Chapter 43

Cassidy had woken in the late afternoon after the much needed nap. She had laid in bed,staring at the ceiling and recalling the events of the morning with a heated blush on her face. She couldn't believe she had acted so… so… she couldn't even think of a word to call it other than willing. Cassidy groaned and covered her face, rolling to her belly and burying her face into the pillow for a few minutes before she forced herself to get up and get moving. She refused to allow herself to wallow in embarrassment over something that was totally normal and healthy for a she-wolf her age.

Grabbing a pair of jeans and an older teeshirt, she dressed quickly and pulled her hair up into a messy bun before leaving the bedroom. She had hoped to maybe catch James in his room to get the awkward after sex talk out of the way, but his door was wide open and a pair of omegas were diligently cleaning right along with Jennifer who was making James’ bed. Cassidy was going to just step away, not say anything or mess with the women who were doing their jobs but as she turned away she overheard a whispered “Bitch” from one of them. She stopped in her tracks and turned around to face the three that were in the room. “Excuse me?”

The two older women had stopped what they were doing and both were looking with shocked faces at the other wolf who had continued to smooth out sheets on the bed. It was no surprise to Cassidy that Jennifer would have been the one to say anything towards her, but it was one of the older women who spoke up. “I'm sorry Luna… She is new to the cleaning detail. I'm sure she meant no disrespect.” The woman said in a rush, trying to smooth over the disrespect towards the new Luna. “Wasn't it, Jennifer?”

“Oh yes. No disrespect. None at all.” Jennifer said as she finished smoothing out the sheet and stood up straight, looking Cassidy right in the eye with a smart ass smirk spreading over her face. “Just speaking the truth is all.” She added on and crossed her arms as if she was triumphant with what she was getting away with.

Cassidy expected no less from the woman after what she had tried to pull the day before waiting in James’ bed like she had some kind of right. She made eye contact with Jennifer and maintained it, smiling softly to the woman. “As I recall,Didn't your Alpha throw you out of this very same room yesterday for trying to get into his bed without being invited? Did Alpha Black not tell you, and I quote… ‘You are no longer welcome his house?’” She asked in a gentle, admonishing tone, smiling when Jennifer seemed to swiftly lose any kind of confidence she had.

“Luna! We didn't know she was not welcome. Jennifer had always been liked by Alpha Black, she said she was hired on to work with us.” The other omega blurted out, their distress at displeasing the Luna or Alpha obvious.

Cassidy was quick to calm the women with an understanding smile. “Be calm ladies. Firstly, please, call me Cassidy or Cass. Even Miss Roan if that makes you more comfortable. I am not your Luna yet... Every wolf needs a place and now that she has been removed from Alpha Blacks bed, I don't feel it is fair to kick her out from the home completely. This will be the last day she is to be permitted on this floor or the higher floors. She may clean the common rooms and kitchen and the quarters below for everyone who works here.” She said and both of the older omegas agreed at once to the dismayed look of Jennifer. “Great. Thank you for understanding. See you soon Jennifer.” Cassidy said sweetly and took her leave, grinning in triumph hearing the older women scolding the younger for her behavior. She didn't have a problem with the woman working in the house, but she most certainly didn't want her anywhere near James’ bedroom anymore.

The rest of the way downstairs was uneventful and she was happy to spot a friendly face. Maxwell was sitting at the low coffee table between three large couches in the main living area at the bottom of the stairs. In front of him, a not so friendly face, Hunter, who was scowling darkly at his side of a large battleship game set up between them. She was getting much better at spotting the differences between Hunter and James now. They looked nearly identical all except for the eyes. Where James was a deep mossy green, Hunter sported hazel eyes and was overall a little smaller in height and bulk. But now, after the morning she had with James, she could pick him out through an entire army of clones. She couldn't help but be a little wary of Hunter after everything that had happened in the prison cells. She knew she could best him when she had the element of surprise… but she didn't want to test that theory again.

“Hello sister.” Maxwell said from where he sat, the words bringing Hunters attention from the game to Cassidy immediately. “Come and join us?” Max asked.

Cassidy couldn't deny Max when he asked for her to come and join him. She came into the gathering room and took a seat on the floor next to him, looking curiously over the game “Who is winning?”

Hunter made a disgusted sound and Max chuckled. “He is. He always wins. I say he cheats. He has some kind of super power to replace losing his sight and can win at almost any game he plays!” he said grumpily before turning a little to the kitchen area and shouting over his shoulder “Ma! Cassidy is here too!” he yelled out just before Macy came through the kitchen holding a small tray with bottles of water and sandwiches.

“There is no need to shout young man. I may be getting up there in years, but I can hear just fine.” The matriarch of the family said as she came to the brothers and offered a smile to Cassidy while setting the tray down on the table. “I heard you come down stairs. I don't know what you like, but theres a bit of everything. Help yourself dear.” She said, her eyes going to the bite on the girls shoulder and her brows coming together in concern. Macy reacted before she could even think to do otherwise and reached out, moving the collar of the shirt out of the way to expose the mark for a few seconds to make sure it was really what she was seeing before Cassidy shrugged her shoulder and swatted the womans hand away.

“Dont!” Cassidy snapped without meaning to sound as angry as she did, grabbing the shirt and covering her shoulder completely. Her reaction had gained the attention of the brothers and Macy took a few steps back, shaking her head.

“Oh sweetheart. I… I didn't mean anything by looking. I'm sorry. I should have asked. I just… I waited so very very long to have children. A mother wants their children to be happy and to find their own love and make their own families. It is all I have wanted for my sons is to find some kind of peace. You are exactly what James needs in his life… I'm-”

Seeing his mother getting tearful and emotional, Hunter sighed. “Mother enough or you will scare her away. Then we would have to deal with James being moody all over again.” He said with a grin, giving a wink to Cassidy, knowing full well he was teasing his mother. Their pack had been under attack for a long time and his parents had always been nurturing role models in their community, but with the change over of Alphas from Julian to James there was naturally a bit of upset and aggression as the younger wolf took over and assumed the leader role.

“Oh you hush Hunter Black. I'm allowed to worry and spoil and love and have concern for her. For you. For everyone. Just because I am not Luna any more does not mean my feelings have not changed.” She scolded Hunter which had Max grinning that his brother was getting in trouble. Macy looked back to Cassidy and offered a friendly smile. “I truly did not mean anything, I was just shocked and acted before I thought.”

Cassidy smiled at the way the three of them interacted with each other while rubbing her sore shoulder. It reminded her so much of a long long time ago when she and her brother would sit and play games while their parents watched on or even played with them. She missed it, and she missed the feeling of family. Cassidy smiled warmly up at Macy. “Its okay. I'm just not used to being near so many people still. I understand and yes… He did mark me as his. I wont abandon any of you to deal with his… moodiness.” She said with a happy grin that was quickly lost when the front double doors of the pack house were slammed open with a loud shout and then a laugh. “Jett?” Cassidy questioned and stood up, moving to go and see what the commotion was but was quickly restrained by Macy’s gentle grasp, a displeased look on the elder wolfs face just as the Alpha, the betas and gamma all came stumbling into the pack house covered in mud and dirt, bloodied and bruised and all four of them drunker than a sailor fresh off the ship.

“What in the Gods name… have you four been doing?!”