Chapter Fifteen
Jeremy
It hadn’t felt good at all being asked to leave yesterday, but it wasn’t as if I’d truly left.
I’d walked into the woods and stripped before shifting, then I’d stayed close to his house and slept in my wolf form, needing to be close to him.
When the sun came up and the birds started yapping away, I’d run back to Dad’s place and asked him to alert the pack that I’d bring Cass around later today.
I was done hiding Cass away, but I’d also informed Dad that they weren’t allowed to call him my mate yet.
I could only hope they would remember that last part.
Elias and I had finished stripping away all the disgusting carpet.
We’d found the flooring underneath to be in good condition in every room, except the living room, sadly.
Some water damage was noticeable so it would need to be replaced.
Elias was already on it and would put in a new one as soon as he got the correct flooring delivered.
Our pack land, which was basically just an area on the outskirts of town, had lots of houses scattered around where we lived.
It wasn’t as secluded as other packs preferred to live.
We were still close to town and humans, but we liked that.
We wanted to be a part of this town and not just outsiders living amongst them.
I’d driven us here in Cass’ car and parked in front of my house, wanting Cass to see it first before we walked to the community center.
“Wow! This is your house?” Cass’s eyes were wide and full of awe as we exited the car.
Last time I’d told him to park on the road, not wanting him to see everything before I could do a proper tour.
It was a pride thing for sure, wanting to show off my home to my mate.
His future home with me. Now, Cass could see just how much work I’d put into it.
“Yeah,” I smiled. He didn’t know it yet, but that house would soon be his, too.
“No wonder you know so much about flooring and paint. You renovated it yourself?”
Nodding, I unlocked the front door and let him enter first. “Most of the houses my pack live in were old ones we helped renovate.”
“I thought your pack had always had this territory?” He eyed my paneled walls with clear interest.
“We have, for many generations, but when my dad became Alpha, he moved most of us to this side of the territory, bringing us closer to the town center and the humans here. He wanted us to be a bigger part of the town. We bought old and abandoned houses, then made them all pretty and safe to live in.”
“I love that,” he smiled. “Makes you appreciate it more.”
I swallowed, feeling slightly guilty for not telling him about how soon he would likely move out of his own home. We could keep it as a pack house, or he could sell it. In any case, the renovations wouldn’t be in vain, and that helped ease my guilt a little.
After a brief tour of every room, we headed into the back yard.
“This is huge!” he gushed, looking over at my vegetable garden.
“Wolves need lots of space to run in.” I pointed to the trees in the back. “Those border the forest, making it easier for me to let my wolf free whenever I want to.”
He looked so amazed by that, smiling at me. He opened his mouth to say something, but a howl from the trees had him stopping.
Now, he’d seemed fine with me being a wolf. Not once had he reacted with fear, but as Milo came running in his wolf form from the trees, Cass screamed.
“Fuck!” Cass exclaimed, hurrying inside and slamming my sliding doors shut.
Milo stopped in front of me, head tilted in confusion. Then he shifted, standing naked in the cold.
“Was that Cass?” he asked, walking up the stairs to the back deck.
“It was,” I sighed. “He’s been taking this whole wolf thing so well. Better go check on him.”
Milo didn’t say anything, just followed me inside. Cass was hiding behind the couch, his gaze roaming the living room in slight fear.
“Cass?” I said, hoping I wouldn’t startle him.
Please don’t be afraid of me now…
“Here,” he whispered, like I couldn’t see him.
“Baby.” I kneeled where he was still hiding on the floor. “What’s wrong?”
His eyes were full of tears and regret. “I-I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I guess it all just hit me all of a sudden.”
Nodding in understanding, I sat and held his hand, ignoring the fact Milo had finally sought me out to talk.
“The wolf that approached is my brother, Milo. He wants to meet you.”
“Oh,” he blushed, with either embarrassment or because he was shy, I couldn’t tell.
“Would you be okay with that? He won’t be in his wolf form anymore.” I also hoped he wouldn’t be naked.
“Yeah, that sounds good,” he conceded, forcing a smile on his face.
“Milo?” I called, and he stepped closer. He had thankfully found a pair of my joggers so he wouldn’t meet my fated while naked.
I helped Cass stand, hoping he wouldn’t bolt at the sight of Milo. With my hand secure on his back for support, he awkwardly shook Milo’s hand.
“Nice to meet you,” Milo grinned, showing off his boyish charm.
“You too,” Cass replied timidly.
“You’re the first wolf shifter he’s seen shifted, besides myself,” I explained to Milo, hoping he wouldn’t judge Cass for being afraid.
“Ah,” he nodded in understanding. “Sorry for running so fast then. I heard you were coming today and wanted to meet you before the others got the chance.”
“Dad told you?” I asked, hoping Dad hadn’t made him come, but that Milo wanted to meet Cass. Maybe Milo felt guilty over things with Darius and wanted to show his support of Cass because of it? It was hard to know when it came to my brother.
“He told me you were bringing him to meet the pack, like he told everyone else this morning,” he informed me.
“Oh, I should probably tell everyone that we aren’t just friends, but dating now.
” I hoped Milo would help spread the word to the others.
I’d specifically told Dad that they should act like he was my friend.
Now I’d gone and made sure we were dating.
I wanted them to show Cass they respected that.
It wouldn’t do me any good if things went well but Cass only thought it did because he was nothing more than a friend.
I didn’t want insecurities when it came to our relationship.
Cass didn’t know how serious we already were, so I had to show him in small ways until I could drop the fated mates bomb on him.
“I’ll spread the word,” Milo promised. “And congrats to you both. I’ve wanted to see you happy for a long time, brother.”
I wasn’t sure he meant it, but I let it slide.
Milo had always fought me on things and wanted to beat me at whatever competitions or games we’d participate in.
He really wanted to always come out on top when it came to me, so for him to say he wanted me to be happy…
Yeah, he was definitely feeling bad about things with Darius.
Cass cleared his throat and smiled kindly at Milo. “I met your partner yesterday. Darius. He seems nice.”
I almost choked on air. Cass truly was the best thing that had ever happened to me. The way Milo’s eyes widened, then shot to me. Priceless.
Shrugging, I explained. “Darius told me about you and him. I had to let Cass know, too.”
Swallowing, Milo nodded. “I see.”
Cass could clearly sense the awkward tension, and moved closer to my side, seeking my comfort. I wished I could bask in this moment.
“I’ll bring Cass over in a few,” I said, letting Milo know he was dismissed.
He seemed rather glad to leave, hurrying to nod his goodbye before stripping off my pants and leaving through the back door. Poor Cass had to avert his gaze, his cheeks turning pink.
Once I knew Milo couldn’t overhear us, I asked, “You sure you feel ready to meet the others? We tend to shift whenever we want when in safe company. I won’t know if any of them want to meet you in their wolf forms.”
He let out a deep breath. “I’m ready. I guess Milo just surprised me. I never felt that afraid of Red.”
Letting out a soft chuckle, I hugged him closer to my chest, loving his short intake of air. “I love that you still talk about my wolf form like it’s not me.”
He huffed. “It’s the easiest way for me to deal with all of this, but I do know you’re the same, please trust me on that.”
“Are you afraid that I’ll judge you if not?” I frowned.
“Well, yes, sort of… I guess I just don’t want you to think I’ve gone mad or something.”
“Why on earth would I think that?”
“Well, after thinking Red had been a figment of my imagination, I’ve been worried it was still true, somehow, but seeing Milo just now switched a button somehow, you know? And I don’t want you to worry that how I react is… wrong.”
“Baby,” I sighed, kissing his temple, my lips lingering .
“You get to react however you damn well want to. I know all of this shifter stuff isn’t normal for you, so I’ll be patient while you work through it all.
It might take a while before you see Red and me as one and the same.
It might also never happen, whatever makes this work for you. ”
“You wouldn’t be mad if I couldn’t ever see you as one and the same?”
“Never. If you prefer to make us separate beings, then that’s fine with me.”
I surprisingly meant every word. I didn’t have any pack mates who had humans in their lives as close friends or lovers that I could ask for pointers.
To be brutally honest, had Cass not been my fated, I wouldn’t have pursued a human either.
It was just a lot of hard work to bring a human into our world.
Cass was worth it though. Being fated meant we were meant to be, so however he wanted to deal with this new knowledge was fully up to him.
As long as he accepted both my forms, I was happy.
“Thank you,” he whispered, then leaned up and stole my breath away as he placed a soft kiss on my cheek, warming me from the inside out.