Chapter 284

Dream shifts the tray to his left hand when he gets to the door of Dale's office, carefully pushing it open.

Dale was in the middle of packing up, readying himself to go down to town when he pauses as his door opens, glancing in that direction.

"Dream?" He calls in surprise, eyes fixed on the tray.

"Yes, boss, time to eat breakfast… wait where are you going?" Dream asks with a frown when he takes in Dale.

"Down to town." Dale says shortly, picking up his phone. "I'll eat when I come back." 

"No." Dream says calmly, walking over to place the food on his desk. "I'll go deal with whatever you have to do in town or is it something I can't handle?"

Dale's mouth falls over but he slowly shakes his head, Dream could actually go down to see what was wrong.

"Good, now come eat, the coffee is getting cold." Dream says snappily, waiting to get the information he needed and walking out without a word.

Dale is too stunned to react, having been shoved down to his seat by an impatient Dream, his stomach rumbles and the sight and smell of the food and he tries to remember the last time he had eaten.

Well, Dream had half threatened him to be sure he was done with his food before the other came back and he wasn't about to test those limits.

He reaches for a sandwich… he hadn't even gotten the time to say thanks…

•~•

Dream cursed under his breath, he should have really thought this through.

Why for fuck's sake had he even offered to do this? It wasn't like he was gunning for 'employee of the year'.

But he had taken one look at the weary expression on Dale's face and his words had just tumbled out unbidden.

Even better he should have snagged Dale's keys, as a matter of fact, he was scratching out the motorcycle from his wishlist, he was going to be living on the fourth floor anyway so any errands he had to run, he would use Dale's car.

But going back now to get the keys wasn't high on his list so he would suck it up and take another cab, even better now that he was on the clock, he could just charge it to the Pack House.

He gets into a cab and makes for West Avenue, a couple streets of nothing but shops that sort of make up the intown market.

The journey takes a couple minutes and he sets about finding Starry Outfitters, the boutique that he was supposed to go check on.

Even Dale hadn't been exactly sure of what was going on down at that boutique so it was his job to find out.

He easily makes his way around, relieved that he has thought to bring a change of clothes, the boutique in question was a flashy pretentious number, unsightly pink shades everywhere.

He brushes stray wisps of hair out of his face and walks in, a blank expression on his face as an attendant outrightly checked him out.

The blonde - that had to be a wig - was decked in way too tight designer clothing, her make up looking uncomfortable.

"Hello, sir." She greets coldly. "With due respect, have you perhaps walked into a wrong store…"

"Is this not Starry Outfitters?" Dream asks with an eyebrow up, uninterested and unaffected by the shopping attendant's haughtiness.

"Well, yes… but…" She tries to say again.

"What's your name?" Dream asks casually, lifting up the tablet Dale had handed to him for notes.

The shopping attendant looks confused, not expecting this turn of events. "Sh-sharon?"

"I see, where's your boss, Sharon?"

"I'm sorry, who the hell are you?" Sharon snaps, her eyes shifting to silver.

"The Alpha's PA, now if you don't want this place shut down, you'll try to be co-operative." Dream smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes, it's all teeth and cold grimace. "And try to be nice while you're at it too, it doesn't hurt to be."

Sharon's boldness fades away at this, her now green eyes darting around anxiously. "I-I ah… I'm sorry about that, please come this way."

Dream follows along with a poker face while he is mentally beating himself up.

'what was all that about being Dale's personal assistant? What the hell happened to minding his own business?'

Sharon leads the way across the store, a couple cashiers behind counters watching them, no doubt appraising him and figuring out that he got his sweater from a thrift store.

Things like this never bothered him before, he wondered why he was letting them get under his skin, hopefully this wouldn't take long and he could escape back to his new office where his laptop should be waiting and then he could get to reviewing emails - in peace.

They go down and make a couple turns in a corridor and Dream can help but wonder what's behind all those doors.

They stop at a sleek door that had a golden plaque on it with the name 'Nikka Clay' written on it, it gave him headmistress vibes.

"Just go in, Miss Nikka will attend to you."

"Sure, thanks." He says to Sharon who makes away faster than he was expecting, it made him slightly anxious.

He reaches out to knock quietly, his knuckles against the smooth wooden door sounding too loud.

"Come in." A high feminine voice calls from within. "It must be the Alpha." The person adds, not so quietly.

Oops!

Dream walks right in, unshaken by the looks of surprise on Nikka's face or even the other guy that he barely spares a glance. 

Nikka is dressed just as Dream had pictured, dress looking like it was sprayed on, wig-like hair and uncomfortable make-up, she was also livid.

"Where's the Alpha? What are you?" She questions, demeaning.

Dream just sits down uninvited, wondering how a Pack would love, revere and practically adore their Alpha this much but be cold to each other and outsiders.

"The term is who, Nikka." He corrects, voice calm. "But I believe you went to school."