Would've, Could've, Should've // Ned Stark // Hayley Marshall

15. The Alpha

"And you took your mothers last name?" Hayley mused. Ned swallowed the lump in his throat. "Right, okay touchy subject, I'm sorry." Hayley offered.

"No apologizes need my lady. I never properly introduced myself. I'm Jon Snow."

"Hayley," she answered reaching out to shake his hand because fuck curtseying. He hesitated before shaking her hand. "None of that my lady nonsense, if I hear it one more time..." Hayley teased looking to Robert, he chuckled out, his whole stomach giggled. Hayley liked a laugh that went through someone so completely. Robert was always laughing. It was refreshing.

"Flirting are you Snow?" Theon mused.

"Another son not son?" Hayley pondered.

"Theon Greyjoy is my ward." Ned corrected. Theon smiled a charming smile back at her.

"No wolf for Theon." Arya agreed. "Hayley is going to show us how to be an alpha." Arya mused.

"Oh is she?" Ned questioned. "I dont remember her saying that."

"Sit." Hayley demanded and the wolves all sat.

"Damn." Theon breathed back as their fluffy butts hit the snow, waiting for their next command.

"Lay down." Again all wolves dropped down into the snow, eyes glued on Hayley. "Roll over." She ran a hand along her opposite arm horizontal to them and they all rolled over. "Good job!" Hayley praised dropping back to her knees and they ran towards her.

"She's the alpha." Arya declared.

A smile curved Hayleys face, yes she was. Alpha of the crescent pack. 

"To the alpha!" Ned declared with a clap and Hayley looked to him a smile on her lips, tongue grazing along the edge of her teeth.  "Come on, lets get you inside before you freeze." Ned added. 

"Southern tits dont do well in the north?" Hayley mused. Ned chuckled and Robert laughed out. 

"Look at you, already got him smiling." Robert offered. Jon looked to Ned curiously. But shook his head at the thought that anything could be going on between ned and Hayley. After all Hayley was the reincarnated mother of the king. But the way Ned was looking at her. 

Jon couldnt help but think what if? What if his mother had died... but came back, thats why Ned never spoke of her... could she have been his mother? Thats why it was so hush, hush. Thats why Ned never told a soul. Thats why Hayley was already being kind to him... it was a stupid thought. But Jon had always wondered who his mother was. 

+

"So you will be right here." Ned remarked pushing open a chamber door for Hayley. 

"Thank you, Ned." Hayley remarked taking a step in and looking around. 

"Not as glamorous as the capital." Ned mused. 

"I actually like the snow." Hayley offered. "Winterfell is quite beautiful." Ned smiled softly, Catelyn hated this place from the start. She was a southern girl and the snow and her were never friends. "The rustic, could be a dungeon in certain lights look too gives it a very ghost tour hot spot." she added. 

"Ghost tour?" Ned mused leaning up against the door frame. 

"Yeah, I got all the stories, Brandon is going to love it." Hayley declared. 

"Bran." Ned corrected gently. 

"Bran... don..." Hayley repeated slowly. "After your brother, which is why you call him Bran." She realized. 

"You catch on quick." Ned agreed. 

"Not with manners and curtseys but otherwise. Yeah." Hayley agreed. "Speaking of which, what does on wear to a feast?"

"The women usually wear dresses." Ned offered. "They always wear dresses." He corrected picturing her in a dress. 

"Like medieval torture that I have to be tied into and cant breathe all night kind of dress because been there, hated that." Hayley informed him bluntly. "I was one breath away from having Sandor cut me out of the thing." 

"The hound?"

"Sandor." She corrected. "He has become a friend of mine."

"So if you need someone to cut you out of dresses... you ask your friends." Ned agreed taking a step forward. 

"You want to cut me out of a suffocating dress tonight Ned?" Hayley questioned and she heard his heart rate pick up at the thought. 

"NED!" Catelyn shouted pulling him out of his day dream. 

"Any dress will be fine." ned offered taking a step back. "But if you need assistance-"

"I will find you." Hayley agreed. Ned nodded staring at her a moment longer before he took a step into the hallway and he couldnt hide his smile.

"Ned, there you are." Catelyn hissed. 

"Showing our guests to their rooms." Ned remarked. 

"Oh, Ned." Hayley pulled his cloak off of her. "Thanks for this." she added holding it out. Catelyn looked at his cloak and then up to ned before a scowl covered her face. 

"Of course. Let me know if you need a fire in your chambers tonight-" Ned began. 

"And we can send a servant in to make it." Catelyn agreed shoving Ned along. 

"See at the feast." Ned called back. 

"Can't wait." Hayley agreed as she closed the door.