“How are you feeling?” I already felt better seeing that he was in good spirits and not upset that I wasn’t there.
“Good,” He frowned, “I think. I feel hot sometimes,” He gave me a lopsided smile and I ruffled his hair.
“What did the doctor say?” I asked Caspien.
“He wasn’t sure,” His mouth was set in a thin line, “He suggested a bad cold and gave him some antibiotics, those will be here soon, by the way.” “A cold?” I mused.
I’d heard of some pups getting sick but not anything like this. More of our injuries were physical, a broken bone or something, not a common cold.
“He’s coming back tomorrow, if that’s okay,” He suddenly looked a bit worried.
A flash of lightning lit up the room, followed by a crack of thunder that made me jump. Emmett let out a little squeal and cuddled into Casper’s side. Caspien hesitated for a second in surprise before he wrapped his arm around Emmett. “Do you want your water?” Caspien asked when Emmett sat up a bit.
Emmett nodded, and Caspien reached to the table to give him a cup with some cartoon on it I didn’t recognize.
“Holden’s choice,” He explained.
“Hey, I was given little instruction,” Holden called out, I completely forgot he was there.
“Thank you,” I looked at him, “Why are you still standing there?” He hadn’t moved from the front entrance.
“Waiting to be dismissed by his highness,”
Caspien rolled his eyes, “You may leave.”
“Your groceries are about to be here,” Holden crossed his arms, “Do you want me to unload those for you, as well?”
“That would be great, thanks,” Caspien ignored the sarcasm dripping from Holden’s question.
Another flash of lightning lit up the sky and Emmett hid his face in Caspiens side bracing for the thunder. Caspien tightened his arm around him.
“I was going to make some dinner if you were hungry,” He turned his gaze to me, “How did your exam go?”
“Pretty well, all things considered,” I smiled, “I hope at least,”
“Good,”
“I didn’t know you cooked,”
“I have a few talents,”
“That was the most modest I’ve ever heard him,” Holden called from the kitchen.
“You’re right, it wouldn’t be like me to downplay my accomplishments. I’m good at most things, and the things I’m not good at, I practice until I am,” There was no joking in his voice, his eyes held a level of sincerity but I couldn’t quite figure out what it was about. “Well, that is very modest of you,”
“Modesty isn’t something I’m used to,” He paused, “But I’m learning, a lot of things, actually.” His eyes didn’t leave mine.
Emmett poked his chest, “Can we keep watching now?”
“Yes,” Caspien smiled, “I’m going to talk to your mama for a minute, are you going to be okay here?”
Emmett looked at Caspien and paused before shaking his head, “The thunder,” He murmured, looking embarrassed.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Well then, I can wait to talk to her, how about we see if she wants to watch Pokemon with us?”
Emmett’s eyes lit up and he turned to me, “Do you want to? It’s really good, I’ll show you my favorites,”
“Of course, baby.” I took a seat on the other side of them, taking one of his hands in mine.
Warmth coursed through me, at it wasn’t just physical. Sitting in Caspien’s apartment with Emmett between us, both of them seeming to accept each other.
This felt normal. Watching cartoons with them. It felt natural, even in this sprawling penthouse apartment that felt very, I wasn’t sure the word I was looking for, clean maybe?
“Okay, guess that’s my cue,” Holden called from behind us.
“I forgot he was here,” Caspien muttered.
“I heard that,” Holden said, “And I’ve heard from a few people that I was very unforgettable.”
“Your mom doesn’t count,” I called over my shoulder and he had the decency to look offended. I gave him a sweet smile.
“Boo,” Was all he said turning on his heel, “You’re welcome,” He muttered.
“You’re supposed to say thank you,” Emmett whispered to him and Caspien barked a laugh.
“Thank you, Holden,” He called out.
“Wait a second,” Holden walked back in checking for something, “Sorry, just had to look out the window that pigs weren’t flying because you used some manners,”
“Get out,” Caspien pointed toward the door and Holden flashed us a smile before finally leaving.
We settled in comfortably. Emmett asked Caspien a lot of questions about the show.
Caspien reached around Emmett to place his hand on my shoulder and it steadied me. I reached up to put my hand on top of his and squeezed it.
Emmett dozed off after a while after the thunder died down, and Caspien and I moved to the kitchen. He made me a cup of tea and placed it to me as I sat on his kitchen island.
“I want you to stay tonight,” He leaned across the island.
“But-“
“The doctor is coming back and Emmett already picked out a room,” He paused for a second as if he said something wrong, “I told him he could choose a room for the day,” He added. “It’s so soon,”
“Is it?” He raised an eyebrow, “You were destined to me since, I was created for you.”
I sighed, “I-“
“Yes, you were destined to another,” His gaze pierced through me, “But I think that was a fluke. I felt something the first time I saw you, even though you were mated to him. I don’t know if that was because your bond was about to break, who knows, but I don’t think you were ever meant to be with him for long.”
I agreed, the more I was with Caspien the more I saw the parallels between both of my mates. I saw what being an equal was and having someone take care of me without possessing me. I knew for a while that Nolan and I weren’t meant to be, although I don’t think I would have ever realized it if I was still with him. I would have gotten used to the feeling of emptiness, of never feeling seen or heard of attaining accomplishments of my own. H.ell, I was already getting used to it the year I was with him.
I was drunk on infatuation and what I thought was love, blinded completely to what our relationship really was.
“I don’t know why you were fated to him, Willa, I really don’t, but I’m glad you were.”
My eyes snapped to him in complete confusion. We rarely talked about Nolan, well he rarely did. Whenever he was mentioned Caspien went stiff for a split second, but I noticed it. He seemed to always get upset, and I knew it was because of what I went through and not out of some possessive Alpha b.ullshit.
“Emmett wouldn’t have been here if you weren’t with him,” Caspien seemed to soften and my brows tugged together. He was right.
“It was the only thing worth it all,” I admitted and he nodded, he already knew that.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.