Howl / Black [book 1]

nine

It was nighttime and Mason had just finished cleaning her room. Her hand ached from all the pressure she had put on it that day;  it took sixteen stitches to close her wound up. 

Sitting in her bed, she hears a noise and jumps up. Grabbing for the bat she kept by her bed, she walked towards the source. The sound happens again, making her jump.

"Mason! Ouch, damn it. Open the window." A deep voice spoke.

She cautiously moves to her window to find Jacob, shirtless, clinging to the top of a tree which bends with his weight. She opens the window. "What the hell are you doing?" She yells.

"Get out of the way." He directs.

She complies and backs away. He begins to swing his legs, increasing momentum. She realizes what he's about to attempt and acts. "No!"

He launches himself through the window with great agility. Jacob lands on the balls of his feet. Mason is stunned. A bitter, self-satisfied grin spreads on his face as he takes in her room.

"I thought you had more stuff in here." He laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

"I broke most of it the other night." She said with no emotion.

He looks at her and notices she's still clutching the bat with a hand wrapped in bandages. Charlie had told Billy what had happened and then he told Jacob; he felt like crap after finding out.

"Why are you here?" Mason threw the bat on her bed and crossed her arms.

"I had to talk to you. Alone." He explained.

"To kick me in the gut again? It was bad before, but you made it so much worse." She looked down.

"I know. And I want to explain. But, I can't."

"Then leave." Was all she had to say.

Jacob doesn't budge. Mason walks up to him and tries to push him, but it doesn't work.

"You're done with me, remember? Get Out!" She yelled while slamming her palms against his chest.

"Mason, I literally can't explain." He grabs her wrist to stop her and looks her in the eyes. "I broke my promise not to hurt you, I know. But I'm trying to keep it now. I need you to understand."

"Damn right you broke your promise. I trusted you okay, more than I've ever trusted anyone. I opened up and let you in my life and you did exactly what i was afraid of. I will never forgive you Jacob." Her words stung.

"I will do anything to make things better." Jacob grabbed her uninjured hand and kissed it.

"Then tell me what's wrong." She shuddered under his warm touch.

"I-I already told you. You know this, you can guess." He pleaded.

"I don't want to play games with you." Mason tried to pull her hand away, but he held on.

"You have to! I can't tell you, but if you remember; it was that day I met you on the beach. I told you a story, come on! I told you a story... about?" He wanted her to remember.

"About... 'The Cold Ones?' You said it was a stupid tribal myth."

"Yes, what tribal myth?" He got excited.

"That... the tribe made a treaty with them. They can't come onto your land and... I don't know, I don't remember." Mason was confused.

"Try, Mase."

"I-I can't. What does this have to do with anything anyways?"

"You'll figure it out. You always do." Jacob smiled. "I'm so sorry Mason, about everything."