know none of it was done to hurt me, he thought he was handling everything well.

“I get it, Masen. You were trying to spare her feelings. You’ve known her for a long time. She cares for you very deeply. I still think you’ve let yourself be blinded by her, but I want us to stop letting her affect our lives so profoundly. She shouldn’t have a place between us. It’s hard to forget when your past is always in my face.”

I feel him nod. “You’re right. I won’t let it happen again, no matter what.”

Masen steps into a pair of gym shorts he left in the garage before we enter. The house is dark and quiet. I pass through the rooms quickly on the hunt for a nice long shower. Masen stays behind in the kitchen when I tell him my plans.

When the water is hot, I stand under the spray, soaking my hair and muscles. Seeing my shampoo and conditioner amid his reminds me of his other shower. The hurt is too fresh to dismiss so I embrace it this time, telling myself I’ll never let the woman make me cry again. By the time I get out, my skin is bright pink from the overly hot water, and the room is filled with steam making it hard to breathe. I wrap myself in a towel and brace for the cold air I’ll feel when I open the door to his room.

Surprised, I find Masen carrying the same tray he brought me breakfast on just days ago covered with sliced cheese, crackers, a small bunch of grapes, and a large glass of wine. The sweetness of the gesture makes me swoon. After he sets the tray on the bed, he grabs a long, silky black robe from the end of the bed. He comes over and drapes it on my shoulders. It pools at my feet, and we both laugh. “This was a gift from my parents years ago, but I’ve never worn it. I thought you might like it, but I can see I’ll need to get you another.” He chuckles warmly. I tug the towel I was wearing free and pull the sash tight. It’s still much too long, but I like the feel of it against my skin.

“Thank you,” I say, meaning it.

Not willing to fill the bed with crumbs, I sit on the floor in front of his wood-burning fireplace, wishing it was cold enough to light it. Masen joins me, and we sit quietly enjoying each other’s company.

CHAPTER29

The next three days are filled with Masen’s mom helping me prepare for the Mating ceremony. I miss my mother more than ever, but I’ve grown to love his family so quickly. I’m grateful for her guidance and acceptance. When I didn’t come in with him Monday afternoon, he explained some of our history and what happened at his office that day to his parents. I think Mickey was more upset at him than I was. Today is the first day she’s spoken more than one word to him.

His dad however retaliates by stealing Masen’s food. Every time I’ve prepared a plate for Masen, Caleb materializes and takes the plate right from his hands. Making sure Masen knows he’s gotten first dibs, an honor that always goes to him when I’m cooking. He hasn’t said a word, just makes himself a new plate while staring at his dad enjoying his food. I’m not sure how much longer he’ll get away with it though. Today when Caleb snatched his steak, Masen growled and didn’t release the plate so easily.

We’ve also told them I’m a white wolf and asked if they know anything about my heritage that could help us understand our situation better. One of the things we’ve learned is white wolves are always females. I’m not sure if my mother was a white wolf. I’d seen her change a few times, but when I got older, my parents always shifted together, saying it was their time alone. I know she was light, but the memories seem to fade. Like when I try to remember the sound of her voice, it’s in there, I just can’t recall it.

Caleb also said that white wolves were rumored to have abilities that far exceed the average shifter, anything from premonitions or empathy to superior healing abilities. We’ve shared that we can communicate through our bond in both forms. Masen suspects I may have a type of empathy, telling me sometimes the people close to me can experience my emotions if it’s something I feel deeply. I don’t even want to know who told him this or when someone felt me. They also suspect that our powers will combine and be amplified when we are properly Mated.

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