“Is that the best you’ve got, Enforcer?” Mason sarcastically taunted.
“I’m just warming up. Besides, I’d hate to mess up that pretty face of yours. Don’t want to upset my niece, do I?” Devlin paced back and forth, assessing the situation. “Something tells me from that weak punch of yours, you’re holding back.”
“You think?”
“I know.”
Mason released a loud growl and sprang. Anger blazed in his eyes as his hands reached for Devlin’s throat. Sensing he’d struck a nerve, Devlin quickly dropped into a crouch and the moment Mason descended, he shot up with an uppercut that not only stopped Mason’s momentum, but also drove him backward. Landing in a crumpled heap, I started to move toward him, only to have Daniel stop me.
“Leave him. This is what he wanted. If you interrupt, you’ll make it worse. They need to work this out.”
I hated that he was right. What I hated more was seeing the two men I loved most resort to this—even though it was part of our nature. Violence was commonplace amongst werewolves and vampires—almost a daily occurrence. We may act more civilized than others within our species, but the danger always lurked within us. It was our humanity that kept us from becoming completely savage. I hoped that was the case now, because one wrong move and this could end very badly. When tempers raged and instinct took over, even friendships were at risk.
Mason quickly rose to his feet, rubbing his jaw. “You’ll pay for that.”
“Are we going to stand around and talk all day? I thought you were going to teach me a lesson?” I wanted to scream at Devlin for heckling Mason. He knew he was in the wrong and Mason was fully justified in seeking justice, but baiting him wasn’t helping at all. While I didn’t expect Devlin to simply stand there and receive a beating, there was no need for arrogance.
“Why’s he doing that?” I whispered under my breath.
“Doing what?” Daniel asked, never taking his eyes off Mason and Devlin who were now stalking around each other in a circle.
“Devlin knows he was in the wrong. Goading Mason just makes it worse.”
“He doesn’t want Mason to hold back. He wants all his anger, right here and now. I’d do the same in his place. Better to get it out, than later on. Devlin’s smart. He knows if he pushes the right button, Mason will snap.”
I looked at Devlin again and nodded. That definitely put it into a different perspective. He knew Mason would withhold and not truly unleash all his anger because, deep down, he loved his friend. Devlin wanted there to be no doubt that when this was over, it was genuinely over—no hostility, what-if’s, or doubts left to fester between them. It wasn’t about making light of what was happening, but respecting his friend enough to give him what he needed. Devlin really was smart—he understood the fundamental workings of a werewolf, especially an Alpha wolf.
I returned my focus to the fight between them. Other than posturing, no more blows had been exchanged and I slipped into the connection Mason and I shared. Sure enough, he was angry and calculating where best to strike, but there was also a strong sense of loyalty and uncertainty as to how far to take this fight. Mason had declared he wanted satisfaction, but his heart was also weighing in on the matter. It was the line an Alpha always walked, one who prided himself on acting fairly and not solely from an emotional standpoint. He was conflicted with the two sides now warring within. My heart hurt for him because even I could see he needed to let go and follow his instincts.
“Are we dancing, wolf?” Devlin jabbed. “Should we have Darcy get you a dress?”
Mason’s jaw clenched as his teeth ground together. There was a fleeting flash of rage through our connection before Devlin got his wish—a werewolf unleashing his power without restraint. Mason didn’t falter in his advances, his intent focused solely on punishing Devlin.
There was a flurry of punches thrown, one after the other, each executed with lethal precision that made even Daniel wince. Devlin did his best to deflect each blow, countering with his own moves, but Mason wasn’t deterred in the least. His body was primed and ready to inflict maximum damage and there was no more talking between the two dominant males.
First blood went to Mason as Devlin’s lip cut open from the direct hit that would’ve loosened teeth were he anyone else. There was a triumphant look of satisfaction on Mason’s face as he caught sight of the red dripping down his opponent’s chin. He didn’t pause or give Devlin a chance to wipe it away. Instead Mason lifted his leg, executing the perfect roundhouse kick and jolting Devlin backward. My uncle couldn’t keep up, ducking and dodging, totally placed on the defensive. I knew he wasn’t letting Mason get the upper hand or feigning weakness; he was genuinely responding the best he could, the veins in the side of his neck bulging from the effort to avoid injury.
Devlin roared, answering the onslaught by throwing himself at Mason, knocking them both to the ground. He slammed his own fist into the side of Mason’s head before wrapping his hands around Mason’s neck. His fangs were fully descended now, his own bloodthirsty nature displayed and provoked.
“We need to stop this, now!” I urged Daniel.
“Wait for it . . .”
Mason wrestled to move Devlin, bucking his hips off the ground, and trying to break the chokehold.
“Do you yield?” Devlin thundered, slamming Mason’s head back into the grass. “Are we done?”
There was no way for him to answer, his windpipe closed. I gasped—willing Mason to not be stubborn and tap out. The fight had been evenly matched and fair, and he’d received his pound in flesh. There was no dishonor in calling it over.
What happened next proved that Mason should never be underestimated and why many avoided going up against him. He was fearless. In a single move, his arm shot out, surprising Devlin into releasing his tight grip, and suddenly the positions were switched. Mason now straddled Devlin, raining blow after blow down before his own fingers seized Devlin’s throat. One wrong move, the slightest twitch, and Devlin would lose his vocal chords.
“Do you yield?” Mason roared, his breathing heavy from the exertion. To prove there was no need to resist, he pressed his fingers down, his nails piercing Devlin’s skin and blood began to trickle.
Devlin patted beside him, tension escaping his body at surrendering. I waited for Mason to let up, to recognize the fight was over, but yet he sat there, his weight still pinning Devlin to the ground.
“Promise me you won’t ever keep secrets from me again and that when it comes to Darcy, we are always on the same page.” Mason pushed a little more and a small groan of pain escaped Devlin’s mouth. “Swear it!”
“I swear,” he answered, hoarsely.
“Here’s a promise of my own. If you ever hurt her like this again, I will challenge you to the death. I don’t care who you are or the history of our friendship. Understand?” Sweat dripped from Mason’s forehead, mingling with the blood from his split lip.
“Understood.”
Lifting his leg so he could fall to the side, Mason paused long enough to get one last hit in. “Asshole.”
Lying down next to Devlin, both of them looked spent. They’d channeled all their strength and energy into this fight and I was glad it was over. They could finally move on and return to being friends.
“Now you can go to him.” Daniel nudged, placing his hand on my lower back and propelling me forward. I didn’t need to be told twice, running over to check if Mason was okay. A quick glance at Devlin told me he was perfectly fine, the wounds on his neck already beginning to heal.
“Feel better?” I asked, lightly touching Mason’s cheek. His eyes were closed; the dark bruises already fading as he lay there with a content smile on his face. He gingerly brushed his lip and flinched.
“Yeah.”
Devlin started chuckling. “I take back what I said. You don’t hit like a girl.” He slowly sat up and tested his body, stretching it somewhat before standing.
“You didn’t say that. You said my punches were weak
.” Giving Mason room, he accepted Devlin’s extended hand and let himself be pulled up.
“Well, that’s what I meant.” Dusting himself off, Devlin eyed Mason cautiously. “We good?”
“Yeah, we’re good.” Mason slapped his friend on the back, their relationship intact.
“You know I hated lying to her.” Both of them turned and looked at me.
“I get it. I would’ve done the same in your place. We protect those we love, no matter the cost.”
“You couldn’t have figured that out before the fight?”
“Sure, but what would be the fun in that?” Mason retorted.
“Ugh, men,” I groaned, throwing my hands up into the air. Even though they frustrated me at times, I was happy to see that they were now smiling and joking with each other. The anger I’d felt swirling in Mason’s mind earlier was also gone.
“You love us anyway, sweetheart.” Mason chuckled, slipping his arm around my waist and kissing the side of my face. “I need a shower. Care to join me?” Only he could go from complete violence to seduction in the matter of seconds.
“We might have to use my old room. Remember? I kind of destroyed ours.”
“As long as you’re with me, wet and available, I’m happy.”
“You guys are making me want to throw up,” Daniel chided, making loud gagging noises. “You need to keep that mushy love stuff to when you’re both alone. You’re offending my virgin ears!”
“Virgin?” Mason cocked his eyebrow.
“I’m not going to lie. I’d prefer not hearing all the nasty details between you and my niece, thank you,” Devlin added, bending over to retrieve his shirt. “There are some things an uncle should never know. That’s one of them.”
“First of all, there’s nothing nasty about . . . that.” I couldn’t stop the blush that heated my skin. “And second, am I ever going to get used to you being my uncle?” I started laughing. “Does this mean I have to start calling you Uncle Devlin?”
“Or Uncy Devly?” Daniel added, sidestepping the slap Devlin aimed at him. “So sweet.”
Mason chuckled. “How about we table that discussion until after I get cleaned up. We still have a lot to talk about and plans to make. I haven’t forgotten that Darcy’s in danger and we still haven’t come up with a solution to her new powers. We need to know what we’re dealing with and how she’s going to control them.”
“I have a few ideas; but first things first. Do you mind if I use one of the guest room’s showers?”
Letting him know which one was available, we parted ways, leaving whatever hostility there was behind in the gardens. Mason’s fingers brushed up and down over my shoulder, his touch sending shivers across my skin as I anticipated what would come next. Images were already playing in my mind about what taking a shower with Mason now meant. It was everything I could do not to run there as quickly as possible.
“Impatient, are we?” he whispered in my ear.
“Always. We’ve had a busy morning.”
“Then let me show the perfect way to relax.”
With a silly grin, I let him lead me toward my old room—ready to enjoy some alone time with my new husband.
Chapter 5
Our shower together was just what the doctor ordered. With all the drama from this morning, it was nice to be alone—no words needed as we comforted each other with soft kisses and caresses. The moment seemed beyond right because now I could show him exactly how I felt, without having to pull myself back. There was no prophecy or needing to wait. We were mated, our spirits and lives tightly entwined, our bodies now able to do the same.
I loved the man in my arms—the considerate way he cared for me and made sure that everything was okay with my heart. Gone was the angry and betrayed display he’d shown Devlin. As the water cascaded over us, the heated shower soothed away all cares and worries. He was attentive to every nuance and I wanted to melt into him. There was nothing I wouldn’t do or give to him. He was mine in every sense of the word and, as I helped him clean up, I savored the new role between us.
Husband and wife. Mated forever. We were best friends, lovers, and soul mates. In spite of the drama that had unfolded this morning with Devlin’s life-altering revelation, I knew that together, we could conquer anything that came our way. It wasn’t just because we’d survived the Heart or Death. It was because I knew that regardless of what my future held, Mason would always be there for me. That knowledge gave me a strength I didn’t think possible and, if anything, made me love him even more fiercely than before.
“We need to get out before the water grows cold,” I murmured against his chest. I was perfectly content standing there, the sound of his heartbeat echoing in my ear. Dragging my fingers up and down his back, Mason’s muscles twitched beneath my touch and he tilted my chin upward so I could look at him.
“We should, but I don’t want to let go of you just yet.” He brushed his lips over my forehead and I nodded with agreement over his sentiment. Something told me that with this morning’s news, there wouldn’t be the fun getaway we’d planned for our honeymoon. Trouble always seemed to find us. For just once, I wished we could run and hide, stealing private moments away from the drama. A soft flutter through our connection told me Mason felt the same way.
Unfortunately, being responsible—being who we were . . . who we chose to be, wasn’t always the most convenient. Sometimes it really sucked. But I knew, deep in my heart, that as much as we’d like to lock ourselves away in a love cocoon and ignore the world, we needed to deal with this new situation. I let out another long sigh and dropped my arms, reaching around Mason to turn off the shower.
“There’s always later,” I promised, sending him images of us soaking in a luxurious bath with scented candles surrounding us.
“I’m going to hold you to it, sweetheart.” He kissed my bare shoulder before nipping at my chin.
We took our time getting dressed; the thrill of being able to show our affections causing us to get distracted. My skin flushed as he took the thick towel from my hand and began drying me off, pausing long enough to feather light kisses on my body before returning to the task. That was one thing that still amazed me about Mason. It didn’t matter what was happening around us, he always took the time to make me feel truly cherished. I felt adored—beloved.
“That feels good,” I whispered as he finished up. Taking the towel from him, I returned the favor, using slow, steady strokes as I enjoyed the way his muscles rippled and tensed under my touch. Mason was magnificent and he was all mine.
“Thanks.” He kissed my cheek and I laughed as his scruff tickled me. “What?”
“Nothing, I’m just used to you clean-shaven.” Cupping his cheek and rubbing my thumb over the bristles, I grinned. “Am I going to have to worry about whisker burn now?” The idea made me blush. Just thinking about his kisses and what they did to me was enough to heat my face.
“Say no more.” He quickly slipped into a pair of dark denim jeans, leaving his chest bare. He glanced about as if looking for something and frowned. “Give me a second. I’ll be right back.”
Not questioning him, I finished dressing. I didn’t know what the day would hold, so jeans and my favorite pink t-shirt seemed like a safe bet and appropriate. We still needed to talk about what to do about this Julian character and I was sure Vivien would want to test my new powers. If worse came to worse, I could quickly change, but for right now, I just wanted to be comfortable. I needed it.
Mason was whistling when he entered the room again, his shaving kit in his hand. My gaze instantly dropped to his feet to check that they weren’t all cut up. The last time I’d seen the bathroom in our master suite, the floor had been covered in broken tile and glass. The thought of him hurt because of me made my heart race and I sagged a little with relief. He brushed his hand over my arm, letting me know he knew where my mind had been and that he was okay. It was amazing how our connection worked; it had grown so much stronger and added closeness to our bond.
>
Setting everything up on the counter, I leaned my hip against the basin so I could watch him. He lathered up the shaving cream and began smoothing it over his face, covering his jawline with the fresh-scented soap. When he picked up the razor, it gave me an idea.
“Can I do that?” I asked, holding my hand out, palm up.
There was a flash of surprise before Mason nodded and stepped away so I could stand in front of him, giving me the razor. It was my turn to be shocked as he gripped my hips and lifted me up onto the counter, my back against the mirror, spreading my thighs so he could fit between them. It was such an intimate position, but that wasn’t what warmed my heart. I knew he trusted me, and letting me take a blade to his skin was simply further proof of that. I wanted to kiss him right there and then—shaving cream and all.
“Sure I have a steady hand?” I teased, staring into his beautiful blue eyes. There was no fear reflecting back—just total confidence and the love that was always there.
He grabbed my empty hand and brushed his lips over the center of my palm before kissing it. “I would trust you blindfolded, Darcy.”
“You’re not scared I’ll get a sudden power surge?” What had started as a simple joke evolved into genuine worry. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him; and the memory of what I’d done earlier was still fresh in my mind. Even though I was feeling relaxed at the moment, it didn’t mean that a second later it wouldn’t all change.
“You worry too much. It’s okay.” Mason gently took my wrist and raised the razor to his cheek. “Just take your time and if you started feeling weird, stop. It’s that simple.” He touched the end of my nose and smiled. “Don’t over think it.”
Forever Changed (The Mystic Wolves) Page 4