Page 106 of Poet & Protector

“Damn,” I said, not meaning to reveal my shock, but unable to silence it.

“What?” Mason asked with alarm.

My heart gave a painful thud as I answered. “He thinks he’s in love with you.”

I hadn’t considered there might be something worse than what Logan was already doing. This was worse. It raised the stakes for the Keeper in an incalculable way.

“He doesn’t know what love is,” Mason said, a growl rolling out of his throat.

The sound of his anger was a relief, reassuring me Logan hadn’t broken his spirit.

“No, he doesn’t.” I weighed whether I should voice my next thought, knowing it would upset Mason, yet it felt too dangerous to hold back. “But if he believes it, he’ll be that much more convinced you belong to him.”

Mason averted his gaze again. “You’re right. He will.”

His shoulders hunched and he spoke without looking at me. “We know what comes next. After the union, he’ll—I won’t be angry if it’s too much, Nev. I understand if you need to walk away.”

When I darted forward and grasped his upper arms, Mason looked up at me in surprise. Maybe I shouldn’t have touched him without waiting for him to give me a sign it was okay, but I could feel him slipping away and I wouldn’t let that happen.

“Don’t.” I shook my head and my fingers dug into his muscles. “Don’t let Logan do this, Mason. Don’t let him put doubts in your head, especially about us. He only has that power if we give it to him. I’m not walking away. I will never stop wanting you. I need you as much as I need to breathe. Logan isn’t the one who loves you. I am.”

I bent to kiss him.

“I can’t.” Mason quickly turned away, his voice laced with shame. “He…he kissed me, Nev. I still taste like him. I’m sorry.”

A wave of sickened fury swept over me. I couldn’t stand the thought of Logan kissing Mason, of how violating it was, but it didn’t change anything about my feelings for my mate.

Without hesitation, I cupped Mason’s face in my hands and brought his gaze back to mine. “You have nothing to apologize for. You’ve done nothing wrong. Nothing. I love you and I want to kiss you, if you’ll let me. Do you want me to kiss you, Mason?”

His eyes were shining when he nodded. I gently pressed my lips to his. He stiffened at first, which made my heart constrict with grief, but I continued to brush my lips over his in tender, searching strokes. Only when he began to respond, his breath shuddering out, his body melting into mine, did I deepen the kiss. I drew him tight against me, wrapping my arms around his back and holding him close.

Was there a new layer of cloves and tobacco mingling with Mason’s familiar flavor as I kissed him? Yes. Did it matter? No.

I pulled back when I tasted salt from the tears that tracked down his face and caught at the corners of his mouth.

“You taste like you, Mason,” I told him, caressing his wet cheek bones with my thumbs. “Apples and citrus and sunlight. You will always be you. Logan can’t take that away, no matter what happens. You will always be you and you will always be mine.”

“I am yours,” he said. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Are you still mine?”

“Never question that,” I replied, hating that he felt even for a second that he needed to ask. “I love you. Nothing will stop me from loving you. I’m yours. Always.”

He held my gaze, then asked quietly, “Can we be wolves? I…Logan will never want me when I’m a wolf.”

I shifted into wolf form and looked up at him. A moment later Mason’s ash brown and silver wolf stood beside me. I circled him, licking his muzzle, nuzzling his shoulder, his flank, playfully nipping the end of his tail, then settling on the ground. Mason tucked himself against me, resting his head on my forepaws with a soft whine of relief. I laid my head on his shoulders, enjoying the way his fur pressed into my muzzle and his scent was all around me while Logan’s continued to fade.

My eyes remained open and watchful, my ears flicking back and forth to ensure nothing would disturb us. Mason’s breath became deep and even as he drifted to sleep. I wanted to stay here, safe in our clearing, and watch over him for the rest of our lives.

Nineteen

The Burnout

Friday

MASON

I’d been a regular at Nev’s shows for almost a year, but this was the first time any of my packmates other than Ansel had joined me, and I’d only brought him along the one time. When I came by myself, I sat at the same back corner table from all those months ago when I tried and failed to see Nev play without him finding out. The Banes were usually there, too, but joining the rival pack never felt right. I preferred to sit alone and meet up with Nev in the Bunker after the show.

Now that Calla and Ren were pushing the packs toward blending into a single unit, it made sense we’d all go to the Burnout to see Nev play. Since calling the first Haldis pack meeting, Logan hadn’t approached me or visited our tables during lunch again. There was no telling when that might change, but I refused to spend my days anticipating his reappearance. My life continued no matter what the Keeper was up to, and I was going to focus on the things that brought me joy.