Chapter Thirteen
Jeremy
“Then what do you propose we do?” Darius asked, tilting his head.
We were sitting far too close, but I didn’t dare mention it. A part of me craved this closeness; needed it. Then I thought of Cass, and that made me feel like I’d done something wrong, even if we were only sitting next to each other.
“I think,” I said, getting back on track, ”that we should sweet talk Cass to the pack, eliminating Marcus hateful words. Then after I tell Cass about him being my fated mate, I will introduce him to the pack. As soon as they meet him, they’ll fall in love. I know it.”
It seemed everyone who met Cass adored him on sight. Greg and Rowan were proof enough of that claim.
“How long until you tell him?” he asked, looking pointedly in the direction of the bathrooms where Cass was.
Shrugging, I took a sip of water. “Maybe a month, at the latest. I don’t want to overwhelm him, you know.”
Darius’ head turned back to me, his expression confused. “He seems to take things well, though?”
“Too well,” I agreed. “I’m waiting for reality to hit him.”
“Ah,” he chuckled. “You fear he’ll run off?”
“Something like that.” Even the thought of losing Cass had my full belly in knots.
“Lads?” Loren said, standing next to our table with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes? Anything wrong?” I asked.
“Um, maybe not. But why are you sitting together like glue? Jeremy, weren’t you supposed to be on a date with your fated? By the way, he slipped out ten minutes ago, looking like a kicked puppy.”
Now, some would say I pushed Darius hard enough that he landed on the floor. Those people would be right.
With Darius out of the way and protesting from the floor, I basically flew outside, sniffing for my Cass. His scent was only lingering. I only had precious minutes before I would lose his trail.
“Wait up!” Darius called, running out behind me. “He’s likely at home,” he added helpfully.
“No,” I said, sniffing the air again. “His scent is leading in the opposite direction.”
“Oh,” Dairus seemed to pick up on the lingering scent, too, even if he wouldn’t be able to pick it up as easily as I’d done. “He’s driving towards Brown Pack’s territory.”
“Fuck!” I cursed, feeling torn on what to do.
My wolf wanted to run towards him, but the man in me knew it wouldn’t be wise to cross their territory without an invitation.
Before, I’d had the excuse that they’d taken Cass.
This wasn’t the same since he’d gone to their territory of his own free will.
“We might still reach him before he crosses over,” Darius suggested.
Shaking my head no, I turned and faced him. “I can smell he’s too far away to stop him.”
Darius looked dejected. “What do you want to do then?”
Looking back in the direction Cass had left in, I felt my mood souring. Loren had said he’d looked like a kicked puppy when he left, and I hadn’t even realized it. Some mate I was.
“I just want to go home,” I whispered, then walked in the opposite direction of where my Cass was. It would take me far too long on foot, but I had all the time in the world. It wasn’t as though Cass would be home anyway.
I began walking back to Cass’ house, hoping he would be okay.
Since I’d taken the spare key for myself, unbeknownst to Cass, it was easy letting myself in. His home lacked the warmth it usually held. Cass was said warmth, and without him the home was merely a house.
Sighing, I stepped further inside and looked around at all the things that still needed doing. The carpets would be removed tomorrow. There was no way I was interfering with that, but maybe the bathroom tiles had dried enough for the second coat.
I stepped back into the horror bathroom and touched a few tiles. They were all dry, so I picked up the wrapped paint brush and roller and carefully unwrapped them. I did the same with the paint, then I started painting.
An hour later, the second base coat was done. I felt oddly proud of my work. Maybe if I did more, I could earn some mate points. I had to be on the lower end right now. Whatever I could manage to do until Cass got home would be an improvement.
With the paint left to dry, I headed into the kitchen.
I was interrupted by the sound of a car approaching.
Relief and happiness took over, but that was soon replaced by disappointment.
It was a van delivering the new washer and dryer.
I was at least glad I was there to sign off on them.
I brought them inside since the delivery man just dropped them off right then and there and promptly left again.
Had my poor Cass been alone he wouldn’t have been able to carry them inside.
Had Cass even booked someone to install them? I doubted it. It was a good thing he had me, then. Taking out my phone, I dialed my uncle.
“Hiya, Jer. What can I do for ya?” His tone was gruff but warm.
Smiling, I greeted back. “Hi, my favorite uncle.”
“Oh, no. What do ya want me to do now?”
Twenty minutes later, my uncle came grumbling inside Cass’ house. We carried the machines and installed them together. The only payment he wanted was a free meal at the diner, which I obviously agreed to easily.
With my uncle gone, I was left alone yet again, wondering just when Cass would be home, and where he was. And with whom.
My phone rang in my pocket, a number I didn’t recognize, but being alpha meant I needed to always answer, so I did.
“Jeremy speaking.”
“Alpha Jeremy,” Silas’s gruff voice held irritation as he greeted me.
“Alpha Silas,” I growled, feeling angry all over again. He’d yet to apologize for taking my Cass.
“I just called to inform you of your mate’s whereabouts.”
My growl intensified. “If you touch as much as one single hair on his head—”
“Relax,” he drawled. “He’s with Greg.”
I relaxed a little hearing that. Cass was fond of Greg.
“I also called to apologize,” he continued.
“‘Bout time,” I snarled. It seemed when one’s mate was taken, resentment lingered.
He scoffed. “Listen, I ain’t got no trouble with you as Alpha, but one in your pack clearly does. He tipped us off that you’d found your fated.”
Damn, Marcus and his old ways! To think he’d stoop so low as to talk to another pack?
“It seems you’re in a rather desperate state then,” I hedged. He’d have to be, to pull something so risky and stupid as taking a mate, especially an Alpha’s mate.
He sighed. “Goodbye, Jeremy.” He hung up, but I’d gotten enough from that phone call to know he was struggling as their Alpha.
Did I care? Not particularly, but it was good knowledge if they started fighting for our territory again.
Silas’ father, their former alpha, had fought my dad for it.
Not physically, but he’d tried lawyering up and bringing papers into it.
Dad had won, obviously, but Silas’ father had been too proud to stay, leaving Silas as Alpha just when shit hit the fan.
Silas had been eighteen and nowhere near ready to lead a pack.
I felt somewhat sorry for him. Not enough to forgive him for taking Cass, even if Cass thought the kidnapping had been a fun time.
My chest ached at the thought of Cass. Not knowing what had made him sad enough to leave was driving me insane. I knew I’d paid less attention to him after Darius showed up. I hadn’t said anything bad, at least I didn’t think so?
Exhaling a deep breath, I walked into his mudroom. Ensuring he had some laundry detergent, I went in search of his dirty clothes. After starting the first load of laundry, I headed to the kitchen, intent on washing the dishes.
I only managed two steps before I heard the sound of yet another car approaching. I wasn’t about to get my hopes up a second time. I squashed the fluttery sensation that threatened to bloom and went to peek outside the living room window, like the creep I apparently was now.
Relief like none other swept over me as I saw Cass’ car park in front of his house. He was talking to himself, almost cooing? He opened the passenger side door and picked up…a pet cage?
“I can’t wait to show you the house!” he gushed, approaching the front door. “This is your new home, Daisy!”
A second later, the key was placed inside the lock, but since the door was already unlocked, Cass fumbled a bit with it.
“Huh,” he said, this time talking to himself.
Not wanting to scare him, I moved back into the kitchen and started washing the dishes. I hoped that would make him like me more.
“Jeremy?” he called out, sounding wary.
“In here,” I called back, keeping my tone casual. In my head, we weren’t fighting, and he definitely wasn’t upset with me either. So, until he showed me as much, we were fine.
I hoped.
The scent of him reached me like a balm to my freaking core. It enveloped me like a hug. But there was another scent, too.
“You bought a cat?!” I was both appalled and terrified. Did he not know how cats usually reacted to us wolf shifters? Shit… was that why he’d gotten the damn thing?
“Yes,” he said, his tone lacking its usual warmth. “Her name is Daisy.”
Because my mind was stuck on the feeling of being replaced, I blurted, “Wasn’t I good enough for cuddling?”
Cass blinked, then sighed. “Look, Jeremy.”
“Oh, no,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “It sounds like you’re breaking up with me.”
My smile died when his sad eyes reached mine. “We were only friends, so I can’t really break up with you, can I? But I am asking for a break.”
I stumbled back. “What?”
“In the diner,” he continued, still holding the cage like Daisy was grounding him somehow. “I realized that me being your friend is hurting you.”
Before I could deny that, he kept going.
“And then there’s Darius.” If possible, his eyes turned sadder at the mention of my best friend.
“I know we were only supposed to be friends. I was okay with that, or at least I thought so. But seeing the way you looked at Darius?” He shook his head, a sad smile forced upon his lips. “I can’t put my heart through that.”
“I’m not interested in Darius,” I hurried to say, needing him to know I wasn’t ever going to be with anyone else.
I couldn’t blurt out that he was my fated now.
It would seem like I was making shit up on the spot.
Plus he might think I only chose him because he was my fated and not because I wanted him.
“The way you looked at him,” he whispered, looking down at his kitchen floor. “I just need a break. That’s all I’m asking.”
“Cass,” I tried, but he shook his head.
“I have to get Daisy used to the place and I would appreciate it if you gave me the privacy to do that. I’m not saying we can’t be friends anymore, but sitting in that diner…
I just realized I’m bringing more trouble your way than I’m worth.
Adding in Darius…” He stepped further back. “I just can’t right now.”
“Please,” I begged, but he’d already turned his back on me.