Cassia and the men headed back for Nico's home. She walked between them, still feeling the tension in the air. She was going to have to talk to Huck about this now that he was human again. He couldn't be mean to Nico. Nico was her friend and he'd saved them both. The problem was it was usually just the two of them and Huck had a hard time trusting people. She had the opposite problem. She was normally too eager to trust people and that was often her downfall. She had trusted her older sister Selene to let her come and see her nephews and niece without telling anyone on a day she was watching them. Selene had done as she promised the first time. The second time she had invited their mother over "accidentally" at the same time. Huck had warned Cassia against trusting the sister who had bullied her their whole childhood but she had anyways. She couldn't keep herself from hoping things would get better. She had always wanted her siblings to like her. Beck and Alexi were the only two that did. Huck had always compensated for her over trusting people by never trusting anyone. A trait he had also because of his family.
They couldn't walk quickly because of Huck's limp but Cassia didn't especially care. She held his hand and despite being annoyed about his treatment of Nico, she couldn't stop herself from feeling the joy of them being together again. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and looked up into happy golden-green depths. When they came to the house she watched him study it. They had no clay homes in their woods. Things were too damp. A chicken walked across their path and Huck's smile grew, just as entertained by Agatha owning chickens as Cassia was. They hadn't made it to the door when it flew open and an excited Jules and Mabel came running out and right up to Huck. They giggled and blushed and stared at him. Huck smiled down at them but Nico looked annoyed. "Where's Dad?"
Jules pointed back at the house but quickly turned back to Huck, "Are you the wolf Momma's been taking care of?"
"I am," Huck smiled his handsome smile that Cassia knew melted grown women's hearts and made the silly little girls giggle again. That was another reason Cassia hadn't made any friends growing up. The girls all loved her handsome best friend and hated her for getting all of his attention.
"Girls go inside," came a familiar, serious voice. Ivan walked out of the house and closed the door once the girls were on the other side. He turned back to them then, eyes landing on Huck. His face did not look pleased. "So you're Huck then?"
"I am," Huck was smart enough to take Ivan's hand as soon as he offered it and shake it.
"You shifted before Aggie said it was safe," he stated, dark brown eyes on Huck's face.
"I did," Huck said slowly, "And I'm limping now because of it. I should've listened but I suppose I was eager to be able to speak with Cass again."
"Now, you're going to have to stay a human until it heals completely or risk making it worse when you shift back and being stuck as a wolf for even longer."
Huck looked down, knowing the man was right. Ivan crossed his arms.
"What are you going to do if King Ferdinand's men come to find you now?" Ivan continued, "You think you can fight them and keep your mate safe in this human form?" Huck glanced at Cassia but looked away towards the woods, having no good reply.
"Their not mates actually Dad," Nico cut in, "Cassia told me." Huck turned and met Cassia's violet eyes and she saw something flash across his face before he quickly buried it again. He took his hand from hers and used it to push a lock of black hair from his eyes but didn't take it again after.
"What are you talking about?" Ivan demanded of Nico before turning back to the other two, "Why would you let us all refer to him as your mate if he wasn't?"
"It was just easier than going into the explanation," Cassia said quietly, looking away from Huck, "It doesn't matter anyways. We didn't know how long we would be here."
"It does matter," Ivan said seriously, "Having a mate is very different from simply having a best friend. You should have told us." Cassia apologized and glanced at Huck who was blank faced now.
"Ivan I want to thank you for everything you and your family have done for us," Huck changed the subject, "I don't know what would've happened to us without it. I will do what ever I can to repay you."
"You can repay me by swearing to me that you won't be a danger to my family if I let you stay here until you're finished healing. That includes my son who has made friends with your...Cassia."
Huck looked down, the back of his neck reddening in embarrassment at being caught by the older man. Ivan had apparently picked up on the tension between the two of them, even while Huck had been a wolf. "I swear it sir."
"Alright then," Ivan nodded and looked from one to the other, including Nico, "You can all help in the gardens to earn your keep here. Huck can do something that won't involve much moving around until your leg is better. Once you're healed, if the two of you want to stay in this territory I can help you find a place...or places... of your own."
All three looked up in unison, surprise on each face. Ivan actually cracked the faintest of smiles as he watched them. "Oh Ivan thank you," Cassia exclaimed and surprised the serious man by throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. She quickly stepped back and smiled as he looked bewildered.
"Don't thank me yet," he actually chuckled, "You've never spent a day working the territory gardens."