Delaying Destiny

2. Grains of Truth

Orianna Reid

She had woken up still drunk. Rose had forced her back to the forefront of their consciousness and frankly, Orianna didn't have an inkling of an idea why. The stranger who persistently questioned her and led her deeper into his pack territory was basically just a blur of a person. There was something about him that drew her forward, that made her want to follow him into complete mystery. But she wasn't nearly sober enough to figure out why. She hadn't even realized she had been naked until he handed her some clothes to put on. Hell, she didn't even process the embarrassment that came with being completely bare in front of the stranger.

It wasn't until she was sitting down in his apartment, the smell of coffee waking her senses. She finally was clear-headed enough to take a sip and didn't put the mug down again until half its contents were gone. The caffeine was clearing her head far faster than she was anticipating. And it was only until then did Orianna finally see who was standing in front of her.

The male was tall at around 6'5, standing a clear foot taller than Orianna. His skin was a deep brown with bright white teeth that she could see even when he wasn't smiling. His black hair was short, buzzed close to his skull but she could still see the tight curl shape of the locks. And his eyes were a stunning shade of gray; it reminded her of an overcast day. His body was lean and athletic, the tight muscles of his legs distracting her as he sat down in front of her.

And there was a certain something outlined by his gray sweat shorts were not leaving anything to the imagination.

Orianna gulped, crossing her legs at the slight tingle of anticipation and desire that lay between them. That was the first time she really caught his scent. He smelled like pine trees and peppermint, a scent that reminded her of Christmas and gave the same feeling of anticipation and excitement.

Rose, what is this?

The golden wolf wiggled her haunches within Orianna's mind, a smirk on her muzzle, Something even I did not expect.

He asked her something and she fumbled to respond, "Sorry, what?"

The male blinked, amusement and curiosity playing his cloud hues, "I asked why you needed to get away."

Orianna fidgeted with her hands, wringing them a bit under the table, "I was..."

She struggled. If this was what she thought it was, the truth was equally important and terrifying to tell. What if she told him who she was and he completely flipped out? Who would want the she-wolf who was accused of poisoning her Alpha and killing her Luna?

Suddenly, without even the slightest regard for the consequences of such a heinous lie, she blurted out, "I ran away from my mate who rejected me."

The male, - Mason? Was that the name he told her? - looked at her stunned, "Your mate rejected you?"

She blinked rapidly. Okay, maybe that was a mistake. Perhaps she should just come clean. But another sharp inhale brought that Christmas scent into her body, energizing her and making her more irrational than ever, "Y-yeah. He rejected me for someone else. A-and then he died."

"And then he died?" Mason's brow scrunched with concern, leaning forward, "Your mate rejected you for someone else and then he died?"

Oh Goddess, this is getting out of hand. Orianna thought desperately. But the look of concern in his eyes eased her, putting her at bay for just a moment. This was the most anyone had been worried about her in years. It almost felt nice. 

Again, Rose's voice flowed through her mind, Let's not scare this one away, hm? 

Orianna finished the rest of her coffee before gritting her teeth, gripping the empty mug before she finally sighed and gave in to her impulse, "Yeah. We were both a part of different Claimings. He had claimed someone just a year before I was claimed by my mate. We had all lived in the same building for years and grew close. And we started seeing each other behind our mates' backs."

Her gaze cast downwards. Suddenly, speaking about this fake mate was more truthful than she realized. Orianna's mind flashed to Saravie, sitting at the pack house backyard after she had found out she was pregnant for the third time. It was the same day that Saravie had rejected her and left her completely for Ivan. Not a year later, the Luna was murdered.

"He decided he wanted to try to make it work with his mate so he left me." Orianna carefully revealed, "And about a year later, he died in an attack, defending the pack."

"What about your other mate?" Mason asked.

"Hm?" Orianna was already floundering in her lie.

"The wolf who claimed you." Mason clarified.

"Ah," Orianna nodded, "he found out about my affair and left me soon after he found out." It wasn't entirely a lie. Her entire story had grains of truth and that made her feel at least a little better. 

But it also made her feel a lot worse as the man reached out, placing a large, warm hand on top of hers. Sympathy shown in his eyes, backed by something deeper that made Orianna's heart beat wildly in her chest. Oh Goddess...

Mason offered her a small smile, "I'm sorry to hear that. I understand why you had to get away. I think everyone should get a second chance."

"You say that like you understand what I'm going through." Orianna replied haughtily, almost enviously. Was she really jealous over this stranger's experience with needing a second chance? Damn, there goes her tongue again. She never was one to hold back what she was thinking, no matter how incomplete the thought was.

He widened his eyes before letting out a low chuckle. It reverberated in his chest; Orianna swore she felt it in her toes, "Yeah, I do actually. Maybe not exactly how you are experiencing it but I can empathize."

"Really?" Again, her jealousy was peaking. It dawned on her that the apartment they were sitting in was very much a man cave. Clearly, no woman lived there. How was this impossibly handsome, charming man unmated? He had to be around her age, give or take a year. She pushed back the thought, He's mine.

Mason leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his broad chest, "My mate died about seven years ago."

"Your destined mate? As in, your actual Goddess-fated mate?" Orianna again felt the sour taste of jealousy coat her tongue. 

He nodded, "Yes, my destined mate. We met when we were 19 and she died just a couple years after from illness."

"I...I'm sorry, that's terrible." Orianna managed. She remembered just how painful it was emotionally when Saravie was murdered and then how physically painful it was when Jasper broke their bond to mate with Luciana. She couldn't imagine how anyone would bear both. It made her feel like scum that this stranger in front of her clearly had a painful past that he was opening up to her. And she was there lying with every other word.

Mason offered a small smile, "I suppose it's alright. I've had my time to grieve and accept what happened."

"And you never mated again?" Orianna tried to asked nonchalantly. But she was clearly curious, "You never went to The Claiming or anything?"

He shook his head, "No, I was over 21 by the time she died. And I suppose no one had the heart to tell me to go in the years after. I think it was only recently that I had even begun thinking about it again."

"Really?" She asked just a beat too quickly. Ah, she was getting ahead of herself, wasn't she? Orianna cleared her throat, putting the mug down, "I see... that's... good."

Mason chuckled, his deep voice shaking his chest as he looked at her, "I suppose so. But what about you? You haven't attempted to find another mate either?"

"Goddess, no." Orianna responded, "I mean, I guess I've thought about it. But I've spent more time wallowing than I'd like to admit. Truthfully, after Astral Twilight found out about my affair, no one really wanted to be around me."

The look of sympathy on Mason's face broke her heart. But at the same time, it made her indignant. She puffed her chest a bit, sitting up straighter, "But I suppose I didn't make much of an effort to get out there either. If I wanted to subject myself to The Claiming again, I would. But it was my choice not to."

Mason put his hands up in front of him, "Hey, no judgement here. It's not like I'm any model for the perfect widower."

But the perfect model in many other ways... Orianna couldn't help the thought as her eyes wandered again. She could feel that tingle between her legs as her gaze landed in his lap again. She gulped a bit, fighting the urge to give in to the man in front of her.

He seemed amused at her stare before finally asking, "You never told me your name, by the way."

Bringing her gaze back up to his face, she practically melted at his expression. He seemed so innocent, so curious and caring. She felt like a brand new person than the one she had been the past six or seven years. Lightly biting on her bottom lip, she finally answered, 

"Rose. My name is Rose."

Her wolf shot to her paws, a growl in her throat, What?