Becoming the Luna

Dream woke up way earlier than he was supposed to, it was too early to get up and yet he couldn't fall asleep again.

He groans silently in frustration, rubbing his eyes as he rolls from one end of the bed to the other.

His brain had chosen this moment to replay the events of the day before, a supercut of Dale's intoxicating features clouding his mind.

He was supposed to be keeping his distance from the Alpha for his own sanity and yet Dale's reaction to his mood swing was enough to make him want to smile widely and tell a joke to reassure him.

He probably would have if he wasn't so embarrassed.

Dream was a really honest person but he was scrapping that attribute if Dale ever asked what happened to make his mood sour.

There was no way he was admitting that a little playful bite had fried his thinking faculties and that infernal moan...

He groans, grabbing his head in misery, it was so embarrassing.

He had no idea how long he spent on his bed, thoughts full of a particularly annoying dark haired Alpha until his older sister is knocking on his door.

"Dream? it's time to wake up!" Deidre calls from the other side of the door, her voice slightly muffled.

Dream blinks at this, looking across his room at the window to see that truly, daylight was streaming in.

The honey toned curtains wave slightly, revealing a small, bright strip of the blue sky.

"I'm up!" He calls back to her, flopping down on the bed, all of his energy magically sapped.

His sweater slides up his body when he bends his knees upright and glances to the side to better look out through the dancing curtains without the bright glare of the morning sun on his puffy face.

He zones out while staring at the gentle movements of the vine patterned curtains, the sun shining on them making them look golden.

It was looking to be a sunny and hopefully dry day, he remembers the race in the wet parking lot and nearly slipping on a puddle.

If he concentrates hard enough he could still feel the imprint of Dale's arms around him, the memory replays in his mind for the umpteenth time that morning.

Progressing from there to where Dale leans against the sleek black car, waiting for him.

He should have watched his step, better still he should have just gone around, somehow riding shotgun with Dale seemed like a way better option than getting bitten.

Worse still, on a sensitive spot like his neck.

As hard as he tries to stop the memory from moving on to that scene, trying to push it away so he wouldn't have to relive it even though it's just in his head.

But it was like trying to hold water with a basket, the memories kept slipping through the holes in his mind the harder he tried to keep them at bay, getting more detailed and embellished in his mind.

Over and over until it gets to where Dale is leaning over to bite him and he feels his skin heat up just like in the original situation.

Deidre chooses this moment to knock again, concern evident in her voice. "Dream? Are you okay? Your scent is giving off distress pheromones."

Dream curses inaudibly at this, he was so used to not have a scent that he didn't even know how to separate his emotions unconsciously.

"I'm fi... fine." He says quickly, hopping off the bed in a haste. "I-I ju... just..." He looks around quickly, thinking of an excuse. "I stubbed my toe!" He immediately corrects. "Sorry for making you worry."

Deidre goes quiet for a while, clearly doubting his very shady reason but decides to not push. "It's fine, we'll soon be on our way to the bakery, are you coming with us or you're coming all by yourself?"

"With you two!" He quickly picks, already yanking off his sweater.

He couldn't stand being alone with himself anymore, knowing his mom if he didn't follow them now, there was a high chance of her calling to say he should just take the day off.

That was the last thing he needed at the moment, he needed the sweet smells of the bakery to cover up the sensory memory of mint and pines, and the bustle of the quaint place to replace the burning memories in his brain.

"I'll be down in a couple minutes!" He tags on, not mentioning that he was literally just getting up from his bed.

After one of the fastest showers ever, which was just fine with him because the last thing he needed was to get Dale related flashbacks in the shower.

It was warm enough so he pulls on what he would term as work jeans, just comfortable jeans that gave him all of the flexibility and freedom he needed to bake.

A sweatshirt is pulled on and he grabs a jacket as well, just in the case it rained, plus the nights were cool too so it was a win win.

He hurries down the stairs in record time, finger combing his hair, after a while he just gives up on the unruly locks and bundles it up in a loose ponytail.

He didn't need a fashion statement to go get covered in flour and whipping cream.

"Good morning, mom." He greets her quickly, passing the living room to go nibble on the toast set out for him and down his small cup of coffee.

"Morning, Dream, did you sleep well?" She calls from the living room where she as packing up her hand bag - the things stuffed into the compact accessory could probably build a couple bombs and a space ship.

He winces as he swallows down a bite of toast, he knew that there would be no escaping her pointed questions that she felt she was being really subtle about.

Not when he came home with Dale holding his luggage and staring at him like Dream decided to break up with him, even worse when he just said hello to his mom and just disappeared up to his room for the night.

"Yes, mom, thank you." He replies dryly, giving up on the rest of the coffee, the cafe on the other side of the street where the bakery was served mouth watering coffees anyway.

"Aren't we going?" He pipes up immediately he walks out, when his mom looks like she was about to start a barrage of oddly specific questions.

"Yes... we are." Dia replies distractedly, picking up her bag as she watches Dream with hawk eyes.

She knew her son was all grown up and she respected that and would wait patiently for whenever he was ready to open up but that didn't mean she couldn't be curious.

Especially when he had come back visibly upset with the Alpha of Dark Moon Pack looking guilty, she had immediately tuned down the warmth she had towards him and now couldn't help but feel that maybe she had been a little cold to the Alpha.

But Dream still looked shaken, his usually tidy hair was a mess, clothes worn haphazardly and the far away look in his eyes were all red flags to her.

"He'll be fine, mom." Deidre says when she catches her mom frowning in Dream's direction for the umpteenth time. "He's never had any experience with things like this, let him be." She waves her mom's concerns away.

"Fine." Dia agrees reluctantly, knowing that her response wasn't necessarily accurate.

Dream on the other hand was in a world of his own, he couldn't wait to go see Hayden, he might have some advice for him.

Not like he was about to rat himself out to Hayden or anything, plus there was the bonus of Ruby coming over with Mae, her mom to cement the deal.

It had also been a good long while since he baked anything... His mind immediately brings up the memory of baking for the get together with Hayden, which Dale came for and he quickly corrects it.

It had been a good long while since he had baked in the bakery.

Then he remembers what happened at the bakery for that to happen and somehow it all leads back to Dale again.

He has to physically stop himself from tearing out his hair and just outright screaming, his mom was already suspicious of him enough so he settles for rubbing his face with both hands.

How did he just meet Dale barely a full week ago and somehow all the memories he could find all included him or related to him.

That only meant one thing, he needed to put some distance between them, that was the only thing to do.

He had believed Dale when he said that his mother was gone but he also knew that someone like Dale would mate a female Omega as all things should be.

Just not someone like him...

Just not him...