Awake | Book 1 of the AWAKE Series | (BWWM)

Chapter Seventeen

Dylan

The second Dean opens the door the smells from downstairs flood my nose. Not only can I smell the bacon sizzling on the griddle but I can smell other non-food scents. Some are woodsy, flowery, even dirty but all of them are mixed with sweat so I figure they’re people. How fucking gross is that? Dean looks at me with a knowing smile and gives my hand a reassuring squeeze gesturing to go on downstairs.

As soon as I walk into the kitchen I feel everyone’s eyes shift to me and it makes me sweat. Oh God they can probably smell it.

            Dre rushes over and hugs me before giving me a once over, a wink, and returning to her food.

“We’ll talk later,” I think and she nods, getting the message.

            “Everyone, this is my mate, Dylan. Dylan this is everyone, now where’s the food?” Dean asks rushing over to the stove before the woman from last night with eyes like his smacks him in the head.

            “What kind of an introduction is that you hungry dog? I truly don’t know where I went wrong with you,” she gripes, then turns to me with a smile, “I’m Karter’s mother, Lydia. Go ahead and have a seat Karter will fix your plate and I’ll introduce you properly.”

            I hear Dean groan but one look from his mom and he shuts his pie hole. Note to self, don’t mess with Mrs. Jarreau. I like her already though, maybe it’s because I’m missing my own mother but she has kind eyes and I love her accent.

            “This here is Grey, he’s like a brother to Karter and this is his lovely wife Denise,” she says pointing at the golden man and woman from last night.

            “You’re pregnant,” I blurt and immediately fly a hand over my mouth.

            Denise smiles and nods, wrapping her arms around her waist lovingly, “How did you know? Oh that’s a stupid question I’m sure Karter told you.”

            I shake my head, “No. Last night…I—God this is so weird, I could hear it…the baby’s heartbeat I mean.”

            Her eyes well up and I open my mouth to apologize. She must see my expression change because she holds her hand up.

“No, it’s not you. Just…thank you. I was afraid there was something wrong…I haven’t been feeling well and I’ve been having some irregular symptoms lately, I was afraid I had lost the baby. I-I was too scared to go into the infirmary to know for sure,” her husband, Grey, wraps an arm around her, “Thank you so much.”

            I smile lightly and nod, not really knowing what to say so I don’t say anything at all. Mrs. Jarreau takes that as her cue to keep introducing people.

            “This handsome young man here is Connor, he’s the Beta of the pack, his brother was the Alpha but there was a war and—you know what I’ll let Karter explain it all to you, that isn’t really breakfast conversation.”

            I nod to the beautiful boy across from me. He’s the most fearless person I’ve ever met. When I look at him he makes me feel just as void of the emotion as him, ready to take on the world. “Nice to meet you.”

            He nods back and Mrs. Jarreau continues down the line. “This beautiful young lady here is Zoey Randall, she grew up with both Grey and Karter down in New Orleans, she’s like family around here.”

            The girl looks at me and for the quickest second I see hatred in her eyes and then a mask of sweetness so thick it’s giving me a stomach ache.