Mason (The Cursed #4)
Chapter 1
Chapter One
Mason
"Tell Mason he owes me." Hex's parting words to Tavian when he rescued him and my brother, Nicola, from vampires rattles around in my head as I stare at the ceiling of the hotel room.
My time has run out. I knew it would, but every day that went by allowed me to pretend everything would be alright, that nothing had changed.
Hex has been trying to get me to meet him face-to-face for months, and I've been side-stepping it.
Saving my brother and his mate gave Hex the leverage to demand a meeting I can't get out of.
But it's not just meeting with Hex that's been weighing on me; it's the secret I've been keeping from my pack, my family.
The Obsidian Shadow Pack is made up of cursed wolves, not bitten or born.
When the last of our elders died and Jericho took over as Alpha, the current generations made a promise we wouldn't mate.
We would be the last of the pack and not pass on the curse, or bring any innocents into our messed up life.
Then Jericho found his Fated, something we didn't think the curse would allow, and the pack decided the promise no longer applied – that maybe we'd been blessed by the Goddess and paid enough for the sins of our ancestors.
Except, I broke the promise long before Jericho found Faith. Hex and I have been mated for years.
Absentmindedly, I rub my inner thigh where Hex put his mating mark.
I chose that location because it's easier to hide.
Not that my family would understand the importance of it.
Hex wears my bite, but his mark on me looks more like a tattoo.
It depicts a snow leopard baring his teeth with the word nefarious beneath it.
Still, I wasn't taking any chances they'd ask questions.
Unlike the three couples in my family who have been Fated, my mating with Hex was more of an emergency situation.
While Hex and I do feel a stronger than usual connection to each other, we've never been able to form a telepathic link other than some minor emotions coming through.
And there have never been any other overt signs we're destined.
Not being Fated, we should have been able to neutralize the mating bond, but so far, that's proven unsuccessful. Our bond hasn't been right since the beginning. Although, my wolf still gives me grief over my choice to walk away from Hex. To him, we have a responsibility to stand by our mate.
When Hex first asked to meet with me months ago, I thought maybe he had figured out a way to negate the bond, but he's refused to elaborate on what he wants. Whatever it is, it'll change everything. I can feel it in my bones. It's all about to unravel… and I'm not ready.