Page 31 of Unknowingly Adopting the Alpha
“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 IamJeremy’s mate. And Iamgood 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 stillmine. 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 Iwashis 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 Iamyour 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 cuppedmy 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. Ifeltblessed.
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.”
