Chapter Twelve
Cassian
It wasn’t only in his shifted form Jeremy seemed to swallow his food whole. I sat there staring as he continued to eat his third plate of delicious food, while I was still only halfway through my first.
“What about hobbies?” I asked, hoping that would slow him down enough that I could catch up a bit.
“Hobbies?” His head tilted to the side, and I saw Red in him.
“Yeah,” I chuckled. “Do you have any hobbies you like to do?”
“Oh!” he seemed to think it over. “I like to sniff out birds and see if I get the correct species just from the scent of them alone. Does that count as a hobby?”
“Um, I guess so?”
There were so many differences between us.
Even though we were just friends, I still had to think of this as maybe someday becoming more, because I wanted that.
So, learning of our differences and similarities was an important thing.
It wasn’t just one man who could shift into a wolf and a boring human.
We were both so much more, and I had to accept all the differences.
I could be his friend, sure, but I wouldn’t know what it felt like to shift.
That would always be something we couldn’t share.
Maybe shifters tended to stick to shifters because of that, but Jeremy seemed open in his interest in me.
“Do others in your pack date humans? I asked, forgetting all about the hobby talk for now.
He choked on his food, slamming his chest and then drinking down a few gulps of his water.
“Sorry, what?” he rasped.
“I was just wondering if it was normal for shifters to date humans or not. Maybe you prefer to date others that know of your world, someone you can share that with? I will never be able to shift, or know what it feels like.”
“We, um,” he began, searching for words. “We tend to stick to shifters ourselves, mostly. Some packs are old school and don’t allow humans to join.”
My eyes widened at that, then fear took over. “What about your pack?” He was Alpha, he decided these things, right?
“I will accept humans in my pack if they become a mate to one of my packmates, but others in my pack might not agree with that.”
“What will happen if they don’t?” My voice was small, and hell, I felt small.
“Then they can leave,” he shrugged, like it was that easy. “Or fight me for the Alpha title. I can befriend whoever I want to.”
“You’re willing to risk all of that? For me? A human who ran you over and can’t seem to do anything right? It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Jeremy seemed so determined for us to be friends, but I still couldn’t understand his reasons.
I found his company was like a big comforting hug, but I doubted he felt the same way about me.
It might be because he was a shifter, and they were basically teddy bears who could move.
But I was just a human. Nothing I had going on seemed special enough for Jeremy to fight someone just to be my friend.
His smile was a tad sad. “I seem to gravitate toward you, Cass. Your mere presence is a balm to my very core. It doesn’t matter how we met, or when. My wolf and I like you. Simple as that.”
“Huh.” Could it truly be that simple? Then again, here I was, totally cool with him being a wolf. Maybe it was a compatibility thing. Perhaps certain humans just took to shifters more easily?
Jeremy seemed to notice my confusion, as he gently grabbed my hand in his on the table. “Cass-”
“Jeremy!” A guy said, standing next to our table. I jumped in my seat, having been so into the conversation I’d failed to notice his approach.
Jeremy groaned. “Darius, why?”
The guy, Darius, just beamed back at Jeremy. “Are you two on a date, perhaps? Wouldn’t want to impose or anything.”
Jeremy seemed to shoot daggers out of his eyes, and I shared his desire in making the man disappear.
“We are,” Jeremy lied with a growl. “You and I can talk later.”
“No can do,” Darius stated with a smile, then sat down next to me, making me scoot further against the window. The bench could easily fit two people, but Darius was big like Jeremy and I suddenly felt like a small child next to him.
While Jeremy glared and Darius grinned back, I felt out of place.
Jeremy had told this guy that we were on a date— I would ignore the butterflies in my stomach for now—so technically, Darius was the unwanted one.
Although he knew Jeremy; likely for years.
He could even be in his pack. I was the odd one out.
The new guy in town. Watching them eye one another, I felt forgotten…
unwanted. I couldn’t even get out and leave them to whatever they were doing, being locked in against the window and all.
Mentally sighing, I turned my head and decided to watch the people passing by instead. As soon as they were done talking, I would drive home. Others needed Jeremy and I had no right to claim all of his time and attention, even if I really wanted to.
“I’m telling you,” Darius' voice had a note of anger to it, making me focus back on whatever they were talking about. “Marcus is truly losing his shit over it.”
Jeremy snarled when he responded. “Because he’s human?”
“Yes,” Darius stated, clearly as angry about it as Jeremy was.
It sounded like I was already causing Jeremy issues, merely just spending time with him.
How I wished I could be a shifter right now.
Seriously, I would gladly be a bird shifter or a mouse just to escape this situation.
I detested being an inconvenience, and knowing it was something that could hurt Jeremy only made it worse.
They continued to talk about people I didn’t know and I felt increasingly more like the third wheel. I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Um, sorry,” I said, interrupting them. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
“Oh,” Jeremy blinked, and Darius moved out, sitting instead right next to Jeremy.
They were so close together that I couldn’t help but notice it and the way Jeremy reacted.
He swallowed, his eyes widening. Jeremy liked Darius.
There was hurt in his gaze and seeing as they paid me no attention, I slid out and watched them continue their conversation, as I walked right out the front door.
Was it a petty thing to do? Probably. But I had spent far too many years accepting mere scraps of attention.
I wouldn’t force others to be around me anymore, even though it had seemed Jeremy liked my company.
It had truly felt mutual in that regard, but it changed when Darius came in.
He was one of Jeremy’s friends, and I wasn’t a part of that.
It had also broken a piece inside of me to be pushed out of the conversation.
Not once did they elaborate or explain anything to me.
I was as good as forgotten. No one of importance.
Then there was the look in Jeremy’s eyes.
Damn, that had hurt the most. Were they exes?
You couldn’t deny the longing and hurt pouring off Jeremy. I left for self-preservation purposes.
If I wanted the future I’d looked forward to ever since I got the house, then my heart would need to remain intact.
I couldn’t get involved with whatever was between Jeremy and Darius.
Considering I was only friends with Jeremy, it would be easy to put some space between us while he worked things out with Darius.
We were friends, so I shouldn’t be this jealous. But I was.
I unlocked my car and slid in, glad that I could escape without Jeremy noticing. Fuck, why hadn’t he even noticed?
Sighing, I turned the key, then drove, putting as much space between me and Jeremy as possible.
I parked my car in the parking lot of a pet store.
Driving straight home after leaving Jeremy had seemed like a stupid idea.
He would find me too easily after that, or I would be even more hurt when he didn’t show up at my house at all.
To save myself the added hurt, I’d decided to force my company on a cat instead, one that would be forced to love me.
That sounded much more reasonable than forcing Jeremy to stay friends with me.
I wasn’t worth the trouble with his pack.
I simply wasn’t born to be a part of his world, and I needed to come to terms with that.
So, a cat it was. I needed to buy the basics before I found the nearest animal shelter. I ideally wanted the three cats, but feared they would shower each other with love and leave me without, so just one first and then maybe two more later on.
The pet store held so many amazing things, and I might have gone a tad overboard with the way my car was quickly filling up.
But seriously, who could pick just one collar?
I’d chosen three different ones, letting Daisy, my first cat, pick which she preferred.
I’d also gotten a name tag made, so she could show off her pretty name.
The cat tree was the biggest box. I preferred my furniture to be claw free, so it was a good investment. It also reminded me that I needed a new couch and TV, but Daisy was simply more important right now.
Sitting in my stuffed car, I found the nearest animal shelter and saw they were open for the next two hours. It left me plenty of time to play around with the cats until I found my Daisy.
There were a few cars parked out front, so I had to park a little farther away from the entrance. I wasn’t bothered, though. I’d already bought a cat carrier so I grabbed that and brought it with me.
The man who worked in front greeted me with a warm smile as I entered. “Greg?” I gasped, delighted to see him.
“Cass!” he beamed, standing up and hurrying over to grab me in a bear hug. “I feared I wouldn’t see you again!”
“Nah,” I waved it off, standing back and feeling delighted we’d bumped into each other.
I’d maybe lost Jeremy, for now at least, so having a friend in Greg meant a lot.
“I forgot to get your numbers before I left.” I unlocked my phone and handed it over.
He eagerly tapped away and shot himself a text before giving it back.
“So…You aren’t mad at us?” He was biting his lip, looking nervous.
“No? Why would I be?”
We’d had fun, right? Or was that only me?
“Because we basically kidnapped you,” he whispered, eyeing the elderly couple looking at some collars to the left.
I scoffed at that. “There were way too many muffins and fun to be considered a kidnapping, besides, I feel like we became friends. I think back on it fondly.” I knew I spoke of it as if it had happened years ago, but it actually felt like that.
“Rowan and I feel the same about you. You’re our friend now. We hate that we didn’t get the chance to say goodbye properly before you left,” he sighed, then looked at me with miserable eyes. “I truly thought you hated us after Jeremy took you home.”
Shaking my head, I hugged him again. “I could never hate you,” I vowed. Greg and Rowan both had these amazing vibes around them, and I felt comfortable in their company. That was simply enough for me.
“Thank you,” he whispered, hugging me tighter.
“Silas likes you too, by the way,” Greg added, stepping back from our lovely hug. “He just had a lot to deal with so he couldn’t stay.”
“I know,” I grinned, then realization dawned on me. “Oh my God…Are you…?” I eyed him up and down, then whispered, “Wolves, too?”
Greg grinned victoriously at that. “Took you long enough to piece that together.”
I smacked his arm. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”
He held his arm like it had truly hurt. “Hey! You didn’t seem to know about us, and it wasn’t our place!”
Scoffing, I turned my back on him and walked in the cats’ direction. He scurried after me, sighing as he closed in. “Please don’t be mad. You promised you wouldn’t!”
Smiling, I turned around. “Fine,” I relented, not really mad at all, but loving how desperate he was for us to stay friends. I was a tad petty after the whole Jeremy and Darius thing. Sue me, I was only human.
He was back to beaming. “Then allow me to help you pick which animal to adopt. I’m assuming that’s the reason you’re here?”
“It is.” I walked closer to the cages and eyed them with all the hope and affection I had left for the day.
To think one of them would be mine.
“And you’re sure you want a cat?” he asked warily.
I turned, confused. “Why wouldn’t I want a cat? They’re cuddly and cute.”
“Um,” he looked around the room. “Not all cats like dogs…”
Ah. He was thinking of Jeremy? I knew Red wouldn’t like the cats, but now that I knew he was part man, I hadn’t considered that. But damn it, I wanted a cat! Jeremy couldn’t take this away from me.
“I’ll pick one who likes dogs then,” I decided. It would narrow it down a fair bit, but I would have trouble picking one anyway. It might prove helpful in the end.
“This way,” he said, guiding me further back. “Percy here is a Maine Coon. She’s big but still young. She’s only two years old but cool with dogs.”
The absolute beauty of a cat in front of us had to be my Daisy. She was a mix of white, grey, and silver. Her eyes were green and so lovely as she judged me from her cage.
“Hi beautiful,” I whispered, getting lost in her eyes for a bit before I remembered most animals didn’t like too much eye contact.
Turning my gaze back on Greg, I asked, “You’re sure she’s okay with dogs?”
“Positive,” he assured me. “She was my aunt’s before and grew up with lots of dogs.”
“Why is she here then?”
“My aunt isn’t as young as she once was, and this lady here,” he pointed at my Daisy. “She prefers to stay inside, meaning lots of hair that needs to be removed. My aunt couldn’t keep up with it in the end.”
“How long has she been here, then?”
“Only today,” he shrugged. “Perfect timing it seems.”
That did it.
“I want her.”