Chapter 245


    ra & Mason


    –


    Four Years Later ra’s P.O.V.


    “Don’t you dare, little witch.” Mason warned in a low voice.


    A shiver worked it’s way down my spine when he ced his hand against my back. Even through the


    thin fabric of the dress I wore, I could feel the heat he exuded. One of the first things I’d learned about


    Werewolves was that they ran hot.


    Despite how hard I tried, a smile worked it’s way onto my face. My chest quite literally ached with the


    urge to cackle, but I couldn’t help it. It’s not my fault Tristan’s expression was absolutely to die for. Even


    L was having a hard time containing herself, snickering behind her hand as she watched the scene


    unfold.


    Tristan had been locked in ce for thest minute in a half, staring at Holly like she had grown three


    extra heads. No one could me the poor guy considering he was the only one who didn’t know his


    mate was pregnant. 2


    “You’re pregnant.” He repeated for the thirteenth time.


    Augh exploded from my mouth seconds before Mason wrapped his arms around me and hauled me


    into his arms. I wriggled against his irond hold, knowing I stood no chance fighting my way out of his


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    grasp.


    Good thing I didn’t need strength to overpower him.


    I sent a small jolt of magic cr*ckling down my skin, just enough to provoke a reaction. Since Holly and


    Tristan were being all lovey dovey, wrapped in each other’s arms, the only ones left to notice were L


    and Asher.


    “You little cheater, using your magic against me.” Mason chuckled in my ear, his voice simultaneously


    rough and silky. There was a softness to it that stirred the butterflies camping out in my stomach.


    Dancing out of his grasp, I wiggled my fingers at him. There was a yful tilt to his lips, that when


    paired with the beard he’d been growing, was devastatingly handsome. His eyes twi*kled as he stalked


    towards me, both emerald and brown depending on the source of lighting.


    There was once a time where that yfulness was nonexistent, where his carefree nature was an act


    he put on for the world. Despite how much L and Breyona cared about him, they never truly realized


    how much he was suffering inside.


    I didn’t either. Not for awhile, anyway.


    Mason’s arms slid around my waist. It didn’t take much to send my mind drifting back into the past, to


    how our rtionship first started. Admittedly, I’d gotten on his nerves, but I liked to think that he needed


    the challenge. More than once we teetered on the verge of enemies, but for the most part, we lingered


    on the cusp of something more.


    I sighed when his lips skated along my cheek. His touch was soothing, rxing in the best way. It was


    nothing like the otherworldly sparks fated mates felt, but it was close enough.


    “You know, I wouldn’t mind seeing you pregnant. Your skin glowing, stomach round with my child, your


    scent even sweeter than it is now.”


    My heart sk*pped a beat. Hell, it might’ve stoppedpletely if it weren’t for my magic. In the four


    years we’d been dating, he had never said anything quite like this. There was so much between us that


    1/5


    remained unspoken.


    Like the topic of his actual mate.


    “Oh, is that so?” I chuckled, craning my head to smirk up at him. The strands of his light hair fell across


    his forehead tickling my nose. A smile spread across his face as I wrinkled my nose and blew the hair


    out of the way.


    Despite how rxed I felt around him, how my feelings had long surpassed a simple crush, the thought


    of Mason’s actual mate was never far from my mind.


    L herself had warned me ahead of time. Hearing the story of how Mason was not only rejected but


    suffered through his mate’s death was agonizing. It was a pain I could never fully understand, but with


    it came a slew of worries.


    Would I ever be enough for him? Would he ever truly be happy with me?


    I hid the dark turn my thoughts had taken behind a smile, but no matter how far my cheeks stretched


    and how brightly my eyes sparkled with joy for Holly and Tristan’s baby, I couldn’t help but notice the


    mating mark on both of their necks.


    Never have I wanted one so badly.


    The weeks after Holly’s pregnancy announcement blended into one. Each and every morning I’d


    venture off to work, spending those precious minutes before my shift with Mason, who never once


    failed to make my lunch.


    Teaching Witchcraft 101, seeing the beaming faces of my students, became something I was wholly


    passionate about. Never in my life did I think that I’d be teaching the next generation of witches,


    watching them learn from the mistakes of the past as they grew in power.


    Still, even with all this happiness in my life, there was something missing-something I craved more and


    more with each passing day. Perhaps I was selfish for wanting this when I already had so much, but I


    couldn’t seem to stop myself.


    Which is exactly why I called on the one person I knew who could help me.


    “I’m actually really d you wanted to hang out. Gives me a break from the twins.” L giggled.


    She pulled out a chair at the little café we were at and took a seat. I’d ordered our coffee’s ahead of


    time, along with an assortment of pastries. Given L’s sweet tooth, I figured she wouldn’t have any


    specific preferences. When a few customers passed, she nodded at them in greeting.


    How she dealt with the constant string of admirers was beyond me, but that’s why she was the one in


    charge.


    I smirked, brushing the crumbs from the croissant I’d been picking at off myp. “They tiring you out


    already? Those terrible two’s sure are something, aren’t they?”


    “Oh, you don’t even know the half of it.” L huffed, s*atching her coffee off the table. She scooped the


    dollop of whip cream off the top and plopped it into her mouth. “Actually, you might considering you’re a


    witch too.”


    “Go on,y it on me.” I encouraged her with a smirk.


    “I wish there was some guide for raising twin tri-brids. It’s a blessing in disguise that only Ramona can


    use magic, because I’m not sure what I’d do if it were both of them. At least with Maven it’s the blood


    drinking I have to worry about.”


    My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “He’s two years old and already worried about blood?”


    “Are you kidding me? He loves the stuff. Loves it more than people food, which is a bit concerning.


    Tristan and Giovanni say this is normal for a Vampire child though.” She huffed, her shoulders sagging


    with relief.


    “Well, it’s not unusual for witches to disy their magic this early. Especially if they’re powerful.” I


    couldn’t help but add. L had so much on her te already. Adding two magical children to the mix


    was bound to cause some additional stress. “If you ever need some time away, I’d be more than happy


    to watch them. You know I love your kids.”


    “Ramona has been asking about her Aunt ra and Uncle Mason.” L chuckled. After taking a deep


    drink from her coffee, a spective look crossed her face. “Anyway, how have you been doing? You


    looked a bit distraught at Holly’s gender revealst week.”


    Even though Holly knew her unborn baby was a girl, L and I still went through the motions of hosting


    a big get together. Holly had little to no normal experiences, and this was one we decided she couldn’t


    do without.


    “That obvious, huh?” I muttered, my stomach twisting into knots. On second thought, coffee was


    probably thest thing I needed during a time like this. I pushed the steaming cup closer to the center


    of the table, focusing my nerves on a blueberry m*ffin topped with thick granules of sugar.


    With a frown painting her face, L leaned forward and reached out for my hand. The ridiculously long


    strands of her ebony hair fell over her shoulder, inches away from the c*nnamon bun with it’s sticky


    coating.


    “Hey, what’s wrong? Things might be different now, but our friendship hasn’t changed. If you need


    anything, you know you only have to ask.”


    I took a deep breath before forcing the words past my lips. Hesitating would only prolong the torture,


    and I’d put myself through the ringer enough times this past week alone.


    “I was just wondering if-if Werewolves could put their mark on anyone, even if that person wasn’t their


    Goddess given mate.” It took a great deal of effort not to cringe at myself. Anyone with two ears and a


    working brain would know who I was talking about.


    “They can, but why would they want-” She stopped in her tracks, and this time I did cringe.


    Understanding shed in L’s eyes, making her unnaturally bright blue tone’s even brighter. “Mason


    never marked her…just so you know. ra, he’d be a fool not to mark you. I’m sure if you asked him,


    he’d leap at the chance.”


    My stomach dropped. Suddenly, the blueberry m*ffin I’d been picking at no longer seemed appetizing.


    “I can’t just ask him that. What if he thinks I’m trying to rece his actual mate? What if… what if he


    doesn’t want to?”


    “Look, all I know is that he’s changed since you came into the picture. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever


    seen him this happy before. I think you should take the risk and ask him, ra. I think his response will


    surprise you.”


    L spoke with such confidence that it was hard not to buy into it. It filled my chest, mingling with the


    mouthwatering scent of roasted coffee beans and ky pastries. I took a deep breath and nodded. ”


    Alright, I’ll do it. I’ll ask Mason to mark me.”


    “Good. I can’t wait to see his mark on your neck.” L winked, beaming at me from across the table.


    She took another gulp of her coffee, making a sound low in her throat as she gazed at it almost


    lovingly.” Actually, there was something I needed to ask you in return.”


    “Oh.” I replied, just a tad surprised. “Is it about the Magisterium? You already know there’s a spot open


    for Ramona once she bes of age, but I wouldn’t mind starting some basic training with her once


    she’s able to walk and talk.”


    “It’s not that, but I’ll definitely take you up on that offer. This is more about Mason and whether or not


    you think he’d be interested in…a job of sorts.”


    My eyebrows lifted on their own ord. Mason was a warrior by nature, but he didn’t have a set job


    here in the pack. He’d run patrol with some of the other’s when he was on call, but that was about it.


    “What’s the job for?” I asked.


    “Well, Asher’s Beta is retiring. He’s getting up there in age and his mate is pregnant with their fourth.


    Pretty soon he’s going to have a pack of his own to run.” L said with a giggle. “And well, Asher was


    wondering if Mason would take his ce.”


    L left it to me to reveal the good news, not that I minded one bit. I all but raced home, barging


    through the front door of our little town house with enough speed to send Mason scrambling in the


    kitchen.


    “Sh*t, ra! You scared the hell out of me.” His head appeared from around the corner, a lopsided grin


    spreading across his face. A faint blush stained his cheeks, telling me that I wasn’t the only one


    nning something.


    “Not expecting me back so soon?” I smirked. “Whatcha up to?”


    Mason’s eyes widened just a fraction before he disappeared inside the kitchen. There was a series of


    nks and bangs that sounded a whole lot like an avnche of dirty dishes. I crept closer to the


    kitchen, peeking my head around the corner just in time for Mason to bulldoze his way past.


    “Actually, I’m not quite done in there yet.” He chuckled nervously, rubbing at the back of his neck.


    No matter how hard I tried to peer around him, he managed to get in the way. With a huff, he guided


    me by my shoulders into the living room.


    “What exactly are you up to in there?” I mused, seconds away from making a break into the kitchen.


    That lopsided grin of his returned, forcing my heart to sk*p a beat. He flopped down on the couch, then


    grabbed me by my hips, pulling me down on top of him. Augh flew past my lips as I settled onto his


    in the past, but I actually loved the rugged look it gave him.


    “You know howst weekend you and Holly designed your dream houses? Well, I might’ve borrowed a


    few pages.” He admitted, a hint of emotion t*inkling in his eyes. There was obvious excitement, but it


    was tainted by an uncertainty that bled into his voice. Mason was worried I wouldn’t like what he’d


    done. A beaming smile tugged at my lips, the joy that followed filling my heart until I thought it might


    burst. No one-not a single person in my life had gone to such lengths for me. I smoothed my fingers


    over the c*arse strands of his beard before pressing my lips against his.


    When I pulled away, fighting the moisture that gathered in my eyes, my head was swimming.


    “When do I get to see it?” The obvious eagerness in my voice made his shoulders rx.


    “It’s going to take me some time to buy the rest of the supplies, and before you offer, I don’t want any of


    your money going to this. This is a gift for you.”


    It had been a sore spot between us that I was the only one with a job. Mason had tried a few here and


    there over the years, but he wasn’t passionate about them. This was exactly why the position of Beta


    was perfect for him. Mason loved this pack with his whole heart.


    “Hmm, I think I have just the solution you’re looking for.” I hummed; my eyes fluttering shut as he


    nuzzled his cheek against my own. Each inhale of my scent he took sent a warmth surging lower, one I


    couldn’t focus on if I were going to ry the good news.


    “Oh, really?” Mason chuckled against my neck, grazing his lips and teeth over the sensitive skin. “You


    got


    a job for me, ra?”


    “Not me. L.” I gasped. Words were bing hard and the more he yed my body like a finely


    tuned instrument, the more I found them slipping away. I distanced myself, nting my hands on his


    cheeks to steady my thoughts.


    Mason c*cked his head to the side. “L has a job for me?”


    “Yes, and the sooner you let me finish, the sooner you can help me out of this dress.” I winked.


    Now I had his full, undivided attention. He sat up straighter, his eyes no longer wandering down to my


    cleavage. The sudden shift coaxed another string ofughter from my mouth.


    “How would you, Mason, feel about bing the next Beta of this pack?”


    Disbelief made his eyes shimmer like amber jewels. They were speckled with fragments of endearing


    innocence that matched the way his jaw dropped, and voice failed.


    “You…L…this can’t be…” He sputtered, working through the pieces one by one until he managed a


    strangled, “…are you serious?”


    “Of course, I’m being serious. She told me about it earlier today. You were the first person they thought


    of for the job. What do you think?”


    “What do I think? I think you’re amazing.” He stared at me as though I were the one to get him the job,


    when in reality, it was himself.


    Nibbling on my lower lip, I decided to get on with it and voice what had been weighing on my mind for


    weeks now.


    “There is something else…something I wanted to ask you.” I exhaled slowly.


    “You know you can ask me anything, baby.” Mason replied, confusion overshadowing his joy.


    “I…” Here goes nothing. “I want you to mark me.”


    Mason blinked several times, his lips opening and closing, though no words came out. A faint


    spattering of color covered his cheeks, making me wish desperately that my magic had to do with


    feeling emotions. Goodness, I would’ve killed to know what he was thinking in this moment.


    Slowly, a smile unfurled across his face, one that made my heartrate skyrocket. He rummaged through


    his pocket, fishing out a ck velvet box that made my worlde to a screeching halt.


    “I’d love to mark you, ra, but only if you’ll marry me.”


    *