Page 26 of Tempest

He imagined a million more of Ore’s sweet smiles. A hundred more meals with him and Pops teasing him. A thousand nights sprawled on the couch together as Ore watched his silly reality TV and Cash scented every inch of him.

Except… what if Ore already had a mate? Or a family he was close with who missed him terribly. Cash didn’t know the most basic things about the little bird—so why should he consider even for a second throwing away his own life. The one he’d worked for since he was a kid.

More importantly… how could he risk being anything like his parents?

Everyone said that a fated mate brought out the best in you, that you were two sides of the same coin, that you were soul mates destined for one another…

But Cash knew differently.

He knew that just being fated for another didn’t make either one of them a good person. It didn’t mean there was anything good inside them to be brought out. The sides of the coin could be ugly and hateful just as easily as loving and kind.

His parents had been fated, and yet they’d made themselves, each other, and Cash miserable every day right up until they’d taken off to goddess knew where.

Despite what everyone claimed, he knew that just because somebody was supposedly picked for you by the goddess, it didn’t mean your life would be perfect and rosy after you met them. People were still people, and they could hurt each other and be disappointments with or without the help of a deity.

When he was a kid, he’d promised himself he’d never let what happened to his parents happen to him. He’d never allow himself to become so consumed by another person that he’d lose piece after piece of himself until there was nothing left.

His pack had become his family, his stability and grounding force, after they left, packmates helping his grandparents without hesitation or needing to be asked. All he’d ever wanted to do was return the favor, protect them like they’d protected him.

He wasn’t going to give up everything he’d worked for just because sad eyes and an inviting smile made his panther stir inside him.

He needed to stay strong and stick to the plan. He’d watch over Ore until he was ready to leave, and that would be it. Nodding to himself, he stepped back inside, finding Ore in thekitchen, cleaning up the dishes. He kept reminding himself of that as they quietly worked together to put the kitchen back in order, the silence between them soft and easy.

It was shocking how easily he’d grown used to having Ore there with him. He liked living with his Pops—helping him when he needed it and keeping each other company—but having Ore stay with him was different. No matter where he was in the house, Cash could feel him, an electrical presence that pulled at him until he’d go to find Ore. They would gravitate toward one another without thinking, ending up at the kitchen table or the couch, each doing their own task but close by each other.

Cash tried not to let himself like it too much, knowing how temporary it was, but his panther ignored him, reveling in having Ore nearby all day and night.

“Cash,” Ore said softly as they finished putting the last items in the dishwasher.

He grunted a reply, setting it to turn on so that they would have clean utensils in the morning.

“Are you really going to ask Liam if I can leave the house?”

Cash glanced over his shoulder and studied the hopeful look on Ore’s face. He was wearing another of Cash’s T-shirts, even though Rachel had brought a stack of borrowed clothes over that would fit him better.

Ore had thanked her, brought them up to the loft, and then never touched them, continuing to pilfer shirts out of Cash’s drawer instead. Neither one of them acknowledged it. Cash liked it too much to even pretend to force the issue. Ore just looked so delicate in his enormous shirts. And he smelled like Cash’s, something his panther couldn’t get enough of.

The look on his his grandfather’s face when he’d seen Ore had been like a bucket of ice water to the face though. Oredidn’tbelong to him. Confusing his panther about it wasn’t a good idea.

“I said I would.” He ignored how good it made him feel when Ore beamed at him.

“Thank you! I promise not to be any trouble.”

Cash narrowed his eyes and took a step closer. “I’m not worried about you being any trouble. That’s not why we’ve been staying here.”

Ore shrugged like he didn’t really believe him and glanced away. “I know it’s a pain for me to be here with you, keeping you locked down as well, so I just appreciate you being willing to bend the rules for me.”

Cash stared at him. “You aren’t a pain,” he said clearly.

Had Cash somehow made him feel like he was? The thought made him uneasy.

When Ore didn’t look up, he did something incredibly stupid. Gently, he gripped Ore’s chin, tilting his face up so he had to meet Cash’s gaze. Fuck, he was so tiny, so delicate. Cash wanted to wrap himself around the tiny bird and keep him safe.

He also wanted to do some not-as-nice things to Ore’s perfect little body, but he shoved those thoughts away.

“Listen to me,” he said, his voice huskier than it had been a moment ago. “This pack can be wary of outsiders. I just didn’t want anyone getting upset. That’s the only reason we haven’t gone anywhere, okay? You’re not a pain or an inconvenience. I volunteered for this, remember?”

Ore licked his lips, staring into Cash’s face. Goddess, those full lips might be the death of him.

---