Page 23 of Unknowingly Adopting the Alpha
“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. Casswassaid 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 brushand 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 withwhom.
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.
