Page 8 of Love, Clumsily (Fur Real Love #2)
“Explain to me again why I need to bring three changes of clothes?” I asked, stuffing another pair of jeans into my overnight bag.
Mason, lounging on my bed watching me pack, rolled his eyes fondly. “Because full moons are unpredictable. Things get messy. And you humans are so delicate about being comfortable and clothed.”
It had been almost a month since our first time together—since I’d discovered Mason’s furry little secret—and tonight would be my first full moon with him. To say I was nervous would be an understatement, but I was also excited in a way that probably said concerning things about my mental health.
“We fragile humans do enjoy not being naked in the woods, yes,” I agreed, adding socks to my bag. “Unlike certain werewolves who seem perfectly comfortable shifting in public parks.”
Mason winced. “That was one time, and I didn’t know Mrs. Henderson walked her poodle that late.”
“The poor woman probably still thinks she hallucinated a bear eating a squirrel.”
“It wasn’t a bear, it was a wolf,” he corrected indignantly. “And I wasn’t eating it, I was just… playing with it.”
“To death,” I pointed out.
He looked sheepish. “Instincts.”
I zipped up my bag and turned to face him fully. “Speaking of instincts, are you sure it’s a good idea for me to be there tonight? I know you said your wolf recognizes me, but…”
Mason sat up, reaching for my hand and pulling me between his spread knees. Even sitting, he was so tall that his face was nearly level with mine.
“My wolf knows you better than anyone,” he said, his thumbs drawing circles on my wrists. “You’re my mate. There’s no safer place for you than with me, even on a full moon.”
Mate. The word still sent a thrill through me, even after hearing it multiple times in the past month.
According to Mason, it was more than just a term of endearment—it was a profound, almost mystical bond that formed rarely between werewolves and their chosen partners.
The fact that I was human made it even more unusual.
“Besides,” he continued, “the rest of the pack will be there. They wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”
That was another source of my nervousness.
Tonight would also be my first time meeting Mason’s pack as a group.
I’d met his sister Riley already—she’d shown up at my cabin unannounced one morning, supposedly to “welcome me to town” but clearly to inspect her brother’s new human boyfriend.
She’d been friendly but intense, circling me like I was an interesting specimen while asking surprisingly personal questions.
“And you’re sure they’re okay with me being there? A human at werewolf moon ritual seems like a breach of supernatural protocol or something.”
Mason laughed, pulling me closer. “It’s not a ritual. It’s more like… a family barbecue where everyone gets naked and furry at the end.”
“That’s not as reassuring as you think it is,” I informed him.
He stood, wrapping his arms around me. The difference in our heights meant my face pressed against his chest, where I could hear the steady, slightly-faster-than-human beat of his heart.
“They’re going to love you,” he said into my hair. “Almost as much as I do.”
My breath caught. We hadn’t said those words yet, though they’d been hovering on the edges of our interactions for weeks.
I pulled back enough to look up at him. “You love me?”
The vulnerability in his amber eyes made my heart ache. “Of course I do. How could I not?”
I reached up, threading my fingers through his perpetually messy hair. “I love you too, you know. Even the furry parts.”
“Especially the furry parts,” he corrected with a wicked grin, pressing his hips against mine suggestively.
I laughed, pushing him away halfheartedly. “We don’t have time for that. You said we need to get to the pack house before sunset.”
He growled playfully, nipping at my neck. “We have time for a quickie.”
“Your definition of ‘quickie’ and mine are very different,” I reminded him. Our shortest encounter to date had still lasted nearly an hour, thanks to werewolf stamina and refractory periods that defied human biology.
“Fine,” he sighed dramatically, releasing me. “But you owe me when the moon goes down.”
“Deal,” I agreed, picking up my bag. “Now let’s go meet your wolf family before I lose my nerve.”