A Very Merry Iona Christmas (4 page)

“You’re married?”
Mason had felt the deceit in his mate, and yet he needed to be sure. His beast
roared within him. The wolf wanted to push forward and put an end to the man
who had tried to claim their mate, but Mason kept it reined in.

‘
No, she’s not…
don’t you dare lie to him.’
Iona scolded her as if she were the child and
not the one who was trying to protect her child from shifters.

“You have to go…”
Carly couldn’t bring herself to lie to him. Maybe on the phone… but not face to
face. It felt bad. It felt wrong…

‘
Of course it’s
wrong. He’s your damn mate. What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know about mates
or something?’

“Are you married?”
Mason needed to be sure that he’d pegged her right.

“I…” Carly argued the
rights and wrongs of a little white lie.

‘
Little white lie?
Are you kidding me? This is big. Huge. It’s not like you pranged the guy’s
bumper…’
Iona hissed in disbelief.

“Don’t you dare lie to
me…” Mason growled again. This time in warning.

‘I second that
emotion.’
Iona huffed.

“She’s just a baby and
you’re…” Carly bit the word off.

‘Great daddy
potential…’

“Wolf?” Mason said it
for her.

“Bingo.” Carly didn’t
like the feeling that she got when she was near him. That tingly thing was back
and she was so damn aware of him that he felt right even when she knew it was
wrong.

‘I have no damn
idea what a bingo is, but I’m betting it’s not good.’

“I would never hurt…”
Mason wanted to ease her fears.

He got it now. Why she
took off. She was protecting her young. That was something that he could
understand. Now he needed to make her understand that it was now his job to do
that.

“She’s not yours…”
Carly stated the obvious.

‘Go ahead, rub it
in…’
 Iona sighed. ‘
Girl, you got
a thing or two to learn about shifters.’

“You think I don’t
know that?” Mason gave a small chuckle. Right now he wanted to rip the bastard
that put a hand on his mate apart. He was more than aware that the child was
someone else’s.

“Hi…” Hope drew his
attention downwards. His eyes met her bright blue ones and he felt a little
piece of his heart melt. Thankfully she looked like her mother…

“Hi.” Mason offered
back as he noted the way that Carly’s hand wrapped around the child’s shoulders
and she drew her against her legs.

‘
Introduce them
then…’
Iona put in with disbelief.

“He was just leaving…”
Carly informed her daughter.

“Carly…” Mason wanted
her to give him a chance to prove himself. Just one chance was all that he
needed and she’d see that he was no danger to her child.

“I’ll see you at work…”
She lied and he noticed again. Carly went to close the door…

“I’m Hope. You’re big…”
Hope grinned up at him and another little piece of his heart melted. Her mother
wanted him gone, but the child was as open as a book. He liked that about kids;
they didn’t come with preconceived prejudices. That had to be learned.

“Yes I am, but big
isn’t always bad…” Mason informed her, but Carly knew who that jibe was aimed
at.

‘
The big bad wolf?
Really. The man’s a pussy cat.’
Iona chuckled at her own funny. ‘
Look at
those puppy dog eyes. Damn, I think he’s even wagging his imaginary tail…’

“This is Princess
Zara…” Hope informed him as she held up the doll that had seen better days.

‘
That Princess has
been round the block a few times.’
  Iona scoffed and Carly groaned
inwardly.

Haven’t we all,
Iona. Now shut up unless you have something important to say.

“Well, she’s pretty,
but not as pretty as you. Princess Hope.” Mason beamed her a smile and Hope
returned it. Carly needed him gone.

“Mason…”

“Did you want to come
in and have some dinner with us?” Hope asked and Carly almost bit her own
tongue off.

‘
Ah. She’s just too
cute…’
Iona chuckled.

I’m going to kill
her. This is just not happening to me.

“Well, thank you, Princess,
but a gentleman invites a lady out to dine…” Mason offered and Hope grinned
harder.

“Mason…” Carly warned,
but it was too late. Hope was already bursting with excitement.

“Can we mummy?” Hope
bounced in place.

‘
Go on, say yes.
Look how exited she is… Don’t go crushing everybody’s hope today, no pun
intended.’

Damn it Iona, stop
talking. I can’t think when you chatter on like that…

‘
Cool, because we
all know where your thinking is leading, and that’s not productive…’
Iona
sniped back.

“Can you, Carly?”
Mason asked and Carly felt that same need to head butt the damn wall.

“I…”

“Please?” Hope gave
her that pleading look…

“Please.” Mason smiled.

‘
Pretty please with
a damn cherry on top and some whipped cream, and chocolate…’
Iona was just
too damn much.

“Fine.” Carly bit out
with a big dollop of frustration, but only because she wanted Iona to stop.

“Yea!” Hope bounced in
excitement again.

‘
Yea!’
Iona
teased.

“Bite me…” Carly bit
out.

“Excuse me?” Mason
almost choked on his own tongue and for a heartbeat Carly didn’t understand,
but then she realised that she’d said it out loud.

“Not you. Long story…”
She rushed out.

“Yeah, you’ve got a
couple of those.” Mason looked to Hope.

“And an imaginary
friend.” Hope whispered and Mason looked from Carly to Hope and back again.

“An imaginary friend?”
Mason asked and saw Carly’s eyes drop downwards to her daughter.

“Really, long story.”
Carly was hopeful that would be enough to silence him.

“It’s a witch friend.”
Hope whispered. Then she placed her index finger against her lips and shushed
him. Carly frowned.

Iona!

‘
That is not my
doing or my fault.’
Iona protested her innocence. Carly sighed inwardly as
Mason tipped his head and tried to read his mate’s expression. Pissed off mixed
with guilt.

“I’d say that’s a
story I might have to add to my list for later.” Mason offered and Carly rolled
her eyes. This was not going to end well…

~

~

~

“You know what
Princess’s need more than anyone else?” Mason leaned in towards Hope across the
table as they sat in the cafe and Carly resisted the urge to pull Hope closer.
She still didn’t trust him. Not yet.

‘
A big handsome
Prince of a hunky man on a white charger riding through the battle with his
colours flying and his muscles on display…’

Geez, Iona. And I
thought I had problems.
Carly
admonished her and Iona cleared her imaginary throat.

“What?” Hope beamed
him a wide, excited smile.

‘
A big castle with
lots of men wielding swords… and jewels, lots of jewels…’

“Ice cream.” Mason
enthused.

‘
Sure, that would
have been my third guess, not.’
Iona scoffed.

“Ice cream’s good.”
Hope giggled.

“Good. Because they
have the best ice cream here, and sprinkles…”

Carly had to hand it
to the man. He knew kids. He had Hope eating out of the palm of his hand.
Anymore of this and Hope would be sold.

“I love sprinkles…”
Hope giggled some more.

“Come on, trouble.
I’ve got some sprinkles with your name on them. Or maybe I can write your name
with them on the ice cream.” Annie had appeared as if by magic and Hope was up
and out of her seat before Carly could stop her.

“Damn it, you set that
up.” Carly hissed at him across the table. Mason considered it for a long
moment.

“Actually, I didn’t.
In my world, it takes a pack to raise a child…”

“I don’t live in your
world and I can raise my own child.” Carly hissed back. She wasn’t liking this
conversation one little bit.

“You don’t live in my
world yet, Carly, but you will.” Mason watched the way her eyes kept flicking
back and forth to where Hope was sitting up at the counter with Annie.

“I should be getting
back.” Carly went to press up from her seat but Mason’s hand reached out and
covered hers against the table top and for the life of her she couldn’t
remember what the hell she was supposed to be doing…

“Easy, Carly. We’re
just talking.” Mason tried to sooth her with his words, but it was his touch
that had already done that.

“Look, I don’t doubt
that you’re a… nice guy in your own way.”

‘
Biting heads off
live chickens. Eating Bambi…’
Iona teased, but she stopped when Carly
cursed inwardly.

“I can’t put my
daughter in that world.” Carly informed him with all of the honesty that she
felt inside. Mason got it loud and clear.

“Carly, if anyone is a
danger to Hope. It’s not me.” He shook his head to emphasise his point. Carly
sighed.

“Talk is cheap…” She
snapped out.

“It’s not talk, Carly.
You’re my mate and that makes Hope my daughter whether you like it or not. I
would kill to protect her and so would my pack.” Mason hated the fact that
there was no trust there. She was his mate. It should have been instinctual.

‘
You ain’t ever
getting a better offer than that, girl.’
Iona bit out. ‘
Listen to the
man.’

“I need to get Hope
home to bed.” Carly went to push up again, but Mason kept his hand over hers.

“I can’t let you go
back to where you’re living…” Mason frowned.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s not safe.” Mason
wasn’t going to back down on this one. He wanted Carly and Hope on pack land
where he could make sure that he kept his word to protect them. That damn hovel
that they were living in was not a place he would wish his worst enemy to live
in… well, maybe a vampire or two…

“Safe?” Carly scoffed.
“And we’d be safer surrounded by…” She eyed the area and bit down on what she
was going to say.

‘
Go ahead. Hit him
where it hurts. Why don’t you just take out a gun and finish the guy off?’

“Nobody would dare to
lay a hand on you or Hope.” Mason tried to hold onto the growl that rumbled in
his chest but he couldn’t do it. Carly’s eyes said it all…

“There. That. See.”
She tossed an accusing hand in his direction. “That’s exactly what I’m talking
about. You people can’t control…” She bit off her words again.

“I can assure you,
Carly. I’m more than capable of keeping myself in check.”

‘
Look at those
puppy dog eyes. How can you deny the man with eyes like that?’

Damn it, Iona,
Stop. This is serious.
Carly berated
her.

‘I’m as serious as
a bunch of nun’s at a lingerie convention.’

You sound like it.
Carly dropped her eyes to the table in front of her.
Iona was right about his eyes…

‘
See, I knew you
liked him.’
Iona scoffed.

“Shut the hell up.”
Carly bit out and then realised that she’d spoken aloud. “Not you.” She snapped
as she flicked her eyes back up to Mason.

“You wanna tell me
about this imaginary friend?”

‘
Imaginary my
backside.’
Iona chuckled.

“If only.” Carly
sighed.

“Why can’t you?” Mason
asked.

“I can…” Carly was
getting confused, and from the look on his face she was getting him equally as
confused. “She’s not exactly imaginary…” Carly admitted.

‘
I’m awesome.’
Iona crowed. She liked to give credit where it was due and she was overdue
some.

“She’s a pain in the
arse…” Carly admitted.

‘
But I’m an awesome
pain in the arse.’
Iona chuckled again.

“But she’s very real.”
Now he looked really damn confused. “She’s a spirit. An entity.”

“You’re being haunted
by a ghost?” Mason’s frown deepened.

“Yes, well no. She’s
not really a ghost she’s…” Carly shrugged.

‘
Super awesome,
with sprinkles.’

“A long since dead,
disembodied entity that exists in the spirit world and can be summoned to
witches in need.”

‘
Well when you put
it like that…’
Iona would have frowned if she could have… ‘
I’m really,
super awesome.’
She chuckled once more and Carly groaned inwardly.

“And she came to help
you?” Mason could get behind that. As long as the entity wasn’t a threat to his
pack then there wasn’t a problem.