7. Dylan

Standing outside Whizz”s door on the fourth floor, I couldn”t help but feel a wave of curiosity wash over me.

Why did he have an entire floor to himself? Did his role as the MC”s hacker warrant this level of privacy and space?

I knew so little about Whizz, and every detail, no matter how small, interested me.

From what I”d seen, Whizz certainly didn”t fit the stereotypical image of a hacker, at least not the one I had in my mind – a nerdy guy in a hoodie, hunched over a computer in a dimly lit room.

No, Whizz was different, and in the short time I”d known him, he”d left me with a thirst to unravel more about the enigma that was Whizz.

As I debated whether to knock or not, my thoughts swirled with questions. What did Whizz like to do in his spare time?

Did he have any hobbies or interests beyond hacking? And what about his past? What had led him to the MC? His missing brother?

I wished we had more time to get to know each other. After all, time was something I now had in abundance, no longer confined to that horrible cell.

With a sudden resolve, I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to look presentable, and lifted my hand to rap on the door.

The sound of my knuckles meeting wood echoed in the hallway.

There was a moment of silence before I heard footsteps from the other side of the door.

Whizz”s grumpy voice seeped through, sounding rather annoyed, ”It”s late, whatever it is, tell me tomorrow.”

His irritation was palpable, and I found myself torn between making some lame excuse to leave or persevering despite his annoyance.

What could it hurt to talk for a few moments longer? I decided to take a chance.

”Sorry for disturbing you,” I began, my voice soft and apologetic, ”I just... well, I thought we could talk. Get to know each other better, maybe. But if you”re busy or tired, it can wait.”

My heart raced as I awaited his response, unsure of how he”d react to my intrusion into his solitude.

Whizz”s eyes widened as he took in the sight of me standing at his door.

A flicker of surprise danced across his features before he quickly composed himself.

Running a hand through his dark hair, he spoke, his voice holding a hint of curiosity, ”Dylan, I wasn”t expecting you.”

My mouth went dry as I realized that Whizz wasn”t wearing a shirt, clad only in loose jogging pants.

His muscled chest was on full display, adorned with an array of tattoos. My mouth went dry.

For a moment, I was almost tempted to reach out and touch his chest. But before I could even think about it further, Whizz took a subtle step back, as if to give me space.

“Come on in,” he said.

My mind raced, and I stammered, ”I... I don”t want to bother you.”

Whizz”s response was swift and warm, ”You”re always welcome to my den.”

I hesitated for a moment, torn between retreating to my room with Travis”s snoring or taking this unexpected opportunity to spend time with Whizz.

A part of me didn”t want to be alone, not tonight.

With a tentative step forward, I entered Whizz”s room, my heart racing.

The door closed behind me, and I couldn”t help but wonder if this was a mistake or a chance to get to know the man who had rescued me from that hellish place.

I glanced around Whizz”s room in fascination. The space was filled with computers and electronic equipment, making it look like a hacker”s haven.

A bed was tucked away in one corner, while gym equipment occupied another.

In front of a large TV, there was a comfy armchair, and multiple game consoles were scattered about.

”Venom mentioned I won”t miss your room,” I commented, realizing why the entire fourth floor belonged to Whizz. ”This space is your work area as well.”

Whizz seemed genuinely surprised. ”You spoke to Venom?” he inquired.

I nodded and shared, ”Yeah, he was kind enough to direct me to your room.”

Whizz raised an eyebrow. ”Did he scare you?” he asked.

I shook my head. ”I thought he was scary at first, but he”s actually a nice guy underneath, isn”t he?” I asked.

Whizz laughed at that, a warm and genuine sound that filled the room. It startled me for a moment, but then I couldn”t help but smile.

I wondered if I could make Whizz laugh again; it was a sound that made the room feel lighter.

I realized that my words had dispelled the initial tension in the air. Whizz seemed more relaxed now.

He asked, ”Do you want a drink?”

I nodded, admitting, ”I”m a little thirsty.”

Whizz headed to a mini-fridge near the gaming and living room area. He opened it and presented me with options.

”I”ve got orange juice, water, or beer if you want something stronger,” he said.

I opted for a beer. Whizz handed me a cold can and opened one for himself.

He cleared a blanket and a pile of books and controllers from the armchair, inviting me to make myself at home.

Sitting down, I took a sip of the beer, savoring its familiar taste. It had been a while since I”d had a beer, and it felt strangely comforting.

”This beer is good,” I said, studying the label.

Whizz nodded, taking a sip from his own can. ”It”s from a local brewery. The bars in Moon Burrow all stock it up.”

I looked at Whizz, a sense of curiosity creeping in.

”I didn”t manage to get a good look at the town while we were driving to the MC compound,” I said.

He smiled. ”I could show you around, but only if you intend to stay here a little longer,” he said.

His words left a warm feeling in my chest, and I couldn”t help but smile back at him.

As I sipped my beer and Whizz said, ”Sorry, that was insensitive and presumptuous of me.”

Quickly, I added, ”No, it wasn’t.”

Realizing he might have picked up on my hesitation, I decided to share a bit of my feelings.

”I don”t really relish going back to Greenfield. It never did feel like home,” I said.

A thoughtful silence fell between us. I wondered if Whizz was as nervous as I was.

Maybe he wasn’t as put together and confident as I thought.

Moments later, he broke the silence by asking, ”Is there something you needed?”

His question made me realize that I never really told him why I was here.

I hesitated for a moment before confessing, ”I can”t sleep. I”m afraid of having nightmares.”

”I get it,” Whizz replied softly, setting aside his own can of beer. ”Nightmares can be relentless. You”re safe here, though. I promise nothing will harm you.”

It was an oddly comforting feeling, knowing that he didn”t judge me for my vulnerability.

The room seemed to close in on us, the low hum of his computers providing a soothing backdrop to our conversation.

I took another sip of my beer, appreciating the way its bitter taste contrasted with the sweetness of the moment.

Whizz”s gaze remained steady on me, his dark eyes filled with a depth of emotion I couldn”t quite decipher.

As Whizz offered me his bed for the night, I couldn”t help but feel a tinge of disappointment.

Part of me had hoped for a more intimate connection, something that went beyond mere conversation.

But, as I considered it more, I realized that perhaps I wasn”t quite ready for that yet, not after the trauma I”d been through.

”I”d like that,” I found myself saying, my voice soft, as I accepted his offer.

I climbed into Whizz”s bed, feeling the cool sheets against my skin.

As I lay there, I couldn”t help but watch Whizz return to his computer chair, his silhouette illuminated by the glow of the screens in front of him.

Whizz caught my glance and flashed me a reassuring smile. It was a small gesture, but it eased some of the uncertainty that had been churning inside me.

I closed my eyes, allowing the weariness to settle in, and let my thoughts drift.

My attraction to Whizz was undeniable.

There was something about him, a combination of strength, kindness, and a hint of vulnerability, that drew me in.

But at the same time, I knew I needed to tread carefully.

I wasn”t sure if I was ready for anything beyond friendship, and Whizz deserved someone who could give him their all.

As sleep slowly began to claim me, I decided to take things one step at a time.

For now, I would simply cherish the connection we were building, grateful for the comfort it provided in the midst of my nightmares.

The future could wait; tonight, I was safe and content in Whizz”s presence.

The next morning,I woke up feeling surprisingly rested, my night free from the torment of nightmares.

A soft snore caught my attention, and I quietly slipped out of bed to investigate.

There, slumped on his desk, was Whizz, asleep with the faintest of smiles on his face.

I couldn”t help but smile too. I wondered what he was dreaming about. Me, perhaps? Probably not, but it was a nice thought.

I grabbed the blanket from the bed and draped it over Whizz”s shoulders.

He”d stayed up all night to ensure I could sleep peacefully, and I wanted to offer him the same comfort.

As much as I wanted to stay in that moment, I remembered my plans for the day.

Travis had mentioned that his older brother was picking him up, and I wanted to bid him farewell and wish him the best of luck.

After all, we had shared the pain of our hellish ordeal, and it felt right to say goodbye.

I searched Whizz”s cluttered desk for a piece of paper and found a sticky note and pen.

With a brief message of thanks, I left it on his desk and quietly exited the room.

As I made my way back to the room Travis and I had been assigned, I spotted Travis dressed and ready to go in the corridor.

He seemed relieved to see me.

”There you are,” Travis exclaimed. ”I was worried you ran away or something.”

I assured him that I was fine but explained that I hadn”t been able to sleep much last night.

”Where did you go?” Travis asked.

I hesitated, not wanting to share the fact that I”d spent the night in Whizz”s bed.

So, I told a white lie, saying that I”d fallen asleep in the corridor. Travis laughed, and it was a relief to see him finding moments of happiness again.

I asked him about his brother, and Travis mentioned that he was only ten minutes away and that he was thinking of grabbing a quick bite in the kitchen.

I realized I was still in my boxers and shirt, but the bear shifters had kindly provided some spare clothing, even if it was all a bit oversized.

”Wait for me,” I said, and quickly dressed in jeans, tightening them with a belt.

We headed downstairs for a quick breakfast, joining the other omegas at one table.

Finally, a honk from outside signaled Travis”s brother”s arrival.

I accompanied Travis, and he introduced me to his brother. We exchanged hugs and well wishes, and I wished him good luck in the days ahead.

Travis reminded me to stay in touch and jotted down his home number using a pen on my hand before he left.

It felt good to know that, despite our painful past, I had made a true friend, someone I could lean on and who would do the same in return.