Chapter 201

Dale just smiles, it comes easy, the curving of one's lips to show happiness. "I just had my final papers a couple days ago, the eye bags will go." He reassures him, carefully helping him down to his feet to hug him properly.

"You look good." Dale comments, trying to not make it awkward.

Hayden just grins, his eyes crinkling and turning into slits at the action, in his opinion, his friends look even way better - probably something to do with Werewolf genes and had also changed drastically over the years while he looked pretty much the same just with shorter hair.

"You cut your hair." He notes, carefully touching it.

Hayden looks down self-consciously, he hadn't expected them to notice that much.

"I thought you ran yourself over with your car." Shana quips when they all settle down.

Dale finds it uncomfortable to share a couch with either couple so he just pulls up a chair and settles down.

"That's physically impossible, Shay." Dale mutters dryly, reaching down to let Apple who purrs a brief welcome around his legs before returning to Virgil.

Hayden just leans back with the echo of a smile on his face, a hand held lovingly in his boyfriend's hand as he let the familiar banter of his childhood friends wash over him.

Their bubble of happy conversation doesn't last for long as Shana gets called in to the Pack House and Mae decides to tag along, wanting to pay a visit to her mom anyway.

Dale takes his leave not long after this after he picks a call that sounds really urgent so that leaves Hayden and Virgil again.

"Ready to move in with me?" Virgil back hugs him after he had told Dale his goodbyes and the door slips shut.

Hayden blinks in surprise and turns his head to the side to get a look at Virgil's face, he had been expecting them to discuss that and this was a little impromptu, not that he minded.

"Now?" He asks for clarification.

"Mn." Virgil hums, dropping his face in the crook of the shorter man's neck. "My dad is leaving town, to go find himself or something so I'll be stuck at the Pack House more often than not."

Hayden spins around, which involves lots of shuffling and maneuvering but he manages it eventually and looks up to see uncertainty in his boyfriend's eyes.

"Sure." He agrees with a sweet smile, patting the Alpha's cheek and stepping away. "We might have to sneak out though because my mom is likely to throw a fit."

Virgil smiles at this, a clear scene building in his mind's eye. He leans against the wall and watches as Hayden smoothly locks up, comfortable in his own skin as he moves around the space.

A subtle purring drags his attention to his legs and he looks down to see Apple meowing up at him, he bends down to pick her up and the white cat instantly burrows in his arms, tucking herself into a ball of constant purring.

"I see you got her." Hayden comments when he's done, coming with his work bag which Virgil takes out of his hands, he let him.

"More like she got me." He drawls, noting that trying to drop her would only earn him claws buried in his midsection.

"Good to see she likes you, she can barely stand Mae." Hayden says when they make their way over to the car.

"So she's definitely not getting the job of a familiar."

Hayden laughs at this. "I don't think so."

The drive home was Virgil explaining to him what was going on, apparently, Jaxie had been the one handling most of the workload - that would explain the poor Werewolf's constant dark circles and pale skin.

Alpha Everett had fully reclused and barely left his apartment anymore, the twins had moved out and Jaxie stayed at the top floor, including the Delta, a much older Werewolf who usually spent most of his time around Paper district to make sure mistakes weren't happening to reveal their secrets, the Delta of Dark Moon Pack was also assigned with this job so they barely spent time around the Pack Houses.

Hayden felt giddy, excitement jumping out of his skin at the thought of him and Virgil moving in together, it held the promise of something more, something much more lasting but he was in no hurry.

Virgil was definitely not kidding about his plans to take him to the Pack House right then because less than an hour later, he found himself emptying his wardrobe into suitcases while Virgil watches from his spot on his bed.

His eyes darting around like he was uncomfortable on the bed while Hayden was hard at work although he had told the taller man to sit still while he sorted his things out.

"All this isn't going to fit in my car." Hayden huffs, slightly out of breath and itchy with sweat.

"I know." Virgil replies, fluidly getting up. "Someone will be by to pick them up."

"Why don't I take them downstairs while you get ready." He adds with a light kiss on Hayden's lips.

Hayden stands still for a couple precious seconds before his legs decide to get with the program, it was tempting to take a shower now but what better way to break in his new apartment than to do that there instead, maybe they could break in the bed as well.

He slips in the bathroom, splashing water over his flushed cheeks as he tries to cool down, of course, he's thought about having sex with his boyfriend.

He's a young man with a healthy sex-drive but that didn't mean he wasn't nervous it shh about the mere thought of it if his cheeks heating up is any indication.

He was supposed to try and cool down but here he was worsening the situation by having dirty thoughts, he sighs, splashing another handful of water on his hopelessly red cheeks, he would have to change out of this shirt now, it was soaked through.