Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Jeremy
“Hi, I’d like to order two grilled chickens,” my mate said, then eyed me. “Make that four grilled chickens, and one order of fries.”
I laid on the worn-out flooring, hating that my lovely mate had to live like this.
“Yes, that’s the address and my name is Cassian Balone. Great, thank you.”
Cassian.
Finally, I’d gotten his damn name!
Cassian had called the local grill and bar, and since I knew the owners, I would make myself scarce when they arrived with the food. It was bad enough my own father had seen me getting adopted by this human, no need for more of my pack mates to see it, too.
“I have no idea how much you can eat,” Cassian said, smiling kindly at me.
“But you deserve a real treat after the day you’ve had.
” His eyes filled with guilt, so I moved from my spot and bumped my head into his stomach affectionately.
Then I licked his hand because it seemed I had no control around him.
He laughed and started scratching me behind my ears.
I could get used to this…
The petting didn’t last long enough, but I could deal.
My leg had already healed, but I needed to keep limping so Cassian wouldn’t get suspicious.
I still had no clue on how to tell him about me being a shifter, and considering the horrible day he’d had, I figured it could wait until tomorrow.
He needed someone here with him, that was obvious.
I was determined to be everything he needed.
The creepy bathroom was enough to make the hairs on my skin rise.
Freaking horror babies. If he needed me there to protect him while he was naked in the shower, then who was I to complain?
He found some plates and washed them before setting both on the coffee table in the living room.
There was a TV, one of those old ones that likely only had cable.
It seemed to work so that was something.
I had kind of expected to eat from the floor.
Instead, he kept my plate next to his, a perfect height for me to eat while sitting on the floor.
“I think I should order a collar for you,” he said, sitting down and flipping through the channels. “I don’t want anyone to think you aren’t mine.” That statement had me feeling all fluttery inside. He might not have meant the words like I’d taken them, but he still wanted me to be his.
“I should probably find someone to repair the roof…” he mused, then took out his phone and started tapping on it.
“Why are there never prices on these things?” After muttering some more, he seemed to deflate.
“Maybe I should just move back… I feel like I’m failing at this already.
Should I have expected a house in this horrible condition?
What do others do when they inherit something?
” He sighed. “Sorry for being such a downer. Here you are, hurt because of me, and all I do is whine that I need to spend way more money on a house that I got for free.”
We were interrupted by the doorbell, and knowing Cassian would be safe with them, I dashed into the kitchen and hid until they’d left.
The door closed and Cassian called, “Red?” His tone confused and a tad worried.
Limping back into the living room, I sat and waited by my plate for the food. The delicious scent of seasoned chicken filled my nostrils and I found myself drooling. I hadn’t eaten since this morning with Dad.
That thought had me mentally sighing. I was the worst Alpha.
I’d left them only a day after being chosen as their leader, and for what?
Because the man I loved and had hoped would be my mate was with my brother?
Was that a good enough reason to leave them behind?
I didn't plan on staying away. I would return after my heart had stopped hurting so much. Now that I had Cassian, it would be easier to face them. My heart was still hurting, but at least I knew why Darius and I wouldn’t work.
“Here,” Cassian said, adding a whole chicken to my plate. I licked around my mouth and then swallowed it in three mouthfuls.
“Um,” he blinked. “I guess you were hungry.” He carefully added another chicken to my plate, which I ate a tad slower so as not to scare him further. He hadn’t seemed afraid of me, yet, but seeing me crunch bones with ease could easily change that.
Dad had seen me, so he knew Cassian had taken me with him, and knowing Dad, he’d followed the car in his wolf form to know where I was.
Maybe I could sneak back to the pack tomorrow and then return to Cassian’s side before he’d noticed my absence.
It felt wrong just leaving him when he needed me, but I had the pack to think of, too.
Maybe Dad should’ve picked Milo after all…
“Wow,” Cassian exclaimed, then moaned around another bite. “This is seriously good! No wonder you wolfed it down so fast!” He snickered a little to himself over his pun.
I felt like blushing, but luckily, I couldn’t while in wolf form. Instead, I ducked my head and felt silly for acting like such an animal, but I sort of had to, at least until I was ready to tell him the truth about me.
We watched some kind of action movie and even though I couldn’t seem to focus on it, too busy looking at Cassian, I still found it entertaining. This would forever be the first movie we saw together.
He yawned and stretched his arms, showing off a bit of belly. I suddenly felt a hunger take over and unashamedly checked him out.
“Time for bed,” he declared, turning off the TV and grabbing the plates.
I followed like the lost puppy I was, making sure no one had approached the house, sniffing at every surface I could find.
The carpet was fucking disgusting. The fact I could smell just how much dirt and literal crap had been dumped on it didn’t help one bit.
Cassian didn’t deserve to inhale all of that, maybe if I ripped it out…
But he’d muttered about renovating, so I could only hope the carpet would be one of the first things to go, along with that horrific bathroom.
It wasn’t as if he would stay here. I had a perfect house waiting for him on the edge of town, where most of us lived.
I’d had my own house for five years, slowly making it exactly how I wanted it.
Cassian would love it there. I had no chubby babies on the tiles for one, and the only carpets I had felt cozy on your bare feet.
Plus, the floor heating, which was amazing for nighttime peeing trips.
Cassian would make my house a home, I had no doubt about that.
I followed him into the bathroom, and found all the eyes watching us, judging me, no doubt. I sat next to Cassian while he brushed his teeth and washed his face. His towels were soft looking and helped hide a few of the chubby figures on the tiles.
“I doubt you’ll fit on the bed,” he said, smiling down at me.
“But we’ll make it work. The heating will take a while to warm through the whole house.
I’d love your body heat so I don’t end up sick.
I really can’t afford to be bedridden right now, not with everything that needs doing before winter hits. ”
Even with his worry for lack of warmth, he still chose to sleep in his underwear, a pair of deliciously tightfitting black ones. The waistband was white and somehow made them even sexier on him. I couldn’t believe I would be cuddled up to all of that skin for the entire night.
As soon as he was under the covers, I jumped up on the bed, being careful that it could hold my weight. He patted the side next to him, smiling at me as I approached. I lay down next to him, my head resting on his hips, protecting him with my body without the risk of crushing him.
He let out a sigh filled with contentment, which made me happy. If my presence could ease just some of his worries and fears, then I was doing a fine job. He seemed so out of his element here, and I selfishly loved being the one helping him.
He fell asleep before I did, my instincts not ready to let go until I knew he was dreaming happily under me. Eventually, with his calm breaths and addictive scent, I too, fell asleep, content and ready for whatever tomorrow would bring.