Chapter 235

Blond hair wavy with a dark undercut and that was the least startling thing about him, tattoos ran around the fingers on his left hand and Dream could bet on his piggy bank that the alluring tattoos didn't stop at the wrist where his jacket sleeves ended.

He didn't want to come off as an ogler but he could tell that he had quite a number of piercings, judging by the flashes of silver and cold blue eyes that seemed to stare right into your soul.

The Beta Werewolf was upsetting and that was saying a lot about Dream who it took a lot to shake, he could imagine how much damage Leon would give if he had been an Alpha to top it off.

"I'm here to pick you up." Leon says bluntly, leaning against the doorpost and waiting for Dream to get up.

Dream frowns slightly, confused. "Huh?"

"For lunch?" Leon prompts, a pierced brow arching.

"Oh." Dream hums with realization, quickly getting up so he didn't come off as airheaded.

They walk in relative silence for a while, Leon leading the way as he tries to get his much shorter legs to keep up with Leon's gait.

"Your mom says I should keep an eye on you." Leon starts without any prequel when they get to the end of the stairs and Dream nearly trips and falls over the banister, glancing sharply up at Leon who had an inscrutable look on his face.

"Weird chick." He mutters under his breath. "One would think she'd know better."

Dream gulps, unsure of the kind of response to give, and was relieved when the journey continues silently.

Leon had been stunned, he was used to being treated like he looked, like he wouldn't flinch if he had to gut someone so when Dia had fussed over him, it struck a chord deep in him and made him remember his mom.

It was a messy emotion, that she rekindled in him but it was also warm and nice, he glances to the side at Dream who also didn't judge his tattoos or piercings or choice of wardrobe, if anything, he would say that the other had looked at him appreciatively, very few people did that.

Except for the ones that went for exactly what he promised, his lethality was part of his charm.

Dream had never been more relieved to stop in front of a door before, he didn't realize how unready he was to be back in the midst of people with his scent out in the open, he felt almost... naked.

It did help though that most of the people they had walked by gave them a wide berth and he could tell it wasn't because of his Omega status but rather the couple hundred pounds of moving terror walking lazily beside him.

What's on the other side of the door is a bit of a surprise, a small family sized dining room.

Deidre had told him about the huge dining rooms that the Pack ate at together but he hadn't heard of this, which is no surprise, it's probably a special place for the Alpha to have some privacy.

Hayden immediately starts in his direction when he steps in, a wide smile on his pretty face. "Sorry, I couldn't come to get you myself." He apologizes immediately, taking off his apron. 

Dream's eyes go wide at the implications. "Were you cooking?" He asks suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.

Hayden skillfully avoids the question, not wanting his friend to feel bad. "That's not important, come on, come sit." He prompts the blonde.

Dream takes in the table, Jaxon was already seated, his red hair packed up in a messy bun as he gives strips of meat from his sandwich to Apple who's nestled in his lap.

Leon immediately beelines for him, sitting down beside the redhead and just watching him.

Ian on the other hand sits at the far end of the table that could comfortably seat twelve people, while he gets directed to the other end where Virgil is settled at the head and Jaxon and Leon are seated on the other side.

It doesn't take long to relax, wondering why Ian chooses to stay so far away from the rest but decides to make no comment on it, no one seems to mind anyway and he looks content to just distractedly eat with one hand while tapping in his pad with the other.

"I just spoke to my mom." He says conversationally, feeling like they needed to be aware at least. 

Hayden perks up at this and the open acceptance in those peaceful grey eyes gives him the incentive to go on.

"For some reason the girls all left at once." Dream says shortly.

Virgil and Hayden shares a look at this there's a little telltale smile on their faces but Virgil shrugs.

"I don't know anything about that."

"Darian said he could handle things back there, he'll give me an update soon." Leon speaks up.

Dream decides to clamp his mouth shut, they would figure out what happened anyway, what he was more bothered about was what DD said to him about having to stay here for a while.

"Um..." Hayden clears his throat and Dream internally panics, hoping that his friend didn't ask about his conversation with Dale, he wouldn't mind if it were just the two of them but not now!

"We were thinking and I wanted to get your approval, if you could stay at the Pack House for a while, there are tons of free apartments plus I could take you to the bakery on my way to work." Hayden says in a rush.

Dream's sandwich plops down to the plate, surprise in his eyes, he hadn't been expecting any of that.

He smiles instead at the nervous and hopeful expression on Hayden's face. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea." 

He hoped it wouldn't turn out to be one at least but they couldn't be too careful, when everything all died down then he could just go back to living his life normally, what could possibly go wrong?

That question was pretty dangerous and he winces as he asks himself that rhetorically.

"Wonderful." Hayden cheers. "Virgil is still worried that some of the girls might try to go for your house." He says apologetically.

Dream waves him away. "No, no, it's fine, I understand and that wouldn't go over so well with Darian so I'm not worried."

Hayden beams at this which falls off his face at the frown on Dream's face. "What... What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that you didn't call me to help you out." Dream says immediately, unhappy.

Hayden grimaces. "I don't mind, plus consider all you've been through today, take this as comfort food." He say earnestly

Dream couldn't stay mad at that. "Alright." He mutters reluctantly, picking up Apple who lumbers under the table over to him.

He could actually not be miserable here, after all, he would be spending most of his time at the bakery as usual and the fourth floor was insanely quiet, and there was Hayden and almost as important, Apple...

He mentally lists out in his head as he pets Apple and also spoils her with bits of meat from his sandwich, he hopes things stay as peaceful as he has mentally planned out.