Page 5 of Unknowingly Adopting the Alpha
Red seemed content to just follow me around as I cleaned up the bed and changed the covers. I had my own duvet and pillow with me in the car, because I was spoiled like that and it helped me sleep somewhere new if I had my own pillow with me. I didn’t bring a lot to the new house, just a few of my most treasured belongings and some clothes and shoes. It was a good call since I’d had Red taking up most of the space in the back seat. Again, it was like fate had told me I didn’t need all of that crap, so I’d left it there, hoping someone could find use for my old suits and dress shoes. Something I was glad to rid myself of.
The clothes I wore today were what I felt most comfortable in. Well-worn jeans and a comfy T-shirt with a flannel over it for warmth. No more tight-fitting suits and uncomfortable shoes!
I decided that the upstairs bathroom would need to be demolished as soon as possible. Like now, preferably. The tiles had freaking cupids on them. I wasn’t kidding, cupids! Chubbybabies filled my bathroom with their tiny heart arrows. And the worst part? They all stared right at me, like they could see into my soul. How in the world would I ever be able to shower in there?!
“Fuck,” I cursed, eyeing the shower curtain. It was white with lots of hearts on it. “Red,” I whispered, not able to divert my eyes from the hundreds of eyes on me. “I hope you don’t mind watching over me while I shower. I’m too afraid to be left alone with them.”
When I finally let my gaze drift back to Red, he just stared at me like I’d expected, but was it amusement I found in his eyes? Or did they always gleam like that?
Shaking it off, I went back downstairs to unload the car. Red followed behind and helped me with whatever bags he could carry in his mouth. He seemed very smart for an animal, another sign he was likely someone’s pet, but I selfishly wanted to keep him, so I preferred thinking he was wild and didn’t belong to anyone. No one would ever be able to call me a liar. Unless they were a mind reader. Then I would be fucked.
With everything safely inside the horror house that was now my home, I locked the door and googled how to turn on the heat. I simply wasn’t adult enough to know how these old houses worked. Coming from an apartment with a thermostat, this seemed like something google would need to teach me.
Once the heating was on and slowly warming the house, I learned that radiators ran on water, who knew? I also found out that turning them on caused lots of weird sounds that would one hundred percent cause me nightmares tonight. Yay for an amazing first day here!
Now, I just had to order dinner.
Chapter Five
Jeremy
“Hi, I’d like to order two grilled chickens,” my mate said, then eyed me. “Make that four grilled chickens, and one order of fries.”
I laid on the worn-out flooring, hating that my lovely mate had to live like this.
“Yes, that’s the address and my name is Cassian Balone. Great, thank you.”
Cassian.
Finally, I’d gotten his damn name!
Cassian had called the local grill and bar, and since I knew the owners, I would make myself scarce when they arrived with the food. It was bad enough my own father had seen me getting adopted by this human, no need for more of my pack mates to see it, too.
“I have no idea how much you can eat,” Cassian said, smiling kindly at me. “But you deserve a real treat after the day you’ve had.” His eyes filled with guilt, so I moved from my spot and bumped my head into his stomach affectionately. Then I lickedhis hand because it seemed I had no control around him. He laughed and started scratching me behind my ears.
I could get used to this…
The petting didn’t last long enough, but I could deal. My leg had already healed, but I needed to keep limping so Cassian wouldn’t get suspicious. I still had no clue on how to tell him about me being a shifter, and considering the horrible day he’d had, I figured it could wait until tomorrow. He needed someone here with him, that was obvious. I was determined to be everything he needed. The creepy bathroom was enough to make the hairs on my skin rise. Freaking horror babies. If he needed me there to protect him while he was naked in the shower, then who was I to complain?
He found some plates and washed them before setting both on the coffee table in the living room. There was a TV, one of those old ones that likely only had cable. It seemed to work so that was something. I had kind of expected to eat from the floor. Instead, he kept my plate next to his, a perfect height for me to eat while sitting on the floor.
“I think I should order a collar for you,” he said, sitting down and flipping through the channels. “I don’t want anyone to think you aren’t mine.” That statement had me feeling all fluttery inside. He might not have meant the words like I’d taken them, but he still wanted me to be his.
“I should probably find someone to repair the roof…” he mused, then took out his phone and started tapping on it. “Why are there never prices on these things?” After muttering some more, he seemed to deflate. “Maybe I should just move back… I feel like I’m failing at this already. Should I have expected a house in this horrible condition? What do others do when they inherit something?” He sighed. “Sorry for being such a downer. Here you are, hurt because of me, and all I do is whine that I need to spend way more money on a house that I got for free.”
We were interrupted by the doorbell, and knowing Cassian would be safe with them, I dashed into the kitchen and hid until they’d left.
The door closed and Cassian called, “Red?” His tone confused and a tad worried.
Limping back into the living room, I sat and waited by my plate for the food. The delicious scent of seasoned chicken filled my nostrils and I found myself drooling. I hadn’t eaten since this morning with Dad.
That thought had me mentally sighing. I was the worst Alpha. I’d left them only a day after being chosen as their leader, and for what? Because the man I loved and had hoped would be my mate was with my brother? Was that a good enough reason to leave them behind? I didn't plan on staying away. I would return after my heart had stopped hurting so much. Now that I had Cassian, it would be easier to face them. My heart was still hurting, but at least I knew why Darius and I wouldn’t work.
“Here,” Cassian said, adding a whole chicken to my plate. I licked around my mouth and then swallowed it in three mouthfuls.
“Um,” he blinked. “I guess you were hungry.” He carefully added another chicken to my plate, which I ate a tad slower so as not to scare him further. He hadn’t seemed afraid of me, yet, but seeing me crunch bones with ease could easily change that.
Dad had seen me, so he knew Cassian had taken me with him, and knowing Dad, he’d followed the car in his wolf form to know where I was. Maybe I could sneak back to the pack tomorrow and then return to Cassian’s side before he’d noticed my absence. It felt wrong just leaving him when he needed me, but I had the pack to think of, too.
