In Need of Love

Chapter 14

Dotty was so soft against him. Cassian placed his hand on the back of her head gently, deepening their kiss. She made a cute little hum that warmed him inside out.

"So sweet," he mumbled, giving her one last peck before releasing her.

"So unfair," Harlan said behind them.

"Don't start with me about unfair," Cassian said with a dramatic roll of his eyes. "I'm the one that woke up in a freezing bed, confused as hell."

"I would've thought that you would enjoy having the bed to yourself, since you take up the most room," Dotty chimed in playfully.

Cassian reached for her like he was going to tickle her, and she jumped back with a spill of laughter. She moved to Harlan who wrapped her up protectively by his side.

Harlan seemed lost in thought, unfazed by their goofing off. She placed her hand on his chest.

"Is everything okay? Did you not sleep well?" she asked. She reached up to touch his forehead, but he didn't feel feverish. He brushed away her hand gently.

"I've been thinking a lot about last night," he said. "I'm sorry for getting hasty. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"You don't have to apologize for having boundaries," she eased.

"That's not what's bothering me, though." He ran his hand gently across her cheek before pulling away from her. "Cassian, what you said about me being drugged that night. That girl you brought over, Amy. She was there."

"Oh, fuck," Cassian said, looking wide eyed, and almost fearful. The look made Dotty uneasy. A chill ran down her spine. "You're right."

"We shouldn't jump to conclusions," Harlan whispered.

"No, but she was the only outsider that night, and you told me she was making weird comments to you and your family."

Cassian plated their breakfast and they moved to the table.

"Who was Amy?" Dotty asked curiously as she chewed on her bacon.

"Do you know the curse orphaned Alphas have?" Cassian passed the orange juice to Harlan who filled his glass to the brim.

"They're cursed without a mate. It's just a story though."

"I believed it was true. Everyone else had their mate, and I didn't."

"How did you meet her?" Dotty questioned.

Cassian thought back, but he couldn't remember. "I don't know."

"What?" Harlan asked, voice raising. He was panicked, but not angry. "How do you not know?"

He shrugged. "I have no recollection of any of it."

"How did things end?" she asked.

Cassian scrubbed his face with his palm, picking at his eggs.

"About a month after the murder, I was getting more frustrated with Harlan. He was resisting my help, and not answering my calls. I'd go over to see him, and he wouldn't open the door. Amy said I was too obsessive. She didn't seem to understand what I was going through."

Cassian continued, "I found some weird texts on her phone. Some guy calling her pet names. He told her he loved her, that he couldn't wait until she got home. I was so angry. I broke it off."

A lot of Cassian's anger made sense to Dotty now. No one but Harlan and his family showed him affection, and he lost that suddenly. And then to find out the girl he was seeing was cheating on him, Dotty was heartbroken for him. She was heartbroken for both of her mates.

"I know you don't want to hear this," Dotty said, speaking to Harlan. "But we need to go to your family's house. Cassian might see something linked to Amy that the people who cleaned may not have even noticed."

"And then what?" Harlan said. She could tell he was getting upset again, so she picked up his hand, running her thumb across the back of it. "Amy is gone, so what does it even matter?"

"It does matter," Cassian said. "It matters because you and your family matter. All of you deserve that peace. We've worked so hard to move on, but things will never be resolved if we don't do this."

It was quiet again.

"Alright," Harlan agreed, softer this time. "Just give me some time first, okay?"

"Of course," Cassian said."It's your call."

Dotty kissed Harlan's cheek. She rubbed his back. She couldn't imagine what he was going through, what he had seen. All of this had to resurface feelings he had surpressed.

Her own feelings had changed. When they first met, she despised the idea of them unloading onto her. Now, she welcomed when either one of her Alphas opened up, because she could see the little changes it was making on them. It was a special thing to be a part of.

She was more than willing to be patient and understanding, and help ease the pain of their past, so that they all could move on.