The Mystic Wolves

Jasmine, but you also saw a friend and before you acted as judge and executioner, you tried to resolve it. That shows the marks of an honorable leader. Don’t ever doubt it and don’t bury it under whatever you think you should be. You are perfect in my eyes, and I wouldn’t have you any other way. Understand?”

If I could’ve spoken, I would’ve told him just how much his words had reached in and soothed me. I felt the burden I’d been carrying ease slightly, and a lightness which hadn’t been there since this whole fiasco had started.

“Whenever you begin to doubt your worth, Darcy, come to me. I’ll show and keep showing you until it’s so entrenched in that beautiful, stubborn head of yours, you’ll start seeing yourself as I see you.”

Images and memories began to form in my mind as Mason was true to his word, showing me what he saw and felt as he watched me each day. He was so observant, catching every subtle change in my facial expressions and body language. He had been studying me and it now made sense why he could read me so well. He was the diligent student and I was his favorite subject.

His emotions flowed over my skin and settled, filling me with a sense of wonder at being loved so completely. There were flashes of brief frustration, and as I watched the images they were attached to, they were times I was being pig headed-adamant in doing things my own way. But they were quickly replaced with feelings of pride and satisfaction in loving a woman who was confident to speak her mind and knew how to fight for what she believed in. He even found it humorous I had no problem going toe-to-toe with him. No one ever questioned him and he actually looked forward to our mini battles.

I couldn’t witness his feelings or memories and deny he was incredibly happy as well as deeply in love with me. After everything, he was still one hundred percent commitment and devoted. Before I could think more on it, his voice interrupted the silence.

“This is what I want you to see.” And he recalled the moment we met.

Chapter Seven

I remembered the day. We’d definitely met under strange circumstances, but we joked about it later. Fate doesn’t care how she brings two people together, as long as she does. After a night of dreaming about Mason-a vision that felt so incredibly real, I’d woken to a phone call from my mother.

She was unbending in her belief she could hear my biological clock ticking away into oblivion. I tried, desperately, to assure her there was plenty of time for mates and babies, but she was determined to have me bonded and shipped off as soon as I hit my twenties. I couldn’t remember how many eligible werewolves she paraded in front of me over the years, each one “the one.” As I turned every one of them down, I’d leave my poor mother an exasperated mess. She just didn’t get it. I was waiting for something… that spark, the moment where my stomach tipped as butterflies stirred. I wanted passion and the sense of certainty knowing I’d met my soul mate.

I’ll never forget the day I tried explaining that to her. It resulted in an angry tirade about how I was breaking her heart and being an ungrateful whelp. The love I was wanting wasn’t important, she claimed, all I needed was a strong werewolf mate who could provide and protect me. She almost choked on her tongue when I defiantly stood there, hands on hips and declared I didn’t even know if I’d marry a werewolf. I didn’t want to be controlled and dominated over. Her face turned a mottled shade of red before she stormed out of my house, muttering about how she didn’t know who I was. The next day I came home to all my beloved romance novels shredded and unceremoniously dumped into trash bags. A note was left on my dining room table.

Darcy, I blame the nonsense you read in these books for your insane idea of marriage. It’s time you realize there are no heroes to sweep you off your feet. Pick a mate and settle. It’s time.

Settle. Out of everything she’d said on the page, that word jumped out like it was written on a neon sign. It was one thing I’d never do. I’d rather die old and alone than ever settle for something less. It also made me sad wondering if that’s what she had done with my father.

We never did talk about the note and her destroying my books. We continued as we normally did-her sending me candidates and me tolerating her. I found a better place to put my books, and life carried on.

The day she called, she was excited about a man she’d met who she thought would be perfect for me.

“It’s like he stepped out of one of those books you love so much,” she chattered over the phone. “Surely you won’t find fault with him as well. Just wait until you meet him.” She continued to prattle on and I tuned her out.

I couldn’t help but groan. One thing I loathed was blind dates because they were just so painfully awkward. There was the overwhelming need to fill every moment with something so we wouldn’t spend the entire date in unbearable silence. Trying to think of a way to break it to the guy gently when it was obvious to me, it just wouldn’t work.

I was already beginning to think of how I could wheedle my way out of this meeting when the doorbell rang.

“Tell me you didn’t, Mother,” I interrupted. I had no doubt she knew what I was talking about. The woman had the ears of a hawk and would undoubtedly have heard the chimes.

“Just do this for me. I want grand babies, Darcy. Wear something pretty with your hair up. Men like that.” I swear she was oblivious to how uncomfortable these meetings made me.

“Can you at least tell me what his name is?” I asked before I went to my doom.

“His name is Mason. Mason O’Connor. Be nice to him or so help me I’ll…” I cut her off mid rant as I quickly said goodbye and hung up. I’d heard her threats so many times I could rehearse them verbatim in my sleep.

The door chime rang again.

“Let’s go see who the lucky contestant is,” I grumbled under my breath. I swung the door open and was floored by the battering of emotions that hit me with such a force I staggered. I would’ve fallen if Mason hadn’t reached out and grabbed hold of my arm.

“Already falling for me?” He chuckled, his eyes never leaving my face, his stare devouring.

Any other time I would’ve felt uncomfortable being under such intense scrutiny, but the look of hunger and triumph made my skin tingle and my breath hitched.

It was him. Don’t ask me how or why, I wasn’t a big believer in Fate, but standing before me, in all his glory was the guy from my dream. My wolf howled as she also recognized what it meant. Ours, she bayed over and over, stirring my insides into a frenzy.

Every wolf knows what this feeling means and it took everything I could not to launch myself at him as my wolf struggled to take control of the situation. We had met our mate and she was ready to claim him right there and then, ritual be damned.

I caught myself in time and I must have looked like I was having a fit as my body contorted before I stumbled again, and this time fell. So much for looking graceful.

Are you done reminiscing, Darcy? Are you ready to see what I saw that day? Mason interrupted, breaking my thoughts.

I nodded slightly and refocused back on the memory. This time it looked different as I saw my old front door.

I could feel the nervousness rippling under his skin as he bounced on his toes, waiting for me to answer the door. He wasn’t sure what to expect and was hoping this wasn’t another, “come-meet-my-beautiful-daughter, she’s-perfect-for-you,” situations. He stood there, thinking over all the things he could be doing, like pack business that demanded his attention. Instead, he was going on a blind date.

How the heck did I allow myself to get talked into this?

Mrs. Matthews was a tough woman to say no to, not to mention one that seemed hell bent to marry her daughter off. She’d been relentless and seemed to have a counter offer for every excuse he’d given her. For his own sanity, he’d agreed to meet her daughter, Darcy, and silently prayed they’d at least be able to talk.

He rubbed his face, letting out a deep breath. A feeling of frustration washed through him as he thought about the pressure he was receiving from everyone to hurry up and find a mate. It wasn’t like he wasn’t looking-there just wasn’t anyone he felt a spark with. He wanted a woman he could form a connection with, someone who would be