Chapter Nine
Jeremy
Cass fell asleep almost instantly, and even though I was exhausted myself, I couldn’t quite bring myself to sleep just yet.
My sweet and wonderful Cass had called my dad a jerk.
What I’d hoped would be a more joyous meeting, had turned into a rather amusing one.
No one had ever called my dad a jerk to his face.
No one had dared, simple as that. But my Cass…
It had been a real struggle not to laugh when it happened.
But I also got Cass’s reaction. He was feeling protective toward me.
He didn’t know why yet, but he felt it. It made my chest all warm inside.
The Brown Pack weren't dangerous, per se. We didn’t really know them, but my mind had gone to so many horrible scenarios when we tracked Cass’s scent. A movie night was so far from what I’d imagined that I’d briefly thought I had to have been dreaming the whole thing.
Cass had seen me in my human form for the first time. I did see appreciation in his gaze, but he still didn’t know me well enough to leave with me. I’d been so wound up and desperate that shifting right then and there had seemed like the best option.
His tears, though! I hadn’t thought much about how my leaving had affected Cass, just that I hoped he would be fine until I returned at night. Seeing him so relieved that Red was okay… had hurt deeper than when I saw Darius kiss Milo.
How the Brown Pack knew that Cass was mine was a mystery, though.
They had come into our town and dragged him back to theirs, knowing I would follow.
Why were they watching a movie with him?
Why had Cass wanted to stay? So many questions I would’ve loved to get answers to, but Cass had said no.
I had to respect his feelings on this and hopefully it wasn’t just a denial thing.
It would break my heart if he wanted to just sweep me being a shifter under the rug and not address it.
I was born this way and couldn’t change who I was.
I also couldn’t stay human all the time; I needed to shift.
It was like needing to eat and pee; it was about my survival, pure and simple.
The fact that the Brown Pack hadn’t hurt him meant that I could remain calm and not break shit, like their house or their faces.
I was a little disappointed I didn’t get to let my anger and worry out on them.
I also didn’t want Cass to see me like the wild animal I was sometimes.
It was rare that we had to defend ourselves, but my need to bring justice to my mate had been all consuming.
I knew if just the slightest bruise could be seen on Cass, I’d end up avenging him, whether he saw it or not.
With one last glance at my mate, I closed my eyes and let sleep take over. We had a long day ahead of us tomorrow. I’d already told my pack mates I would stay with Cass. It would be fun returning the day after tomorrow and find out how many disapproved of my human mate.
Shaking that thought away, I buried my face deeper into Cass’s stomach, and fell into a deep sleep.
The scent of honey and lavender filled my head, like a hug on my senses. I opened my eyes and found Cass’s eyes already on me.
“You stayed,” he whispered, like he couldn’t quite trust his eyes. Maybe it was the fact he’d now need to come to terms with me being a shifter.
Still laying comfortably on top of him, I shifted back.
“Good morning,” I grinned, hoping my charm would ease his nerves.
“Not yet,” he protested. “I need Red for my morning shower.”
“Morning…shower?” Was he going to wash me in my wolf form? Not that I’d mind, it just came out of nowhere.
“Yes. The cupids terrify me, which you very well know, and Red is my protector. I need him back.”
“You do realize that I’m Red right?” It was better to be safe than sorry in this instance. I wouldn’t want him to think he’d gone mad.
He let out a sigh, like I was asking dumb questions.
“Yes, I am very much aware that you’re Red, but I need you to be wolf Red for my shower.”
“Why?” I smirked, having a good idea on where his thoughts were at.
“Because it’s weird!”
“Oh, so it’s not because you wouldn’t be able to keep your hands off me?” I teased, hoping he wouldn’t get offended or mad.
“You must truly think highly of yourself if you think I’d be able to get my dick up with those cherubs staring from all angles,” he muttered.
“Um,” I replied lamely, then shifted, thinking the quicker the shower, the faster we could have an actual conversation.
“Perfect,” he grinned, then with what seemed to be a skip in his step, he pulled out some clothes from his closet and waved for me to follow.
At least I would still be in the bathroom with him, just not in the actual shower like I’d wanted. I dutifully followed him and sat on the floor in front of the shower. I debated on being a gentleman and not looking, but it seemed the gentleman in me disappeared along with Cass’s boxers.
A tiny quick glance of his delicious butt was all I got before he pulled the shower curtain, removing the perfect view and leaving me with the naked babies on the tiles instead.
“I’m guessing you can’t talk while you’re Red?”
I made a huffing sound, hoping that would transfer as a yes.
“Good to know. Don’t know why, but imagining a wolf talking seems way too creepy.”
I shook my head, loving how honest and open he was with me.
Was that why the Brown Pack had treated him so well?
Or was it a way for them to gather information?
I hated the fact they’d been able to abduct my Cass from right under my nose.
He seemed like himself, though, so that helped with my guilt.
When the shower turned off, I eagerly awaited another show.
However brief, I would take any second I was offered of his naked skin.
Instead, he just grabbed the towel and dried off in the shower.
A tiny growl of disappointment escaped me.
I felt like a starving man in his company, and here I was, forced to remain a wolf.
“You hungry?” he asked, oblivious to my hunger for him.
Huffing, because I still didn’t know when I was allowed to shift, I sat and waited for him to dress.
With the towel around his waist, he stepped out of the shower and pulled his boxers on, still with the damn towel wrapped around his waist.
“I hope you know how to paint,” he said, finally removing the towel now that his boxers were on. “I need to add the primer to the tiles today, because the sooner these cupids are gone, the better.”
Feeling tired of being talked to without a way of responding, I shifted, placing my hands on my hips. I wasn’t a prude, far from it, so I was comfortable standing there in nothing while Cass gawked at me.
“I do know how to paint,” I replied, giving him my best smile. “After breakfast we can start. The tiles need to be dry so we better air the bathroom out while we eat.”
Cass just blinked at me.
“Alright then. I’ll start breakfast,” I declared, walking down the stairs to his kitchen. It was too cold to be naked, I realized, but there was no way I would admit to being cold. If my dick decided to retreat into my body, I would concede, but not before that.
He’d gone grocery shopping, so I had lots of ingredients to choose from. Eggs and bacon were a solid yes, but I needed more to fuel my stomach after yesterday, so I decided to toast some bread as well.
Cass had a simple coffee maker, which I appreciated, since I never seemed to be able to get the fancy ones to work.
With the coffee brewing and the bacon sizzling, I began searching for plates and cutlery.
It wasn’t romantic, far from it, but it still felt monumental somehow, since this one meal was the very first I ever cooked for Cass, yet another first for us.
He came into the kitchen, eyeing me warily. “Aren’t you cold?”
I shrugged. “Don’t have any clothes with me.” The clothes I’d worn yesterday were shredded to pieces when I’d shifted, which happened so often I tended to buy second hand just to save money in the long run.
“Oh, hang on.” He left the kitchen and hurried upstairs. If he had clothes I could borrow, I would swoon. Having his scent on me? I was mentally waggling my tail.
“Here,” he said, handing me a pair of boxers, a T-shirt, and a pair of black joggers. “Your feet look too big for my socks, though, I hope that’s okay.”
Feeling oddly emotional, I took the offered clothes. “Thank you.”
He tilted his head. “Why are you thanking me? You’re the one I hit with my car, then kidnapped so I wouldn’t be alone.”
Ah, so that was how he saw our first meeting ?
“I’m weirdly glad you hit me. I had a rough day and meeting you made it better,” I admitted, putting on the clothes that smelled like home.
“You are? That has to be the biggest compliment I’ve ever gotten,” he said, blushing a little.
“I meant it.”
While we let the silence hang over us, I tended to the bacon, then removed it from the pan and added the eggs. It wasn’t healthy cooking in bacon grease, but dammit if it didn’t taste amazing.
“So,” Cass whispered. “This truly is real, isn’t it?”
Sighing, I removed the eggs from the pan and added some to two plates. “It is,” I said, as I continued to arrange the breakfast. It felt easier with my back turned to him. If his eyes showed horror or anything close to that, I wouldn’t be able to survive it.
“Are there others?” he began. “Like you, I mean?”
I nodded, still not able to meet his gaze.
“How many?”
I shrugged. “Don’t know exactly. Wolf shifters like me and my pack are the most common ones. Next, I guess bears, but they don’t have packs like we do and tend to live secluded instead.”
“There are bear shifters?” he gasped. “That’s so cool!”
That had me turning around. “And wolves aren’t?”
He just rolled his eyes at me. “Imagine getting to snuggle up with a huge bear! That’s like…. A dream come true.”
Shaking my head, I took the plates and placed them on the coffee table, hoping we could eat at the same spot as last time.
“Shit,” he said, hurrying after me. “Was that, like, insensitive or something? I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Damn him and his adorableness.
I looked at him and finally voiced my biggest worry. “I just can’t believe you aren’t freaking out over this?”