Chapter 14
It had been a week since I gave Mason my answer. I recalled the moment.
"So what's it going to be Emma?" Mason asked.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Although I didn’t have much time to really think it through, it was something I would’ve done regardless. I knew that it gave me the most benefits in regards to finding my parents. It would be difficult to do so on my own. I only hoped that it was the right decision. I stared into his blue eyes and said, "I'll join your pack."
That night Mason’s pack had a ceremony in which they welcomed me into the pack. I was uncomfortable during most of it. The whole pack had gathered around Mason and I, it was tradition that they did, to witness the welcoming of a new pack member.
Mason's POV
For the next two weeks, I trained with Emma. We would meet everyday at seven and train until ten. Everyday, I would put her through several tasks, seeing how far she could go. She needed to get stronger, so I pushed her to do more than what she could do when I knew she could do it. We worked on her balance, endurance, strength.
She had improved drastically over the past two weeks. I knew it wouldn't be easy for her at first, but she had to adapt.
"Alright that's it for today," I lowered my hands and removed the punch mitts, placing all the equipment back to its original state.
Emma sat at a nearby wooden chair and removed the fabric wrapped around her knuckles. She took a deep breath and stood up, heading towards the fridge. As she opened the door, I leaned against the fridge, behind the open door. She closed the door after grabbing two waters bottles and yelped when she saw me. She leaned her back against the wall. "What the hell Mason!"
I chuckled, "sorry for scaring you. Thanks for the water." I grabbed a bottle from her hands and gulped every last drop inside of it. I watched as she drank hers. Her willowy frame. Her eyes were a rich hazel. Her dark brown hair was tied into a low ponytail. It tumbled down her back in thick locks. Her hands were strong, yet gentle at the same time. And her lips... Stop.
"So what's it going to be Emma?" Mason asked.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Although I didn’t have much time to really think it through, it was something I would’ve done regardless. I knew that it gave me the most benefits in regards to finding my parents. It would be difficult to do so on my own. I only hoped that it was the right decision. I stared into his blue eyes and said, "I'll join your pack."
That night Mason’s pack had a ceremony in which they welcomed me into the pack. I was uncomfortable during most of it. The whole pack had gathered around Mason and I, it was tradition that they did, to witness the welcoming of a new pack member.
Upon the start of the ceremony, he made a slit on the palm of his left hand and said, "Emma Collins, I, Mason Wolfe, alpha of the Silverback Creek pack, welcome you as the new member. From now on you will serve to me and will be a part of a new family, one that is not bonded by blood but by loyalty and trust. That is what I expect from you."
I slit my right palm, ignoring the pain it caused and the red that oozed out, and recited the lines that were told to me before the ceremony. "I, Emma Collins, promise to serve you, Alpha Mason, and your pack with loyalty and trust. For you all are my family." I placed my slit hand over his.
"Emma," he began.
I slit my right palm, ignoring the pain it caused and the red that oozed out, and recited the lines that were told to me before the ceremony. "I, Emma Collins, promise to serve you, Alpha Mason, and your pack with loyalty and trust. For you all are my family." I placed my slit hand over his.
"Emma," he began.
"Alpha Mason," I nodded my head slightly.
"Welcome to the Silverback Creek pack." Once he finished, everyone in the crowd bowed their heads before giving a round of applause. I smiled back at them.
Mason leaned down and whispered in my ear, "I'm counting on you Emma. Don't let me down." He stood straight and looked ahead at the crowd. I gave him one last glance before turning back to the crowd.
"Welcome to the Silverback Creek pack." Once he finished, everyone in the crowd bowed their heads before giving a round of applause. I smiled back at them.
Mason leaned down and whispered in my ear, "I'm counting on you Emma. Don't let me down." He stood straight and looked ahead at the crowd. I gave him one last glance before turning back to the crowd.
During this whole week I had been with Lincoln. I had spoken to most of the pack members and they've all been so kind and welcoming. The stares I had received at first occurred less and those who still stared didn’t bother me as much. I had different jobs like cleaning and cooking, volunteering at the clinic, and more. Lincoln had told me many stories about his childhood and the pack.
"So how did you feel when you became beta?" I asked as we made our way to Alpha Mason's office. It was weird at first having to call Mason as alpha, but I had to get used to it.
"I was honored that he picked me as his beta. I've known him since we were kids, but that didn’t mean he had to pick me. There were others who were probably more qualified than me."
"Do you like being beta?"
"It's not an easy job, many people depend on me, but yes I do enjoy it. Being beta has its perks," Lincoln smiled. He knocked against the door and hear Mason's voice, calling us to come inside.
Mason sat behind his desk reading the papers in his hand. "Alpha," Lincoln spoke and we both slightly bowed our heads. Something I was still also getting used to.
"You may leave Lincoln. I'd like to speak to Emma alone," Lincoln nodded and gave me one last look before closing the doors on his way out.
Mason placed the papers on his desk and looked up at me. "How's your first week been?" He gestured towards the chairs in the center of the room.
I sat down, "not bad. I got to know many of the pack members and did a few jobs as well." Mason stood up and made his way towards the bar stand.
"Would you like a drink?" He asked.
"Water would be fine." He nodded and poured himself a drink before handing me a bottle of water.
"Thank you Alpha Mason," I opened the bottle and took a sip.
Mason sat across from me and said, "you don't have to call me Alpha right now. We're alone now." He took a gulp of his drink.
"Alright... Mason, so what is it you wanted to talk about?"
"I need you to train on how to defend yourself."
"Why would I have to do that?" I tightly gripped my water bottle. "Haven't I already trained?"
"You need to know how to defend yourself if something happens. Everyone in the pack goes through training at some point."
"Who will train me? When do I have to start?" I asked.
"I will and we'll start tomorrow," he placed his glass on the center of the table.
"So how did you feel when you became beta?" I asked as we made our way to Alpha Mason's office. It was weird at first having to call Mason as alpha, but I had to get used to it.
"I was honored that he picked me as his beta. I've known him since we were kids, but that didn’t mean he had to pick me. There were others who were probably more qualified than me."
"Do you like being beta?"
"It's not an easy job, many people depend on me, but yes I do enjoy it. Being beta has its perks," Lincoln smiled. He knocked against the door and hear Mason's voice, calling us to come inside.
Mason sat behind his desk reading the papers in his hand. "Alpha," Lincoln spoke and we both slightly bowed our heads. Something I was still also getting used to.
"You may leave Lincoln. I'd like to speak to Emma alone," Lincoln nodded and gave me one last look before closing the doors on his way out.
Mason placed the papers on his desk and looked up at me. "How's your first week been?" He gestured towards the chairs in the center of the room.
I sat down, "not bad. I got to know many of the pack members and did a few jobs as well." Mason stood up and made his way towards the bar stand.
"Would you like a drink?" He asked.
"Water would be fine." He nodded and poured himself a drink before handing me a bottle of water.
"Thank you Alpha Mason," I opened the bottle and took a sip.
Mason sat across from me and said, "you don't have to call me Alpha right now. We're alone now." He took a gulp of his drink.
"Alright... Mason, so what is it you wanted to talk about?"
"I need you to train on how to defend yourself."
"Why would I have to do that?" I tightly gripped my water bottle. "Haven't I already trained?"
"You need to know how to defend yourself if something happens. Everyone in the pack goes through training at some point."
"Who will train me? When do I have to start?" I asked.
"I will and we'll start tomorrow," he placed his glass on the center of the table.
"Why are you training me? I'm sure you have plenty of other things to do," I gestured towards the papers on his desk.
He grinned, "don't worry about it." He stood up and sat behind his desk. "Meet me at seven in the morning in the training room."
I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I closed it and made my way towards the door. I placed a hand on the doorknob.
"I'll see you tomorrow Emma." I nodded without turning around and left.
He grinned, "don't worry about it." He stood up and sat behind his desk. "Meet me at seven in the morning in the training room."
I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I closed it and made my way towards the door. I placed a hand on the doorknob.
"I'll see you tomorrow Emma." I nodded without turning around and left.
• • •
Mason's POV
For the next two weeks, I trained with Emma. We would meet everyday at seven and train until ten. Everyday, I would put her through several tasks, seeing how far she could go. She needed to get stronger, so I pushed her to do more than what she could do when I knew she could do it. We worked on her balance, endurance, strength.
She had improved drastically over the past two weeks. I knew it wouldn't be easy for her at first, but she had to adapt.
"Alright that's it for today," I lowered my hands and removed the punch mitts, placing all the equipment back to its original state.
Emma sat at a nearby wooden chair and removed the fabric wrapped around her knuckles. She took a deep breath and stood up, heading towards the fridge. As she opened the door, I leaned against the fridge, behind the open door. She closed the door after grabbing two waters bottles and yelped when she saw me. She leaned her back against the wall. "What the hell Mason!"
I chuckled, "sorry for scaring you. Thanks for the water." I grabbed a bottle from her hands and gulped every last drop inside of it. I watched as she drank hers. Her willowy frame. Her eyes were a rich hazel. Her dark brown hair was tied into a low ponytail. It tumbled down her back in thick locks. Her hands were strong, yet gentle at the same time. And her lips... Stop.
"I'm sure you know about the event tomorrow night." Emma nodded her head slightly. “I ordered a dress for you. Wear it. I’ll need you and Lincoln there.”
She gave me short nod.
• • •
When I arrived to my room, I sat at the edge of my bed. I opened the first drawer of my nightstand and pulled out a locket necklace. Inside of it was a picture of me standing next to her. I could still remember her smell, her soft and delicate skin, and her voice whenever she told me she loved me. I knew she wasn't coming back.
She was dead, yet there was something about her that wasn't.
Something that was left behind.
The moment I found about her death I lost it. My wolf took over and it took weeks before I gained control again. The destruction I allowed my wolf to leave was nothing compared to how I felt for the loss of my mate. We wanted revenge for our mate. I started searching for answers. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. It got to a point were my wolf left me.
Finally, after eight years of searching, I found what I needed.
I found her.
It was then that my wolf came back. He wanted her. I had already decided I wanted her long before he did. I needed her for our revenge.
I didn't wish for any of this to happen.
But it had to.
For her—our mate—Vanessa.
Something that was left behind.
The moment I found about her death I lost it. My wolf took over and it took weeks before I gained control again. The destruction I allowed my wolf to leave was nothing compared to how I felt for the loss of my mate. We wanted revenge for our mate. I started searching for answers. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. It got to a point were my wolf left me.
Finally, after eight years of searching, I found what I needed.
I found her.
It was then that my wolf came back. He wanted her. I had already decided I wanted her long before he did. I needed her for our revenge.
I didn't wish for any of this to happen.
But it had to.
For her—our mate—Vanessa.
No matter what the outcome would be when this was all over, I only hoped Emma wouldn't end up like Vanessa.
