TEN
The waiter poured them wine as soon as they sat on the table. The chattering of Wade’s packmates is a nice comfort to Klyde.
They’re in a nearby restaurant for lunch. The pack insisted on taking them to lunch as a “compensation”—their words, for not telling them about their marriage sooner. Wade tried to escape but his attempts were futile as they quite practically dragged the two of them outside. So now there they are.
“Do they have pasta?” Aien asked out loud to no one in particular, he’s scanning the menu.
“Of course, they do,” came Kez’s quick reply. He said it with a roll of his eyes.
“What kind of restaurant doesn’t serve pasta?”
Aien scrunched his nose.
“It’s my first time here.”
“That’s because you don’t go out of your apartment. Explore the world, pup.”
Klyde chuckled at the brothers’ bickering, the rest of the pack sitting at the table seem to be so used to it by now that they’re unfazed by the interaction.
“Rehan,” Wade called out, he’s sitting on his right. He turned his head to look at him.
“What do you want?”
Klyde brought his gaze back to the menu he’s holding. He’s chewing on his bottom lip as he scanned it.
“I’ll have whatever you—”
“—shut up I gave it back to you!”
Wade’s eyes briefly closed at the interruption, he sighed before turning to the brothers, still bickering.
“Can you two shut up? You’re too loud,” he scolded calmly, but authority is still there.
The effect was immediate, the two sat on their seats, backs straight. Klyde once again tried to subtly sniff the air, searching for the dominance but again, there was none.
Shane clicked her tongue, shaking her head as she snatched the menu from Aien’s hands.
“That’s right, listen to our pack alpha.”
Klyde’s eyes widened in shock, his head snapped to Wade. He’s the pack alpha?
Shane must have noticed his shock as she looked at him questioningly.
“You didn’t know?”
Klyde looked at Wade who was suddenly busy scanning the menu before turning to Shane.
“No,” he whispered with a shake of his head.
Her eyes briefly flew to Wade before nodding.
“Now you know,” she smiled at him.
“It’s why everyone follows him. He doesn’t use his dominance too, unless needed.”
“Yup. I’ve only ever seen him used it when an aggressive alpha tried to get to Ruan. He doesn’t really use it,” Tristan, who was sitting beside Shane and was listening to their conversation added.
Klyde slowly nodded at that, taking the new information in.
That’s odd, his mind supplies. Growing up being surrounded by alphas who were all actively trying to overpower him, it’s definitely a first for him to hear of such an alpha who doesn’t take advantage of their dominance.
Memories of the past suddenly flooded his mind but he immediately pushed them back, focusing on the present. He can’t have that right now.
He remained quiet, just watching the other pack members interact in front of him. He felt a tap on his shoulder so he turned to Wade again.
“Would you like a steak?” he asked.
“Sure.”
When their food came, their table was filled with chatter. Klyde mostly just ate quietly but he made sure to politely reply when they try to include him in their conversations. They’re loud, but not the irritating kind. Klyde actually enjoys watching their dynamics. There’s an unspoken ease with how they interact with each other. In the way Shane refills everyone’s glass of water as soon as she sees them empty. In the way Kez makes sure to listen to Aien’s rambling despite them always bickering, Ruan offering a good part of her steak to Tristan. Even Wade. He’s quiet, but he can see his eyes darting to everyone in their table from time to time, checking in on everyone as if they’ll disappear anytime.
Klyde wants that. So, he wonders how does it feel to…
He immediately shakes his head at that, focusing on slicing his steak and stuffing it in his mouth. He has to remind himself that this isn’t permanent. This is not something he can and will have forever. He doesn’t have the time to savor it.
In the future, he thinks, he hopes. In the future, he hopes to find something like this.
A piece of fillet is suddenly put on his plate. His gaze follows the owner of the hand that put it. He turned his gaze to Wade and gave him a questioning look.
“Eat, you look thinner,” the alpha simply said.
Klyde wants to scoff at that. Is it possible to lose weight that fast? But with how bad his eating habits has become again; he’s not doubting it.
He shrugs and continued eating.
At some point during their lunch, almost every member of the pack had placed a food on his plate. Insisting for him to try them, looking at him fondly while doing so. He’s stuffed after. He can’t remember the last time he has ever been this full.
He leaned back on his chair, caressed his stomach. Ruan who was watching him, laughed.
“You okay?” she asked, her voice is quiet amidst their still loud table.
He smiled at her, “Yeah. I’m just really full.”
They both chuckle at that.
Kez suddenly raises his arm, calling for a waiter.
“Ohh, you’re paying?” Tristan asked.
“He should. He’s the eldest,” Aien teased. Kez rolled his eyes at him.
Klyde is once again shocked at this new information. Kez is the oldest? How come Wade is the pack alpha then? He would’ve easily snatched that title.
He watched as Kez gave his card to the waiter. When they were done paying, they all slowly stood up and headed to the exit of the restaurant.
Klyde checked his watch for the time. They sat too long in the restaurant, it’s now almost two p.m. He needs to go back to work, he still has so many things to do.
His eyes searched for Wade, he found him talking to Tristan. He rode the car with Wade earlier, it’s only obvious he’s going to ride with him back too.
He approached him and stood silently by his side, waiting for their conversation to finish.
“We have to go. I still have an appointment later,” Shane said.
“Yeah, yeah,” Tristan answered.
“We won’t hold you off for too long,” Kez chimed in.
“Thank you for joining us, Klyde. It was our pleasure.”
Kez gently pulled him in a gentle hug, patting his back before letting go. The rest of the pack does the same. Everyone hugging him and whispering their gratitude for joining them, and there was that feeling again. He feels overwhelmed his eyes are stinging. He discreetly wipes them when Shane let go of him.
“Come here!” Aien squealed before tackling him in a bear hug.
Klyde’s arms are stuck to his side as Aien swung them both side to side. He heard someone clicking their tongue from somewhere behind him.
“You’re smothering him,” Wade said.
“Shut up,” Aien replied. Klyde chuckled.
“You’re leaving your scent all over him.”
“Dude, I’m a beta.”
“I can still smell you.”
Aien sighed, finally letting him go. His hands stayed on his arms though.
“You’re an asshole,” Aien rolled his eyes.
“I know.”
“Maybe if you hugged your husband like I do, he’ll smell like his alpha. Your omega smells nothing like you.”
And just like that, the moment is broken foe Klyde.
He fucking hates that word. Your omega, as if he's something to be owned.
Aien turned to him once again, smile bright, but Klyde can’t reciprocate it anymore.
“Let’s meet again next time, yeah?”
Klyde gave him a stiff smile, nodding.
They left in two separate cars. Both Klyde and Wade watched them leave, standing outside.
When they were out of sight, Wade turned to him.
“Let’s go?”
Klyde nodded silently and followed the alpha to his car. They both got in quietly, waiting for the engine to heat up.
“I thinks it’s better if I drop you off directly to your company,” Wade said, shattering the silence.
Klyde who was busy gazing out the window only nodded silently.
Silence.
“Did you enjoy the lunch?”
“Yeah.”
Silence again. He heard him sigh.
“Should I pick you up again later so we can go home together? Or would you rather have your car brought to your company?”
“Bring it please,” he replied.
“Is that what you want?”
Klyde only hummed, still gazing out. He knows what he’s doing is disrespectful to the alpha but he thinks he doesn’t really mind right now.
“Okay.”
The whole ride back was filled with silence. No one dared to break it. Even as he stepped out of the car, he only murmured his thanks to the alpha.
As he entered his office and met with the silence of it, Klyde is hit with the realization of how much he’s already missing the noise of the pack. And he wants to smack himself for even feeling that. He’s doomed from the start, isn’t he?