Page 59 of Sweetheart

This was all interesting, but Levi still wanted to face Mason’s father. Levi turned to Jason. “Why did you and your brother walk away? I haven’t had the chance to talk to him yet.”

Jason sighed. “Other than the lifetime of torture and abuse we suffered?”

That would have been enough for him. Levi nodded.

“It was Mason,” Jason said. “He’d been tracking a pack of shifters. Mas, he didn’t… He’s not violent.”

“I know. And he told me that,” Levi responded.

“His job was to track down and verify that the people were really monsters.” Jason winced. “Sorry, that was what we were raised to believe.”

“It’s fine.” Axel waved his hand. “What happened?”

“Mason did his job,” Jason said.

“What do you mean?” Tristan asked.

Jason smiled at his new mate. “Well, hot stuff, Mason tracked down the pack just as he’d been trained to do. Except he didn’t call in for an extermination like he was supposed to. Instead, he watched.”

“Watched?” Tristan asked. The ridiculous demon was preening for his mate.

“He watched,” Jason repeated. “He saw men and women, children, so-called monsters being…well, being people. They didn’t hurt anyone. They didn’t spend their nights hunting humans down and eating them. They just lived their lives.”

“As most of us do,” Gavin said.

“Exactly,” Jason replied. “Mason saw that the so-called monsters weren’t evil at all.”

“Wow.” Levi was impressed. His mate had managed to stop a generational hunter group by just watching a pack? By using his mind and listening to his heart? Mason amazed Levi.

“What happened next?” Axel questioned.

“When Mason didn’t show back up or call, I got worried. I was headed out to find him when our cousin Cassie realized I was going after him. She insisted on coming along.”

“And?” Levi pressed.

“We found him right where I knew he would be. He explained what he saw. Cassie wasn’t as involved in the group as we were.” Jason snorted. “Being a woman and all. My father has very strong opinions of women, well, of women having opinions. There were only three females in the group and they were there to cook and clean.”

Tristan sneered at Jason’s father where he was still tied up. “What a bastard. I know females that would wipe the floor with your ass.” He kicked Jason’s father’s foot.

Jason laughed. “My father isn’t anything but a bully and an asshole. He beat me and Mas because he’s weak. Always has been. It just took getting away from his daily torture teachings to realize that.”

Jason's father mumbled behind his gag.

“Shut it.” Tristan kicked him harder.

“Anyway, Cassie went into the town. Acting like a tourist. She was welcomed and helped. They were very nice to her.”

“Something else happened,” Gavin said.

“Cassie found her mate,” Jason said with a smile.

“Mate?” Levi questioned.

“We didn’t believe it either,” Jason said. “We figured the pack knew who we were and playing games. Cassie refused to listen to us. She felt just as strong a connection to her mate as he felt for her.”

“That’s—” Levi shook his head. Unbelievable. Seb would probably know more about this pack. Maybe Levi could help Mason connect with his cousin again.

“Crazy,” Jason said. “I know. We helped Cassie run from the family and she joined her mate. We secretly kept in touch. I also started to pay attention to what my family said and did, especially my father. They didn’t even have a good reason for who they attacked. I don’t think they went after rumors. It wasthe younger generation’s job to find evidence, but I can’t say that it didn’t happen.”

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