Pounce

Chapter 4

Puppy Love

Hannah

Hannah was wanting to find out more about her little wolf friend. But for now she did not have the time to. She had to into work for her new job. She had to drop Mimi off at school first as well.

She packed her daughter a lunch. She was grateful that Mimi had slept through the whole bear drama the night before. And that she was safe as well as Mimi.

"Do I have to go? No one is gonna like me" worries Mimi. She was scared to start a new school. Most kids were at her age.

"Honey they will all love you" reminds Hannah as she hands Mimi her packed lunch.

"Are you sure? You have to say that. You are my Mom. I did not make a single friend yet" sighs Mimi with worry.

"Things take time. Let the kids get to know you. If someone needs help go offer your kindness and help them out. That is a good ice breaker to get chatting. Hang out here. I am going to start the truck up" Hannah explains to Mimi.

"Oh okay" sighs Mimi.

She was all bundled up, ready for her day at school. Mimi went over to the couch and plopped down on the couch. Hannah bundled up before heading out in the cold.

She grabbed her scarf and gloves this time. She was more prepared. She had even made herself a lunch to have at work. She went through the path someone had shoveled for her. Mason must have made her a little trail.

She would have to stop in and thank him before going on into work. She started the frozen truck. There on the side of her truck it was all scratched up from the bear and wolf fight the night before.

She shivered thinking about it again. She looked over at Mason's home next door while she tried to scrap off her windshield off.

There was a large hole in Mason's front door! Had the bear gotten to Mason first? Maybe that was why Mason had not helped her out! Maybe he was killed!

Hannah gasps feeling worry rush over her for Mason's safety. She rushes through the snow over to his home. She looks over the door way now that she was up closer to it, sure enough there was markings like an animal had broken in the door!

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"Mason! Mason are you hurt? Mason!" she calls out with worry.

She opens the door letting herself in. The place was a mess! Food ripped open all over the place. Feathers all over the floor. There was a dog bowl that was bone dry. Did Mason have a dog? "Mason?" she calls out again.

"Huh? Hello there Hannah" Mason yawns as he sits up on his couch.

When he stood up he was completely nude. She gasps as she cannot help but notice that his shaft was hanging out nicely. He had tattoos on his arms to. She looks away shyly.

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"Sorry about that" Mason grumbles with embarrassment as he quickly wraps a blanket around his middle.

"I was coming over....to check if you are alright. Last night I was attacked by a bear. Some wild wolfs came to my rescue, two of them. I was shocked. Maybe they had been raised around here by someone? Do you know of pet wolfs around here? When I saw your door like that, I was worried the bear broke in here and killed you" she worries stammering over him.

"Oh wolfs? Bears I have saw. Yes I raised two wolfs. They are brothers" he informs her. "They are harmless" he explains to her.

"You raised them?" she asks again. He nods.

"Do you own a dog?" she wonders as she points to the bowls on the floor.

"Dog? No the wolf's sometimes I let them in. They whine to come in like they used to when they were pups. I can't say no. They got a little rough I sent them outside" he chuckles looking at her sheepishly.

"Oh need help cleaning this up?" she offers.

"Me? No" he laughs.

"You're shoulder! You are bleeding!" she gasps as she noticed the wound from the bear the night before.

Yet she had no idea he had been attacked.

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"Oh the wolves and I were playing around. They did not mean to, I can't trim their nails like a dog" he chuckles.

"I suppose not. But you need to clean that off. Come over here" she demands as she gets a Band-Aid from his bathroom. And a wash cloth.

"I can take care of it" he says.

"Come here this will only take a moment" she demands.

She begins to clean off his shoulder for him. He winces as she touches his wound. Or was it from her touch. She smiles at him shyly.

"Mimi hates to get her wounds cleaned to" remarks Hannah.

"I see" Mason says smiling at her.

Soon he was all fixed up.

"There you go. All better!" she tells him as she lightly touches his board shoulder muscles.

Her finger tips linger there a moment. His sent wafted in her nose deeply. He smelled so good. Why did she had such a strong urge to kiss a man she barely knew?

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"Mom! I need to go to school!" calls out Mimi suddenly.

"I am over here with Mr. Iris" Hannah calls back to her daughter.

She backs away quickly from Mason.

"Hi there" Mason greets Mimi as Mimi looks over at him shyly.

"Hi" she replies shyly.

"Mimi this is Mr. Iris. He is our new neighbor" explains Hannah. Mimi nods.

"Go wait for me in the truck. It is ready. I will be right there to take you to school" offers Hannah. Mimi takes off doing as she is told.

"She looks just like you. Adorable kid" mentions Mason. Hannah feels herself blush.

"Oh thank you. So those wolfs are nothing to worry about?" Hannah asks again.

"Nothing at all to worry about. In fact they have names" he tells her.

"What are they?" she asks.

"One is Fearless. The other is Reckless. Or Dummy!" he chuckles.

"Fearless. And Reckless. I like it. Well I can talk later I have to get to work here soon. I start my job today. I will be working at the bread and breakfast inn" she informs him.

"Oh my little brother is the handy man there at that place" he tells her.

"Really? What is his name?" asks Hannah.

"His name is Nathan Iris?" he tells her.

"If we meet I will be sure to mention you. Well have a good day Mason" she says smiling.

"You to Hannah see you around" he says before she leaves.

"Mom, do I have to go? Can I go to work with you?" begs Mimi.

"No you are going to school and that is the last we will discuss this" she says sternly as they finally make it into town.

"Fine" huffs Mimi. Hannah drops her daughter off at the front of the school.

"Have a good day sweetie" she calls out as Mimi rushes off into the crowd of kids. Hannah hoped her little girl would adjust to the new surroundings' life had brought to them.

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She was starting to like it there. So far. She made it to the bread and breakfast that Mrs. Tolsen owned in town. She parked her truck in the back like she was told to.

"Nathan! Where is that boy!" she hears Mrs. Tolsen grumble once Hannah comes in the old large Victorian home.

"Hi there Mrs. Tolsen. What do you need me to do first?" she wonders.

"Keep warm. The furnace is breaking down. I can't find Mr. Iris to get it working again" grumbles Mrs. Tolsen.

"Oh isn't that Mason's brother?" wonders Hannah.

"Yes they are nothing alike. Mason is the dependable one. His brother is another story. If it was not for Mason I would have never hired him" grumbles Mrs. Tolsen.

"What would you like for me to do?" Hannah asks again.

"What you are paid for. Answer them phones" sighs Mrs. Tolsen.

She heads off looking for Nathan. Someone soon comes in when she leaves. He was tall. About the same height as Mason was. Handsome like Mason to. They looked so much alike it was uncanny.

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"Do I have something on my face? What?" jokes this handsome man as he flashes a smile her way.

"Nothing really. Do you happen to be Nathan Iris?" she asks. He nods yes.

"Am I ? Maybe!" he asks as he leans on her desk smiling her way.

"I was wanting to warn you. Mrs. Tolsen is on your war path. Look out" warns Hannah.

"She always is" he grumbles.

"So you are Nathan" she laughs.

"Pleasure to meet you. Who are you?" he asks as they shake hands.

"Hannah, I am Hannah Ryder. I am new in town" she explains.

"You are my brothers' neighbor?" he asks. She nods.

"Yes. I met Mason he is a nice guy" she brags.

"So I hear" he sighs.

"Nathan! Oh, Mr. Iris!" calls out an upset Mrs. Tolsen.

"Right here!" calls back Nathan.

"There you are! Hiding on me?" demands Mrs. Tolsen.

"Not at all Mrs. Tolsen" he says smiling.

Hannah could tell Mason's brother was full of mischief.

"I was just telling him when he came in the furnace needs to be fixed" says Hannah coming to the rescue.

"What she said" Nathan says smiling.

"Get to work boy" sighs Mrs. Tolsen.

"On it!" Nathan calls out as he whistles while he walks away. Hannah smiles. She had a feeling this little town was full of adventures just waiting for her to find.

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