In Need of Love

Chapter 6

Harlan met Cassian in town the next afternoon.

"I don't have a lot of time," Harlan told Cassian who nodded.

"I don't think she will want much to do with us today," Cassian mumbled, as they walked the path that they had followed their mate down last time. "I don't even know how we will find her. There aren't any houses in this part of the woods, from what I can remember."

It was quiet as they walked. The tension was still there, but it didn't feel as abrasive, just uncomfortable. It felt like they could finally say what they needed to.

"Did you have Jacob watch over me last night?" Harlan asked after a few moments.

"Of course I did. You didn't need to be alone," Cassian said simply.

Harlan zipped his coat up higher with sigh. After yesterday's situation, he really didn't want to confront his mate again. It wasn't like those thoughts from the night before just magically went away. He just had a better grip on them today.

Talking to Cassian helped, but Harlan still had so much to say to him, and he didn't know how to start.

"I don't smell her wolf," Harlan said.

"Neither do I, but that's probably from all this snow," Cassian said. They slowed their pace.

Cassian paused in his tracks. "Do you smell that?"

Harlan sniffed. "Campfire or something."

They followed the scent to a rundown cabin that looked like the wind could topple over.

Cassian's frown deepened and he knocked on the door.

Dotty answered the door, and Harlan took a moment to appreciate her beauty. She was simply stunning with her long hair braided over her shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, gesturing them in from the cold.

The two men kicked off their wet boots, stepping into the warmth. It was surprisingly cozy, if not a little rustic. There wasn't much, just a bed and a square dining room table, and the stove that kept the place heated.

"We're ready to talk, if you'll let us," Cassian said.

She frowned, thinking it over. Her eyes casted onto Harlan who shifted his feet under her gaze.

"What happened to you?" she whispered, going over to him. She placed a hand on his face, the first time he felt her touch. Her hand was soft and warm. He wanted to cry from the feeling of comfort it gave him.

"What do you mean?" he whispered back, trying to stay perfectly still to not disturb the moment.

"You look so haunted today," she admitted. "Is it because of what I said? I'm sorry about yesterday. It's a lot to process."

"It wasn't you," Harlan said, and he almost laughed when she spun around to give an accusatory glare at Cassian. "It wasn't him, either. It was a lot of things all at once."

She nodded, giving Cassian a pretty smile as an apology. He was watching her intensely, his eyes never wavering.

"I think I got too hasty yesterday. I'd be willing to get to know you both, if we can come to an agreement about how this would work."

"Your reaction was understandable, Dotty," Cassian rumbled. "We all needed time to process, and consider what we have to lose." He finally looked at Harlan who nodded in agreement.

She didn't seem surprised that they knew her name. She did wonder what else they knew about her though.

They sat around her table, and the two guys looked around curiously.

"There's no kitchen," Harlan observed.

Dotty shrugged, "There's no electric or water, so there's no point."

"Then what do you eat?" Cassian asked.

"I get food in town. Sometimes I'll let my wolf hunt."

"Our packs border this land. Our grandfathers thought the town would grow, and would need the space. That's why it was never claimed," Cassian said.

Dotty seemed unimpressed by the information, but it was because she knew they were stalling from the real conversation.

"I don't want to be passed around like some toy," she started. "Even if you two aren't mates, you need to enjoy spending time together and be comfortable living together. I don't want this tension every day of my life, waiting to see which one of you is going to blow up next."

"I don't know what you expect from us, Dotty," Cassian said. "We both have packs, and it's important for us to be on our land if we were needed."

"Is there a good spot between both we could put a house?"

Harlan spoke up, "There is a house up near the cliffs where we were last night. It's been abandoned for years, but it would be an equal distance for both of us to get to our packs."

Cassian gave a sigh.

"Are we annoying you?" Dotty snapped. "If this is too big of an inconvenience, then you can leave."

Cassian was surprised at her ability to push back at him so easily.

"It's not that, Dot," he defended, reaching for her hand over the table. She clasped their fingers. "I know the place he's talking about, and it's going to take a lot of work to fix up."

Dotty said nothing and he knew she was already sold on the place.

"But Harlan is right. It is really close for the both of us, and it would be a good place for us to start building a life together."

She smiled.

"I have to go to work," Harlan said, standing up.

Cassian and Dotty stood too.

"How about we bring dinner over tonight?" Cassian asked.

"That sounds good," she said, glancing at Harlan expectantly.

"I work tonight too, but I'll try to join," Harlan said.