What finally forced Kai from the shower was his prune-skin. When he cut the water and dried off with what had to be the most fluffy towel he'd ever touched, he felt cleaner than he had in months.
Ian had been in several times while Kai was preoccupied with the shower head and all manner of personal items were arranged on the counter. He used the comb to tame his hair a bit and then slid on the robe.
Tying the robe belt into knot at his waist, he was swallowed by the terry cloth. His hands had disappeared in the sleeves.
Looking in the mirror, marveling first at how it hadn't steamed up, considering how long he was in the shower and how hot the water had been, he realized he looked... ridiculous. As if the robe had attacked him and now he was being slowly eaten.
The image made him laugh. He peeked out of the bathroom and didn't see Ian in the master bedroom. Voices murmured low from the direction of the living room.
Kai crept to the door and peeked out.
"They're settling in well enough," said the dark-haired man talking to Ian.
Ian was seated on the long leather sofa, dressed in long sweatpants and a baggy shirt. A small dog was sprawled out on his lap. He sipped at a glass filled with all-too familiar colouring.
"Let me know when the doctor's had a chance to see them all. I'll bring Kai in tomorrow for a checkup."
"The Elders want to see you tonight." The man extended a cell phone to Ian and then sat down on the matching armchair.
"Plate is trying to hold them off as long as possible but the sooner you can get there, the better it will be. This didn't go exactly as planned."
"And what gave you that idea? The fact that you had to come get us perhaps?" Ian slammed his glass down on the table and it gave Kai a start. "The fact that every one of the omegas probably suffering from PTSD that we can't possibly understand? Or maybe it's a mountain filled with dead Elders of another pack, ruthlessly cut— " Ian stopped the moment his eyes met Kai's.
He hadn't meant for Ian to see him. Kai shrunk back from the door.
"Kai, there you are." Ian's voice changed when he spoke out. It was no longer angry, which was good. It meant that maybe Ian wasn't angry with him. "Come on out and meet someone."
Meekly, Kai opened the door and stepped out. He held his arms out. "I think it's a little huge."
"It appears so." Ian rose to meet Kai halfway across the room. He rolled the sleeves up so Kai could find his hands.
Ian gently drew him forward. The only reason Kai didn't fight it was because Ian stood right behind him. He could feel the man's warmth on his back. It as a comfort in this strange situation.
"Kai," Ian said close to his ear. "This is Ezra. He's the pack beta who keeps the manor in order. He brought you some clothing and was kind enough to bring us food so we don't have to go back outside."
The dark-haired man turned to Kai and smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Kai. I hear you two have had quite the adventure."
Kai nodded quickly but didn't say anything. It seemed disrespectful to talk out of turn.
Ezra looked at Ian. "Shy, I see."
"I don't doubt that before long we'll be unable to keep him quiet." Ian squeezed his shoulder before moving away.
Kai mourned his touch.
Ian walked with Ezra to the door, talking about things Kai didn't understand. It was disrespectful to eavesdrop so he went to the kitchen, where he saw the bags of food. He sorted through them to put them away.
At his feet, the small dog looked up at him expectantly. Her tail swished along the floor. She was tiny, with a bow in her hair, but her fur was long, like women's hair.
The front door shut, and shortly after, Ian stopped on the opposite side of the breakfast nook. "That's Wolfie. She's the real lord of the manor."
Kai sunk to his heels to pet her. She rose on her back feet to brace her paws on his knee. "She's so tiny. And cute too."
"Don't let her tiny size and cute little looks fool you. She's a beast." Ian settled on the stool and swiped at his phone.
"I've never seen a dog like her before."
"Yorkshire terrier. Ezra brought clothing that should fit you, if you'd like to change."
Kai played with her hair and rubbed her ears before he straightened.
"I will in a moment. Would you like me to fix you something to eat?"
"It's not necessary for you to cook, Kai."
"I know." So far, Ian was unlike the Alphas he was used to. It was weird to not be bossed around and expected to do things.
"No," Ian said, "At least I don't think you do — "
"But I'm a fantastic cook!"
"I'm sure you are. Kai, stop. Please."
Kai paused with the packages of cheese and spaghetti in his hands. "Yes, sir?"
Ian slid from his stool and came into the kitchen, plucking the items from his hands. "We have two issues colliding here. First, you're not expected to do that. You're a guest in my home, not my housekeeper. Second, Ezra brought us something from a restaurant so it's not necessary to cook at all."
Taking the items from Kai's hands, Ian pulled him to the small dining table where several bags sat piled. "Now sit. We'll eat and then talk about where to go from here, alright?"
Kai's eyes widened. They were going to sit at the table at the same time and eat?
"What? Together?"
—
Ian
Kai's surprise shouldn't have been a shock to Ian. Yet it still was.
"Sit and eat, Kai." He didn't want to use his Alpha voice on the young omega, but it was growing abundantly clear that Kai, and, he suspected, the other omegas, would be a handful in getting them used to being in a pack that didn't take advantage of them.
Kai hesitantly sank to the chair and shook his ridiculously long sleeves from his hands. He sat obediently with his hands folded in front of him on the table while Ian started pulling things from the sack. "Ezra knows my tastes so well. The subs from Harper's Deli are the best in the city. So, you get a choice. Pastrami or roast beef?"
"I get a choice?"
Ian took a deep, cleansing breath. How Peter was going to handle over half a dozen omegas like Kai was a testament to the infinite patience of the beta.
"Of course you do." He held up each one in a hand.
Kai looked dubious as he eyed each sandwich. "I don't know. But can we — " And he fell silent, eyes cast down.
"Kai? Can we what?" Ian prodded with as much gentleness as he knew how.
When Kai didn't respond, "Eyes up, Kai. Can we what?" Tentatively, Kai lifted his head. "Can I have half of each?"
Ian paused. "What a brilliant idea."
He couldn't decide if it was delightful or just tragic to see the bitter-sweet smile on Kai's face when Kai realized Ian wasn't going to shout at him.
"Here, they're already cut in half for ease of eating. You take half and we'll trade."
"Do we need plates?" Kai asked. He was halfway out of his chair when Ian stopped him.
"Too much trouble and I'm starving. We'll eat on the wrappers. Sit."
With half of each sandwich in front of him, Ian popped open the chips and dumped a huge pile in front of him. He passed the bag to Kai, who took only a small handful.
Ian debated insisting Kai take more but checked himself. Kai already looked to be on the edge of complete emotional collapse so he wouldn't push it any further. After they'd eaten for a few moments and Ian was able to quell the gnawing hunger in his stomach, he set his sandwich down and wiped at his hands. "So I suppose you overheard Ezra talking about your fellow omegas."
Kai nodded. "I did. Are you taking me to see the doctor, too?"
"It's just for a checkup. And, I'd like you to see with your own eyes that they're okay. Everyone's safe now."
"I'd love to speak to your Elders if you don't mind." Kai added.
Regardless of how meek Kai behaved, Ian clearly saw the sharp intellect that hadn't been completely beaten out of him. It caused his wolf to snarl and he had to gather his thoughts before he spoke too roughly. "They do need to know what happened. The deal had been in the making for months and one of our Elders had a friendly relation with one of yours, which is why the deal was struck in the first place."
"They never explained to me why."
"To save your pack. Your pack was in danger of losing the land in foreclosure. By right, that's ancestral wolf land and one of your Elders didn't want it to fall into the hands of land developers to put condos up."
That was as far as Ian had gotten in reviewing the agreement. Simply because it was supposed to be a simple meeting that was nothing more than a formality.
Before it all went down to shit.
"You live in a penthouse. Is that so bad?"
Ian smiled at the astute observation. Once he could draw Ian out of his shell, he would be a valuable mate for his chosen Alpha. A small pang of regret stabbed at him. It was a shame Kai would be wasted on the likes of Chase.
Not that Chase Aldrick wasn't a formidable Alpha in the pack. But his special talents lied in..something that Kai's insight would be wasted on.
Chase wasn't worthy of someone like Kai, but that was the way things were to happen. There was nothing he could do about it no matter what.
No matter how strongly his wolf howled for Kai.
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