48. Shya

Chapter forty-eight

Shya

T he Vantage roared beneath me, matching the thundering of my heart. The wind whipped through my hair, carrying away the last remnants of that damned ceremonial incense. I was finally completely in control.

I hadn't made it far when a figure appeared in my headlights, standing dead center in the road. My breath caught as I recognized the broad shoulders and dark hair.

Mason.

I slammed on the brakes, tires screaming in protest as the car skidded to a halt a foot from where he stood. Our eyes met through the windshield, and holy hell, it was like touching a live wire. My wolf howled inside me, urging me forward.

Time seemed to slow as I drank in the sight of him. I couldn't think straight, couldn't draw breath. All I could focus on was the way his lips parted slightly as if he was about to speak. Those lips that had haunted my dreams for so long, now so tantalizingly close.

Without thinking, I flung open the car door and sprinted toward him. We collided in a tangle of limbs and need, our lips crashing together in a kiss that set my world on fire. His arms wrapped around me, and his mouth claimed mine with a ferocity that stole my breath away, and I matched his intensity, pouring all my denied feelings into the kiss. Every nerve ending in my body seemed electrified by his touch. A growl rumbled deep in Mason's chest, the vibration sending shivers cascading through my flesh. It was a primal sound, one that spoke to the wolf within me, igniting an answering howl in my soul.

This. This was right. This was where I belonged. In Mason's arms, with his scent enveloping me, his taste on my lips. The rest of the world fell away, and all that existed was us, this moment, this connection that defied all reason and logic.

When we finally broke apart, gasping for air, I looked up into those pale blue eyes that seemed to see right through to my soul. In them, I saw a reflection of my own desire, my own need, my own love.

"Mason," I breathed, the words tumbling out. "It's you!"

Why? Why did I always have to state the obvious?

He smirked at me. "I would hope so, given your tongue has just been in my mouth."

"I mean, you're here."

"I told you I couldn't let you mate with anyone else."

"I didn't. I didn't go through with it."

His expression was so fucking knowing and smug. "I figured, what with the aforementioned tongue in my mouth."

"I don't know how we're going—"

"I'm giving up my Pack, princess. We'll stay here, protect your family, protect your—our—Pack, and I'll make them accept me even if I have to fight every single fucking one of them."

His words hit me like a tidal wave, washing away every doubt, every fear that had been clawing at my insides. Mason was willing to give up everything—his Pack, his position, his home—all for me. For us. In that moment, I saw our future unfold before my eyes. The challenges we'd face, the battles we'd fight—together. I saw lazy Sunday mornings and fierce Pack meetings, stolen kisses, and shoulder-to-shoulder stands against our enemies. I saw a life filled with love, adventure, and partnership.

My heart swelled, threatening to burst from my chest. The words I'd been holding back, the feelings I'd been too scared to fully embrace, suddenly seemed so simple, so right. Looking into his eyes, I knew there was only one thing left to say.

"I love you, Mason Shaw."

He grinned at me. "I know. I'm just glad you finally figured it out."

I drew back from him. "You're supposed to say you love me back!"

Mason's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, am I? I must have missed that part in the ‘How to Respond When Your Mate Finally Comes to Her Senses' handbook."

"I can't believe I love you! You're impossible!"

"Impossibly charming, you mean," he said, pulling me closer.

"Impossibly arrogant is more like it,"

"You know," Mason said, his voice dropping to a husky whisper, "for someone who just declared her love for me, you're being awfully sassy."

I leaned in, my lips brushing against his ear. "Get used to it, wolf boy. You're in for a lifetime of sass."

He shivered slightly at my touch, then pulled back to look me in the eye. His expression softened, all traces of teasing gone. "A lifetime, huh? I like the sound of that."

My heart skipped a beat. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," he said softly. Then, with a dramatic sigh, he added, "I suppose if I have to put up with your sass for the rest of my life, it's only fair you know I'm not giving you up, princess, not for anything or anyone. You're stuck with me from now on. I love you, too, even if you are an infuriating, beautiful, stubborn wolf."

I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. "Was that so hard?"

"Excruciating," he deadpanned. "I may need mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to recover."

I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. "I don't care what we do, as long as we do it together."

"It's a good thing you feel that way, princess because we're about to be attacked by Tristan."

My heart, which had been soaring just moments ago, now plummeted to my stomach. "Tristan? How do you know?"

Mason's eyes hardened, his jaw clenching. "We met one of his Pack. They let it slip."

Fear gripped me, icy tendrils wrapping around my heart. "My family, the Pack, I have to warn them."

Mason shook his head. "There's a mole. Someone has been feeding Tristan information. You warn them, and Tristan will be in the wind."

As I stared into his eyes, something shifted inside me. The fear didn't disappear, but it transformed, igniting into a blazing anger. I would not allow Tristan to threaten my happiness, my Pack, my future.

"This is our chance to get him," I growled, my wolf rising to the surface. "We're going to end this. Tonight."

A predatory grin spread across Mason's face. "There's my princess."

Without hesitation, I tore the fastenings of my mating ceremony dress. The silk whispered against my skin as it fell away, pooling at my feet in a sea of blue. I stood before Mason, naked and unashamed, my skin prickling in the cool night air.

Mason's eyes roved over my body. "Shya?"

I met his gaze, feeling the power of my wolf surging through my veins. "I'm going hunting." I tilted my head to one side. "Think you can keep up?"

Then I closed my eyes, surrendering to the change. My bones shifted, realigning themselves, muscles rippled, and fur spread across my body. It was fast, fueled by my rage and the need to protect our Pack. When it was done, my wolf howled in anticipation.

Mason kneeled before me, running his hand through the thick fur at my neck. "You're breathtaking," he murmured.

I nuzzled his hand, then turned toward the forest. We had prey to find.