I smiled at the memory. “It was a joke,” I said.
Mason shrugged and then leaned towards me and whispered conspiratorially, “Did you know he’s kept it on his bed since you gave it to him?”
My mouth dropped open. “No, he doesn’t.”
He nodded and leaned back. “He does. I’ve even caught him sleeping with it.”
“You’re lying.”
He spread his arms wide. “I swear! What will you give me if I get proof?”
“What do you want?” I asked.
“You to promise to never go on a date with Gary after tonight again,” he said with venom in his voice.
“Why?” I asked. I knew they didn’t get along, but they were pack.
“Because he doesn’t deserve to be dating you.”
“Are you jealous?” I asked curiously.
Mason laughed so hard tears came to his eyes. “Wow. Come on, Sis, you know me better than that.”
“Then why?”
His smile slowly withered and he said, “Because I know it would kill Nick to see you end up with Gary. Whether you and Nick date and decide you can’t continue for whatever reasons, he would still die a little inside to see you with Gary.”
“They hate each other that much?”
Mason shrugged. “We don’t hate each other in the pack, but there is bad blood between them. Let’s just say that if Gary wasn’t pack, we would have killed him when he was twelve.”
“Why? Nick won’t tell me what happened between them. He just said that Gary did something when you were twelve. It was when I was with Thornton clothe shopping, and no one would tell me what happened when I got back.”
“Another day I’ll tell you the story, let’s focus on happy things today.”
“Here you go, Hun,” the waitress said as she set my food on the table.
“Thank you,” I said before shoveling the food in my mouth. Today I was abnormally hungry. I wasn’t really sure why. I flagged down the waitress. “Can I order a stack of pancakes please?”
She smiled. “No problem, dearie.”
“You feeling okay?” Mason asked, looking at me with a worried expression.
“Just hungry,” I said as I sipped on my hot chocolate again.
He watched me for an entire minute before smiling. “So, are you going to accept my wager?”
“You promise not to tell anyone that we made the wager?” I asked. I didn’t want to hurt Gary’s feelings, but if dating him would hurt Nick, then I wouldn’t do it. I’d go tonight, but that was it.
Mason made an x over his heart. “Cross my heart.”
“Fine. I accept.”
Mason smiled. “Awesome. I’ll get you your evidence tomorrow.”
“Pictures would be best so I can use them to blackmail Nick.”
Mason laughed and wiped at his eyes. “I’ve trained you well.”
I ate the pancakes as fast as I’d eaten the eggs, and Mason paid for the food. We walked down the sidewalk, past the shops, in search of somewhere to find a present for Nick. I hadn’t the slightest idea what to get him since he never talked about wanting anything. Dad bought the boys pretty much anything they wanted thanks to his lucrative wolf photographs and documentaries on wolves and their habits. Coach Tanner used to complain for hours about dad making them play for the camera, but they couldn’t argue with the results. That was how Dad had purchased the mansion we called home.
We walked around various stores, but nothing called out to me. I had all but lost hope when we walked into a keepsake store. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, but when I got to a display rack I stopped in front of it and a smile lit my face. It wasn’t a manly gift, but I’d hardly ever gotten him manly gifts. I picked up a silver keepsake box with an oval on the top for a picture. “This is it,” I whispered.
Mason arched an eyebrow at me. “A box? You’re getting him a shiny box?”
I rolled my eyes. “You know as well as I do that he’s incredibly sentimental and keeps anything that reminds him of happy days. He makes me keep every movie ticket, concert ticket, and photo booth picture that we take. I’m going to find a picture of the two of us for the top and put the mementos I have inside and then he can put his in here instead of the cardboard box he has in his closet.”
Mason’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “You know about the box?”
I chuckled. “You two did teach me to be super sneaky. I found it one day when I was looking for something to embarrass him with, but after seeing it, I only felt special. So, you think the shiny box is a bad idea now?”
Mason shook his head. “He’ll love it. He loves any way to keep something of you.”
“Do you think it’s because he’s worried he’ll stop being my Guardian or I’ll stop being his friend after the shift?” I asked as I walked towards the registers.
“Those are both possible, but I think it’s more likely that you’re the only important person in his life, and he knows that you’re much more fragile than us. I think he wants to be able to have these things of you in case you are no longer with us,” he said softly.
I froze and looked at him and blinked. “He’s told you that?”
Mason fidgeted. “He’s told me that he’s worried that he isn’t strong enough to protect you.”
I exhaled. “Wow.” I set the box on the counter and paid for it.
Mason led the way towards a sporting goods store and he bought a pair of hiking boots for Nick. “He’s been complaining that his shoes are too crappy for hiking,” he explained.
I linked arms with Mason and enjoyed the beautiful blue sky and quiet day as we strolled down the street.
“Sarah?” asked a voice from behind us.
I turned and smiled at Tom. “Hey, Tom.”
He smiled back and bent down to kiss my cheek. “What are you two doing out here?”
I held up my shopping bag. “Birthday shopping.”
He held up a bag he had in his hand. “I got Nick something, too.”
Mason stayed silent as he stood beside me, never taking his eyes off of Tom.
“I’d better get back before Nick flips out and thinks I was kidnapped,” I said with a lighthearted smile. “I’ll see you at school.”
He nodded his head. “Bye, Sarah. Bye, Mason.”
Mason nodded once and then turned us around, heading towards Nick’s truck.
“You okay?” I asked softly.
“I just don’t like dhampirs. You never really know what side they’re on.”
“I thought you were friends with Tom?”
He shook his head. “Nick is friends with him. I just tolerate him. I don’t trust him completely. Just be careful around him, okay?”
I patted his arm. “You’ve always been a worrier, but it’s probably a good thing. And I’ll be careful. I promise.”
He opened my door and bowed. “Madam.”
I laughed and curtsied before climbing inside. “Thank you, sir.”
We drove in comfortable silence as we listened to the radio. Was Mason right not to trust Tom? I had a hard time believing that Tom would betray his friends, but being cautious was probably the smartest thing to do.
As we approached the house, I saw Nick pacing across the front yard. Mason shook his head and sighed. “He didn’t trust me to take care of you.”
I laid a hand on his forearm. “Don’t be mad at him. We’ve had a rough week.”
Mason stopped the truck and Nick jogged over to my door, opening it. “Hey.”
I smiled and stepped out of the truck to hug him. “Hello.” I pulled away from him and walked towards the house. “I’ll be outside in a minute. I need to change to play.” I jogged up the stairs and hid the present in my underwear drawer, knowing it was the one place that no one would look. I changed into workout shorts and a tank top before jogging out to the edge of the woods where Nick and six kids, ranging from five to twelve, stood waiting for me. I stretched out my legs and smiled at them. “So, what are we pla
ying today?”
“Tag,” Nick said with a mischievous smile.
“Great,” I muttered as I walked towards him. “Then I guess that means, you’re it!” I yelled as I smacked his arm and then darted away and into the forest. The kids ran after me and then past me. I ducked around a tree, barely dodging Nick’s outstretched hand. “Missed me!” I yelled back to him as I dodged as close to the trees as I could.
I caught up to Dylan and raced by him.
I heard Nick yell, “You’re it!” behind me.
Dylan growled and raced forward. He wasn’t slow, just lazy. When he wanted to be fast, he could be. I caught up to Casey and tripped the twelve-year-old boy as I ran by.
“Oops,” I said with a hand to my mouth to hide my smile.
“Sarah!” he yelled in exasperation just before Dylan tagged him.
I turned back around just in time to see Dad’s body in my way. I tried to stop, but ended up slamming into him, knocking him over. He wrapped his arms around me to keep me from getting hurt and laughed. “You’re supposed to watch where you’re going when you run, Sarah.”
I stood and brushed off my pants. “Sorry, Dad.”
A hand touched me, and I groaned as Casey yelled, “You’re it!”
I spun away from Dad and chased after them. I stopped after five minutes of running and looked around the empty forest in annoyance. Where had they all gone? I spun to go towards the creek, but Alfred stood in my path now. “We need to talk.”
Nick jogged up out of nowhere and scooped me up in his arms just before Alfred lunged at me. He growled at Nick, but suddenly Dad came out of nowhere, grabbed Alfred by the throat and slammed his body against a tree. “Do not touch my daughter.” His face shifted partially, his fangs growing longer and thicker.
Alfred snarled. “I wasn’t going to hurt her.”
“You have no reason to touch her at all. Do you hear me, Alfred? If you so much as touch a single hair on her head, I will rip yours off of your body. Understand?”
Alfred nodded once, staring at me with a need that frightened me. Nick held me tightly against his upper chest and growled at Alfred softly. I wrapped my arms around Nick’s neck and he spun around and ran back towards the house. What had Alfred planned to do? Surely, he could hear the others running through the forest and knew he couldn’t get away with anything. And just what had he hoped to do?
Nick slammed the front door closed and I climbed out of his arms. “Calm down,” I whispered.
“I will not calm down!” Nick roared. “He was going to hurt you, Sarah! I saw the way he looked at you.”
“What’s going on?” Maxwell, one of the nicest Alphas, asked.
“Nothing,” Nick said and then grabbed my hand to pull me up the stairs.
“Alfred tried to lunge at me in the forest when he thought we were alone,” I said as I struggled against Nick dragging me towards the stairs.
“Is he still alive?” Maxwell asked, looking from me to Nick.
I shrugged. “Dad threatened him, but I’m pretty sure he’s going to leave it at that.”
“Did he touch you?” Sampson, the tallest man I’d ever met, asked.
I shook my head.
“He would have if I hadn’t been there,” Nick said angrily. He looked at the rest of the Alphas gathered. “Any of you that think you want her, better understand that I’ll die protecting her. None of you will lay a hand on her.”
“Nick,” I said in both shock and exasperation.
The other Alphas smiled instead of snarling at him for threatening them, which seemed odd to me.
“You’ll make a fine Alpha one day, Nick. For now, why don’t you two run on upstairs, so we can talk with Thornton and Alfred when they come in,” Maxwell said.
Nick gave a brief nod, grabbed me by the waist, and pushed me up the stairs. “Get up,” he said softly.
“You don’t have to be so pushy,” I muttered as I climbed the stairs and walked to Mason’s room. “Mason!” I called. “Open up please.”
Mason opened the door and frowned. “What’s up?”
“We need to hide in your room for a little bit,” I said.
He looked at Nick who just stared back. Mason sighed, “Okay, come in.”
I walked into the cluttered room and felt like I was being tested as I maneuvered around piles of things on the floor, stepping only on clothes as much as possible. “Where’s your floor?” I asked as I plopped down on the bed, the only open and clean spot.
“Under my stuff,” Mason replied with a smile. “You alright?” he asked Nick. Nick shook his head and walked to the punching bag Mason had up in the corner of his room. Without a word he began punching it. Mason sat down next to me and whispered, “What’s up?”
I relayed the story for him and then watched Nick take his anger out on the punching bag. There was something sexy about a guy hitting something. I watched his biceps flex and the impact of his fist on the bag and swallowed as I realized I really did like Nick in more than a friendly way.
“I’ll kill him if he touches you,” Nick said, turning to face me. Something about my expression made him stand still a moment and then he knelt in front of me. “I swear I won’t leave your side.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck as the fear over Alfred’s attempted…whatever, sank in. “I’m sorry. I know nothing happened, but he scares me anyway.”
Mason wrapped his arms around me from the back. “It’s okay to be scared.”
“Sarah!” Dad called. “There’s a boy here to see you.”
I sat up and looked at Mason and Nick in shock. I raced towards the door, but both boys had already beaten me and were down the stairs. “Dang these short legs.” I walked down the stairs and stared at the guy at the door. I had no idea who he was. He was really cute though and seemed familiar somehow. “Hi,” I said. “Um, you’re here for me?”
He smiled. “You don’t recognize me, do you?”
I smiled, my cheeks reddening in embarrassment. “Sorry. Should I?”
“He sits behind you in first and third period,” Nick said. “Joseph Tyre.”
Joseph smiled. “Hey, Nick. I didn’t know you were related.”
“We’re not,” Nick and I said at the same time.
I smiled, “Nick and I are both orphans and we were adopted by the same guy.”
“So, you’re like step siblings?”
“No,” Nick and I said, again at the same time.
I smiled in apology. “We’re not related at all. More like housemates.”
He shrugged. “Okay. So, um, could I talk to you alone for a moment?”
I stepped outside and Nick would have followed if Dad hadn’t shut the door behind me. “What’s up?” I asked nervously. The longer I looked at Joseph the more I wondered why I hadn’t ever seen him before. He was attractive and even though he wasn’t as buff as the werewolf boys, he was still in great shape. And he had the cutest dimple.
“I was wondering if you’d like to go out tomorrow?” he asked with a sweet smile. “I know we haven’t ever talked or anything, but I think you’re beautiful and from what I’ve observed, really sweet.”
I stared dumbly at him. Was he serious? And what the hell was I supposed to do? Tom, Gary, and Nick were all trying to date me as it was. Should I agree to a date with some guy I don’t know?
“What did you have in mind?” I asked.
“I know you like the outdoors, so I was thinking we could go hiking in the state park and have a picnic?”
That sounded the like the best idea ever. I smiled. “That sounds great, but I have to ask my dad. Can you wait here one second?”
He nodded.
I opened the door, peering inside to find Dad, Nick, and Mason leaning against the wall by the door. I rolled my eyes. “Dad, can I go out with him tomorrow? You could send one of the wolves to hide in the forest to watch us.”
He smiled. “That sounds fine, and I’ll be happy to do it myself. Nick needs a day off anyways.”
/>
“No, I don’t.” Nick grumbled.
“Thanks Dad,” I said with a smile. I shut the door and turned to Joseph. “Okay, he said I could as long as we’re back before four.” I wanted to be sure I wasn’t out after sunset.
Joseph stared at me a moment, like he was surprised I had said yes, and then smiled. “Great. Uh, I’ll pick you up tomorrow at ten.”
“Sounds good.”
He looked at the house and then walked to his truck. I watched as he drove away and then sighed. “What the hell is going on?” I grumbled to myself.
“You’re finally at a datable age and the boys finally have drivers’ licenses and money to take you out,” Dad said from behind me. “Are you so surprised that boys want to date you?”
I turned and looked up at him. “It’s just all so new. I mean, they’re all asking me out the same week. I don’t understand. It’d make more sense if it was spread out, but I’ve been asked out by four guys now this week.”
Dad’s eyebrows rose. “Four? Who are the four?”
“Thornton,” Coach Tanner, yelled. “We need to talk.”
He held up his finger to Tanner and looked at me. “Order a pizza for you, Nick, and Mason and then go stay in Mason’s room until I come get you.”
“Yes, sir,” I said and took the money he handed me before walking inside. Nick and Mason were already arguing over what toppings to get, so I grabbed the phone and hit the auto dial for the pizza place.
Forty minutes later we were sitting on Mason’s bed, eating pizza, drinking soda, and watching Army of Darkness on Mason’s television. Despite the fear that lingered in my head about the vampire who had marked me and Alfred, I felt happy. Boys were showing interest in me, and I was actually getting to go out on dates. I had expected Dad to be reluctant to let me go out with guys, but I guessed that since I was always going to be supervised by someone from the pack, he wasn’t too worried.
I laughed along with the guys at the funny parts of the movie, loving the B-movie more than any of the A-list movies that were so popular. The movie ended and Nick put in another movie for us to watch. The bed was somewhat crowded with the three of us, but we made due by all lying on our stomachs to watch the movies. Unfortunately, I ended up falling asleep halfway through the second movie.
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