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

"No packs there." Taylor explained shortly, turning off onto the interstate.

"None??"

"Not to my knowledge, no." But then, the wolf who told her could have been pulling her leg. But she chose to keep that part to herself, after all, they're options were limited.

It seemed a little shady, and dangerous but at least no one there knew who they were.

Maybe there wouldn't be Werewolves there. Taylor tried to convince her mind of the slim possibility.

Anything to make a little more at ease…

As an after thought to that, Taylor eased her grip on the steering wheel before she bent it and blew out a breath.

And onward into uncertainty.

=Mason's POV=

He had no idea why he woke up so unexpectedly—and at such a God forsaken hour too.

Mason scrubbed at his right eye with the palm of his hand tiredly while staring at the offending clock telling him it was five in the morning.

Extracting his legs from the covers and lifting his exhausted body off the bed, he silently reprimanded it for being exhausted but not succumbing to the sleep it needed.

His side still burned but he ignored it in favor of stretching his arms out, making a satisfying pop.

He then reached blindly along the floor to find a shirt to put on. His fingers finally catching stray material; it was impressive how far his shirts seemed to roam from the spots he threw them from the night before.

Taylor wouldn't allow him to sleep shirtless while she was staying in the same bed.He allowed his face to break into a brief grin while he pulled the t-shirt on. He had tried to explain to her that she, too, was allowed to sleep shirtless—making them even.

She didn't go for that though.

Pity.

So to make her aggravated anyway, he would change into his "night shirts" and take his sweet time doing so…if Taylor just happened to be in the room when he did this, it was purely coincidental.

It was a wonder, really, how he lived this long with her killing him in his sleep.

However—

He let a frown overtake his face.

She hadn't slept with him tonight. In seeking comfort, she opted for Kaden.

His wolf quietly growled at it's rival—petty, but his human side had to agree; he too, had been hurt when Taylor hadn't come to him.

But before he could sink into a nice depression, he reminded himself that they had been together far longer, formed unbreakable bonds of trust…and he, well, he at least got her to stop tensing up when he approached.

"It's a start," he sighed out loud and turned the door knob as quietly as he could.

He walked the last short steps to the end of the hall where Kaden and Taylor resided. The guard, who he hadn't met, nodded curtly at him.

Mason inclined his head politely back, "Are they up yet?"

It was a stupid question being that it was 5 am, but he was getting addicted to her presence and need his fix.

The guard let the corners of his mouth turn up in a small smile, "I'll tell you the same thing I told Axel when he checked in with me about ten minutes ago, they haven't so much as let out a snore or stir. Sleeping like the dead, they are."

"Thanks." He hadn't meant to sound so disappointed.

Turning around and following the scent of coffee to the dining table he found Axel idly swirling a mug.

"Hey." Mason greeted him awkwardly.

Axel had bed-head, probably much like Mason himself.

Axel nodded, not even bothering to glance his way, "Coffee?"

Mason sat in the chair next to him, overlooking the backyard through the large sliding glass door.

"I'm alright. I'm actually hoping I can go back to sleep."

Axel gave a light chuckle and gave him a sideways glance, "That's what I told myself an hour ago. I gave up." He held up his green mug filled with coffee as proof.

Mason gave him a sympathetic grin before staring out into the yard as Axel had been doing, the red blood stains on the grass still visible even from their seats inside.

"I wanna kill them." Axel sounded suddenly.

Mason lifted his brows in surprised but didn't take his eyes off the blood. After a moment he tilted his head thoughtfully, "Their 'packs'? Me too".

"Think we could get away with it?" Axel took a long sip of his coffee.

"Probably not. Would it be worth it? Probably yes."

Axel and Mason both gave into an exhausted laugh—and it was at that moment he realized he could actually be friends with this guy, this rival Alpha.

It floored him so much, he cut his laugh short.Clearing his throat he switched to a more serious, detached tone, "What are we going to do?"

Axel thumped his mug down on the table and sighed deeply, "About how to deal with two separate packs? Or how to get them to join our packs? OR accept us as mates?"

Mason gave him his first real grin, "We are in the same boat, aren't we? Hate to burst your bubble but you forgot about who they'll stay with because they won't stay apart."

Axel thumped his head unto the table next to his mug and Mason felt like echoing the action.

"God, do you remember when life was simple and we hated each other? I mean, I'm even starting to tolerate you!" he grumbled into the wood grain.

Mason laughed, amused at how the wolf seemed to just spout what he was thinking—the opposite of himself, who thought and then spoke.

"Maybe we should just be direct with them?" Mason suggested, "Do it quick, like a Band-Aid."

"Yeah, maybe…" Axel raised his head off the table with one arm to regard him, "But I don't care what anyone says, that is NOT the least painful way to do it."

They each grinned at each other like idiots, after that, delighting in the fact that they weren't alone in their suffering. And whether they liked it or not, they were tied by association now; they might as well give in to their camaraderie…gradually.

Mason eventually got up to get coffee as Axel had predicted he would, and they sat and talked about pack dynamics and other stresses an Alpha inherited.They were both mildly pleased and relaxed talking to one another—until about 8:02am.

~Taylor's POV~

"Tennesse Riverrrr, take me home—to the plaaaace that I belooong~!"

"I swear I'm going to throw you out of the car right after I rip out the radio." Kaden threatened.

Taylor laughed and twisted the volume knob down, "It's not my fault we don't have any other radio signals coming in."

"Then turn it off!" Kaden grumbled, closing her eyes and reclining her chair back.

"Noo! Then there would be silence…that I would have to fill…with more songs."

She waited for some sort of sarcastic or threatening reply, but it appeared she'd dropped off.

Lucky her.

They both hadn't got much sleep last night and Taylor was starting to feel it herself.

Looking down at the gas gauge; the orange needle was reaching over, obnoxiously trying to reach the E to declare the tank was empty.

With a dismissive snort, she drug her eyes up to look at the green exit signs flying by her, Exit 128 promised fuel and food. Signaling and turning off the turnpike and into the Conoco gas station, she parked, hopefully on the right side as the gas tank, next to a pump.

Kaden stirred but didn't wake as Taylor shut off the car and opened the door, "Be right back." She whispered to her out of habit.

Rounding the vehicle, she opened the gas cap and inserted the fuel nozzle and selected standard.

Letting the meter run until the car was complete full, Taylor proceeded to walk into the gas station with stray cash in hand.

The cashier, an older man, didn't even look her way as she passed by, heading for the snacks and drinks. She was busy contemplating what chip flavor to grab when the smell hit her too late.

Jerking hard to her left and stifling her growl, she saw him.

A behemoth man, he had to be 6'2 and at least 250 pounds of lean muscle, and right next to her.

His chocolate brown eyes found hers under a mass of messy, wavy brown bangs.

His big hand slowly began to reach over to her and Taylor resisted the urgue to close her eyes and pray or shift and hightail it.

In both scenarios, it wasn't the smartest move.

This huge man looked like he could have caught her in just a few quick strides if she ran.

Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she looked at the old man—he wouldn't try anything here would he? Would he drag her outside, away from human prying eyes?

Shit.

She should've woken Kaden and gone in together.

She just hadn't had the heart to wake her up. Sleep was so rare between them these days…Maybe it wouldn't have done any good anyways. They just both would've died then—

"That's no good." He grumbled, his voice a deep bass.

"…Huh?" She didn't bother hide the confusion in her voice toward her would-be executioner.

He continued to reach over and pluck the chips from her arms, although they were probably crushed to crumbs now.

"This cheese kind is horrible." He put it back on the shelf and turned to her with a smile, "I'm Brendon, by the way."

He was introducing himself?

Why?

"And you are?" he prompted, ignoring her open-mouthed confusion.

"Surprised." Taylor offered, eliciting a low rumble of laughter from him.

He used his arm to usher her closer and he bent his hulking form down to whisper, "I like you, wolf, you're not as uppity as the others…although I thought my sudden presence might start a brawl right here in the store." He let her go with an easy smile.

Taylor straightened awkwardly, "Yeah, I'm a bit on edge…"

She leaned back to fully study the man in front of her and sniffed. She couldn't place his scent, but she knew he was a Were-animal of some kind. It was rare to run into another species of Were, there weren't many that ventured out into the human world. Wolves were a bit more social with humans. Tolerant.

"Bear." He offered helpfully.

Holy—!She couldn't stop her eyebrows from shooting up into her hairline.

Taylor wasn't sure WereBears even existed until now, and if they had, she never thought she'd meet one.

Being quite polite and continuing to ignore her gawking, he offered her one large hand.

She took it numbly, still cautious but curious, and shook it twice.

"My name's…Taylor," She threw caution to the wind.Hell, if anyone came looking for them this close to their destination, they were toast anyway.

"Taylor," He repeated and he shook her hand, "It's nice to meet you. You heading to San Ann too?"

Taylor looked up into the bear's eyes, hesitant.

He took the hint immediately, "Listen, I live at the sanctum there. If you want someone to follow, I'm heading straight home."

She reached over to grab another bag of chips—the non-cheese kind, while she considered.

"If you don't mind me asking, what were you doing out here anyways? This is still a good stone's throw from San Antonio."

With a low whistle, he clapped her back good naturedly, "Wow, you are paranoid. You in any kin—"

"Don't touch her!" Kaden's growl was unmistakable, ringing clearly throughout the store. It's venomous tone unmistakable in its promise for bloodshed.

The poor old store keeper jumped for behind the counter, dropping