Mason grins and so do I, but quickly his gaze darts to the ground and a somber expression lowers his brow.
The bonfire is warm on my face and the light from the flames is flickering against the snow and rock, but the shadows are darker on the periphery too. I squeeze my lips together and clutch onto my glühwein for dear life, waiting to hear the verdict from Mason.
“About earlier,” he says, still not looking at me. “I just I want you to know I would never tell anyone.”
I take a short gasp of a breath, shocked and relieved, and a little confused.
“It must be difficult for Jasper,” he continues. “All that pressure and feeling like you can’t live up to people’s expectations.”
“Yeah, must be real hard for him,” I grunt.
“And I can’t imagine how hard this must be on you.”
Oh.
“Seriously, I think I would have gone completely mad by this point. I don’t know how you’re not a complete mess.”
I laugh. “I have been pretty messy.”
“Well”—he places a warm hand on my knee—“I’m here for you. If you need a friend.”
Just then I look up and spot Jasper walking between the fires with Clayton at his side. He doesn’t notice me; they just walk across the field until they’re out of sight.
“Why are you being so cool about all this?” I ask, grateful to have met someone like Mason.
“The thing is,” he says, “people like us, we have to stick together—despite pack borders or ranks or whatever, we have to have each other’s backs. Because it’s hard for everyone.”
“And you’re not worried about your pack? Aren’t Mia and Jasper supposed to be the bridge that brings our packs together?”
“Nah.” He nudges me with his shoulder. “People like us…we’re our own pack.”
“There you are!” The girl with braids, whose name I’ve learned is Halle, is peering around the bonfire. “It’s almost time; what are you doing?”
“Time for what?” I ask, but Mason is already on his feet.
“You’ll see,” he says, extending a hand and helping me up.
Back in the clearing, a large circle has formed in the middle of the fires. Anyone lingering by the periphery is making their way to join the formation. I spot Katie stomping toward the group and catch her eye. She doesn’t look happy.
“Hey, how’d it go?” I ask as she joins me and Mason.
Katie glares at us.
“That good, huh?”
“Ugh, they’re like a couple of greedy pups who don’t know how to share.”
I do my best sympathetic smile.
“It’s like here I am telling them about this big revelation I’ve had about myself, and all they can think about is how they can win me over—like I’m a freaking game show prize.”
“Where are they now?” Mason asks.
“I don’t know and I don’t care. I told them if they were going to react like that then I needed space.”
“Fair enough,” he says.
“Anyway, what’s happening now? Why does it look like we’re about to do a group rendition of ‘Kumbaya’?”
