Chapter 8 Breakfast

• BRAYDEN
• Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
• No. Not yet.
• I groan as I roll over and turn off my phone’s alarm on the nightstand. However, my hand stops in midair right afterwards and my eyes pop wide open.
• I slowly scan my outstretched arm.
• What happened last night? How did I get into bed? Wasn’t I sitting and eating a meal?
• I quickly rake through my memories, but nothing comes to mind. Towards the end of the meal, everything goes blank.
• Wait. Did I fall asleep while eating?
• No. This can’t be happening to me.
• I throw myself backwards onto the bed and kick my feet. Again, I halt everything in mid-kick.
• Please tell me I’m wrong. This can’t be happening.
• As I whisper a silent prayer to myself, I slowly lift up the sheets.
• Shit. I’m not wrong. I’m only in my boxers.
• I breathe a quick sigh of relief. For once, I decided to wear boxers instead of my usual girly panties. This would have been so much more embarrassing had Zack taken my pants off to find some sexy black lace panties on me instead of men’s boxers or briefs.
• My heart races as my mind goes back to a very important point. Zack took my pants off. Why?
• I glance down at my arms and the sleeves which are unbuttoned. Then I drop my gaze down to the front of my dress shirt, which is partially unbuttoned.
• Shit.
• However, I don’t have time to think about how embarrassing this is or how unprofessional it was to fall asleep while eating and talking business. No. I need to get ready and go face Zack, so we can continue on with our work.
• Ugh… I bet he is going to rub it in every chance he gets.
• I grumble under my breath as I kick the covers off me and bolt towards the bathroom.
• It isn’t until I’m in the bathroom and stripping my clothes off that I realize something else. I didn’t have a nightmare last night. Usually when I have the first nightmare, I often have them every night for several days, if not weeks, afterward. But last night, I didn’t have another nightmare.
• Maybe this is a sign that I’m getting over it and won’t have the nightmares again.
• Unfortunately, I don’t have time to worry about it. I’ve done enough things to make Zack see me as an unprofessional idiot. I need no more reasons for him to dislike me.
• At the thought of Zack not liking me, my stomach twists.
• However, I quickly shake my head and jump into the shower.
• This morning, I’m ready and down in the lobby long before 8am. My bag is full of all the documents I need today, along with some things I brought just to be on the safe side, in case I need them.
• I glance towards the dining hall as the smell of bacon and biscuits fills my nose. A small grin slips across my lips as I spot the staff setting out fresh food on some of the tables.
• I’m down here early, so I should have plenty of time to eat and then come back out to wait for Zack.
• As I lick my lips, I dart into the dining hall and dash towards the head table. However, my feet slow only slightly when I spot Zack and his siblings sitting at the long table, eating.
• Before I can question it, Alpha Blake waves his hand in the air and motions for me to join them. “Alpha Brayden. Come, eat with us. You are in time today to eat breakfast with us.”
• In time today? What does that mean?
• An older lady walks past me with a big serving dish full of bacon, biscuits, and fresh fruits. She glances at me as she smiles. “The gravy is on the table already.”
• My mouth waters, and I can almost taste it.
• I bolt ahead of her and sit down at the table next to Zack. However, I keep my eyes on the older woman and the plate of fresh food which she sets down right in front of me.
• She barely has her hands off of it before I’m grabbing several strips of bacon and a warm biscuit. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, enjoying the delicious smell.
• Zack chimes, “You don’t have much time. You need to eat so we can start right at 8.”
• I ignore him as I crumble my biscuit into small pieces on my plate before covering it in a layer of thick, creamy sausage gravy.
• From the other side of the annoying man, Blake huffs. “Zack, leave him alone. He has come all this way to help us. I’m not bothered if he isn’t up and working at exactly 8am each morning. I’m sure he worked late the last two nights. This is to improve the pack and not just to obey your strict guidelines.”
• Well, I’m normally on time if not early. Yesterday had been an unusual thing. Nothing more.
• As soon as I put the spoon full of food in my mouth, everything else melts away. The only thing that registers to me is the creamy goodness of the sausage gravy and the softness of the biscuit.
• I could have this every morning.
• As I savor the delicious breakfast, Zack nudges my arm. “Hey, we can go straight to your work area after this. I have asked the staff to pull all the information you requested. It should be on your desk first thing this morning.”
• I don’t want to think about work right now. The only thing I want to worry about is how much of this breakfast can I eat.
• I quietly nod as I continue to shovel food into my mouth.
• My eyes flutter shut as I quietly moan to myself. This food is even better than what I get back at my pack.
• However, my moment of bliss is interrupted when Zack nudges my arm again, a little harder than before. “Hey. Don’t you dare fall asleep now. You should have had enough sleep last night that you don’t need to fall asleep right now.”
• My eyes whip open, and I glare to my side at him.
• This is nothing like last night. I don’t think I could have done anything if I tried to keep my eyelids open. I was just too tired.
• Through gritted teeth, I hiss, “I won’t fall asleep eating right now. I’m just enjoying the food.”
• He hesitated for a second before he suddenly grunts, “Whatever. Just stay awake. I’m not going to take care of you today. It was bad enough having to take your pants off last night. I don’t want to do anything like that for you today.”
• What? Why did he have to go and say that?
• He isn’t going to get the last word in.
• I snort and whip around towards him. A small smirk dances across his handsome face while his blue eyes flash a glimmer of something, but I can’t tell what it is. “Then don’t bother touching me again. I’ll promise never to touch you either.”
• My chest tightens as hurt simmers up in his eyes.
• Why does it feel like I just said something wrong?