16. Mason
Mason
A very was uncomfortable. She kept peeking up at us under her lashes and had her phone in a death grip.
“If you want to go, we won’t stop you. Just maybe take a breather first, I don’t want you getting hurt,” Ford hedged. He must have noticed the same things I had because otherwise he’d never suggest that.
Ford was a passionate person who lived in the moment. He’d rather win her over than miss his chance.
She let out a breath and slid her phone away, finally meeting our gazes head on.
“I’m not good at this,” she said. “It was different with Cohen, we’re taking things slow.”
Ford frowned. “If you need us to go slow, Avery, we will. We’re not going to push you into something you’re uncomfortable with.”
“Ugh, why is everyone acting so freaking perfect?” she growled, getting up from the table and storming outside.
Ford turned to me with wide eyes and I dropped an apology tip on the table and gestured for him to follow her out. She didn’t have her keys and couldn’t go too far.
She was stomping toward her truck but her shorter steps were easy to catch up to. I loved how petite she was, even more so now. Even with her lips twisted into an indignant pout she was adorable.
“What do you need us to do? Can we call someone?” I asked, my voice firm enough she froze. Those hazel eyes blinked up at me, glittering with tears, and fuck she looked gorgeous and heartbreaking all at once.
“I don’t understand.”
“What don’t you understand? We want to help,” Ford asked, practically begging for her to talk to us.
The tears started falling but her chest started rising too rapidly along with it. She was having a panic attack and if we didn’t do something she was going to get worse.
It was a cool day for the end of summer but I knew the lake had to be warm still. In a moment of half thinking, half running on instinct, I scooped her up and started running, tossing my phone and hers toward Ford.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Ford yelled after us but outside of a shocked gasp and her clinging to me tighter, Avery wasn’t protesting.
“Hold your breath, Avery.”
“Wha—?” She cut off with another gasp as I leapt off the edge of the dock and into the water.
I didn’t let go as we sank into the clear water, letting it engulf us completely. Her eyes were wide as bubbles erupted from her mouth. My own lips spread into a grin that I felt warming me from the inside out.
The moment lasted only a few seconds but it felt like a lifetime. Just us, the water, locked away from the world.
I pushed us up to the surface and we broke free, gasping for air. Her face was a mix of shock and relief.
“You breathing normal now, mate?”
She sputtered for a second before shaking her head for a moment then letting it fall back to stare up at the sky. Her body started to shake, but it wasn’t until the laughter burst free I realized it wasn’t from cold.
“What the actual fuck, Mason?” she gasped. “You just dove us into the fucking lake!”
“You were about to go into a full-blown panic attack, I did what I could to shake you out of it,” I said simply. “It worked.”
She snorted. “Yeah, it did. I’m also soaked through and so are you.”
“Ford is going to kill me.”
We both glanced to the shore where he was throwing up his hands, pacing, and ranting. At least he’d snagged her purse when he followed.
“I think I broke him. He’s usually the impulsive one.”
She shoved off of me and started to swim around the dock to the shore. Ford was there waiting, sliding his shirt off and slipping it over her head and shooting me a glare.
“Don’t be too hard on him,” Avery said with a chuckle. “He went all alpha on me.”
Then her smile fell and her body stiffened, a frown etching on her face.
Heavy footsteps running our way had me hurrying out of the water and to their side, Ford and I blocking our omega from the man running at us.
“Avery, are you alright? The restaurant said some lunatic ran off the dock with an omega and when I saw it was you…”
The man trailed off, dodging us to take her in.
“Doctor Clark?” she asked, confused now. “No, I’m fine.”
“If you’re fine, then they certainly won’t mind stepping aside so I can see for myself,” he growled, his eyes half-feral. This doctor was ready to throw down for her, but why would he care this much?
Ford was the first to relent, stepping aside enough for him to see but not enough for the new alpha to get to her.
“This is one of the doctors from the clinic, guys, he’s fine,” she said, stepping past us then stumbling. He reached out to catch her but the guilty look on his face told me something else was up.
“You’re a scent-match, too? Now the universe has to be fucking with me,” she muttered.
“Please, let me explain,” he said, trying to keep his voice even and giving us a side eye like we were encroaching on a private conversation.
“No, I need to be dry for this. You all can wait here. Well, Mason, you should probably come, too. The boutique will hopefully have something for us.”
She turned on her heel and stalked toward one of the small shops lining the lakefront. The stone buildings were side by side, giving us a few options, though we got more than a few looks.
We barely made it a few steps when Ford was next to us and the doctor was stomping along behind us.
“You can’t go into a shop dripping wet, I’ll grab the clothes for you,” Ford offered.
“So we can change in the street?” Avery asked, raising an eyebrow. Ford frowned, a low growl escaping.
“No.”
“I’m paying for my own clothes, too,” she said, giving us all a warning. I opened my mouth to protest but something in her face made me close it again. She was challenging us and from the way she was tensed, she needed this.
“Alright,” I said, stepping around her and opening the door, holding it for her. She shuffled past and the shopkeeper ran forward, her eyes wide.
“You can’t bring all that water in here,” she protested.
“We just need a change of clothes, I’ll be out of them as soon as I find new ones. Please?” Avery asked.
The woman sighed but held up a hand still. “Give me your sizes, I’ll pick something out, then you guys can change in the dressing rooms. That way I’m not mopping my entire floor and dealing with wet merchandise.”
“Okay,” I relented, giving her my size. When she had Avery’s, too, she was off, asking questions over the racks every so often but from the look on the woman’s face, she was having fun with it. This beta’s shop was clearly something she loved.
When she stepped around with dark slacks and a maroon henley for me and a matching maroon dress for Avery, I was impressed. Both were a mix of casual and classy and when I slid on the clothes they were soft and fit as if they were made for me.
“Alright, I think I found my new clothing store,” I said as I stepped out, doing a little spin in front of the mirror. The beta was beaming, biting her lip so she didn’t get too excited.
“Here, a bag for your other clothes,” she offered, handing me one then holding one over the top of Avery’s dressing room door.
“I need help with the zipper,” Avery admitted, cracking her door and turning away. The beta gave me a smirk as I stepped forward. I wasn’t about to miss out on this moment. My knuckles skimmed her skin as I slowly zipped up the dress, her scent blooming in the air.
We were so close that our scents mingled together, her spiced cider scent and my bergamot and cypress scent blending into an earthy, spiced, aroma that made me want to snatch her up and carry her off alone… again.
But… I had to be careful here. Instead, I stepped back and let the door close behind her. She cleared her throat but said nothing as she gathered her wet clothes in a bag.
When she stepped out, I was at a loss for words. The maroon on her pale skin was gorgeous, the color making her hazel eyes shine even brighter. Her dark hair hung around her shoulders, a slight wave to it as it air dried.
“You look stunning, Avery,” I said. She blushed, the look making me bite my tongue before I said something inappropriate. I wasn’t used to holding my words back, I was blunt and outright, but if she needed me to take it easy, I wouldn’t hesitate.
We followed the beta up to the counter, and I paid for our items and I even left her a generous tip for the mopping she’d have to do. That had a cheery smile resting on her face, a much different reaction than when we’d walked in.
Avery didn’t love me paying for her, but she had little choice, her wallet was in her purse and we had to get dry.
“I’ll definitely be back,” I promised her with a small smile before leading Avery toward the door.
Ford and the doctor were waiting on the sidewalk for us, both tense and not looking at each other.
“This is going to get awkward as hell,” she groaned. “Can I sneak out back and just… not deal with this at all?”
“If you want to,” I said. She didn’t need to hear how we’d follow her to make sure she was home safe and that we’d definitely not disappear afterward, but if she needed space right now she could have it.
“Really?” she asked, her voice quiet and full of surprise.
“Who made you feel like you had to act a certain way? That’s not the first time you’ve been shocked by common decency,” I asked. My voice was hard but she didn’t hide away. A darkness crept over her expression and she let out a sigh.
“My exes.”
“Fuck them,” I said without skipping a beat. “Let me tell you something right now, Avery. We are mates. I have every intention of doing whatever you need so I can win you over. The urge I have to be close to you is strong, but the need to protect you is stronger. We won’t do anything before you’re ready.”
She swallowed hard and her hands twisted together, but she nodded once.
“Ford has my purse anyway.” With that, my omega squared her shoulders and stepped out of the shop.
Both alphas waiting perked up, eyes trailing over her from head to toe, then taking a step forward. They turned and glared at each other but she ignored them both.
“Look, it’s been a really long day already. I have to find a contractor that won’t be an asshole and try to scam me, and I have to get to the bar before opening, I need to get some shots and videos. I get that you’re all curious and want to chat, but frankly, I need to clear my mind. This is a lot and unexpected and I don’t exactly have a great history with dating.”
Ford nodded, his excitement subdued but I could see he wasn’t upset. Instead he held out her purse.
“Hand over your phone and we can start a group chat for the pack,” he said simply.
She let out a relieved breath and dug in her purse for her phone, clearing notifications and handing it over. Ford typed in his, gave me a nod to let me know he’d added mine, then handed it over to the silent doctor.
Doctor Clark frowned but input his name before handing it back, holding it tight enough she couldn’t tug it from his hands.
She glanced up, surprised, but his eyes were pleading.
“I didn’t want to overstep during that conversation. I also wasn’t going to use your file to find you, Avery. I knew we’d run into each other, but I want you to know there were no ill intentions.”
With that he let go and she nodded, her hands steady now as she tucked her phone back in her purse.
“I should warn you that you’re not the only mates I’ve met. I’ll add Cohen to this chat after I drop in to tell him about you all.”
She started to walk away but turned around, her voice catching as she spoke.
“Don’t give up on me. I’m trying to figure out how to let you guys in.”