Chasing Tail: A reader x shifters romance

Part 7

Y/N POV

Over the next few weeks, you settle into a comfortable routine with your pets. The apartment feels crowded, but in a full and lively way that you appreciate daily. Cody and Ash seem to have gotten used to each other, though they still growl and hiss at each other anytime one of them gets in the other's way. But when you drop into bed at night, they both join you beneath the covers, curling up peacefully and keeping you warm.

Little weird things have been happening in the house since you adopted them. For instance, some nights as you're heading home, you're certain that your fridge is totally empty because your grocery budget ran out again. But then when you get home, you find your kitchen stocked with groceries, including human food that's also safe for your pets to eat with you. One night, you find a giant canister of protein powder in your pantry. You don't quite know what to make of that.

Cody has continued to be the sweetest golden retriever in the world. While you're home, he follows you around the house. He sits with you whenever he can, plopping his head in your lap or rolling over and demanding pets. Whenever you have to leave without him, he tries to go with you anyway, and whines if you don't let him.

Like a typical cat, Ash is affectionate sometimes and moody other times. He seems to get more irritable when he's cooped up in the apartment while you're gone, so you leave the bedroom window open all day to allow him to come and go as he pleases. No matter how sweet and cuddly he is when you're together, you can't forget that he is an outdoor cat, after all.

Cody—the human one—comes to visit you often while you work. Somehow, he even found you at your bartending gig and hovered over you all night like an overprotective guard dog. Whenever some drunk idiot tried to make a move on you, he would be there, snapping at them and scaring them off. You didn't know whether to be annoyed at his hovering or grateful that you could finally have a quiet night bartending without dealing with drunken pervs.

On campus, you've been working on your classwork together with Kyle. The analytics class you're both taking is really kicking your ass, so you meet twice a week at the library to study together and make progress on the team project.

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Ash POV

I'm at one of the campus libraries today. I picked up Y/N's scent trail while I was on campus heading to another class and followed the trail in here. The library is not quiet like you would expect, as many groups of students are here this weekend to collaborate on group projects and study together.

When I see Y/N at one of the tables in a corner, my blood starts boiling. She's with a man. It's that guy from our class—she introduced him as her "friend" Kyle. They're sitting next to each other, heads close together as they bend to read from the same textbook. Jealousy flares in my chest.

This won't do.

I stalk over and lean my hands on their table. "Hello, Y/N."

She looks up, her pretty eyes round with surprise when she sees me. Her eyes dart over my form, checking me out. When she sees that I've caught her staring, a pink flush spreads across her cheeks. Cute.

"Hi," she says, looking up through her lashes. She sends me a shy smile.

She's so cute. Too cute. She's attracting worthless bastards like this "Kyle" guy. Does she check him out, too? Just the thought makes me want to stab him and dump his body where no one will ever find it.

"Hey," he says, interrupting our sweet moment.

"I wasn't talking to you," I snap at him. My tone holds a warning to back off and to do it now.