The Wolf Of Penshaw Lake
Chapter 24

We did indeed take it slow. I still hadn’t told Mason about my past, or who we were running from and for now he seemed content in letting me adjust at my own pace without him nagging for answers. I knew I would have to tell him, for trust only works two ways, but every time I thought I would be able to speak about it, my throat clogged, my eyes pricked with tears and I clammed up to the point of barely being able to say a word. Mason was sweet, holding me in a tight embrace until the tears stopped, but on occasion I could see his fists clench and hear his teeth grit together as he fought to remain composed. His heart would beat wildly against my face, accompanied by a low rumbling noise deep within his chest that I had come to recognize as comforting.

The beautiful, uplifting summer air, that I had loved so much, had taken a cold, depressing turn with the arrival of September with temperatures plummeting to single figures. Not as cold as some countries, I was sure, but for a summer lover like myself it sent misery through my soul every time I saw those rain clouds and my mood dimmed as I felt the wind pick up, allowing goosebumps to arrive on my bare skin as I had tried to cling onto my warmer wardrobe for as long as possible.

I found myself in Dee’s more often than I cared to admit, stocking up on some must-have Autumn styles. Normally, I would just shove a plain, cheap coat over whatever I chose to wear that day, but Dee had fashion coming out of her ears and refused to let me leave without highlighting the seasons’ picks.

“Ifsheis wearing it, then we must too,” She said defiantly, flicking through a magazine and talking about yet another celebrity papped on the pavement wearing the latestDolce&GabbanaorGucci.

"Wedon’t have their paycheck,” I replied to her for the fifteenth time as I carefully prised the magazine from her fingers as she made a whimpering noise. “And this is England Dee, I’m quite happy with Primark thankyou.”

Dee visibly shuddered, “The day I see myself in Primark, you can dye my fur bright bloody pink, it’ll be less embarrassing.”

I snorted imagining Dee’s russet brown fur suddenly dyed neon. I placed my hands together and begged her, “Oh please I’ll replace some animal-friendly dye!”

Dee gave me the finger and dramatically turned on her heel to walk back around the counter, just as a lady with two young children set off the sweet, little chime above the door, signaling that they were no longer alone. As Dee set about making some money, I turned towards the back of the shop, where I spotted a cream coloured coat with a faux wool trim. I ran my hand across the wool and smiled softly as it reminded me of the first time I had come face to face with Mason’s wolf without convulsing with fear.

*Three Weeks ago*

“I don’t know,” I stammered, the heat of the sun disappearing behind the trees and I folded my arms across my breasts, as though that was going to warm me up. We were in the middle of an August heatwave and all week I had worn shorts and cami tops, but in the thick, dense forest the sun was replaceing it hard to penetrate my skin with its rays.

“You told me you wanted to,” Mason replied, standing in front of me, his glorious bare chest glistening with a thin layer of sweat. “In fact, all I’ve heard this past week is ‘Mason please, oh Mason I really want to, Mason I’ll do anything’...” Mason grinned as I leaned forward to swat him across the arm.

“I do not sound like that,” I gasped, “-and I never begged!”

Mason’s grin turned serious as he took in my nervous expression. He came closer and rubbed my arms with his hands, “If you’re not ready, just say the words.”

I shook my head, “I need to. I might be getting used to this werewolf malarkey, but I need to see all of you, your wolf is a part of who you are and I can’t let myself forget that and pretend that you’re human, prancing about as though there’s not this whole other side of you because that’s not fair on either of us.”

“You’re strong,” he commented, “but you don’t need to hold up a façade. If you’re not ready please tell me.”

“Mason I’ve spent years afraid of one person. I’ve seen real evil and I’ve lived between his four walls. You don’t scare me any more, okay not all the time, but mostly I’m in awe of you, in awe of all of you and yes there was a point where I was terrified because I thought perhaps this was it for me,” I laughed feeling slightly embarrassed, “To escape the hands of a predator, only to run into the arms of a man who makes him seem so inferior was frightening to me. In order for me to completely accept this into my life then I need to see and understand all of it.”

Mason smiled and leaned down to press a chaste kiss on my forehead. He took a few steps back and gripped his shirt, whipping it over his head. Handing it to me, he started taking off his shorts.

“Do you want me to turn around?” I asked sheepishly, looking at a particularly interesting tree above Mason’s head.

“I’m much more comfortable in my own skin,” Mason grinned, “But you can turn around if you want,” He added as he began to take off his underwear.

I quickly spun around, not quite ready to see that part of Mason’s anatomy, however impressive I could already tell it was. I heard him chuckle and decided not to retort something witty for in the next second I could hear the hair-raising sound of his bones snapping and realigning. He grunted, but made no other sounds of pain, an indicator of just how normal this was to him.

After a few moments, Mason was silent and I furrowed my brows, “Can I turn?” I asked him, but received no answer other than a slightly wet nose pressing into the small of my back. I slowly turned and Mason took a few steps back allowing me to see him in all of his glory.

“Wow,” I breathed, able to see his beauty for all that it was. I had always thought wolves to be beautiful creatures, but Mason was otherworldly. His fur was jet black, a kind of soft that called to me and made me want to run my hands through it. His tail slowly swished in the breeze and his head cocked to the side like a loving spaniel. Slightly larger than the average wolf, Mason was an intimating creature and as he opened his jaws to pant I could see the daggers he wore in place of his usual pearly-whites.

I took a hesitant step forward with my hand outstretched, I wasn’t sure about wolf etiquette, could I touch him? Was that offensive? I had my answer when he shoved his head eagerly into my awaiting palm and let out a soft rumble. I rubbed my hand into his fur, awed at how, for lack of a better word, fluffy it was.

“I hope you don’t expect me to rub your belly,” I joked and Mason let out a huff. “Do you play fetch?” I asked, feeling my confidence grow and letting a playful grin stretch across my face.

It was displaced with shock a moment later when Mason leaped at me and I let out a startled shriek as my body was plummeted backwards to the ground. I lay on the hard ground with Mason’s jaws dangerously close to my exposed throat. Hitching a breath, I stared into his eyes which were just as expressive as they always were in his human form. They twinkled with glee as I noticed he had me completely trapped with all four paws standing over me. He let his tongue dangle playfully over my face as I twisted from side to side to try and evade the inevitable.

“No!” I cried, my belly helplessly hurting as I nervously laughed, “Don’t you dare!”

Mason leaned down further and I closed my eyes just as I felt his wet tongue slide across my cheek. Grossed out, I reached up and grasped his fur to try and pull him away from me, but to no avail. Mason was just too strong for me. I wiped my face and he stepped backwards to allow me to sit up.

“That was mean,” I complained.

Mason turned his back to me and for a moment I thought he thought me serious, but I heard the familiar cracking sound and grimaced, standing to my feet in order to turn around. It wasn’t long before I felt arms circle around my waist and my back pressed against a naked human chest.

“You loved it really,” replied his teasing voice next to my ear.

I spun around in his arms, trying my hardest to ignore just how naked he was. I pursed my lips, ready to give him a piece of my mind when I closed my eyes and sighed, a smile creeping up on my face instead.

“Get dressed wolfie.”

“What do you think?” I asked Dee as she finished ringing up the customers.

Dee cocked her head to the side and I could see the cogs in her brain twirling.

“Not for me,” I continued, “For Kate. It’s her birthday next week isn’t it?”

Dee cursed, “I am the worst friend. I totally forgot. That would look gorgeous on Kate, it would go so nice with her hair, ugh, she got so lucky with those bleach blonde waves.”

I laughed, “What’s she doing for it anyway?”

“We initially thought about heading to the city, do a bit of bar hopping, but it’s up to Kate.”

I gulped a little about heading anywhere other than my cosy, little haven that was Penshaw Lake. I felt protected here, like it was a bubble and going anywhere else would pop it. My mind drifted back to when I thought it would be a good idea to leave and now I couldn’t imagine anything worse.

“The Black Horse is always good though,” I suggested.

“We’ve been going to The Black Horse ever since we could get in. I love it, but it gets a little worn after a while, I’m aching for a good night out.”

“Would Mason come?”

Dee waggled her brows at me and I rolled my eyes, “I would just...feel safer if he came,” I protested, shrugging my shoulders.

Dee’s eyes softened, “I get it. You still not up to tell anybody what happened?”

I shook my head quickly, “I’m just not ready yet.”

Dee changed the subject and I could feel my heart warm for her, “Mason would definitely come. So would Isaac and Kai and Mason would obviously never leave your side, so you’d be perfectly safe.”

“I’ll think about it,” I assured her. “I’ll get the coat,” I added, lifting it up to place it on the counter.

“It’s forty-two babe.”

I handed her the money, grabbed the coat and said my goodbyes. Stepping outside the boutique, the air had dropped in temperature once more and I shivered. However, despite myself, I smiled.

I had never felt more at home before.