11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Willow

"I'm so sorry." Fern handed me a towel. "I really am."

The bucket of dirty, soapy water was now all over me and the floor, not down the drain where it was supposed to be. It wasn't hot or even that gross, but I was very, very wet and needed a shower ASAP. It would become a sticky mess that would no doubt attract all kinds of bugs if I let it dry.

"It's fine." I grabbed a paper towel for my face. "Gives me an excuse to take a break."

"It's not fine! I can't believe I tripped over the cord. The cord I reminded you six times was there." She groaned.

There was no exaggeration there. She was so concerned with me falling that it had been central to our conversation for the past forty-five minutes. The irony wasn't lost on me.

I tapped her nose playfully, hoping it alleviated some of her guilt. "I'll be back as soon as I get changed." And showered.

"No. It's almost done, why don't you go spend time with my brother? He's all mushy eyes for you. He probably misses you terribly and is off crying somewhere instead of being productive like he's supposed to be."

I rolled my eyes at her ridiculousness. "Mushy eyes?" I knew how busy Cedric was, I'd seen how busy he had been since the day began. He was running around everywhere, and everyone seemed to go to him for help.

I hadn't even known I had a competent kink, but based on how attractive I found Cedric to be in those moments—I had one.

"Yeah, like the ones you have for him are the same puppy-dog eyes that follow each other when you are near. It's so cute it's disgusting, really. Sid and his mate are the same way." She fake gagged. "And don't get me started on my parents."

I didn't pretend to argue with her. She was right. We were both ridiculous, and I loved it. All day, though we hadn't been working together, it was as if I could sense where my mate was. I only needed to look up and I'd find that his gaze was on me, or I'd find him easily in the crowd and our eyes would meet. It made me wish we could hide away in his cabin for a while. Maybe we could after the festival. It would be our recuperation period.

"You'll find a mate someday, too, Fern."

Based on the twist in her face at my words, I backtracked. "Unless you don't want one, in that case, you'll be just fine."

She smiled and bumped my shoulder with hers. "I'm not sure what I want yet as far as mates go, or even if I want one at all. I do know that I want to keep you as a friend. I'm glad Cedric found you on the side of the road."

I snorted so loud that we attracted some looks from others around us. "You make it sound like I'm roadkill!"

Fern was turning out to be such a good friend. She was my BOGO from fate. Buy one mate, get one bestie for free. I had a feeling she and Alex would get along well. Perhaps there would be a time when he could come visit here. Or us visit him. Perhaps that would be the safer route.

I offered to help her one more time before leaving, my body chilled as the cool breeze hit my wet clothing.

When I passed by mate's parents' home, he was standing just off the porch with his dad, the Alpha, and a few people I didn't recognize. I started to head over since I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to see my mate, but I noticed they were in the middle of a heated conversation. Based on the edge in the Alpha's voice, it wasn't a conversation I wanted to butt in on. It took me a few seconds to decide whether to join them or back away. I opted to back away and let them deal with whatever they were discussing. It was probably pack business—or so I thought.

I may not have had wolf hearing like everyone around me, but I heard the angry voice loud and clear. "This is a mistake. You will see. That human doesn't belong here." The voice was one I didn't recognize. It was full of hate and malice, and I knew without a doubt that he was talking about me. Even if he hadn't said "human" I would have known.

Others had to have overhead him same as I did. Did they agree with him? Why hadn't anyone told me?

That man and possibly others didn't want me here. They thought I was dangerous, that I was going to be bad for my mate. They wanted me gone.

Cedric had mentioned the concerns some might have about having a human in the pack, but when I had been accepted so fully, I assumed that anyone that had those concerns changed their minds when they met me. This was my mate's home—I thought it was going to be mine as well—I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that.

My stomach clenched at what I'd just heard. I backed up slowly, turned, and ran all the way to the cabin. I passed plenty of people, but they didn't stop me. I reached the place I'd begun to think of as home just in time to hit the bathroom and empty the contents of my stomach. The rejection hurt—hurt so badly that it physically manifested itself. And what was I supposed to do with that? I didn't know.

Staying here wasn't going to be good for me or my mate if the people who were meant to be like family to us didn't want us here. But would leaving be any better?

How many pack members felt the same way that man had? What if it was all of them? Had the nice ones just been faking it?

There were some pack members who had given me odd looks and there were several I hadn't met yet. Did they all think I was a threat to them? I would never risk their safety. Since arriving here I'd felt comfortable and at ease, more than I ever had before. I assumed that was because I belonged here.

My stomach clenched again just at the thought of it. I had found a home here. Silverpine pack was my home, and it was looking like it was not forever. Tears trickled down my cheeks.

What about Cedric's family? I knew that they loved me. Fern especially. Sid and his mate had been very nice and welcoming, and Cedric's parents had welcomed me with open arms. Was it only a matter of time before they thought I didn't belong here?

The part for my truck, in theory, would be here tomorrow, and then I could just pack up and leave. I could return home to my parents and Alex with my theoretical tail between my legs and forget I'd ever heard of shifters. Just the thought turned my stomach again. I hated the idea, but what else could I do? Maybe Cedric would come with me. Could I ask that of him?

If I understood how mates worked correctly, Cedric would refuse to let me go anywhere without him.

I stripped out of my clothes and stepped into the shower, washing off the soapy mess from earlier. The tears fell with earnest as I leaned against the tile wall. The scent of my mate's soap filled the space and made the tears fall that much harder.

Those cruel words had been the last thing I wanted to hear—the last thing I wanted anyone to say. I wasn't dangerous. But humans, as a rule, kind of were. History showed that time and time again.

The man's fears weren't unfounded. I was sure that humans had made shifters' lives harder. But I wasn't one of those humans. I was Cedric's mate.

I didn't blame them for being protective; I just wished I could somehow be enough for them to say I was safe, that I was a good part of the pack. There were ways that I could contribute and help.

I hadn't traveled all this way just to feel as lost as I had at home with my parents. There had to be a way I could fit in here, that I could be a part of this pack.

But I never would be, would I? Because at the end of the day, I would always be human, and they would always be wolves.