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

"I'm sorry, he jumps to conclusions….alot." Taylor glanced his way, finally noting his change—which was almost complete now. Rage the only factor fueling his Change so quickly.

"I'll go stop Eli, Sean and the others before any permanent harm's done then."

Taylor inclined her head gratefully to him before turning to face Mason head-on.

His wolf eyes roved over her body, looking for injuries he was sure she had—there were none.

If he had been human he would have let a large sigh of relief free, but instead he could only huff.

Mason's body was burning, all that distance he ran, dodging and blows his body took, and the final straw— his speedy forced Change. He wanted to collapse and die, but his awareness of any pain he had been experiencing a minute ago was gone.

He forced one paw forward and watched Taylor tense. Mason leveled his stare at her and took another step, willing her to come to him.

Her scent was already driving him crazy, he could only imagine what her touch would do to him, wolf or not.

Mason watched his beautiful mate study the third rise and fall of his paw stepping toward her before she twisted and bounded away from him like he was one of the hounds from hell.…and at that point, he felt like acting like one.

With a snarl that only ceased to speed her escape, he chased after her, leaping past the nonchalant Weres that only moments ago were trying to tear his throat out.

Taylor twisted and turned through the blocks and houses with practiced precision, but he was determined to not lose her.

Not after all he went through.

Bursting through the bushes, he heard rather than saw, her frantic steps change direction.

She was going south, down the back alley.

Fine, two could play at that game.

~Taylor's POV~

She could feel Mason sticking behind her like glue, she had to get some distance on him and outmaneuver him by changing her course. Her scent was all over this trail by now, she hoped he would follow her normal trail and not follow the new course she was about to take.

Not being able to hear his steps, Taylor took it as a good sign; she was actually impressed he lasted as long as he did after such a battle. Taking the new path down the opposite alley, she headed for the other temporary homes a few blocks away from the one they occupied the first day they arrived, homes that didn't have their scents all over them.

Arriving at the bland house, she thrust open the unlocked (because who would rob a WereAnimal?) front door that had yet to be cleaned or rented out. She slammed the door closed and locked it with a satisfied pop—more for Taylor's peace of mind than security.

Trying to catch her breath, but still cautious to avoid the windows, she lowered her human body to the floor. Sinking into the soft beige carpet as her mind flashed back to Mason and his burning gold gaze.

His body had been humming with energy, almost successfully pulling her to him like some mindless zombie.

Yes. That had been entirely too close for her.She would see him when he calmed down and returned to human form. He wouldn't be that powerful then. She could easily resist his call then.

But any plans of avoidance were dashed when her nose picked up the heady mixture of sharp spices and the subtle, cool pine undertone that stood out from the whole condo.

Her head shot up at the immediate scent assaulting her.So busy and confident at covering her tracks, she hadn't thought to search the rest of the house. There, now between her and the locked door, stood Mason.

She hadn't even heard him come in, there must have been a window open somewhere or hell, he could beaten her to the house for all she knew.

Still in Wolf form, his red coat shone brilliantly in the streams of light piercing through the living room windows. His head was lowered to the ground, staring her down, as his body braced itself for any movements she might have attempted to make an escape.

She sucked air through her teeth.Gathering herself, she sat up and made no other movements.

She smiled in spite of herself; why did she think she could escape from this bastard?

Mason's head perked up at her smile and relaxed posture.His ears shooting back and body lunging forward, he pounced on her, knocking her back flat into the carpet with his front paws.

Whining and licking her face with a vengeance, she could do nothing but take it and try not to laugh—a futile effort.

"Mason, Mason! Come on, get off!" Taylor attempted to push the big beast off her, but he didn't even budge.

Running her hands through the furry mane at his neck, she allowed herself to be distracted by the softness until the crackle of power froze her to the spot.

She cautiously lowered her arms, still flabbergasted.Mason was changing. Right on top of her.

Not knowing what to do, whether she should roll out from under him, or stay as still as she could manage—she opted for stillness. She knew how difficult it could be to change, and she supposedly had it easy, she wouldn't make the Change any harder for Mason if she could help it.

Although, as soon as he was through, she was going to chew his ass for Changing on top of her.

She could feel his power ebb and flow throughout his body, lengthening and shortening respective parts to match his human body. While Taylor had more control of this energy, she was in control of what she changed and its order—Mason looked like he just went along for the ride, his energy sliding all over his body, trying to gather up enough power to force everything to instantly obey and change, but of course it didn't work quite that smoothly.

The most disturbing thing wasn't that she could feel him changing, or see him changing…it was that she could hear his thoughts.

So floored by the ability, she almost pushed him off her.

The power that flowed in and out his hands, resting on her chest, was like a current, transferring his thoughts, feelings and sensations.

Even more astonishing than that little trick were the thoughts being broadcasted to her: Finally, you're safe, my mate.

Taylor about choked on her tongue at the mention of such a word.Mate??

Surely, he was clocked too hard by Brendon.

Before she could think more deeply into the matter or get any more insight from his head, the power flow stopped and the body that had only partially rested on top of her, now sank fully down to blanket the upper half of her body—and it was purely human male.

"Uh…Mace, let me explain, you see—" She couldn't even get her flimsy excuse out before his lips crushed down on hers.

In reflex, she tried to propel herself up and out from under the man who was effectively silencing her. He didn't move. Instead, undeterred by her resistance, he grabbed the sides of her face and pulled her into a deeper kiss.

After satisfying himself, he moved to her neck, burying his head into her shoulder and the locks of hair resting there.

"Why?" Mason was barely audible, still seizing her in an iron grip.

To Taylor, the answer to this question was very black and white. If someone asked her True or False, is the Sun hot? She would say, "True, duh."

"I didn't want anyone else killed."

There.

That was as streamline and cut to the point she could make it.Surely he would respect the fact that she had thought about the safety and well-being of his pack.

"That," Mason began in a low tone.

Taylor noticed the way his body began to tremor and shake; she didn't take it as a good sign.

"Is the most stupid thing I've ever heard."He raised his head from her shoulder to flash a pair of angry bronze eyes.

Okay, so clearly Mason thought about the grey areas. When answering such a true or false question; he would have answered,"Hot compared to…?" or "That's relative. It would depend on the asker's definition of hot and cold."

Taylor shrank at how far he was pushing his control, her fear of dominant wolves came surging up like an old reopened wound, effectively constricting her throat.

Mason still wasn't finished however, and luckily wasn't waiting for a retort from her, he plowed on, "You left me without a word. You went out the damn window, out into the night defenseless-"

"H-hardly defens—"

"Defenseless, probably running right into the arms of your enemies! Did you know you basically have a bounty on your head? Both of you do, caught five wolves trying to abduct your asses that morning alone.

And you know what they'd do if they caught you, right? Right?!" Mason grabbed her chin so she would look him in the eyes.

Trapped, immobile and frantic, she tried not to revert to the sniveling girl who had kept quiet and had taken her beatings. As an image of her old abusive alpha flared into her mind—her temper sparked, washing away the urge to cry.

"I'm safe aren't I?" She craned her neck up, getting her face as close to Mason's without touching, she wanted her fury to be clear, "In case it's escaped your notice, I have been living an odd sum of 7 years without any help from anyone—and would you look at that, miracle! I have survived! So, before you try to write off my noble actions as stupid, look at yourself. Chasing down a rogue female over the united states, risking the lives of your pack, staying with your rival instead of going back to your own den and taking care of a pack that's clearly unraveling—"

With a inhuman snarl, he reached around to the back of her head and pulled her the last few inches towards his lips.

What was first a rough intrusion, morphed into a gentle askance of a kiss.His hand rubbed the back of her neck in slow circles, as he broke the brief kiss and nipped playfully at her chin.

Still in shock that Mason hadn't torn her throat out in her rebellious outburst, she eyed him with a weary disposition.

"I did all that," Mason trailed his lips along her jaw, "Because I love you."

Taylor's eyes had to be as large as plates.Noone had said that to her since her first, and only, mate, many years ago.She had been young then and believed the mutt without question.

Now, however, she would like to think she had progressed mentally.

"You really did get hit on the head hard, didn't you?"

~Taylor's POV~

"Okay, so what the hell's going on?"

Kaden burst through the condo door, busting a lock that they would probably have to pay for, at the most awkward moment in Taylor's life…and she couldn't have been more grateful.

Mason, startled at the intrusion, left himself open for a launch that she hadn't been able to pull earlier. She pushed him off her and scrambled away.

"Oh…Mace…you're…naked." Kaden observed as Mason gathered himself off the floor, not a shred of self consciousness in his gaze.

Of course it wasn't unusual to be naked, even around another gender.

But Taylor knew what she wasn't saying. 'Oh, you were naked on top of  Taylor.'

Blowing out a breath, thinking about