“I knew you would send someone to follow us—one to protect Amber, and another to keep me safe. Just as well you did,” I added. “It made it easier to part ways.”
Mason squeezed my knee under the table, and I smiled at him.
“So what are we eating?” he asked, changing the subject, grabbing his own menu. We lapsed into silence as we each studied our options—looking back and forth between the pages.
“I think I’m going to try something new today,” I closed my folder.
“I can’t remember the last time you attempted to order different, Darcy,” Mason mocked, and I kicked him hard underneath the table as I poked my tongue out at him.
“It was two weeks ago, thank you very much.” I couldn’t hide the indignant tone from my voice.
“No, you almost ordered the mushroom swiss burger, but in a last minute of panic, ordered the spicy buffalo melt. I don’t even know why you fight it. It’s inevitable.” Grinning, he aimed his next comment at Daniel. “Our Darcy is very indecisive.”
I glared at them both as they laughed in agreement. “Only about certain things—in some matters I’m unwavering. I think I’ll have the burger today.” I nodded, putting the menu down at the end of the table, and began unwrapping my silverware from the napkin.
“We’ll see.” He placed his hand on my knee again. I bumped my elbow against him, and winked.
The waitress arrived, serving the drinks we’d asked for. Taking the order pad from her apron, she stood with her pencil poised. We took turns telling her what we wanted. Mason’s laughter rang through the air, causing other patrons to look up to see what was so funny when I asked for a buffalo chicken melt with home style fries.
“You’re lucky I’m not a betting man, sweetheart, otherwise you would be broke. Every. Single. Time.” His chuckle finally subsided, and he placed an arm around the back of my shoulders. I scooted over slightly, leaning into his solid frame, and his fingers traced long strokes down the side of my arm.
“So, I don’t mean to throw a wet blanket over everything, but have you heard anything from the Council?” Daniel asked, slanting forward.
“Not a thing, but I wasn’t expecting to. I did talk to Devlin to see how he was doing on his end, and he didn’t have anything new to share either. There’s some different leads that he’s looking into, but he promised he’d call the moment he had anything. It’s been a pretty quiet morning … except for the doorbell ringing every five minutes,” Mason answered. “Seems it’s time for everyone to start sending ritual gifts. Actually, I was going to wait until after we ate, but I figured now is as good a time as any. This came addressed to you.” He removed a small velvet box from his pocket, opened it, and placed it down in front of me.
My gaze went straight to the ring in the center. It’s like it was made just for me, I thought before catching myself. It was absurd to think that way, but I still found my fingers reaching to touch it.
It was elegant, and I couldn’t take my focus from it—the black stone in the center luring me in. It looked incredibly dainty, and was framed in a silver setting with two delicate swirls etched into the metal. In the middle of the scrollwork lay two clear stones, one on each side of the inky colored gem. There was nothing fancy or flashy about the piece of jewelry, which made it perfect in my opinion.
“Who sent this?” I asked. I was a little dazed–whoever it was had chosen well, and I couldn’t wait to thank them.
“Wait a second, there was a card with it,” Mason patted down the sides of his pants, searching for it. “I must’ve left it back at the house. I was going through the different items with Nathan, and when I saw this, I knew you’d want to see it right away. Nathan said it looks like it’s made of black onyx.”
He gently lifted the ring from the encasing, and I didn’t hesitate in extending my hand out for him to put it on. I felt a slight thrill as the band slid easily up my finger, and I couldn’t help but smile over how well it fit.
Loving the way the light reflected off the stones, I watched Mason raise my hand to his mouth, and place a soft kiss over the ring. “It’s beautiful, Darcy,” he murmured.
“He’s right. I don’t know what it is, but it suits you perfectly,” Daniel added. “Women are so easy to buy for. You can’t go wrong with jewelry.”
We relaxed into casual conversation after that, jumping from topic to topic until the meal arrived. Silence ensued as we all began eating—the food was as mouthwatering as ever, and I grinned as I bit into my sandwich. Mason could tease me all he wanted, but I was right to change my mind. The flavor from the buffalo sauce zinged against my taste buds, causing my insides to heat up. I heard Mason chuckle when I reached for my glass of water.
“Doing okay there?” he asked, and I glared at him. Taking another mouthful, much more tentative this time, I began to ask Daniel what his plans for the evening were when a strange feeling passed over me—right before it felt like an unholy war broke out inside my body. My stomach rolled, and a pain lanced through my chest, causing me to gasp in surprise.
Hoping it would pass, I gripped the tabletop with my hand, my fingers digging into the wood as another wave of crushing agony swept through me. Sweat began to form, my vision doubling, and suddenly I just needed to get out of there.
I blindly shoved at Mason, pushing at his large frame so I could get free from the booths confinement.
“Take me home. Home. I need to get home.” I didn’t think I made much sense as I rambled, folding over as I clutched my midsection. Something was wrong—very, very, wrong.
Mason didn’t hesitate, wrapping his arms around my shoulders to usher me from the room, and with long, purposeful strides he headed toward the exit. We had drawn the attention of the other customers and our waitress, but all I could focus on was keeping the contents of my stomach where it was. Somewhere in between it all, I could hear him tell Daniel to pay for the meal and meet us at his car.
Hold on, sweetheart, I’ve got you.
I clung to his words—even as I felt my strength drain from my body. The last thing I saw was the look of concern on his face as I closed my eyes and the world went black.
Chapter Ten
“I’m dying. No one can feel this bad, and have it not be fatal,” I groaned, letting go of the toilet bowl and sliding down onto the cold tiles. I’d been here for what seemed like forever—since waking up to find Mason carrying me from the car into the house. I’d struggled, trying to tell him I could walk, but there’d been no stopping him. Just as well, because the moment he placed me on my feet, I’d swayed, barely making it into the bathroom.
“You’re okay, sweetheart,” Mason used a cool, damp towel to brush against my forehead. He hadn’t left my side, keeping me anchored with his arm around my waist, while he held my hair back. Offering soothing words, he’d helped me through the worst of it.
“Do you think it was something I ate? My breakfast didn’t taste funny, and I only just started eating lunch.” I paused, trying to gather my thoughts. “Am I getting the flu?”
It had been a long time since I’d been this ill. As a werewolf, I knew I was still susceptible to getting sick. Thankfully, I just healed faster, so my suffering was shorter.
An overwhelming urge to throw up again came over me, but I had no strength to move. My body toppled, my head hitting the ground, and I found myself being lifted by Mason.
Trying not to tense, I worried the sudden movement would reignite the pain that was slowly lessening to an ache. The attack had come suddenly and I was hoping, with some sleep, it’d gradually ease and fade away. Sensing nothing, I relaxed as I melted into Mason, and I offered a grateful smile. No sooner had I felt my lips curve, a fresh wave of nausea coursed through me, making my stomach churn painfully.
“I’m going to be sick again!” I cried and could feel my abdomen clench. There was nothing left to throw up. As Mason held me over the toilet, all I could do was dry heave over and over again. I rinsed my mouth with cool water, paying close attent
ion to how my body reacted, and satisfied the nausea had settled, I tried to make my way over to my bed.
His embrace tightened around my waist, providing a degree of protection, as he helped me lay down. My body throbbed with exhaustion, but I was still in one piece.
“I don’t feel good, Mason,” I whispered. “Make it stop.” I couldn’t help the slight shiver causing me to tremble. I felt like I was freezing.
He placed his hand on my brow, checking for signs of a fever, and there was no denying his look of worry.
“I’m not sure what’s happening. It might be from what you ate, it could be anything. I can give you medicine for the pain to see if that helps, but I’m concerned you’ll just throw it back up again. See if sleeping makes you feel better, and if it doesn’t, we’ll take it from there.” He looked down at me, scanning my body. “But first we need to get you comfortable.”
He ignored my protests, and slowly began to undress me—starting first with my shoes before getting to my main clothing. After each item was removed, down to my underwear and bra, he helped me into clean pajamas. I groaned as he pulled the heavy blanket up. Tucking it around me, I hoped it wouldn’t take long before I was warm again.
“I’m going to see what we have in the way of medicine, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Brushing his lips against my cheek, I closed my eyes, and willed my body to regain control over itself.
I ached. I tried to move so I could find the best position in which to relax. Sleep, all I needed was sleep, and everything would be back to normal. I’d barely managed to turn when I heard my bedroom door open, and Amber entered.
“Darcy?” she whispered, coming over to stand by the bed. I watched her study my features, a look of concern on her face. “I heard you were sick. I don’t know if you’ve taken anything yet, but I brought you something my grandmother used to make that I swear cures everything. It doesn’t taste too good though.” She lifted her hand, showing me a mug filled with steaming liquid and scrunching her nose, made a face. “Just make sure you drink it while it’s hot, otherwise the herbs and everything settles to the bottom.”
“I don’t need your help, Amber. Take whatever you’ve brought, and just go.” I didn’t have the strength to deal with her right now, and I didn’t like how vulnerable I was. I struggled to keep my eyes opened, and trained on her. She hesitated, and I moved to sit up. “Please leave.”
She headed to the door, but not before she paused again to look at me. “I’ll check in later.”
“There’s no need.” I kept my tone firm as I watched her place the cup on the dresser. “And take that with you,” I called, but it was too late. She was already gone.
I lay back down, the throbbing in my body causing my skin to feel sore, and I released a soft sigh. Shifting slightly, I found a good spot and was relieved to feel myself sink somewhat into the mattress. The quiet of the room began lulling me toward sleep as my breathing slowed.
Even as my body relaxed, the mug irritated me—its presence demanding my attention. I couldn’t believe, after our discussion in Woodside Hollow, she thought she could try and be friendly with me again. I didn’t care if the medicine was real, or held the magic cure to what ailed me—I was not going to drink it. The odor filled the air, and my stomach started to roll again. I was interrupted from my thoughts of disposing it by Daniel entering into the room.
“Ooooh, is it medicine time? Can I watch as you try not to gag?” He smiled, coming to sit on the side of my bed. I tried to roll my eyes at him, but only managed to grimace, choosing instead to make a rude noise. Daniel was gentle as he brushed the back of his hand against my forehead. “You don’t look so good, girl.”
Leaning over, he took hold of the cup and tenderly raised my head from the pillow. “Open up. We need you well.”
“Amber brought it in. I don’t want it,” I protested, gathering strength and propping myself up. “She said it was a family remedy, but I’d rather die.” I chuckled weakly.
“Say no more.” He got up and carried it into the bathroom. I heard him dump it in the sink. I was grateful for his support—for not having to explain my reluctance—and lay back down.
Mason returned at that moment, and raised his eyebrow as he noticed the cup in his best friend’s hand. “Were you able to drink something?” He looked hopeful as he stared between the two of us.
“Amber apparently felt she had the perfect remedy for what was making our girl sick. Don’t worry, I got rid of it as soon as I saw it.”
I watched as anger crossed Mason’s expression.
“She has some nerve.” Mason shook his head, disgusted. “There’s no way in hell I’m letting her anywhere near Darcy. She’s an idiot to even think we’d accept her help. I think it’s time I laid down some new ground rules for her stay here.”
Taking the mug from Daniel’s hands, he returned to the bathroom. It sounded as though he were rinsing it out, and when he returned, it was full of water. He walked back to where I was laying, and holding his palm open, gestured for me to take the pills resting there. I swallowed them without hesitation, chasing the tablets with the cool liquid, and tried not to cringe as they hurt my throat going down.
“Thanks,” I offered weakly, snuggling back into bed, and pulling the blanket up to my chin again. The pain was slowly receding, leaving in its path complete exhaustion, and suddenly I couldn’t keep my eyes open a second longer.
Mason and Daniel continued to talk, but I was beyond understanding. The surrounding noise became a blur until finally, I was asleep.
It was cold, so very cold. I released a breath, and a billow of white vapor escaped from my mouth. Shrinking into myself to generate some warmth, I wrapped my arms around my body, rubbing chilled hands against bare skin. It shocked me to not only find myself naked, but I was also standing deep in the woods, surrounded by countless tall pines. I instantly recognized the place—the area I frequently ran in during the full moon with the pack. The house was a fair distance away, but not so far that I couldn’t shift and journey safely back.
Looking around to see if anyone was here with me, the once friendly and familiar place now held a sinister appearance. Shadows created patches of darkness, and the absence of noise raised red flags in my mind. There was something evil here with me—something that had everything on edge, and as I raised my arm, I could see the goose bumps covering my flesh.
I reached within, deciding it was safer to become my wolf until we could assess the danger, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t sense her. She was nowhere to be found, and a blind panic overcame me.
She was an integral part of me, and there’d never been a time when she didn’t respond. Seeking deeper inside myself, all I found was emptiness, and no indication she’d ever been there.
“You didn’t deserve her. She’s gone, never to return.”
I twirled around to see a robed figure, its face obscured by a low hanging hood. There was something familiar that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, and curiosity caused me to move closer. Lifting a hand to stop my advancement, whoever it was made no attempt to reveal their identity.
“Where did she go?” I asked, worry lacing my voice.
“You are not worthy to hold such a gift within you. You are nothing … insignificant,” the figure spoke, ignoring my query. The tone was cold, and the cruelty of the words crushed my heart.
“What have you done with her?” I raised my voice now, and I took a step forward. “She’s mine, and I am hers. Give her back!” The last sentence came out as a yell.
“Leave here. You don’t belong. There is nothing here for you.”
I felt a force shove hard at my chest, causing me to stumble back and sprawl across the forest ground. On instinct, I reached for my wolf, preparing to change so we could face the threat together. I cringed at the sound of malicious laughter filling the air.
“So incredibly weak. You do not deserve the honor of pairing with such a creature. You do not deserve many things. One by
one, they shall be stripped from you until you are alone and forgotten.”
I lifted my head to challenge the accusations, but shock silenced me as I watched the figure slowly slide the hood back, finally exposing its face—his face.
Mason stood there—an expression of disdain and indifference, and the impact felt as though I’d been sucker punched. Everything screamed for me to raise myself from the ground and go to him, to rekindle the look of adoration and love I knew he possessed. But this wasn’t truly my Mason. It couldn’t be.
A second person stepped out from behind a tree, and it caused a strangled sob to escape from me. Amber carried herself with such elegance it was like she was floating on air, and she wrapped her arms around my Mason.
I tried to move so I could tear her away from him, but I was rooted to the ground. My muscles rebelled, refusing to concede even an inch, and the world seemed like it was turning in slow motion.
Catching every nuance on their faces, sickened by the blazing lust shining from their eyes, I willed myself to wake up, knowing this couldn’t possibly be real. There was no way in hell Mason would ever look at Amber as though she was the center of his universe, or allow the way she was now draped over him.
I screamed for them to stop as they began touching each other. Pleading for Mason to remember I was the one he loved. I also tried calling for my wolf to return. Nothing made a difference as Mason finally crushed his mouth against Amber’s, and kissed her—all as I lay helpless to do anything.
My heart shattered. I was in hell, and all I wanted was for it to end.
“This is how it should be. Why fight it?” A third figure entered the scene, but I didn’t look up, I didn’t care who it was. I felt defeated, and there was no escaping.
“Let me go,” I whispered, to no one in general. I sent the plea out into the universe, not sure whether anyone was listening. Still I remained stuck, without my wolf, the reluctant audience to unbridled passion.
Forget Me Not (#2, The Mystic Wolves) Page 7
