Becoming the Luna

"Are you okay?" Yanis asks for the umpteenth time, when he catches Hayden's gaze straying away from the road. "You know, you could just let me drive."

"Huh?" Hayden snaps out of it, mind elsewhere, he couldn't specifically pinpoint what he had been thinking about but he had been lost in thought.

"I-I'm fine…" he thinks…

He's not been himself ever since he got back from the city, from crying fits and rage episodes to downright fucking his sleeping mate…

His colors up at this and is quick to hide his face from a curious Yanis, he hadn't felt any different while all that was happening but just now, he seems to have snapped out of it.

Sure, while he never minded Virgil taking him in his sleep before, his reasons weren't sound and that was bad enough.

The night before and the early parts of this morning still seemed a blur to him… was this all because he was now part Werewolf?

Sure he didn't mind babies but he had never been particularly baby crazy before…

"I'm driving us back." Yanis declares as soon as they get to the street Hayden's Bookstore is at and he slows down to park the car.

Hayden can't even dispute this, he felt slightly disoriented… "Sure… but first you need to meet Jennie and that cafe down there serves the best lattes…"

Yanis just let's his friend ramble on, knowing there was something on the other's mind, he was a little sad…

How far apart had he and Hayden gotten that his kitty no longer told him anything? He smiled and nodded at the right times, following along, hiding away his worry. 

•~•

Yanis and Jennie hit it off, considering they were both book lovers and after a while of catching up with his employee and good friend, Hayden steps outside to take a call.

"Hey, baby." Virgil's quiet voice comes through the receiver.

"V!" He exclaims softly, excited to hear from his mate, although they had just parted ways a couple hours ago.

"How are you?" 

"Good… we need to talk…" he responds, saying the words he should have said the night before.

"Alright." Virgil easily accepts. "I actually called to tell you that put run will have to be moved to today, Jax just told me that it'll be the full moon tomorrow."

"Oh…" Hayden mutters, clutching his phone tighter, anxious. "When?"

"Two o'clock? Is that fine with you love?"

"Of course." He smiles although he knows Virgil can't see it. "See you then, love you."

"I love you too."

The pressing issue of the upcoming Pack run is enough to push other thoughts away from his mind.

The entire concept in hindsight seemed simple enough, stay close to Virgil… run… that was all, right? There was no need to be jittery about it.

But no matter how many times he told himself that or how many times he pep talked, it would make his anxiety go away.

What if they didn't like him? Or they didn't accept him as their Alpha's mate? Was this his wolf talking? Because he was pretty sure he was accepted just fine when he was still human.

He hurries back in when Yanis calls for him, no doubt wanting his input in some obscure argument.

He lets Yanis and Jennie find one of the couches to sit on and continue their heated discussion, Jennie deserved a break, plus working at his bookstore again was grounding him.

Holding short meaningless conversations with strangers and the relief that they were pleased with whatever book choice they made was keeping his treacherous thoughts at bay, he needed the mental peace.

Mae shows up not much later with Ruby in hand, Shana had taken the day off as well so she was also present.

Their meeting was a little chaotic and Hayden was relieved that there were no customers for a while.

His two friends were excited to see him and apparently, Ruby had fallen in love with Yanis at first sight.

For a reserved person who Hayden noticed was a lot more verbose, she was all over Yanis, climbing his legs and hanging off his shoulders.

Then there's the most important fact that Yanis is human, it makes no logical sense.

"Does this mean than you're going to be there for the Pack run tomorrow?" Mae asks after a lull in the conversation, curiosity playing out in her dark brown eyes.

"Yeah." Hayden replies nervously while Yanis just looks confused, battling an energetic Ruby in his arms. "I'm a little nervous though."

"There's no need to be, I'll show you the ropes…"

"Shana always steps on the most pinecones." Mae rats out on her girlfriend without remorse.

"That's because I'm too busy being nice to see where I'm going." Shana argues importantly. "Now as I was saying Hay, there's no need to be nervous, it's Ru's first Pack run too and she's not nervous in the least bit." She concludes proudly.

"Ma and Nana takes me out to run!" Ruby's pipes up at the mention of her name and the word 'run' in a sentence.

"Maybe because she has had more experience than me, I don't even think I can shift into a wolf."

"Wait, you can all turn into wolves?" Yanis blurts out, visibly shaking.

Ruby shoves her face right up at his, desert brown eyes twinkling. "Uh huh, Ma and Nana get very big too."

Yanis gulps, way out of his league. "And you too Ruby?" He prompts, looking a little green.

"Of course!" She squeals, happy. "I'll show you."

"Ru?!"

"Baby!"

Her parents try to stop her but it was too late, in their opinion, she had gotten downright comfortable, it had to be because everyone she met was just like her and the ones that weren't like Yanis, treated her nicely.

She had gotten over her past trauma really well, her lost memories contributing to that fact.

Yanis on the other hand looks like he's about to get his own traumatic experience.

Yanis scrambles backwards at the flash of light, it's subtle but it keeps your eyes away from the change.

He nearly falls off his chair in his haste to get away, eyes wide.

Hayden just gets up quietly to go flip the sign, there was no need for anyone else to see the little show being put on inside, Jennie had gone on her lunch break anyway so it was just them… well and a freaked out Yanis.

Yanis half yells when Ruby's wolf plops down in front of him, her furry tail swinging energetically, tongue handing out as she stares at him with fixated sliver eyes.

"Don't scream like a girl, bowl head." Shana teases him.

"W-why is she so big?" He waves his hands around, blustering.

"You think she's big? She's still a baby wolf so you might want to rethink that."

"Sure you aren't part wolf, bowl head?" Shana pipes up again, watching Ruby crawl over her friend and lick his face enthusiastically, an action not received well by him.

"Hard pass, both my parents are humans, I don't think I could handle turning into a big wolf or whatever else you have going for you."

Afternoon comes and goes to their happy laughter, Mae and Shana having to leave earlier with their daughter after she shifts back, Yanis had already been warming up to her.

"I'm sorry I have to leave again, after just coming back in so long." Hayden was saying to Jennie.

"It's fine, Luna." She politely waves away Hayden's apology. "That's why you hired me remember? Plus, I have Yanis for company, I'll be fine."

"Oh, thanks." Hayden sighs in relief, to his friend, he says… "Yani? If I can't come back to get you, either the twins or Darian will…

"Or you can let me come back myself." Yanis cuts in, slightly rolling his eyes.

He didn't notice how much he fussed over Hayden himself, either mentally or out but Hayfen worriedly just a little too march.

In no time he's done over the bookstore and is hurrying out his in car anticipation.

He had to reschedule shopping at Paper District, Yanis hadn't mind Ed and that was quite relieving.

He would have to go to Paper District now after the run.

His mind was elsewhere again, so much seemed to be happening at once, his skin was feeling a little tight for his body.

Maybe after the Pack run, he could take a break and go on a picnic with his mate, heavens new they needed it.

He got in the car after waving goodbye to Yanis and Jennie, Jennie telling him to say hi to Apple for her and that she would come in on the weekend to come pay the cat a visit.

Hayden didn't mind that, he was sure Jennie wouldn't mind being given a kitten when they were old enough, heavens knew she needed the company.

He had no idea of what Jennie's sexuality was and he wasn't about to pry, she hadn't batted an eyelid though about his or Shana and Mae's relationship, actually cooing over them when she found out.

He just liked to worry about her sometimes, she was like the little sister that never wanted him but tolerated his nagging self anyway.