Chapter 31

“No...I…our wolves mated and I think he’s freaking out,”-Cassidy

Cassidy:

I couldn’t remember it all, but I know what my wolf and Remi’s did on that outcropping. I woke up with a tender ass and a wet, sticky mess that were telltale signs that it was real. I’m afraid Remi remembered and that is what scared him off. He’d already been acting oddly, but he got really squirrely after stating what he could remember. He ate breakfast and then said goodbye to everyone. I hugged him tightly and told him I’ll see him as soon as I get home.

My heart squeezed as he drove away and I didn’t realize I was crying until mom asked me to sit and wiped my tears.

“Did something happen between the two of you?” Mom asks me after I have steadied myself.

“No...I…our wolves mated and I think he’s freaking out,” I admit.

Mom looks at me with a furrowed brow. Her confusion is clear on her face.

“We were really together, mom. We are best friends. I wanted to get grandma and the aunties off my ass, but I realized I love him not long ago and I fell deeper and deeper these past few weeks. He shifted for the first time last night and our wolves…they got frisky and even though the memory was vague like usual, the signs of what we had done were obvious,” I say. “He freaked out after we were talking about the shift and run.”

“Cassidy, have you paid any attention? Your smell when you temporarily marked one another was more than enough of a clue…He is your fated mate…your soulmate,” Mom says.”I have known since I first met him, but it was obvious this entire visit that you are made for one another, but also that you are both dense and maybe your wolves are the only smart ones! They know to follow their instinct and the pair of you together is meant to be!”

“Mom! I need to pack! I need to get home to tell Remington I love him!” I say and jump up.

Mom laughs and hops up to help me pack my bags faster.

“I’ll take care of the houseplants in this room so that they are still alive for Remi’s and your next visit. They won’t thrive and grow as quickly as they have these last few weeks, but I can keep them alive,” Mom says and I notice how huge the plants have grown and how many have grown almost too large for their pots or have grown offspring.

Remi’s plant magic is innate, but fantastic.

I’m quick to load my car and say goodbye to my family. Oren wishes me good luck and tells me to remember to pay attention to the small details. Remi has been doing things for longer than I realize that show how he truly feels about me and how he feels like his love is one sided.

How can he feel his love is one sided?

I tell him I love him all the time. Oh! I tell him I love him in a way that always sounds platonic, even after I knew it was more…I wanted the buffer in case it was not reciprocated and  gave the wrong message…or the one I thought would be most acceptable.

I fucked up…I am certain.

I do the drive in one day. It’s late when I get back to Breel but I don’t go home to my place. I go directly to Remi’s place. The doorman nods at me.

“Good evening, Mr. Williams! How was your vacation? Mr. Wolverton arrived just a couple hours ago,” the familiar man says.

“Thanks. The trip was …interesting and wonderful…and a little scary, but I think I can fix that last part,” I reply as I head for the elevator.

Scary?

Yes, because I am scared that I will lose my best friend if I don’t let him know that I love him and that I want to be with him for real. I want to be with him in every way.

The elevator door opens and Remi is there, on his way out.

“Cass?” he asks in a surprised gasp.

“Hey, Remi…can we please talk. I need to tell you something,” I reply.

“I was just on my way out. I need to pick up some groceries. There is nothing to eat in my apartment,” Remi says.

“Let me come with you, please,” I plead. “We really need to…to talk about …us…about you and me.”

“Cass, we are friends, we pretended to be together for your family and we are home now. We can get back to normal and you can fabricate a story as to why we aren’t together anymore,” Remi sighs as we take the elevator down together.

“That’s the thing…I…erm…” I hesitate and the elevator doors open on the ground floor. I follow him outside and grab his arm. “What about last night?”

Remi hesitates and then stumbles and I catch him in my arms. Our eyes meet and mine flick to his plush lips before I lean forward and claim them.

My eyes flutter shut and for a brief heartbeat, I think Remi will shove me away, then it happens…his lips move against mine and he parts them enough to grant my tongue access when I run it along his lower lip. I pull him tighter in my arms and feel his body respond to mine. His arms wrap around me and relief floods my system.

“Whoo! Thank fuck! At last!” The doorman cheers. “You two make the cutest couple and I had this bet with Bob in maintenance…ignore me!”

I chuckle against Remi’s lip.

“Wa-was that real? Is this real?” Remi gasps.

“Yeah…I think so, or at least I hope so,” I reply. “I want more than anything for it to be real and my ass says last night was real.”

“Oh! Fuck!” Remi exclaims, covering his face while his eyes bulge wide.

“Let’s get those groceries and discuss what this means and what we want,” I suggest.

“Um…yeah…and…I may have done something in haste…it ca be fixed and I will, but Oh, shit! I…this is surreal,” Remi stammers as we amble down the street hand in hand towards the market on the corner.