~7~

That was the last thing Bryan had been expecting but he couldn't bring himself to text back.

What would he even say? He wasn't even sure if he would show up tomorrow. 

There was really no going back from practically kissing Kieran, did he regret it? absolutely. 

If he could go back in time to that point, would he do it again? probably. 

Bryan didn't know much about Kieran and it stung, he wasn't even sure about his sexuality because for some reason, no one ever had ever seen him date.

He had asked of course and Kieran's vague response only told him that he was most likely bisexual.

That was all he needed to know.

Bryan rolled over, his hair splayed out beneath him. He wasn't even sad about what he had done.

Now that he was far from Kieran and he could look back on his actions without the cold hands of mortification crawling up his back, he was pleased that he had pushed that hard.

If he hadn't, they would have returned to the Pack House and be back to square one.

Kieran would have talked away the issue and Bryan would be stuck back where he was, only that this time, there wouldn't be a chance to set things straight again.

He kept claiming to be an adult, so it was time to act like one.

There was no reason to be mortified about initiating a kiss, Kieran could have pulled back at any time, Bryan hadn't been forcing it.

Yet he didn't…

It just hit Bryan then he had been the one to pull away, not Kieran so if he hadn't chickened out, they would have just kept kissing?

Just lying down on his bed thinking about it wasn't going to bring him results, he got up to shower first, he needed to cool down.

He was also determined, until Kieran outrightly said no, he would keep pushing till something gave.

Because he couldn't be friends with Kieran or even worse, caught up in some father-son dynamic with him.

That hadn't been his goal from the start.

When he had first met Kieran, he was so threatening and came off like he wouldn't hesitate to break a couple of his bones.

But there had been an undeniable pull, it was the reason he had been able to stand up to the Alpha when Kieran got in trouble for what was all his fault.

The reason he had done something very out of character for himself and insisted on staying where Kieran was.

A lot had happened that day but even though his sister was literally jailed, he found himself walking behind Kieran to his office.

And he wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

His sister didn't even have to be the asshole she always was to him for him to ditch her without a second thought.

Bryan fired up his laptop, if he wanted to keep making progress with his book, he had to write when he was at his apartment.

Because there was no plausible way he could possibly concentrate with Kieran in the same room as him.

He worked late into the night, only coming out for dinner.

They didn't eat with the Pack anymore and Bryan could see how much that affected his mom.

She didn't talk much about it and Bryan didn't push, knowing that the Pack never held grudges for long.

As soon as Amy got out of prison, everything would pretty much go back to normal.

Well, everything except the fact that his older sister was no longer a part of the Pack.

"Hey, mom." Bryan said in a soft voice when he padded out to dinner after his mom called for him.

"Bryan?" Fiona exclaimed. "I was worried about you earlier because you came home early, did something happen?" His mom immediately asked, her soft brown hair tied up in a bun, her dress swishing as she moved around, setting up the table.

"Let me help you with that." Bryan hurried forward to take a tray from her hands. "Nothing happened, the Head Beta had to go into town for something so I decided to leave early." He made up an excuse which he easily bought.

"Oh, that's fine." Fiona sighed in relief, she had been worried that something else had gone wrong.

Their position in the Pack couldn't handle any more mistakes. 

"Mr Banes is so nice to help look after you, I should remember to thank him when next I do see him." Fiona clicked to herself, laying down the cutleries.

Bryan sat down slowly with a sour expression, even his mom still treated him like he was some bumbling thirteen year old.

"I don't think that's necessary, mom." He grumbled, waiting for his mom to sit down at the table as well before serving himself.

"Take more vegetables, Bry." His mom scolded him impulsively. 

Bryan pouted but obeyed. "How was your day, mom?" He asked after.

She worked at the daycare even though she had a job before the Pack House was built but she had been so happy to be a part of a Pack House again that she hadn't hesitated to move down to Pine Creek with their Alpha to join the proper Pack that was being set up.

They were already a Pack in the city after all and everyone always followed their Alpha, a select few chose to remain but even those started to drift down to the lively town eventually. 

Bryan hadn't cared much about the move, he stayed inside all the time anyways, what did it matter if his room or his window views changed?

Amy had been a different headcase, she rebelled violently about their move and threatened to run away several times even though she was just a teenager.

Then for some reason, she had a complete turnaround.

Bryan could guess why, she and her friends had most likely decided that they could get married to the Alpha's son and become the future Luna.

It was the only reason she had left Reef City, so that she could become Luna and then the current Luna had fed them lies about them just having to use their charms to win the Alpha over.

He could see how all of them got to the point that they all were currently in jail.