My Atypical Wolf

Once the weekend was over, Ashton had to go back to work. Unable to wrap his head around the things that happened he felt quite exhausted. He focused on his job and tried to keep his mind off of all the distracting thoughts he had been having lately. . He was still scared about his secret getting exposed to the head Alpha, especially ever since Caleb, the one person who knows the head Alpha the best, told him that telling his father would be indeed a real threat.

He wanted to ask or rather pester Caleb about the situation, but knowing well enough the week he had had, quite literally since he can now feel all those intense feelings Caleb had due to the mark, he felt bad about bothering him. In fact, able to feel what Caleb felt was also part of the reason why he was so exhausted. 

It was almost noon when he saw a familiar face take the seat near the counter. Now that Caleb was aware of his lack of scent, he didn't use any pheromones anymore, which is why it was hard to track him by using his scent now. "Give me something that could wake up a hibernating bear"! Caleb ordered.

"Why? Which bear are you trying to kill"? Ashton teased.

"That would be my boredom" Caleb replied with sass.

"Is this why you are here? You're bored and you want to bother me while I try to work"? Ashton raised one of his eyebrows suspiciously. 

"Well, I just wanted to hang out with someone" He shrugged. "My mom is not here, my brother and dad are busy and my one and only friend is out of town as well". Caleb sighed. "Not that I would hang out with my parents, but my brother works".

"You guys are quite close after all", Ashton commented. "By the way, did your brother say anything...you know, about me"? Ashton asked carefully. 

"Not much, he is not okay with you, but he is also not not okay with you. For now it's neutral, but mostly inclined at not okay with you". Caleb explained. 

"Wow, that's just awesome". Ashton remarked sarcastically. 

"Anyways, he is too busy with his pack duties to actually bother about these things". He sighed. 

"What about... your pack duties" Ashton made sure to lower his voice at the words 'pack duties'. 

"I have none! Ever since the omegas began to disappear they don't want me to do anything related to pack. I used to think responsibility is exhausting, but now… I miss it" Caleb sighed before he pouted.

"Hold on a second" Suddenly Ashton assumed an alert stance, "Who is disappearing now"? He asked sternly.

"The omegas...You didn't know"? Caleb asked him suspiciously.

"Did you mention it? How the hell am I supposed to I know"? Ashton raised his voice at Caleb, but not too much to attract attention.

"You saw my memory the other day, didn't you"? Caleb asked Ashton, confused.

"Just the part of you telling your brother about me, not the whole thing you moron"! Ashton scolded.

"Okay, how am I supposed to know that? We are new at all of this, remember? Besides why are you freaking out so much"? Caleb asked him skeptically.

"You have met my sisters, what do you think"? Ashton asked him rhetorically.

"Relax, they are pretty far away. None of the missing cases are from our main pack". Caleb tried to console Ashton. 

"Dude we are not from your pack, we just live here"! Ashton sighed exasperated. "If anything happens to them your pack is not responsible. I gotta call my mom, one sec".

He left the cash counter and dialed his mom. He was starting to panic when she didn't pick up for quite a long time. He tried her once more ready to leave the cafe when his call get's directed to voicemail. Luckily, she picked it up. "What is it Ashton"? She asked him softly.

He explained the situation as he knew it, which was not much given Caleb barely had a chance to explain things properly. "Where are the twins"? He asked anxiously.

"They are in their room, don't worry. I am in the kitchen right now, as soon as I am done I will make sure they are informed about this danger". She consoled him. "And don't lash out at poor Caleb," she added before she hung up.

Snorting he got back at work while chatting with Caleb time to time. His shift was supposed to be over at 4 today and miraculously Caleb spent his entire time in the cafe. 'He must have been really way to bored to be stuck here'. Ashton thought. Being all by himself, having to do nothing was something Ashton was used to, and thus he always knew how to find a new hobby. Most of the time he was too busy to be bored so he felt a little bad for Caleb being so lonely.

"I have to stop by the mall later, want to come with me"? Ashton offered to Caleb, who seemed excited on the context of having something else to do.

"Sure"! He jumped up followed Ashton enthusiastically. Ashton was supposed to walk, but they took Caleb's car instead. On their way Ashton bought a few supplies he needed for some repairs of his house. "You know how to do this stuff"? Caleb asked him, amazed by the tools he bought. 

"Yes. My Dad, adopted Dad I mean, taught me all this while growing up. He lived on the countryside and being the beta, the repairs in the family was mostly his territory". Ashton explained.

"That is so cool". Caleb mumbled.

"You don't know any of this"? Ashton asked him curiously. Given Caleb's rich spoiled background it wouldn't be much of a surprise if he didn't know this stuff.

"I don't actually. I mean I know how to fix a tire and all, but my experience is pretty limited. I would love to learn though". Caleb mumbled.

"Well, I have to repair the kitchen sink and the air con in my room. Summer is almost here, so I should probably get to it". Ashton informed him. "If you want I can try to teach you".

A big smile plastered on his face as he nodded with excitement, "Wait a second". Caleb uttered out of the blue. Ashton gave him a puzzled expression before saying, "It won't be fair to ask you without something in return. I remember you were struggling with your sums the other day. Since I am your senior I can help you with that stuff, and you can help me learn these things". Caleb offered. 

"Really"? Ashton looked at him skeptically. "I mean, I don't have a problem, but you do realize that I won't always have something to repair so my teaching moments will be way less than yours"? Ashton raised his eyebrows.

"Well, as long as you do it properly". Caleb shrugged. 

"Alright then. I will repair them tomorrow after my shift is over, you can come by" Ashton invited. Caleb simply smiled in affirmation. 

Once they were done buying everything he needed, Caleb stopped by the store to get a stuffed Panda. "You like stuffed toys"? Ashton asked Caleb while trying to supress his laughter since he found it quite adorable.

"Hell no"! Caleb scoffed. "I am buying these for the twins, see I got two"! He held up both of them in his hands to validate his point.

While Ashton glared at Caleb, "Don't spoil my sisters so much! They keep asking for my rich handsome friend. Someday they will drive me insane"! He sighed with frustration. 

"Well, I like the twins, they are always nice to me, unlike someone I know". Caleb smirked, heavily indicating that someone was none other than Ashton.

"Whatever. At the end of the day I am the one that has to deal with them. I will accept the pandas, but don't buy anything for them before consulting me"! Ashton scolded him.

"I think you're just jealous they like me more than you" Caleb winked at Ashton, who simply glared at Caleb. "But, thanks for accepting us lonely pandas into your family". He held those two near his cheeks and used his fingers to make the Pandas nod their hands. His glare softened a little bit while he suppressed his urge to laugh. He still wasn't happy with Caleb spoiling his sisters all the time, but Caleb with two pandas made an adorable sight.

He simply strode away without saying anything while Caleb ran after him catch up with him. They were almost at the car when Ashton stopped abruptly which almost Caused Caleb to collide with him. He turned back and looked at a particular direction as if he was immersed in deep thought. "You forgot something"? Caleb asked suspiciously. 

Ashton didn't respond so he simply followed his gaze to a salon. "You want to go there"? Caleb teased Ashton who looked at Caleb with an expressionless face.

At this point it seemed Ashton had become quite immune to the other's teases. "I should get a haircut, it's been long since I got one" Ashton mumbled. 

Gazing at the long stands the emerged from the top of his head to his neck, Caleb nodded in agreement. "Yeah, long hair would not suit you". Ashton rolled his eyes at that comment before both of them decided to go inside.