If there was one thing he's learned these past few months, it was to be careful. But that was the exact opposite of what he had been last night. All he had to do was watch the girl, but no he had to intervene, he had to talk to her, he had to get to know her.
Not only did he throw caution to the wind, but he gave that hunter enough reason to stay in town. Tapping the wheel of his 2013 red Kia Forte Koupe he tried recalling his memories from that night. There was something about that hunter that seemed almost familiar to him, but he couldn't place it.
Slightly annoyed Mason checked his phone to see where Jaden was, he felt out of place sitting in his car a few blocks from the U.M. campus. He could've been a student here, he did hear they had a good medical program, but there was no time for school right now. He was too busy trying to make sure he wasn't killed anytime soon.
Someone knocked on his car door and he unlocked the car seeing his friend get in with a huff.
"It's about time," Mason said trying to rein in his annoyance at waiting.
"Relax I'm here, now aren't I? So how did it go," Jaden said closing the door as he got into the passenger seat.
"I could tell from her reaction, she doesn't know about wolves, she's a normal human"
"But her parents are, and you were only supposed to find out if she was one or not. Who's to say she won't tell her parents?" Jaden said glaring.
"I'm aware of the plan Jaden, I came up with it after all; and I don't think we have to worry about her telling them. There was another hunter there, this one trained" he said knowing the news would infuriate Jaden more.
Jaden's jaw clenched tightly as he stared through the windshield.
"Is he the reason I can smell blood on you?"
"Last night he shot me while I was a wolf, it was silver, but I think something else was wrong with the bullet. I'm not healing fast" Mason replied wincing with the memory.
If not for Roland's help he would've never gotten the bullet out, but it had stayed long enough to leave him residual pain from the silver.
Jaden's eyes narrowed into slits his dark brown eyes flashing a golden color with his anger. Mason had felt that anger not long ago, but it had passed and now he was thinking of what the hunter meant for them.
"I'll kill him" he growled staring determined at Mason.
He knew his friend would kill him, it was his old job back in the pack. But they had left the pack, and he didn't need his friend killing people for him nor did he want him to have to do that anymore. That was one factor of the pack he didn't agree with.
"I handled it already J" he replied shaking his head, but his friend remained pissed off.
Jaden would be damned if anyone tried killing them, and he wasn't going to let this hunter slide scot free. Whether Mason would kill him he knew his friend was soft when it came to be dealing with serious matters.
"Define handle it"
"I bit him, he should be dead of blood loss if anything"
Jaden scoffed watching Mason in disbelief, "We both know how unreliable it is to hope someone dies, better to do it yourself"
"Jaden stop! We don't need to kill anyone anymore. You don't need to do that, you can live a blood-free life" Mason said exasperatedly.
Jaden's eyes went back to their normal brown color and he looked sadly at his friend. This was one thing they could never agree on and always butt heads about.
"I'm not ashamed of what I had to do to protect my family, but maybe you are" he replied steely.
He didn't regret what he did he knew it was necessary but then why were reminders everywhere he looked. Mason ignored the bribe and took a moment to avoid arguing. The full moon was too close, and it was easy for them to fight, which wasn't the focus or reason he called Jaden out here. Sighing heavily Jaden also calmed down and Mason restarted.
"I don't know how long we can keep up this charade if that hunter isn't the last one we could have a problem on our hands" Mason explained.
"I can patrol the town and check for signs of any more hunters but let's hope you actually dealt with him because if you didn't, I have no doubt he'll gather reinforcement now that he knows for sure wolves are here".
They fell into a pensive silence thinking over their situation.
"Just when I got bored not looking over my shoulder. Why did you even reveal yourself to the daughter of hunters and an actually trained hunter? Are you suicidal? Because if so I need to know this information now" Jaden asked sarcastically shaking his head.
"I don't know," he said honestly.
He had been watching her from the woods, but his wolf wanted him to get closer. To see what she'd do if she saw what he was. Maybe it was part curiosity about the hunters' daughter, or maybe it was another reason.
"Now there are these hunters and that pack to worry about," Jaden said scratching his cheek.
"The pack hasn't made contact in over 6 months"
"Yeah and I'm sure they haven't given up. They won't let you get away with what you did"
"I had a reason – ," Mason began but Jaden held up his hand.
"I know. Trust me I know. But they don't, all they know is that you killed their Alpha" Jaden said shaking his head.
When Mason was cast out from the pack, Jaden has followed his friend; but even with his loyalty Jaden questioned why he did what he did. Mason didn't want to have to tell anyone but eventually, he told Jaden. He didn't believe him at first, but he did and understood why Mason did it even if he didn't agree.
'You've betrayed everyone because you're a coward!'
Those were his last words with their former alpha Adam... before he had to kill him.
"Maybe they want us to think we actually survive and lower our guards. Its good revenge if you think about it" Mason said trying to come off as indifferent.
Jaden looked at him and nodded agreeing that that would've been a good way to get revenge. Mason thought about it confused still about why a hunter would show up. It had been 10 years since a hunter had shown up. And while rogues might've been passing through more they weren't that frequent.
He knew one hunter didn't mean the end, but he worried this meant the beginning of something more to come.
Mason grunted a hand touching the wound on his shoulder. As he sat back looking at the people walking around campus he did envy them slightly. They didn't have to think about if today was the day everything will end for them. He never got to go to school since he was away, and while he had regrets he didn't see it as something terrible. He's long embraced that his past had made him who he is now although he did wish some of his choices didn't have to be the way they turned out.
Mason continued tapping on his car wheel with restless energy. If hunters came it'd make things harder to pass for normal. Not only did they have the threat of the pack coming but now another hunter shows up? He knows he didn't kill the hunter last night, but he did hope the hunter would leave. He knew he was naive for that hope.
"I'll keep talking to the girl, get close to her and maybe we can handle the hunters head on that way. We already know they're leading the operation" Mason said.
He didn't like having to use anybody, but this was his safety and his packs at stake. They've seen too many rogues wander through most of them peaceful and get slaughtered without mercy. If getting close to one girl and using her for information was enough to protect them then he will.
"Still surprised you think you have the balls to get some girl to fall for you" Jaden muttered.
"This isn't about falling in love, I just need to win her trust," he told his friend who nodded.
"And how do you plan to do that? Become her best friend?" he asked sarcastic.
Faking falling in love felt like crossing a kind of line but maybe that was the only choice. He avoided answering Jaden and instead heard something. Holding up a finger to gesture for Jaden to listen Mason tilted his head and opened his car window. He wasn't mistaken that was her voice somewhere on the campus.
"She's here?" Jaden asked after he told him.
"Yeah with the same girl I saw her with at the coffee shop"
"Let's go meet her then shall we? And find out if she remembers anything from that night while we're at it" Jaden said gathering his things.
"No, we don't – "he started but realized Jaden was no longer there.
He wanted to take things slow and steady, but Jaden was more of a full-on approach type of person. Biting down his annoyance at his friend he got out his car following the sounds of Valentina's voice. The reason he had appeared last night was to watch her. But that didn't mean he had to step in, he wanted to see her and for her to see him. Then he wanted to protect her, but why?