Pack Gems by Kuro Kusai, WhiteWolf Aura (year 2 reading books .txt) 📕

~ Taylor's POV ~

She was in front of Bree faster than she could blink.

Her hands wrapped around the woman's throat,"You think I'm some whipped submissive that'll take your shit?"

She slammed Bree against the wall, right next to the dent where Kaden had hit...that alone strengthened her resolve.

Bree's latte, still steaming, rolled down her front but Taylor had a feeling she wasn't gasping from it burning her.

"Taylor!" Audrey's hands wrapped around one of her forearms.

Taylor snarled but never turned her attention away from Bree, who was now trying to struggle free.

"Taylor," another voice cut in, its tone wrapping her in a comforting malice all on its own.

She turned her head to see Emma.She had short black hair with light ivy eyes peeking out from the bangs.

Those eyes looked livid.

"Let her go. I'll take the bitch on in a second."

Taylor loosened her grip, astonished, letting Bree fall into a coughing heap on the floor.

"But first where is he?"

"You packless whore--!" Bree apparently had enough air in her lungs to almost form a sentence.

Emma glanced over her shoulder with a murderous look that gave Taylor's a run for its money,

"You are to stay upstairs and are not to go endangering your life further by picking any fights you are sure to lose."

Taylor felt the order flow from Emma, giving Taylor the chills.

She had forgotten Emma outranked Bree because she was mated to the Beta, Calvin. Bree technically wasn't alpha female unless Mason accepted her.Apparently he hadn't because Bree froze.

Seeming satisfied, Emma turned her back on both she-wolves.

Taylor quickly took the lead, directing her down to the basement.

After forcing herself to stay downstairs, she watched Emma work.Taylor knew she couldn't go back upstairs because she'd fight Bree again and since Bree couldn't fight back because she was ordered...even Taylor wasn't that much of a bully.

Emma stitched Calvin's side with an emotionless face.Knowing how the woman had barely held on to her grief and rage moments ago, it was admiring to see her process so efficiently.

Calvin was in Taylor's bed, since it was downstairs too, they hadn't wanted to move him much in his state.Taylor didn't care either way and was actually flattered they had asked her first. It was a holding room anyway...one that hadn't kept her in, but that was neither here nor there.But that did pose a problem...

Considering that Kaden's room and the two couches were ripped up in her efforts to escape, she had nowhere to lie down. And she REALLY needed to lie down.

The sun had gone down and she had no real idea what time it was but she was determined to stay up.

Her friend was missing!This was no time to be thinking about beds.

She shook her sleepyhead, imagining Kaden's teasing laughter,'And you're of no use to anybody sleepy! That one track mind of yours will just be thinking of beds. Or worse, you'll start to space out soon and creep everyone out!'

Taylor's lips curved into a small, fleeting smile.

She had no doubt Kaden was giving them hell.Even now, wherever she was.

"Taylor."

She jerked back with a start,"Y-yes?"

"Go to bed."Mason had been staring at her intently for awhile, watching her lids droop then snap open wide in an on-going battle to stay awake.

"I'm not tired."It was an automatic response; she could smell the lie herself.

He just raised one brow, his chin resting on his hand as he surveyed Emma from a chair across the room.

In the beginning, Taylor was reminded of a hovering mother, nervous of their child's scraped knee. Of course, this was worse than a scraped knee and he had the right to worry. Even Taylor had worried briefly.But that had melted away when she saw Emma set to work.

Taylor could hear the faint snores of Lucas in the other empty furnished holding room. To everyone's relief, besides a couple cuts and bullet grazes he would be okay.

He had a mild concussion but Emma had ordered sleep would be best, any minor damages would be repaired overnight thanks to fast Were regeneration rates. She bet that would be the only time a certified doctor told a patient that the best thing a person with a concussion could do is go to sleep.

"Come on," Mason appeared before her.

"What? Where?" She didn't resist much, not wanting to make a fuss with both wolves sleeping and Emma still concentrating.

He steered her from the room by her shoulders, guiding her up the stairs.She faltered in the living room, seeing Axel scolding Audrey in heated tones.

Bree was slumped against the wall, no doubt waiting for her turn. She actually flinched when Mason walked up the stairs with her. Taylor wished she could take credit for the woman's fear but she could feel Mason's power flair up behind her, practically burning her back. But Mason didn't acknowledge her yet, instead he kept pushing Taylor down the upper west corridor.

"Hey!" He shoved her in a room on the left.

"Get some sleep. If you come out of here, I'll just drag you back in." He shut the door, a warning in his eyes.

"What? No lock on the outside this time?!" She yelled after him.

Geez.

She turned around to survey the foreign room and froze.His scent surrounded her. This was Mason's room.

Her eyebrows rose in appreciation. Decked out in deep emeralds and black tones, the room popped. He had a king-sized four post bed, the frame done in dark mahogany. Jeans and a few shirts littered the far corner where there appeared to be an opening for a closet.

Next to that was what she assumed was his own bathroom.Guess an alpha has its perks.

His bed was rumpled just on the left side near a nightstand and a digital clock blaring the numbers 11:32.

Almost midnight?

That had gone by fast, she was so out of it.And despite how tired she was, she wasn't going to sleep until she knew what their plan was for getting Kaden back.

Turning on heel, she opened the door and proceeded to step through the doorway only to be met by Mason's chest.

"Yaah!"

Mason grabbed her by her shoulders and threw her on his bed; standing by the side of the bed he folded his arms across his chest.

"What the hell?!"

Taylor clawed her way to the opposite side of the bed, away from him, "What, were you waiting for me?!"

"I figured I'd save myself the walk to bring you back up here. I stopped the problem at its source."He smirked down at her.

She glared, "I can't sleep. I need to know what's going on."

"And I'll let you know, when I know." he sighed, sitting on the bed now.

"Then I'll wait." she rose her chin up in a stubborn pose.

He rubbed one temple, "It'll be awhile."

"Are we going to get her?" she couldn't keep the fear from her voice.

This caused Mason to look up at her, "Of course. We're leaving on a flight first thing in the morning."

She felt her body relax slightly, "Good..."

"Now will you sleep?"

"No."

"What else do you wanna know?" he grumbled.

"Where are we going? What time? What's going to happen to Bree and Audrey?" she ticked the questions off with her fingers.

He scooted closer to her side, "Somewhere in California, eight A.M. and none of your business."

That last part stung a little although, it shouldn't have.It wasn't like she was pack.Actually, she bet Emma was dealing with the idiot right now.

"Now, go-to-bed." he rubbed her head.

"Heeey! Don't touch the hair." It was a pet-peeve of hers, no matter how stupid, "And I told you, I'm not going to bed."

"Why now?" he sounded exasperated.

"I wanna know anything you find out, the minute you do. Plus, I don't trust you. You could edit information." Taylor eyed him suspiciously as if he'd already done just that.

"Oh please! Fine, fine." He pulled the covers out from under her and pulled them back.

She watched in utter confusion as he peeled his side back as well, arranged all four black pillows in the middle and propped them up against the headboard. When he was satisfied he grabbed her by the waist placing her under the covers with him.

It all happened so fast she could only blink in shock.

He snuggled deeper into the covers, but still sitting halfway up against the pillows. With a content murmur he let his head fall back on one of the pillows...

Unlike him, she wasn't using a single one.He had pulled her up against him, her head resting just below his chin, one of her hands that tried to stop his pull initially, ended up splayed across his chest.

"There." he mused, tucking them in with his left, free hand.

"Okay," she took a deep breath "You have five seconds to explain yourself before I tear your arm off."

Just to aggravate her, he tightened his hold, snaking his arm further around her waist.

"Five..."

He gave her an amused stare.

"Four."

He yawned.

"Three."

He closed his eyes.

"Two." she was starting to growl, "O--"

"Go to sleep already." he grumbled, turning slightly taking her with him.

"Ah! Let go, you bastard!" she dug her human nails into his arm.

"Hey, you wanted to be the first one to know, or rather 'when I know', so here's the solution. You get to sleep, I get to sleep and if news comes, I'll be right next to you."

Taylor was silent as she processed the situation, "Okaay...but why do you have to sleep so close?"

"I don't trust you either. Between you and your friend, you stir up all kinds of mischief. I can't leave you alone for two seconds. I'm not going to have you abducted too."

"Highly unlikely. Go sleep on the floor."

"Nope. You could slip right past me." he yawned again.

"Lean against the door then."

"What about the window?"

"What ABOUT the window?" Taylor was getting frustrated.

Something only he seemed to be able to do to her in such a short amount of time.

"Nope. This is the deal, take it or leave it."

She couldn't see his face but she bet he was grinning.

"Leave it."

"Fine then, I'll leave, you stay in here. I'll post someone outside the bedroom just in case you try to sneak out." Although he said that, he made no attempt to get up.

"Fine. Stay." she dug in her nails for one last ditch effort to cause him pain.

He only chuckled.

It wasn't until he turned off the light with a snap, that he spoke,"Besides, there's a three inch scratch along the right side of my bike, this is payback."

=Mason's POV=

Mason was in second heaven.Taylor in his arms, agreeing to his terms.He couldn't believe it!

He would've pinched himself but both of his hands were a bit preoccupied and did not intend to move anytime soon. When his right arm shot around Taylor's waist he thought she was going to blow.

He berated himself; he was normally a better hunter than this.

He took his time with his prey, he was more methodical. This was just plain sloppy but he wasn't complaining now.

Taylor sighed in her sleep, her breath tickling his neck and making his stomach do flips. He'd been silent and unmoving as a statue, waiting for her to get comfortable and fall asleep.

She'd been tense and guarded for the first twenty minutes or so, her muscles bunched, waiting to break free from his hold if he so much as breathed wrong.He didn't.

And as the minutes continued to tick by, he decided he would try to feign sleep to give her peace of mind.He tried his hardest to let his breath go in and out in a slow rhythmic pattern. It paid off.It wasn't long before her breathing matched his.

He kept up his charade for a few more minutes just to be sure until he felt her muscles untense against him. It was then he opened his eyes.It was dark; but his eyes, even in human form, could make out the part of her face and chest as it rose and fell slowly.

He was almost positive if it weren't for Kaden, he wouldn't be in this wonderful situation. Taylor needed comfort, he was sure of it. That was why she agreed to sleep in his bed,