Chapter Sixteen
Cassian
Jeremy and I walked towards a huge house which he called their community center, or pack house. I was glad for the ten-minute walk. It allowed me to center myself before meeting all of these people, who were all a part of Jeremy’s pack, a part of his family.
Meeting Milo had helped, even if things seemed tense between the brothers. I was glad my reaction had happened then and not in front of the whole pack. I would’ve died from embarrassment, no doubt.
“In here.” Jeremy held the door open for me.
I slid inside, eager to get this whole thing over with, but also nervous as fuck.
What if I accidentally offended someone?
I had no handbook on manners when in the company of shifters.
Maybe I should write a handbook for humans…
I guess it might help someone in the future.
If Jeremy and I ended up dating for a long time, these people would be sort of family to me too, I hoped.
The door led to a hallway with several open doorways, and I was gently guided to the one straight ahead. We stopped in a huge room with several tables and chairs, which opened up to a kitchen. This was definitely where they all ate and celebrated together. I loved it!
The floors were reddish in color, the style I believe was called parquet, making them look fancy.The walls were a beige shade, but instead of looking dated, it made the room feel inviting and comfy.
Six golden chandeliers brought more warmth to the room.
It was easy to see why so many were sitting in here, enjoying themselves.
“Everyone!” Jeremy called out, and I felt the intense stare down of a lifetime. “This is my boyfriend, Cass.”
I did a little wave, feeling so damn awkward as I stood there. I was also feeling rather smug to be called his boyfriend in front of everyone. I’d somehow claimed their Alpha as mine, was it really a surprise I felt like puffing my chest out?
“Welcome, Cass,” Jeremy’s dad greeted, approaching us with a warm smile.
“Shit,” I muttered, before he got close enough to hear it.
Jeremy leaned down and whispered, “shifter hearing, baby. He definitely heard that.”
Blushing somewhat fiercely, I caught his dad winking at me. “A better introduction might be in order then. I’m Paul, Jeremy’s dad and former Alpha of the Groove Vale Pack.”
I shook his hand, smiling as best as I could. “Nice to meet you, Paul. I’m sorry I called you a jerk. Multiple times,” I hurried to add.
My admission caused several snickers, but at least no one seemed angry with me.
“I fully deserved it,” he agreed, shooting me a wink. “I should’ve been better at containing my laughter, but seeing a human protect my son like that.” He shook his head. “You had the strongest wolf in our pack on your backseat and named him Red. Not an ounce of fear in you.”
“I would never fear Red,” I stated indignantly.
“No, it would seem not,” he smiled.
“Did Milo talk to you before we got here?” Jeremy asked his dad.
“He did. Everyone knows that you two are dating and are very happy for you both,” he answered, giving me a kind smile.
“Glad to hear it. I was told Mary needed some help in the garden removing the fallen leaves?”
“True, if you two are up for getting dirty,” Paul grinned.
“Sounds fun,” I decided, looking forward to escaping the constant staring from around the room.
“We’ll go help her now.” Jeremy began steering me through the room until we reached the back door. “I hope you don’t mind helping Mary out. She’s one of the eldest in the pack and always tends to the garden herself, but with the fall weather upon us, she’s suddenly feeling overwhelmed .”
I waved that off. “I’ll be happy to lend a helping hand.”
“Good,” he grinned. “Because Mary is like the mother of the pack. If she likes you, everyone will.”
“No pressure or anything,” I muttered. The bastard just laughed and steered me outside.
Mary was easy to spot, mostly because we heard her before we saw her. Her muttered curses told us she was having trouble with the leaves, and from the colorful language she used, it seemed the rake wasn’t very helpful.
“Mary?” Jeremy called out, amused.
“Jer? Is that you?” she called back, confused.
We stepped around the corner and spotted her. She was a short woman with white hair that had a lavender shine to it, making it look like it was colored periwinkle.
“There you are!” she beamed. “Here, take this.” She handed him the rake, or rather pushed it at him, like she was eager to get rid of it. “That damn thing doesn’t work.”
Looking fondly at Mary, he turned it around, showing her how the tipped part should be against the ground.
“Oh,” she shook her head. “It seems you know how to use it. Get to it.” She snapped her fingers and pointed at the many leaves. “I’ll be back in an hour.”
“Mary,” Jeremy laughed, stopping her mid stride. “I want you to meet my boyfriend, Cass.”
“Oh!” She turned her beaming smile my way. “What a handsome one! Let me get a closer look.” She was soon all up in my business. “Is that?” she sniffed me, like actually fucking sniffed me! “Cat?” She sniffed again. “Maine Coon, to be exact.” Another sniff. “Female. Young.”
“Um, yes? I just got a new cat yesterday,” I explained, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
Her smile widened. “I love that for you!”
“Alpha!” A male voice called. “We need your help in the garage!”
“Coming!” Jeremy called back.
“I just need to help them real quick,” Jeremy said, looking sad about leaving me. “Can you help Mary while I’m gone?”
“Sure.” I forced a smile on my face, since I didn’t want him to worry.
“Off with ya,” Mary shooed him away.
He ran, which I found endearing. Like maybe he was trying to get there quickly so he could return to me faster. Or something like that.
“Here,” Mary handed me the rake. “You rake. I’ll collect.”
“Deal,” I chuckled, then began sweeping the leaves together in a pile.
It was actually sort of soothing collecting the leaves. Mary and I worked in companionable silence and soon we’d filled three bags worth of leaves.
“I need to use the restroom, hon. Be back in a jiffy.” I simply nodded and continued working, pleased to be helping out.
Not two minutes had passed, before a male voice cleared behind me. I spun, startled from my wandering thoughts and met the gaze of a man in his mid-forties, early fifties maybe?
“Um, hi,” I said, feeling a little put off by not knowing who this man was.
“Hello,” he said, his tone neutral while his eyes held a subtle sort of anger. Maybe one of the pack mates who didn’t like humans?
“I’m Cass.” I offered him my hand to shake, but he eyed it like I offended him somehow.
“Yeah, I’m very well aware who you are, Cass,” he drawled, like I bored him. “I simply came here to warn you.”
“Warn me?” Was this guy for real?
“Yes. You see, you’re under the illusion that our Alpha, Jeremy, is in some sort of relationship with you.”
“Well yeah,” I replied. “That’s what being boyfriends means.”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know how relationships work. I’m letting you know that Jeremy being a wolf shifter means your little “relationship” won’t end well.”
“And why is that?” I was feeling tired of this man already.
“Because you can never be his mate, only a wolf shifter can.” He sounded so sure, and that was what made me snap.
“Not that it’s any of your fucking business, strange man that I’ve just met, but I am Jeremy’s mate. And I am good enough, even as a human. So, you can go fuck off for all I care.”
The man seemed shocked by my ire, but what the fuck had he expected me to do?
Weep and run home? I finally had Jeremy as mine, and even if I’d yet to kiss and touch and do all those delicious things I wanted with him, he was still mine.
This stranger had no say in what I could or could not be to Jeremy.
Maybe I wasn’t fully aware of what being Jeremy’s mate entailed, but I was so angry I just blurted out that I was his mate. I really hoped Jeremy wouldn’t get mad over that. I would need to tell him I’d said it as soon as we were alone later.
“Cass?” Jeremy’s concerned voice reached us, then seconds later he stood beside me, holding on to my waist protectively. “Marcus,” he greeted the stranger with a terse nod.
“Alpha,” Marcus greeted back. He was the one Darius had warned Jeremy about. The one who had sprouted hateful words about me to the pack. I felt vindicated that my instincts had been right to fight back against that jerk.
“I was just letting Cass know how things work around here,” Marcus began, sounding like a law-abiding citizen doing his duties.
I scoffed. “Keep telling yourself that, buddy.” Turning to face Jeremy, I explained.
“He told me I could never be your mate because I’m human.
” Jeremy’s eyes seemed to blaze with fury over this.
“And,” I continued, figuring now that his anger was already directed at Marcus, I might as well get it all out.
“I told him I am your mate, so clearly he’s the one who’s mistaken on how things work around here. ”
Jeremy’s startled gaze met mine, then a blinding smile spread across his face. “You are indeed my lovely mate.”
I only had eyes for Jeremy at that moment, so when a scoff sounded next to us, I ignored it. Marcus could do as I’d so helpfully advised him to before, and fuck off.
Having no idea what being his mate meant, I began to ask, only to be caught by surprise by just how damn fast the man could move! Warm firm lips crashed down on mine and if I’d had even the tiniest worry that kissing a man wouldn’t be for me, it was erased immediately.
A whimper escaped my lips as I clutched his T-shirt in my fist, never wanting him to move away. His one hand cupped my cheek. The other held my nape, forcing me to submit as he dominated the kiss. His tongue teased my lips and then he groaned when I let him in.
“Cass,” he breathed, then searched my eyes before claiming my lips again.
Time stood still as we stood there in the backyard, red leaves falling around us, and I felt like mother nature was blessing our first kiss, however weird it seemed. I felt blessed.
Stopping to catch our breath, I whispered. “Please tell me the jerk left and isn’t still standing there watching us like a perv?”
Jeremy barked out a laugh. “Oh, he left as soon as I kissed you, my mate. And if he knows what’s good for him, he won’t talk to you ever again.”
“I hope not.” Snuggling into his chest, I felt his arms come around me, protecting me from the world.
“Sorry, hon,” Mary’s frail voice spoke behind us. “I swear my bladder takes ages to empty out.” She then promptly began stuffing a new bag with leaves.
It would seem she was blissfully unaware of what went down just seconds before she arrived.
“We’ll help you fill the bags, Mary, then we need to eat a late lunch,” Jeremy said, taking a bag for himself and stuffing it with ease.
I was starving, so food sounded amazing, even if it meant meeting more of his pack. I just hoped they weren’t as horrible as Marcus had been to me.
As soon as we were back at my place, I would ask him about the mate thing, because I was all in on keeping that title.