Living the Life of Riley | ✔

Chapter Thirty Four

Tristan's POV

Sitting down next to her bed, I couldn't help but hold her limp hand. Worry coursed through me, even though she looked peacefully asleep. I took pleasure in the fact that she was in peace... for a couple of hours at least. I couldn't believe Will. Anger raged through me at his return.

Kelly and I had cornered Will two months ago after he attacked Mara. We'd told him to run and never come back, or face the wrath of the alpha. My dad had been more angry that Will had trespassed more than he had threatened Mara. Of course, he thought that she was just some girl... but she wasn't. She was more to me. My wolf had wanted her as soon as he saw her. She was feisty and we both liked that. And the fact that she didn't back down easily! Although I knew when she woke, I'd be in for a treat – I'm sure her fear held her back from how she was really feeling. Even while she was in pain, I could see the angry fire in her eyes.

"You need to give her time." Mason's voice rang quietly around us. I looked up to him, and he had a stern and protective expression on his face. "She may have lived with you for a couple of months but I've known her for years. Samara likes the facts and she likes to know where she stands with someone. You hiding your true identity has thrown her off kilter."

"You're not shocked?" Thom was on the other side, his arms crossed. Beau was next to him, biting his fingernails. We were all waiting for Dr Abbott to come back and tell us about what had happened. And how the baby was. She looked so tiny in Mason's arms, he looked down on her with a look of pride.

"No." Mason said, and gave the baby a little coo. "I'm surprised though. I didn't expect a little village like this to hold a pack of werewolves."

"How do you know about our existence?"

"I had a run-in with a werewolf when I was younger." He said, and didn't say anything else.

"And?" Thom prompted him.

"And that's when I realised that people could turn into wolves?" Mason wasn't going to tell us any more than he had. It irritated me that he wouldn't say anything else. Someone had recklessly told a human of our secret with no thought of the consequences. "It's not that difficult. I'm more open-minded than Samara. She doesn't – well, didn't – believe in werewolves, fairies... ghosts. The only time I've ever seen her so frightened was that night with Will."

"What do you mean?" I asked. When we'd arrived, her eyes had been a little red and there were bags under her eyes but when she spoke about the incident, it was as if she was telling us about her day. She was indifferent. I should have known better. I'd felt bad that I hadn't been there to stop Will. It was the full moon, our wolves had overwhelmed us and taken control.

"Samara doesn't scare easily. She's fought against an angry drunk who was twice her size without a second thought. That night she called me and she couldn't even speak. I drove over straight away and she didn't answer the door. I came in through the back and she was sat in the corner, shaking. There was a knife next to her, and a bloody knife a couple of inches away from her along with a pool of blood." Mason's body tensed, and I could hear the anger in his voice as he spoke about it. Guilt swirled around my body, as well as hurt. She hadn't told me about this. Why? "She was badly shaken up. And that's saying something. She was terrified of what she thought was a man coming to attack her and rape her and then take away her baby. Imagine that, but now it's a creature that's supposed to exist in only stories."

We were all silent, unsure of what to say.

"Why didn't she say anything?" I asked.

"She didn't want your pity or sympathy. She wanted to show you guys that she could stand up for herself and I'm guessing the comments about Will being unlike anyone she's ever met didn't help. Her whole life, she's relied on only herself. She'd been hurt over and over again and the only person who can help her, is her. She's like me, and we don't show ourselves so vulnerable to just anyone." Mason explained.