Chapter 188

Hayden chickens out for the third time and flops on the couch, his mom wasn't in because she had a shift at the Pack House, he was pretty sure that they were looking after her as much as the pups.

Maybe when she came back they would both go together, he had baked chocolate chip cookies, leaving the bookstore earlier than usual as it was a Saturday.

It's a bit of a surprise for people to move into their street, most of the new Werewolves moving in preferred to stay at the Pack House.

Mae's mom was now a permanent fixture at the Crimson Pack House, although she was more or less the main doctor of both Packs.

Mae preferred her own space and stayed at their house which was just fine with her, although she was a better healer when it came to magical ailments.

Those didn't happen often so she could just as easily do it from her house, fixing appointments there.

A plaintive meow brings his attention to his cat who is currently struggling with a huge ball of yarn, she has her small teeth in the bright yellow yarn and is slowly dragging it to her nest.

"Good work, girl." Hayden claps for her, encouraging her.

Apple just gives him a dark look, expecting him to help her pick it up and transport her favorite toy to where she needed it.

A knock on the door startles the both of them and Apple loses her grip on the yarn, mistakenly pushing it in the opposite direction from where she needs it to go.

Hayden winces at the upset screech she lets out, hurrying to the door nervously when the knock raps again.

He's dressed in comfortable jeans and a thin, pale yellow sweater that shows a strip of his stomach, he really wasn't expecting guests at least not the type that knocked.

Who could it be? Jaxie always called before coming over and Mae definitely wouldn't knock.

"Who is it?" He calls out reflexively when he gets to the door.

"Your new neighbors, we just came to say hi." A sweet feminine voice replies to him and Hayden panics but tampers his nerves quick enough to smoothly open the door.

"H-Hi." He greets shyly with a smile that crinkles his eyes into slits, opening the door wider. 

Dream's eyes widen when he takes in his new neighbor who's just a couple inches taller than him and looks around his age, and is human.

Deidre obviously doesn't have his inhibitions. "Hello! I'm Deidre and this is my baby brother, Dream, we just moved in with our mom and older brother."

Hayden's eyes widen when he takes in the guy's name, he does look dreamy with big slanted, blue-grey eyes that look slightly worried.

"Why don't you come in?" He invites cordially, stepping back to let them in. "I live here with my mom, it's surprising to get new neighbors."

"We moved here from another state, we needed a change of pace from the city." Deidre explains, sitting down when she's directed to.

Their new neighbor is cute but he's obviously younger than her, most likely Dream's age, maybe they could be good friends.

They certainly had similar statures which was a little uncommon for a human male but she didn't care or mind. 

"Oh, that explains it." Hayden smiled, still nervous. "Um, d-do you m-mind cookies? I-I just baked them y-you see so…" He stutters nervously.

"No, we don't mind at all." Deidre cuts off his anxious rambling, smiling wider when he stumbles in his haste to get to the kitchen. "He's so adorable." She sighs when he goes out of sight.

"And he's human!" Dream whisper yells, slashing a hand to add emphasis on his words. "We need to get out of here before he finds out."

"No we don't, that's exactly what's so intriguing about him, he's human and has obviously lived here for a really long time." She looks at Dream hopefully. "There are humans who know about us you know and he looks to be around your age, you could both be good friends."

Dream looks torn, the expression falling off his face when he catches a glimpse of Apple finally pulling the yarn back to where she had been.

"Cat!" Dream squeals, immediately coming down from the couch and going on all fours to properly study the white cat. "It's so pretty." He coos making heart eyes.

Apple just eyes the weird human blocking her light and path, unhappiness in her eye when he makes no move to get up.

Hayden makes his way out at this point with plates of cookies and glasses of milk on a tray, coming out to see Dream cowering in a corner while Apple was hissing at him, he had tried to pet her.

Deidre was laughing, leaning against the arm of the chair, her laughter only increases when she sees Hayden coming in with the tray, the combination was just so adorable and his horrified expression at Dream who's nearly in tears from the cat that's refusing to back down is just so hilarious than she rolls to the floor in laughter, arms around her.

"Oh my God." Hayden mutters in horror. "Apple, stop that!" He scolds sharply, hurrying around to help his guest up.

Apple just stares up at him with watery eyes, already bored, and goes back to pulling on her ball of yarn.

Dream didn't think too much about hugging Hayden, traumatized from his encounter with the cat.

If Hayden was surprised with the touchiness he doesn't let it show, knowing he would need a hug if he had been terrified like that. "I'm sorry about Apple, she doesn't take to strangers very well, are you okay?" He asks in concern, if they were the same age it was really nice to have someone his height, although Deidre was easily taller than the both of them.

Dream just raises shaky hands to his face, tears shining in his eyes. "I think so." He mumbles, letting Hayden lead his back to his seat. "I'm sorry about that." He apologizes contritely when he calms down, mortified at his show.

Deidre had gotten over her laughing fit, sitting with red cheeks as she struggled to not burst out laughing at the serving of cookies and milk.

Dream doesn't have such inhibitions though, scare forgotten when he gets a good look at the table. "Cookies and milk!" He says with unrestrained excitement, a wide smile on his previously terrified face as he reaches a small chubby hand to pick up a cookie.

Hayden just sits down slowly, a little stunned by how quickly his guest recovered.

"Have you stayed in Pine Creek for long?" Deidre asks curiously, staring at him with dark blue eyes.

"Um, y-yes." He blinks, rubbing his neck, he had been so lost in watching Dream stuff his mouth with an entire cookie after dunking it in the milk.

"This is so good." Dream says with puffy cheeks, his words coming out muffled.

"Th-Thank y-you." Hayden blushes slightly at the compliment, taking a small bite out of his.

"I've practically lived here all my life." He adds to Deidre, whose eyes go wide at this.

"Really?" She demands with wide eyes. "That's strange for a human." She comments.

Dream chokes at this slip not knowing that his sister had done it intentionally to find out how much Hayden knew.