Mending My Broken Heart

Chapter Sixteen

''I can't believe you,'' Mason hissed as I ended the call. I sighed, shutting my eyes and opening them, expecting to see a look of betrayal, or anger. Instead, I saw some sort of admiration within his expression.

''What?'' I asked breathlessly, surprised at this change of heart.

''You're, you're-'' He broke off, and I smiled tentatively,''You're amazing.''

I sighed, leaning my head against his chest and thought about all I was keeping from him.

And I thought about the way that he sat in the truck cab with me the other day, as I freaked out, but didn't ask any questions. The way he held me when I was scared, the way he protected me when there was danger, the way he'd changed from the man I'd met the first day or so was becoming extremely apparent.

''You're amazing too,'' I smiled into his chest, feeling as though my life was made. I didn't need anything besides this, the knowledge that my dad was safe, and my friends were happy. Having your basic rights and privileges stripped from you, it really made you understand the most important parts of life.

''Let's go eat,'' Mason chuckled when a rumble came from deep in my gut and I nodded, sighing with content.

---

''No, I'm serious, he had those things on his head and nothing where they were supposed to be,'' Lucas' laugh rumbled down the table. The dining room for the pack was gigantic. I had met the majority of those who'd passed through, eaten and went. Our table was still full considering Lucas and Tom, and even Lizzie and Page had stories of Mason from when he was younger. Mason didn't seem to be enjoying any part of it but my hand holding his and my seat in his lap.

''He really wore his underwear on his head?'' I laughed and earned a growl from my chair, which of course only made me laugh more.

''Oh, all the time, I remember him bursting into a sleepover that some of us girls had, running from his babysitter,'' Lizzie giggled. I smirked up at Mason.

''So I don't suppose you have any stories you would like to share with us of you at your previous pack,'' Tom asked, his hand sliding up and down Page's arm in comfort.

I thought hard, in order to get past the Jackson part. Life had actually been pretty great before that. I sighed, and thought.

''So my best friend's name was Conner,'' I started causing a collective smile throughout the group.

"Hey,'' Mason uttered the word the moment his eyelids flashed open, I smiled sleepily and curled further into him.

"Hi,'' I responded, feeling weightless and yet anchored.

''So, what are we going to do today?''

"Well, I want to go on a run, but the Alpha said that I couldn't go without somebody,'' I sighed. Mason shook his head in amusement.

'It's too bad the Alpha is busy with his mate today,'' Mason smiled, and even though it wasn;t the first time, and if I had anything to do with it, it would not be the last time I saw that smile, it still stood to give me an amazed shiver down my spine and warm feeling in my gut.

''Yeah, that horrible,'' I smirked as we got up, moving towards our clothes.

A knock came from the door and Mason allowed the messenger to answer,''Alpha, Alpha Jackson and Alpha Kris are on the phone, two packages arrived in the mail this morning and Alpha Sal's paperwork still has not been completed,'' he spoke, nodded to me,''Luna,' and then left.

While Mason groaned, I sat back, thinking. I was just thinking about his greeting. He'd called me Luna. I wasn't technically, since we haven't actually marked each other yet, but he'd been busy. I mean, at first he didn't want to accept me, for the sake of me and the pack or whatever, then the rogue issue, which was still unresolved, and now this Alpha Council meeting. Now this.

''I'll be back later, Angel, then we'll go on that run,'' Mason said, leaning down and landing a kiss on my lips, I instantly kissed back, holding onto the nape of his neck, twisting my fingers in his hair. But too soon, he was gone. I sighed.

What was I going to do for a few, long hours? I looked outside and saw the forest calling me, the sun shining brightly. I probably should have recognized the signs. But I was already changing into a pair of running shorts, a sports bra and a tank top, and then out the door.

With every placement of my foot, breath from my mouth, beat of my heart, I thought. I considered all my possibilities with the Alphas and what I was going to have to do. I had to get the majority to become close with at least me if not both me and Mason, or at least close enough that they would believe me over Jackson. Jackson was certifiably insane, most of the Alpha's knew that, but I had abandoned his pack, granted the circumstances made that a bit more justifiable, but you are not supposed to just leave your pack. The only reason you should leave, is if you have found your mate. Allegiance to your pack is supposed to be everything. Someone who goes to a new pack, for whatever reason besides for your mate, can sometimes be seen as no better than a rogue who completely abandons pack life all together.

I wasn't thinking about where I was going. I wasn't paying any attention at all, past keeping myself on the trail. So when the girl stepped out from behind a few trees, into my path, it took all I had not to run her over. As soon as I recognized her, I was on alert. But somehow, I wasn't afraid. She had scared me to no end with Mason next to me, and I realized that that was because of my dream. I had been afraid for his safety.

So we stood, her no more than five feet from me, eyes locked on my figure.

And then she attacked. She morphed, I morphed, and we clashed mid-air. Rolling away from each other's jabs, we landed. Thudding to dirt, I eyed her up, not waiting for her next move.

I'd decided. This was it, I was going to kill this girl. This wasn't like the last time. My dream had made me realize that she was not only a danger to me, but a danger to those close to me, Mason, my dad, Lucas, Lizzie, Page, Tom, etc. I'm sure most of them could take care of themselves in a fight, but what happens when she finds them unaware, or even asleep. With rogues, you can never be too sure what tricks they might pull.

So when she spun around, a moment after I did, I lunged. She squirmed, but it was soon over. The last moment of her life, her eyes swiveled up to me, she had stopped fighting, giving up on survival, and the look in her eyes were filled with pure hatred. She still didn't understand that I had been defending myself when I killed the first one. She didn't get that they had cornered me, gone for the kill, so I fought back and happened to win.

I sighed, looking down at the body, now shifted into it's human form. I was about to do that exact thing, when a growl, as deep and chilling as Mason's had ever reached, ripped through the clearing, directly to me. I glanced up to see a wolf ripping towards me at full force. It was that third wolf. He looked not half insane, but completely.

He was the mate. It made sense now. The first I'd killed had just been close to the girl. I realized that if the girl had been his mate, she would have tried to end my life much sooner in the game. But this wolf, he was past sense. I coiled in on my muscles, preparing myself. Last moment, a wolf breaks through the trees, takes stance directly in front of me and I watch as he takes a tear at the wolf. Somehow, the crazed wolf manages to swerve, and then he ran off. I watched as he sprinted away, lost. I waited for the wolf in front of me to run after him, trail his scent, because soon it would be gone thanks to the rain clouds forming overhead.

*The Alpha has ordered you home,* was the wolf's only reply, and then he stood solemnly, waiting for me to move.