Florida Heat: Book One in the Clearwater Pack Series

Chapter 10: A Moment of Clarity

Mason's Point of View:

"Ace" has been in and around the entire East coast of Florida over the last couple weeks. I've yet to see Cassandra again since a couple weeks ago when I was able to get her stupid ex-boyfriend away. I took a couple pictures of him and sent them to my father informing him he was violating his restraining order - the cops were made aware and because it came from a third party - he is now being surveillance. That takes a little stress out of my shoulder but not a ton, simply because I know exactly what he is. He is what I am, and we are not safe for people like her.

I get a notification on my phone from Teddy indicating I need to look at the link he sent me. It’s a t****k video, I open it and the first thing I notice it is having over 3 million views and is “trending.” The second thing I notice, is that it’s a video of Cassandra and I singing “Half of my Heart.” This was posted less than 24 hours ago by an account: CassyPants – she posted this. Also, that is a clever name. I click on her account name, and it pulls up a handful of videos. All of which are me singing and or her on stage singing covers of Disney songs. I look at the Likes and comments and each of these videos are blowing up – how is she even doing this?

I decide to post a comment on the video of the two of us singing together, “One of the best nights of my life.” I then clicked send and watch it appear under the video of the two of us. I rewatch the video a handful of times, we do harmonize incredibly well actually. I decide to watch a couple of her videos too, and realize I'm interested. I decide to post a comment on the video of the two of us singing together, “One of the best nights of my life.” I then clicked send and watch it appear under the video of the two of us. I rewatch the video a handful of times, we do harmonize incredibly well actually. I decide to watch a couple of her videos too and realize I'm essentially drooling over a woman I know I shouldn’t want and yet desire her so much.

There is one video in particular of her singing at a little girl’s birthday party, multiple princess songs and it has me gawking at my screen like an obsessed boyfriend, which I’m not. She sings, “How Far I’ll go” from Moana, “When will my life begin” from Tangled, “Let it go” from Frozen, “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from the Little Mermaid and then she ended it with “Reflection” from Mulan. In each video it appears that Harper must be video taping this because there are close ups of Cassandra as well as the reactions to the kids in the audience. Watching these makes my stomach turn and not in a good way, but in a weird way of long and needing.

I dismiss these feelings and remove the phone from my hand and decide to go find Teddy and Sophia and do some training for the day. Our training regimen consists of lots of strength and cardio – running on the beach and even in knee high water is more complicated than it sounds but helps build up our legs and also our stability. After some running, we usually head back to the gym within my parent’s house and hit the weights, box, scrap fight, sword dance (joking), and we always end with the salmon ladder. It’s essentially what Oliver Queen does in the show Green Arrow. It’s a bar that is placed on two spokes side by side and the idea is to hold on to it dangling from your hands and allow your body to lift it up to the next spokes. Easy, no. It’s incredibly difficult, but the three of us have mastered it for the most part – even Soph has gotten much better at it and can get up 5 spokes. Teddy is behind me at 9 and I’ve mastered it to the end of a whopping 15 spokes.

On the beach tonight there is supposed to be a bonfire allowing the locals to meet and greet if you will. Mostly a giant Tinder application if you ask me, people walk around and look for their pair for the evening to make out with and or leave and go home with. I felt more like that guy back in New York, but lately my feelings towards the other gender have changed. My mother keeps insisting its because I have a mate and my body/wolf wants her and only her. I find it to be bull s**t, but I cannot deny these stupid weird feelings I get in my chest when I think of Cassandra – which is why I have been trying my best to avoid her. It crosses my mind that she could be at the bonfire tonight, but the fact that the fire will be a football field away from my house, I have an out in the very least if she does show up.

I don’t know why I inisit on planning around her or trying to avoid her though, it’s a weird feeling and then again I cant help but want to be near her in the same breath. After our work out we all sit down and I decide to be a bit vulnerable with my two best friends. “Guys, what if mates are real? Like, what if there is this weird pull we have for one other being and that’s it for us. What if Soph you were meant to find us because your mate is somewhere down here? Or, Teddy what if your mate is somewhere else – not trying to be this dude – but what the f**k does this all mean for us.” I ask?

Sophia smiles at me, “It’s literally as simple as that. The thing of it is though, once we find our mates – we essentially have choices to make. For me, if I find him and if he is human – well, then I will bring him back here and live amongst you and your pack. But, if he happens to be an alpha, well then I would be leaving you guys – still allowing a solid truths though. Teddy, and you being that Mase you are the alpha and Teddy is your beta – the mates you find would have to come back to your pack with you because of your duty.” I laugh way to hard for my own good almost scaring Soph I laugh so loud. She looks at me with the most hateful expression I’ve ever seen. “If you so much as think that Cassandra isn’t your mate you’re only harming yourself. The second you allow what is natural to actually be natural and stop fighting the bond you will be stronger for it. You know there are other packs out there who are constantly looking for power and the second they see an older pack alpha with his son who has his head so far shoved up his own ass and not believing in his actual future – they will kill us all, or worse, enslave us.” That last statement has Teddy worried.

“What do you mean” Teddy asks? Sophia looks at the both of us, “The second you two stop denying your wolves and start acting like the true shifters you are the better off we as a pack will be. For now, we are weak and its because you two think you are SO strong within your human form and pay no attention to your wolf form. When is the last time you let them out to run, or train? You are both idiots if you ask me, you are both capable of so much and don’t allow yourself to reach your full potential and its sickening. I know the second I find my mate I will do whatever it takes to mark them allowing my wolf to be able to find some comfort and relief. But you two, nah… I don’t see it. Jesus, Mase has his right under his nose and pretends he doesn’t feel it or want it. Open your f*****g eyes. I’m serious because that other shifter… he is going to tell his friends who will tell the surrounding packs that an alpha is choosing not to mark his mate and they will determine you to be weak. You’re sentencing yourself to death by denying what you truly are. Seriously, when are we going to stop playing avengers and come to the reality that we are the bad guys? We are werewolves Mason – get it through your f*****g head!” She throws her cup of water in my face and walks out of the room…leaving me fuming and at grips to keep my wolf at bay.

I’ve specifically kept him away for as long as I possibly can. That’s why I work out, eh, fight crime and try and resist the one thing in my life that is pulling me…Cassandra. I know once I do its over. The denial at least. Teddy gets up and goes after Sophia leaving me in my thoughts. I am sitting on the bench hunched over with my face in my hands trying to wrap my brain around the events that just have unfolded.

In my head:

“My name is Mason my brother is Miles, and we are both the direct heirs of Adam and Nicole Gilmore who are the Alpha and Luna of The Clearwater pack. I am next in line to take over the rightful pack duties of concealing our identity along with protecting the few of us who are left.

Rodney and Keri Davis my fathers Beta and mothers best friends are the parents of my best friend and soon to be beta Theodore Davis.

Our territory spans along the west coast of Florida into the mainland’s we try our best to blend in and for the most part we do. We know when another shifter is around, we can smell/sense them I suppose – at least in my own experience I have been able to. It’s been said that we are part of a native tribe that was given magic in order to fight off the men who tried to take the territory away from us. We ultimately failed as our teeth and makeshift weapons were no match for their machinery. Throughout the years our blood lines have dwindled out besides a handful of us who still posses the magic that is our blood.

It’s an un-noted rule that has never been followed but to be the leader amongst the shifters. Ironically, despite us being low in numbers we all still continue to fight as if there is some kingdom we get to withhold. One my family particularly dislikes and tries to stay out of – we just wish to live in peace. Yes, my parents allow their wolves out from time to time, but they release them in the national forests that surround our home after dark – they have yet to ever have been spotted.

It’s been said that when some wolves are angry that their wolf will appear, or even in a s****l encounter. (This brings bile to my throat for two specific reasons) 1. When I had a one-night stand with a girl in New York – she was incredibly kinky and nearly broke my umm, c**k to which I yelped out in pain nearly bringing my wolf to the surface. I would have killed that girl that night. 2. Because my apparent mate Cassandra has been sleeping with another wolf for years and she has never once caught on to what he is. Meaning she is incredibly naive, dumb or oblivious to the world around her. Or he is just that good at hiding it.

I know what I am, I’ve just always put it aside because what I wanted out of my life was something more, something different. I enjoy the art of it all – the beauty that is the world and I enjoy singing which, honestly was not what I thought would come out of me going to New York for 4 years, but here I am. (I stand up and look at the wall length mirror in front of me).

I stare at myself, “I am Mason Gilmore, I’m a werewolf. I am the future Alpha of the Clearwater Pack. I enjoy working out and singing – my life will revolve around the needs of the pack and the future of my family and the well being of our other half, our wolves. I am future Alpha. I am who I am no more time for excuses… and lastly, Cassandra Diez – is my mate and future Luna of the Clearwater Pack.”

With that last bit of information blurted out loud I see Sophia and Theodore come around the corner with smiles on their faces. Teddy slaps my back, “It’s about time brother.” Sophia smirks a half ass smirk at me, “I knew I needed to light the fire under your ass.” I shake my head at her with a small smile on it. She’s right, she always has been right. She found us… and if it wasn’t for her – I don’t know if I would have ever gotten to this point, this moment of realization that everything in my life has been a steppingstone to acceptance to understanding of the creature I truly am. I know what my destiny is, and I need to face it head on now, no excuses.

“Alright, fine. I admit it, I was in denial. But, first order of business between the three of us. We need to know EVERYTHING on Landon. Cassandras Ex, I need to know anything, everything, the what, the why, the time the fucker shits – I need to know. Got it?” Both shake their head.

Time to figure out how big of a f*****g problem that douche is going to be.