Chapter dedicated to Rainiwonder103 'cause she's awesome.

Also, I don't know how I did such a fast update but I'm gonna just keep writing, my mind is on writing-overload XD

Wolf Chase [27]

Clad in sweatpants and a comfortable shirt, Massie tried to enjoy what was suppose to be the most relaxed moment of her day. Homework was done, courtesy of using her time wisely while at the Cult's. Now, her plasma TV was turned on with colors glowing brilliantly as they displayed the whimsical movements of the wealthy, elite housewives of whatever rich city they were in. Even her tablet was active, simultaneously showing a DIY video on how to transform one type of clothing to another, and who could overlook the educational book of werewolves that she got from the "fantasy" section of the library. Even so, despite all these distractions none of them held her attention for more than a minute at a time.

Her phone did.

Her phone, which was inconspicuously laying at the opposite side of her bed, faced down with the volume turned uncharacteristically high, because, of course she could not bear the thought of missing a phone call from the man she held affections for: Sebastian. She'd already missed his phone call once while she happened to be showering the instant she entered her home. She dutifully called him back, but he did not answer.

It was now ten o' clock, an hour since Jordan dropped her off. The brooding beast should be calling her back anytime soon. But honestly, could he hurry up? She quite wanted to enjoy her night in wonderful relaxation, but the prospect of his awaiting phone call had her more distracted than she cared to be.

She wondered what he would say to her. But more importantly, she wondered of how he now saw her, after being placed in a precarious, dangerous situation with odds against her favor. It's such a shame that even if Sebastian did mate with her, she wouldn't turn into a werewolf. She would remain human, but age more slowly to be in sync with his slow deterioration. Weak. Did he even care about that? She knew his wolf considered strength, but when he was her Cinnamon he was more affectionate than his human form.

The familiar ringtone drew her from her thoughts, and in seconds it was on her ear.

"Why, hello there Sebby." Massie's cheerfulness filled the line, and a content smile was on her face.

A grunt. "I hate your voicemail."

Massie giggled, knowing fully why but asking anyway. "And why is that?'

"Because it sounds like you're answering, but you're really not," He responded darkly, sounding peeved at her sense of humor.

"Don't be such a sour patch now. Well, not unless you're planning on being sweet to me later." After she said this, Massie realized he probably wouldn't get her analogy. He didn't seem like the type to eat candy. As a matter of fact, the Cult didn't have any artificial treats anywhere around their home. Only healthy things like fruits.

"Hn. I'm calling because of what occurred in the kitchen today." Sebastian said, swiftly turning their light conversation to the more serious topic at hand. "I didn't like your reluctance in saying anything, even when I gave you the chance. Had Hailey not told me, I would know nothing." His tone belied his vexation at the way she handled the situation, and she even detected worry.

Massie leaned against the board of her bed, sitting up straighter. They were right, she should have told them what Keisha did, but her plan of dealing with it on her own sounded better because it wouldn't make her look so weak. "I was handling it Sebastian." She replied, her voice holding little remorse for her actions.

Sebastian did not agree. "No, you were not handling anything. This is nothing to make light of, you could have been seriously injured!" He reprimanded harshly. There was a pause, in which he seemed to recollect himself before saying, "What led to Keisha's extreme behavior?"

Massie clucked her tongue. She didn't want to tell him that it had to do with him—the way he so freely invited her into his circle of friends and family. She feared he would put one plus one together and come up with an erroneous solution. Like not letting her go to his home anymore because it would be too 'dangerous' for her now, all because of a vindictive witch. "You're right, I'm sorry for staying quiet. If anything similar happens again I promise to tell you." She conceded, hoping this would end the discussion.

"I asked you what led to it." He insisted, seeming to grow impatient.

"Why do you want to know?" She countered saucily.

She could picture Sebastian's amber eyes glowing with irritation. "It's important for me to know what triggered Keisha. She is aggressive, but she's never done anything like that before. I want to know what led to this exchange."

Massie bristled, feeling accused. "Oh, so now it's my fault she almost chopped my head off. Excuse me for inciting the rabid dog." Massie said curtly.

Sebastian sighed, evidently exasperated. "You misunderstand. I am familiar with you enough to know this wasn't started by you. I just want to understand."

The insolence in her heart slowly evaporated. Massie felt pleased he trusted her character enough to know she wasn't a problem starter. "You are right, she was the one who started the whole issue. I don't feel like talking about it over the phone, maybe next time I see you in person I'll be more open." She promised, hoping to stall him until at least tomorrow.

"Five minutes." His response was short and to the point.

Massie blinked, feeling very much confounded. "...five minutes?"

"Yes. Five minutes. Goodbye."

Before she could further inquire about his inconspicuous choice of words, the line ended. Massie gazed at her phone with a mixture of dread and anticipation.

Could he really mean...?

Deciding she would not come to any conclusions, she laid back down on her bed and tried very hard to not look at the clock.

So, this was the first time Keisha behaved so aggressively? The she-wolf must be very possessive of Sebastian in that case. She wondered why that was. Massie was prone to being competitive herself when it came to guys, but she would never fight another girl for it. It just sounded foolish and petty.

Massie genuinely wondered if Keisha would have followed through with her threat. Would she really have injured her? And if so, would she have done it so severely as though to kill her? She could be dealing with a potential psychopath. Keisha knew she was human, she couldn't handle the hard hits and fights they dealt with one another. She couldn't heal with the same fluidity their supernatural genes granted.

A low, nearby howl cut through her thoughts. Curious, Massie slowly got up and approached her open window. At the sight, her mouth dropped. Was that Cinnamon? After quickly re-doing her bun, she quietly descended the stairs and exited through the kitchen's back door. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw the familiar, large rusty colored wolf trotting to her. He lowered to the ground, and Massie immediately knew he wanted her to hop on. She easily slid over his rough fur and grabbed onto it for balance.

Sebastian didn't lead them far away, only to a secluded place just outside the outskirts of the forest where overhanging trees with their large shadows obscured them from view. When she got off, Sebastian slowly perused around her, his nose bumping between her legs and at her calves, her hips and her stomach. She ran her fingers over him, caressing his head and he leaned into her touch, even licking her hand for extra measure. The moment was short-lived, and in a few seconds he padded a few feet away from her and transformed, a misty haze concealing him until he was in his full human form wearing the same clothes he had when she last saw him.

He neared her and Massie latched her arms around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. His arms remained unmoving. He never returned her affectionate gestures.

"I am here in person. You will tell me Massie."

She ignored his statement. "Will you ever kiss me back Sebby? You should at least hug me, its rude."

He gave her a look. "Don't plan on it." He said curtly. He lowered himself to sit cross-legged on the grass, the shadows hiding his features from her.

Massie sprawled beside him, deciding to lay down and view the stars instead of sit. She folded her arms behind her for comfort. The stars shined brightly and unhindered in this town, she had lived in cities before and while the stars were still visible, they never quite looked like this.

A pair of large, strict hands promptly tugged her risen night shirt and stretched it over her newly exposed tummy. Massie couldn't help but laugh at Sebastian's care for her modesty. She was also happy at this new discovery. Keeping valuable information from him sounded great, especially if it would grant her late-night visits like this. Ever since Sebastian started taking her over his house, he strictly prohibited her from going back to the park in the middle of the night, so she no longer saw him in wolf form. Not unless she spied them outside while they were training.

His golden eyes looked down at her, imploring. Any minute now and Massie knew he would ask her again.

She sighed. "I thought Keisha was being handled for her behavior already. Why do you need to know about girls bantering, I don't think it's your business," she said offhandedly.

Sebastian glared, making her regret her sentence. She should have worded it better. "It is my business. Not only is Keisha a part of my pack, but you are under my care."

Massie paused. "I'm...I'm under your care?" Her eyes were tinged with child-like interest as she looked up at him.

His eyebrows furrowed, as though perplexed by her question. "Of course you are. I saved you the night you were almost killed by that wolf. You are defenseless against werewolves, and I find you always coming near me. You are under my care now." He repeated, as though it were the most obvious thing. His eyes held no guile, and if it were possible her heart melted for him even more.

"Fine. I will tell you. But you have to promise me something first." Massie said decidedly. She would cover her corners first before letting him know.

He accessed her warily, evidently finding her request suspicious. "And what promise is that."

Massie sat up to see him at eye level. "That you won't stop taking me to your house or hanging out with me after I tell you."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Woman, this request is senseless, but I will agree to it."

Massie's shoulders lost their tension, and a self-satisfied smile took its place. "Very well my beloved Sebby." She placed a delighted hand on his arm. "The cause for Keisha's reaction was you. She's angry you're bringing me over so much and wants me to stay away from you guys, especially you. She said some stuff about you only being friends with me because you don't want me to expose your secrets, but I don't believe her. In case you haven't noticed, she likes you and wanted to threaten me away." Massie's voice became hard. "I refuse to be physically threatened into conceding to her whims. I enjoy spending time with you guys...especially with you." She admitted.

Sebastian frowned. He looked very displeased with her disclosure. "I see. I will be having a private conversation with her about this."

"Is Keisha also under your protection?"

Sebastian regarded her silently. For a moment she thought he would not answer, but then he finally said, "You and Keisha have more in common than you think. She was not originally part of our pack. We found her near death years ago when a group of corcorus wolves preyed on her. She was deep in the woods, her and her parents were on their way to us from a faraway pack, seeking to relocate here. They didn't reach out to us before coming here, and thus weren't warned of the parts to avoid. Her parents died trying to protect her."

Massie gasped, she didn't know Keisha had such a gruesome past. It made sense why she was so bitter. Now, she felt bad for the vindictive she-wolf, even if she did try to harm her. That was a horrible way to lose parents.

"You saved her?" Massie asked.

Now it made sense. If Sebastian saved her, Keisha would undoubtedly have a hero-worship heart for him.

"I was part of the group that saved her." He corrected. "I happened to be the one who defeated the wolf near finishing her off, but Noah and the twins were with me at the time and they took care of the other ones. Without them I wouldn't have been as successful. It was years ago, and I was still young in my years. She developed an attachment to me after that. Nonetheless, Keisha is a werewolf and was adopted by our pack. She is subject to my father, and thus is under his and the entire pack's protection, not just mine."

His conclusion was appropriate, but no matter the number of hands that took part in Keisha's deliverance, Sebastian would be the one the she-wolf would give preeminence to. Massie was hard-pressed to believe Keisha would see the others with the same eyes of gratitude she viewed Sebastian. Not to mention, he was handsome and a great person in his own right, especially once he lowered his multi-layered walls of boundaries and let you in. How could the she-wolf not like him?

Unfortunately for Keisha, this knowledge would not stop Massie from pursuing Sebastian herself. She felt bad for the girl, and even understood where she was coming from, but all was fair in love and war. And it still did not justify her harmful intentions towards her.

"I'm sorry to hear that happened to her. Her and I were both attacked by those type of wolves. It's a shame her outcome was much more gruesome than mine..."

Keisha also had a valid reason for being in the woods that day. Massie didn't, she made a foolish choice to explore the forest. Though, perhaps the werewolf's negligence in not giving advanced noticed could be considered foolish as well; Massie didn't really understand werewolf policy when it came to entering foreign territory. Corcorus wolves were much more dangerous than she gave them credit for.

Sebastian was deep in thought, his posture of a man who was deeply troubled.

"What are you thinking of?" She inquired.

His eyes flickered to her, but he remained silent.

"So, what are you going to do now Sebastian. You saved two girls from the claws of death. Both happened to fall for you. Who will you choose, or will you even make a choice from the two of them at all?" Massie smiled good-naturally at the man before her, leaning in close.

In essence, she had just told him in not-quite-hidden terms that she liked him. She didn't want to beat around the bush about it. Sebastian was a smart man, but something told her that unless she was frank with her emotions, he would overlook them or shrug it off as minuscule. He needed to know where he stood in her eyes.

Sebastian poked her forehead with an index finger and pushed her back. "You are very nosy." His voice was smooth and deep. It drew her to him, but she forced herself to stay still.

"I know you said you don't want to mate her. But aside from your wolf's mild attraction, do you like her—Keisha? Do have romantic feelings for her that grow?" Massie knew she was asking a lot of questions, but her curiosity left her unsettled.

"No." His golden eyes bore into hers, and she found her heart beating faster under his intense gaze.

His answer pleased her, but she wanted to know more. She wanted to know if he liked her, even if it was just a bit. However, she hesitated about asking that so directly. "What about me. You have been spending more time with me. Do you only do this because of a sense of duty to protect me, or something else?"

Sebastian became rigid, and the eyes once open to her became blank, they gave her no hint of his train of thought.

"Why do you ask this question?"

Massie rolled her eyes. "Because I want to know." She gave him a 'duh' expression.

A pause. "I will not answer." He looked away from her after that, deciding to fix his attention on the stars she had been viewing. It was clear he meant to convey this conversation was over, but she would be having none of this.

"You ran all the way here in wolf form to get me to answer your question, but you won't answer mine?" She criticized, crossing her arms.

"It's getting late. Let's go to your house." He said, purposely ignoring her outburst. He stood to his full imposing height and hoisted her up to her feet. He began to lead towards her house, a steady hand behind her back to guide her but Massie would not be easily swayed.

"No."

Defiant feet clad in purple fuzzy slippers planted themselves firmly on the ground. If Sebastian continued to move her forward, she would fall.

"Massie." He growled, his tone turning dark with irritation.

Massie smirked. Good. Let her refusal get under his skin. She had to stop herself from giggling, because when he got angry like this she actually found it quite funny. She didn't want to force him into admitting he had feelings for her, but she didn't want to leave this night without at least something.

"Fine, but my obedience will cost you. Either answer my question or kiss me. If you don't do either I will stay out here." His eyes narrowed, but Massie clarified. "I meant on the cheek of course."

Sebastian's glare did not diminish. "I will do neither."

At his response she looked put off, but this was really a cover for the mischievous glee she hid inside. "Alright Sebastian... Poor me, out in this cold, frigid weather...dark outside." Her eyes wandered around them, and she fixed them on the forest. "Wow, look at those shadows. They look rather ominous don't you think? I can almost feel the danger of—"

She was stopped by warm, soft lips that pressed ever so lightly against her cheek. She almost turned to meet her lips with his, but Sebastian was scary in his own right and she did not want to piss him off even further.

"There, a kiss. Now get inside." He hissed, his lips near her ear. Massie shivered at his inflamed temper and quickly obeyed. She allowed his hand to engulf hers and lead her home.

She sighed dreamily and admired his toned physique from behind. He looked so cute all perturbed and annoyed. It was always so fun to push his buttons. What could she get away with next?

[o-o-o]

The following day after school, Sebastian showed up at her locker as usual. When Massie kissed him on the cheek, he kissed her back without her asking him to. This time, she noticed the kiss was not as feather-light against her cheek.

She purposely made sure to not bring attention to it, though she was smiling secretly when he looked away. She now knew the kind of man she was dealing with: a man in denial. Nevertheless, she would not proudly bring this to his attention, she would allow him time to figure it out. So as they drove silently to the Dark Falls Diner, Massie decided she would try to be patient. Try.

A/N: LOL clearly I was feeling fluffy. But things won't be simple for Massie, she really thinks she has everything under control xD but I have some things that will make this a fun ride...

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