Mia dived into the eggs and waffles. She knew the waffles were Eggo, but she didn't care. As she ate, she wondered how long until she didn't fear hunger... how long till she didn't question when the next meal was. Hunger was a hateful ghost, it lurked in the dark, and made an appearance when least expected. Her hunger was different, it was the hunger of worry. Most people felt hungry when it was time to eat, she felt hungry because she didn't know when she would get to eat. There was a difference. Quietly Mia cleared her plate. Her fork scraped against the stoneware making an offending sound. Cass didn't seem to notice. In fact, he seemed pleased that she was eating. Mia wanted to ask for more but didn't want to push her luck.
The smell of the waffles sent her back. Her childhood, before things, turned bad. They made her feel warm and loved. Mia wasn't sure what the memory was. Maybe just a memory of a memory. She thought hard. All she could get was that at one point someone who loved her made her these very waffles and that was enough.
Cass ate his food slowly watching her.
She eats like she's been hungry
Yeah, she skipped dinner, Cass told his wolf. She was almost done with her plate. He watched her sop up the excess syrup with a square of waffle.
No, she eats like she's been hungry in that she doesn't know when more food will come. Cass halted. He wasn't sure what his wolf was implying. He wanted to think that his wolf was wrong. But... now he wasn't so sure. Anticipating her words before they left her mouth, Cass brought the pan of eggs and scrapped more onto her now empty plate.
"Want another waffle?" He sat the pan down, grabbed the coffee pot, and refilled her mug.
"Sure," Mia said softly avoiding his eyes. She'd never had the option of a full plate much fewer seconds or thirds. The feeling of fullness has been a new concept since being brought to this pack. Zane and his sister had reassured her over and over that she wasn't eating too much, that they had plenty of food, and that of course, she could eat as often and as much as she wanted. Mia wondered if Cass felt the same. The pop from the toaster got her attention, and two waffles were sat on her plate, the syrup plopped in front of her.
"Thanks, I could have done that," Mia flipped open the red lid of the syrup bottle, generously pouring the sweet amber liquid onto the warm waffles, not caring that it mixed with the eggs.
"If you are still hungry, I can make more," Cass said from his seat, awkwardly. He never did things for people. He usually had a cook that made his food, it was common for Alphas to have help, especially when there was no Luna. Obviously, he could make himself food if he wanted but he never felt the desire to make something for someone else. Until now.
"I'm good...this is good... thank you." Mia offered still avoiding his face. Her bravery left her once they were face to face.
"I probably should head to work. I go to the office, it's easier than working here. I mean that's what I always do." Cass stumbled over his words. What the hell was his problem? He could seem to contain himself around her. She probably thought he was a babbling idiot.
"Okay." She glanced at him briefly. He nodded and left the room. Minutes later she heard a casual bye and the front door shut.
Mia sat at the table, it felt like a test. She chewed her food slowly trying to listen to hear a car leave, or the door reopening. She glanced around nervously. When she had finished eating and still found herself alone, she breathed a small sigh of relief. Instinctively she cleaned the kitchen. Zane and Tara had told her she didn't need to do chores, but she wasn't confident about the rules here. Plus, leaving the kitchen a mess would look ungrateful. When she was done cleaning and the kitchen sparkled as if it had never been used, she allowed herself to snoop. Others would look for offices or maybe private journals, Mia headed to the pantry. She'd developed a system of knowing the kinds of things that were regularly stocked but rarely used, those could be taken. Other items needed to be taken over time, because all at once would be noticed but over time others assumed they were eaten. She couldn't eat it right away, today she was too full, but she had learned the hard way what binging did. First, it stretched your stomach and that made the hunger worse, often eating too much too fast made you sick. So, after all that work to get the food, you still ended up hungry after your stomach emptied itself. Mia shuddered remembering the early hungry days.
The pantry could have been an entire other room. She couldn't believe her eyes, a walk-in pantry. She admired the food like someone would admire a vault of cash and wondered if one day she would have as much food like this. Mia eyes the staples, the broth, canned veggies everyone had those however they were harder to carry. Finally, she eyed the box. Without fail, everyone had a box of instant oatmeal, as if some long-forgotten hereditary rule was instilled that one day someone would want a warm bowl of oatmeal. The box had been opened even better.
He will give you whatever you want. Mia paused, lots of people said things, but people forget. Her wolf should know this. Calmly she took two packets and slid them into her waistband. Ignoring her wolf she turned and looked for the dried noodles, they were practically bricks of Styrofoam with too much salt in the seasoning but like every other household he had them, and like everyone else, she knew she liked them. She took two packets of Ramen. Slowly she walked back up to her room.
If you ask he will give it and how do I know that? Mia countered to her wolf. She wasn't ready to trust just anyone so quickly. In her room, she looked around before deciding to place the stolen food under her mattress.
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Cass arrived at the office later than normal. He avoided the curious glances of those he passed, he dared them to say something. He'd welcome the opportunity to burn off some steam. This morning had left him more on edge and tense than when he woke. He loved his work, but today he despised the work ahead.
"Finally," Chase said startling Cass. He hadn't expected to find his Beta in his office. He tried to hide his annoyance.
"What's up?" He moved to sit behind his desk, typing in his password he accessed his email waiting for Chase to continue. Shifting nervously Chases cleared his throat.
"This is kinda important," Chase leaned forward, for the first time Cass noticed the file in his hands.
"Remember when you told me to reach out and see if there were any missing persons from the other packs..." Cass felt his stomach clench at his Beta's words, the hair on his skin began to rise, and his wolf was on high alert.
"And" He prompted the male, if it was this important to be waiting in his office he needed to just spit it out.
"Uh... We found her pack... and... they say she was kidnapped... and Cass... They want her back."
YOU ARE READING
Unwanted Mate
WerewolfShe ran to save her life. He captured her to protect the pack. She knew who he was from the first night, but here in chains, she was more prisoner than mate.
