The Mystic Wolves (9 page)

I could almost sense the moment when he came to some decision. “You know what? More important business has just come up. Devlin can wait. Come on.”

Releasing me from his embrace, Mason began pulling me toward the door. He paused a second, stopping, and moved to the window. Opening it, he extended his hand out in invitation.

“What about …?”

“No questions, Darcy. Just come.”

I placed my hand in his and together we escaped through the pane. Moving with stealth, Mason led me into the neighboring woods that encompassed the borders of his property. This was pack land, handed down from generation to generation and it was lush with all the different shades of green and browns.

The house was set on a huge estate, the grounds designed specifically to offer protection from prying eyes. But the acres of woodlands were my favorite. It was filled with wildlife that made each full moon exciting because it offered a variety of prey to hunt.

Barely a few yards into the trees, he turned and begun undressing, signaling for me to do the same. “Unless you’d like me to do it for you?” he asked, cocking one of his eyebrows as a challenge.

The thought of changing and going for a run infused me with an infectious energy, and I grinned. I frantically began pulling at my clothes, lifting my shirt over my head and stepping out of my jeans. With a wink and a kiss, I began the process.

“Catch me if you can.”

The last thing I heard was the promise
, Believe me, I will.

Chapter Six

I didn’t wait for Mason to finish before I took off running, relishing the instant sense of freedom. Happiness blazed through me as I darted in and out amongst the trees, my sleek wolf body giving me an agility I lacked when in my human form.

My wolf instantly came to the forefront, eager to assert control. Sniffing the air, she scanned for danger and when she was confident all was well, only then did she settle back down. I learned early on, the only time she would take over and push me into the background was if she determined the situation too dangerous. Last night was a classic example. I realized now I never had a chance in hell of staying in the driver’s seat once I changed. With no prevailing threat, I was able to still be me in wolf form, and I yipped with excitement.

I increased my speed, paws hitting the ground at a furious pace as I fought to race the wind itself. The constant stream of cool air blowing through my fur felt invigorating, and I bayed with delight along with my wolf as we let go to nature.

My ears flickered as my eyes scanned the surrounding area, expecting to hear the approach of Mason, but I couldn’t pick up anything other than the noises of nearby wildlife. Worry struck and I sent out my senses to see if I could feel anything.

Nothing yet.
Shaking off my concern, I focused back on the task at hand—running as if chased by the Devil.

Foliage crumpled under my stride as I leapt over fallen trees and muddied patches of ground. Raising my nose to the air, I was assaulted with the aroma of freshly churned soil and the hint of a previous rain. I took the smells deep into my lungs, savoring the way they tasted on my tongue and howled with enthusiasm. This was definitely one of the best parts of being a werewolf—experiencing the world on the most basic of levels. No human cares or distractions. No judgment—just me, my wolf, and our surroundings. Mason was right to have us go on a run. Nothing could help me refocus more.

Where is he?
I tried to reach for him through our connection and immediately felt a sense of nothing. Was he blocking me
?

A flash of black from the corner of my eye was all the warning I had before I was attacked. My fur rose into hackles and I started to prepare to defend myself. A familiar scent bombarded me and I growled in triumph.

So he wanted to play?

I wiggled out from under him. Mason, having the element of surprise, had pinned me to the ground with his strong paws.

Swiping at his nose, I settled back into a crouch, shaking my tail in invitation. I barked out the equivalent of a taunt and sent the mental image of me standing over him, while he shook in submission.

His good humored laughter was my reply and he began to stalk me, pacing in circles, watching me carefully. All the while, I returned the best bored look I could muster. Testing to see if he could get the upper hand, he attempted a few lunges, but I saw them coming and quickly leapt out of his reach.

Tired of the dance we were doing, I took the attack to him, springing forward hard and fast, bowling him over in a mess of fur and paws. I nipped at his neck and before he could get himself situated, took off again into the trees. Mason’s howl told me the game was on.

We played, enjoying one another away from the responsibility of our lives. With all the energy we were burning, frolicking quickly gave way to hunger, and I suddenly became aware we were surrounded by wildlife.

Wait here.

He didn’t give me a chance to respond before he bounded off into the shrubbery, leaving me alone to settle into a spot to wait for his return.

I must’ve dozed off because the next thing I knew I heard a thump as something small was tossed at my feet. Opening a lazy eye, I noticed Mason crouched in front of me, a small rabbit lying by my paws. He crawled forward and with his nose, nudged the food closer to me.

I took a bite of the rabbit, my teeth tearing through fur and flesh. Normally, as a human, this would make me cringe, but as a wolf, it was as natural as breathing.

Thank you
, I shared with him.
Thanks for taking care of me.

Always,
he replied.
Now eat.

I tried rolling some of what was left back toward him, suggesting we share, but with a wolfy grin, Mason trotted over to a tree and brought out his own kill. We sat in silence as we began to dig in. Eating with relish, my stomach was soon full and content, and I moved closer to Mason, absorbing the heat of his body into mine.

I slowly began the process of licking him, making sure he was cleaned after a messy meal and then laid back as he returned the favor. There was a soothing sense of “rightness” between us and I knew this was how it would always be. I felt cherished, loved and protected.

Once we were finished, I stood up and shook out my fur, stretching out my limbs from sitting down such a long time. Mason began to pull away and once again issued a command
.

Come.

We broke out into a run. Careful to follow his lead, I took every chance I could to bump my body against him as we kept a steady pace. I was curious to see where he was taking me because the house was back in the opposite direction.

I came to a screeching halt as we broke free of the trees. Before us was one of the most breathtaking scenes I’d ever seen. How I’d never known this place existed was beyond me. I started the Change and stepped forward on human feet. Everywhere my eyes looked, I saw perfection and a small slice of heaven. Mason came up from behind and wrapped his arms around me.

“I’ve been waiting for the right time to bring you here. I’ve been coming here for the last couple of months since I discovered it. I wanted to share it with you.” He rested his chin on my shoulder as I stood there, trying to describe what I was seeing.

Mason had brought me to a waterfall. Not as large as some I’d seen, but the cascading water fell steadily into a pool that looked deep enough to swim in. The sound of the water crashing on the rocks below resonated in me and I could feel a sense of enveloping peace. The smells of wet, fresh vegetation surrounded us and the air was the perfect temperature for a quick dip.

He must’ve known where my thoughts were leading because he lifted me up and carried me to the edge of the pool, gently placing me on the rocks so my feet could dangle in the refreshing liquid. Confidently, he strode into the depths, not flinching as the coolness battled with the heat of his body and he stood in between my legs.

“What about Devlin? He’s not going to like being made to wait.” I asked, knowing there was more important matters to take care of. I appreciated the chance to run, having needed it more than I realized, but I couldn’t let my needs distract Mason from his responsibilities.

“Right now Darcy, I don’t want you worrying about it. Devlin can wait. All you need do is relax and leave everything else up to me. Just accept I know what we need right now.”

I nodded, amazed at the incredible strength of the love I saw on his face.

Yep, cherished.

There was no denying it. I closed my eyes and waited for Mason to begin.

I heard trickling as he lifted my left foot out of the water, using his hands to massage out the tension in my muscles. He dripped the cool fluid over my toes, drawing a wet line up my ankle and over my shin. He followed it with soft kisses, before returning my foot to the water and starting on the right.

His touch felt magical, almost reverent as he began to slowly caress each part of me, first with slow, erotic circles and then showering it with droplets. I peeked through my eyelashes as he worked his way up past my knees, concentrating on my thighs, each movement causing my breath to hitch. I couldn’t help but realize the seriousness and importance of the moment.

Quietly, he took hold of my hips and lifted me into his arms, backing up into the water before submerging my body completely under. I shuddered at the sensation, not just because I found myself fully immersed, but also from the smolder I saw in Mason’s eyes. There was complete focus.

Holding me close enough to offer security, he tipped me back and worked his hands through my hair, separating the strands as they floated on the surface.

I closed my eyes again, showing my trust in him. I felt his hand hold me firmly at the base of my back, keeping me safely afloat. Moments later I felt a stream of water on my exposed chest and stomach. Mason’s hand followed, trailing a lazy path over my skin as he chased the droplets with his fingers.

Beautiful,
his thoughts came through loud and clear.
Mine.

His hands continued their careful ministrations and it struck me what he was doing, the symbolism humbling me. Mason had done everything short of removing the horrible memories of last night. He didn’t hold that power, but he could do the next best thing in his mind—he could wash them away. The act took on a whole new perspective and brought fresh tears to my eyes.

How did I ever win this man’s heart and loyalty?
I felt myself pulled against Mason’s body, completely relaxed and wet. My skin felt slippery against his, and it was obvious he was just as aroused as I was.

I brushed a strand of hair away from his eyes, hoping I could show him how much this meant to me. “You’re perfect,” I whispered before he kissed me.

His gentleness almost undid me. Gone was the fiery passion of earlier when it seemed he couldn’t get enough of me. This was a savoring kiss, one that said he had all the time in the world to explore my mouth. It told me he considered me the most precious thing in the world and he never wanted to let me go.

He softly nipped before sucking slowly on my bottom lip. His tongue stroked with an unhurried, steady pace as he finally entered my mouth. I couldn’t help the purr I created or the groan of satisfaction I heard from Mason. For the length of our kiss it was just the two of us, and I soaked it up.

I realized we’d returned to the shore when my back hit the side of the rocks. He lifted me up, setting me onto the rough surface and my body thrilled at the thought of what might come next. I enjoyed the scene as he pulled himself out of the water, standing over me.

Werewolves naturally have fit physiques—all leanness and well-toned muscle. But there was something about Mason, the way he carried himself that was graceful yet masculine all at the same time. Every inch of his body was glorious, a combination of hardness and sculpted contours. I never got tired of watching him move or the way he had a trail of hair that went from his sternum and over his abdomen. I wanted to stroke him, lick him, and feel all that power under my fingertips.

“We’ll have plenty of time for that, Darcy.” He chuckled, finding the sudden pout on my lips amusing. “First, let’s talk.”

“Talk? Now you want to talk?” Standing up, I looked over at him with my hands on my hips. By the flare in his eyes as he looked over my naked body, I didn’t think he would need much convincing.

Without a word, he moved toward a nearby tree and pulled out something from behind it. I raised my eyebrows and was surprised to see him holding a blanket.

“I brought it here last time and forgot to take it back with me. Just as well, I need you to cover up so I can protect you.” He held it open and I unwillingly stepped into it. The warmth and softness of the material felt good against my skin and I found myself cocooned.

“Protect me from what? We’re alone.”

He took a seat against the trunk of a tree that shadowed over the pool. Nestling me on his lap, he answered. “From me, the big bad wolf, remember? Looking the way you did, you were too tempting and it was all I could do not to nibble on you.” He kissed the top of my head. “Besides, it’s time we air out your thoughts.”