Angelina followed Rosie back to the abode where Mason had temporarily placed her sister and a recovering Roman. Rosie barely spoke on their walk. Only a few sniffs escaped her lips. Angelina could sense that there was more her sister wanted to say but something stilled her tongue.
"He hasn't woken up since we came here." Rosie pointed out as she led Angelina to a sleeping Roman. She watched quietly as Rosie kneeled by his body. She clasped his pale hand between her dainty palms. She rubbed the apple of her cheek against the top of his hand, whispering a few soft words against his skin.
Roman remained unresponsive to her sister's tender contact.
"If it's Tamsyn who had assisted him, he's in good hands." Angelina reassured Rosie.
Rosie nodded, "They've been taking care of us."
"That's good."
Rosie kept quiet for some time. Angelina could tell that there was still something in her sister's mind. She decided she would breach it. "Tell me what you're thinking Rosie."
"How do you always do that?" Rosie laughed but the sound was dry and absent of humour. "You always seem to know what's going on before anyone else does."
"Rosie."
"I know that you've mated with the Alpha." Rosie revealed. "He told me when he came across Roman and I. I'd been feeling guilty, but I felt nothing but complete relief when he told me about you two. Are you happy with that man?"
Angelina tensed from the sudden question. She hadn't expected that question, especially not from Rosie.
She also didn't expect the answer to resound so clearly in her head either.
Rosie took her silence as her response. "I see. I'm happy for you little sister. He seems very protective of you. You deserve a man who'll do anything to keep you safe. I never could keep you safe the way I wanted, and you always seemed to do that on your own without anyone else's help."
Angelina was struck speechless by her sister's words. She hadn't realised that Rosie had tried to protect in her own way.
"I have a favour to ask of you Angie." Rosie whispered. Angelina could detect the tone of nervousness in her words.
"What is it?"
"Is there any chance that Roman and I could join your Pack?"
Angelina blinked, surprised.
"Yes, you can join." Mason's voice startled her from her stunned silence.
Angelina's body softened as Mason curled an arm around her waist, seamlessly guiding her to his side as he examined the room. She felt the scruff of his jaw against her neck a scant second later. She clucked her tongue as she felt his hot palms slip under her shirt and span her ribcage. "Hmm, you should watch where those fingers go." Angelina warned.
Mason merely grasped her hip and released a huff of humour against her skin.
"You really mean that? Roman and I can join your Pack?" Rosie asked, looking wide eyed at Mason.
Mason nodded, "If my mate approves."
"I approve." Angelina responded.
"Then, you'll be initiated into the Pack."
Rosie glanced at her hand that was laced within Roman's one. She then stared at both Mason and Angelina, as if in disbelief. "I-I.....thank you." She whispered reverently. Her eyes were misted when she met Angelina's gaze.
Angelina conceded a nod, not knowing what else to say. She felt a tad uncomfortable by her sister's gratitude, but she also felt relief, knowing her sister was in safe hands now.
Tamsyn soon appeared, holding a basket of colourful wildflowers. She paused in the entry way when she realised that she had more company than she had expected. Her eyes instantly clocked on Mason, before they darted to the side. Tamsyn appeared somewhat uncomfortable. "I'm here to check up on Roman." She muttered, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
"Thank you for aiding my sister and her partner." Angelina told the woman as she passed.
Tamsyn paused mid stride as she relented a nod. "I'm happy to help."
Angelina nodded, offering a smile.
"Could I please speak with you before you leave?" Tamsyn asked.
Angelina blinked, startled by the woman's sudden request. However, she agreed, following the woman after she placed her basket of flowers on the tabletop. Tamsyn guided her outside, just near the entrance way. Angelina closed the door behind her, suffocating the light that came from inside. She could clearly make out Tamsyn's slim figure in the dark.
"I wanted to apologise to you." Tamsyn began.
Angelina leaned against the door, crossing her arms. "Oh."
She watched Tamsyn lower her head as she fiddled with her fingers. "I was poor with the way I handled things when mother put you on the hot seat for releasing the prisoners. I apologise for letting people assume you had something to do with that incident."
"What made you do it?" Angelina sensed, rather than saw that the woman was now blushing.
"I didn't trust you." The woman admitted.
"And you still don't trust me and that's fine. Rapport takes time."
Tamsyn laughed then. "That's exactly what Mason told me when he spoke with me about the incident. He wasn't pleased. I never felt so ashamed in my life until then. I should've known that Mason wouldn't place his trust in someone who wasn't worthy of it."
"Mason knows what he's doing."
"I know." Tamsyn sighed, "I really do apologise for my actions, or rather, lack thereof."
"Apology accepted. Thank you."
Tamsyn exhaled in relief.
"One more question." Angelina straightened. She caught the Healer's gaze. "Are your feelings for Mason platonic or more Tamsyn?"
Tamsyn stiffened. "W-what?"
"Tamsyn. Please tell me the truth. I want to know where we stand. The way Mason and I got together may have been a bit unconventional, but I do have genuine feelings for him."
Tamsyn took a deep breath and then slowly shook her head. "I don't have feelings for Mason in that way anymore. He never led me on or gave me any indication that there was more for us beyond what we already had. I just miss him sometimes as a friend but after we split, he never was around me the same way he used to be."
Angelina contemplated her words and searched her expression.
The woman wasn't lying. She believed her words. In turn, Angelina had no other choice but to believe her too.
"Ok." Angelina replied.
Tamsyn chewed on her lip, hesitating on her words. As if finding the courage to voice her words, she continued, "Mason has genuine feelings for you too. As a friend of his, I hope you take care of him. He's special to everyone in this Pack. He's the heartbeat of this place Angelina. Treat him well."
Angelina nodded. Tamsyn eventually returned inside. When the door opened again, Mason was there, standing beside her. He silently took her hand and led her away.
She wasn't surprised when Mason broke the silence.
"You made me lemon meringue slices." Her mate said, sounding suspiciously pleased.
Angelina paused mid step, catching his gaze in the dark.
His hazel eyes only emanated with warmth.
"You said you liked lemon meringue slices." She replied.
"I didn't think you would remember."
"You were quite adamant that you wanted lemon meringue slices."
"I was only half joking." He chuckled. It was a small, husky sound that made her tummy twist.
Angelina snorted. "No, you weren't."
Mason's lips curled. "I wasn't."
Angelina rocked onto her toes and cupped her mate's cheeks. Mason closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. She brushed her thumbs near the edges of his lips, noting the laugh lines there. "Happy birthday Mason." She told him affectionately.
She watched as Mason swallowed, before he replied with a rough answer, "Thank you."
"You're getting old."
Mason growled low in his throat. "You're calling me old?"
"Yes sir." She teased. She threaded her hands into his hair and gently tugged his head down, so they were at eye level. Mason allowed the manoeuvre. Mason merely raised a brow. Angelina grinned, watching as his lips mirrored her own small lip tilt. Like this, he looked childlike and somewhat innocent if it wasn't for the glint of danger that flashed across his gaze. She also couldn't ignore that his height made him all the more intimidating.
"Are we having a staring competition?" He asked quietly, holding her gaze steadily.
"No." Angelina matched her tone with his soft one. She continued to take in his perfectly formed features. "I... just like looking at you."
Her confession surprised both of them. It was no revelation Mason appeared to be utterly pleased by her reluctant admission. He didn't even bother hiding the smirk that danced along his lips. "Is that so?"
"Don't get egoistic on me." Angelina closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his. His response was immediate. He instantly tucked her close, cupping the back of her neck while his other hand slipped behind her lower back, ushering her close to his body. Although Angelina initiated the kiss, Mason soon took the lead, devouring her lips with skill. His mouth was hot and his tongue slick as he teased her. Angelina allowed Mason to dominate for a few more seconds before she overwhelmed his lead. This seemed to please her mate as he muttered a filthy string of promises along her lips. She didn't know how long they made out, but she eventually softened their kiss, peppering his lips with chaste kisses. She heard Mason's breath lightly hitch as she ended their kiss with a cheeky nip to his lower lip.
Mason didn't pull away when their kiss ceased. Instead, he pressed his forehead against her own as he breathed in her scent. "Happy birthday to me." He whispered.
Angelina couldn't help but chuckle. Mason simply responded with a wink that made her knees weak.
"I have a present for you."
Mason blinked, caught off guard by her words. "A present? For me?" He then pointed at himself to ensure that he was hearing correctly. There was an odd look on his face now.
Angelina nodded, "Yeah."
"Oh."
His speechless state made her laugh.
She took his hand, linking their fingers together. She practically dragged him along with her. She knew instinctively that the man wouldn't resist, and he didn't. He came willingly, permitting her to lead them around the Pack. She only felt his hand tighten on hers as she recognised the path to take.
She could hear the trickling of water as they neared the steady stream.
When they crested the small hill, the sight of the crescent moon was incredible. It was a clear, precise snapshot that hovered brightly above their heads. The moon appeared as if it was a finger length away when she raised her hands into the air. Mason huffed out a soft laugh as he watched her with his arms crossed over his chest. His devilish lips were tilted at the ends, reminding her that her mate could turn into a nightmare if an enemy dared to face him. The silver rays casted glitter like illusions across the soft, streaming liquid. The stream wasn't wide or a fierce current. It was soothing and shockingly cold when she dipped her fingers in the water to test the temperature.
"This is my surprise?" Mason peered around their surroundings with a perked brow. The man didn't hide how unimpressed he was.
Angelina had the sudden urge to pull his mahogany curls. "No. We're here because it's far enough for people to not stumble by."
"You led me out here to kill me mate?"
"Oh, you would know if that was the case. Fortunately for you, that isn't. We're here to celebrate you and your old age." Angelina teased.
Mason made a distinctively husky noise in his throat, but he didn't make a move towards her. Instead, he watched her intently, studying her like a newly discovered specimen.
"Are you trying to study me Alpha?"
"Not quite."
"Good, cause you'd never graduate."
Mason's gaze sparked at the challenge she ignited. If Angelina had more fear, she would be wary, but she wasn't. She was devastatingly, and wholeheartedly entranced by the man.
Angelina stretched her arms out and offered him a small smirk.
"You have more balls than some men I have encountered in war, mate of mine." Mason drawled.
"You tend to make me a little more fearless." She replied.
This broke the restraint Mason had. He moved forward with purpose and caught her waist, pulling her into his body. "Where's my present woman?"
"Why so impatient?" She asked.
"Cause when you gift me, I'm going to take you straight to my bed and fuck the hell out of you until you know nothing but my name on your tongue."
Angelina swallowed hard as she met his dark, all-knowing gaze. She dragged her index finger along his collarbone, watching his throat tighten from her gentle caress. "I was thinking you'd take me here. No one will hear us all the way up here." She suggested in a sultry tone she rarely used.
She could tell she shocked the man speechless.
He pressed his lips against her ear and whispered. "Don't play with me. I'm in pain thinking of going back to the house with a hard, unrelieved cock."
"Let me help alleviate the discomfort in your suit pants Alpha. I've decided as a present, I'm all yours to do as you please. So, what's my first order?" She asked.
Mason cursed. "Is this real?"
"No." Angelina deadpanned.
Mason tightened his hold around her waist. "You're playing with fire." He nipped her ear and neck.
"And this won't be the last time, Alpha." She winked up at him before seamlessly peeling herself away from his possessive touch. She felt his hand try to tug her back, but she dodged his hands and used her swift footwork to sway out of his grasping hands.
She heard him huff out some air when he realised she wouldn't allow herself to be caught. She watched from the corner of her eye as he positioned himself against a tree trunk, tucking his hand into the pockets of his suit pants. She noticed that the man was indeed sporting an impressive sized bulge between his thighs, but he simply crossed his ankles and gazed up at the open sky with a small grin, as if he wasn't suffering a severe case of blue balls.
Angelina couldn't help but stifle the laugh bubbling in her throat. She would eventually ease the man's pain later in the night, but he didn't need to know that.
"Tell me about the Armed Legions."
Surprised, Mason glanced over at her. "What do you want to know?"
"Why did you go?"
Mason sighed, returning his gaze to the vast sky. "I didn't want to be Alpha."
Angelina couldn't help but feel surprised.
The role of an Alpha seemed like it had been made specifically for the man. She never once thought that her mate hadn't wanted the position.
"I didn't want the responsibility of taking care of so many people. The expectation was too much for me. I sound like an asshole but that's what I thought. I thought if I was to take the Alpha position, I wouldn't have the freedom I wanted because I'd be stuck trying to lead, protect and nurture a Pack. It sounded like a nightmare. I wanted to experience being by myself and I'd always dreamed about going to the Armed Legions. I thought if I go and have the freedom I always craved, I'd return home and accept the role of the Alpha since I was bound to it."
"What happened?"
Mason released a small snort, "Well, I didn't expect to leave the Armed Legions wanting to become an Alpha."
Angelina raised a brow.
"I was the youngest Head Commander in the Armed Legions. I wasn't as experienced as the others, but I had a thirst for wanting to do good. The Old War happened a long time ago, but I still carry the memories with me as if it happened just yesterday. I'd been too naive when I joined the forces. I got my ass kicked around the first year I entered. It only made me want to try harder. Then somehow, the Alpha King saw me take down three Head Commanders. The Commanders weren't so much of a fan of mine since I kept calling them out for their unfairness. The Alpha King assigned me as a Head Commander without talking with Augustus. Ever since, Augustus never liked me, but the Alpha King did, so he could never really touch me or Lucien."
"It sounds like the Alpha King favoured you."
Mason shrugged, "I was good."
"Humble too." Angelina teased.
Mason chuckled.
"So, the Alpha King fancied you. You were a Head Commander with Lucien at your side. What happened then?"
"When we won the Old War and it was time to return home, I realised I had grown to like the things I didn't want to do. I wanted to lead, protect and nurture a Pack. It wasn't long until I came to the mantel and became the Alpha. The responsibility I thought I would despise was no longer that. I wanted to be Alpha. I didn't want someone like Augustus taking over this Pack. Corrupt leaders are a people's downfall. I didn't want that."
"Hmm, you've just become more sexier in my eyes Mr Ward." Angelina whispered, approaching the man. She would never cease to be amazed by the man.
Mason's gaze flashed in the dark as he looped an arm around her waist, bringing their hips close. "Sexier?"
"Really sexy." Angelina drew a line down his chest. She could tell Mason trekked the movement intently. When she lifted her chin, Mason already had his gaze locked on her. "Take me home Mason."
"Anything for my mate." The man abruptly lifted her, holding her as he suddenly began running back to the Pack House.
Angelina squealed then erupted into a fit of laughter as Mason howled into the air.
She was sure someone told them to 'shut the fuck up', which only made her laugh harder as Mason took her home.