𝓔𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓱𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 - 𝓞𝓶𝓮𝓰𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓮 𝓓𝓝𝓕

~4~

Content warning: panic attack and physical abuse.

George woke up on a bed, something he's only slept in a handful of times before, since back at the pack, they slept in nests unless they travelled to another pack or nearby village for a supply run and visit, which he would occasionally sneak his way into coming.

He felt warm beneath the cotton sheets, protected, but something felt different, somehow. Whether it be the arm draped over his waist or pain in his back and stomach, he didn't know.

When he turned his head, he wasn't surprised to see Dream sleeping beside him, pressed close and comforting. Despite his heat, he remembered most of what happened last night, but only the beginning, while they were lying beside the bath. He could infer what happened next, and while he was grateful for Dream's help, he wasn't sure about how he felt about it, now.

At the time it seemed like a great idea, but George was known for diving headfirst into the unknown without thinking, and maybe this time, he took it too far – impulsive. He enjoyed it, of course, but thinking back, he never would have done something like that if he was in the correct state of mind. He would say that he regretted it, but he didn't, also. It gave him mixed signals and emotions, not sure whether to follow his heart or his head, but his heart was too caught up in his lust and his head was too stressed and worried for Dream. He didn't know how to react, and he was anxious for Dream's reaction, too.

He turned in the blankets, facing Dream, and pressed his forehead to the side of Dream's shoulder, content. The alpha unconsciously held George closer, breathing a sigh of relief in his sleep, and George was happy to just lay there for a while until Dream got up, basking in Dream's citrus scent.

It was some time later when George arose again, this time to the sound of a quiet knock and a door opening, followed by the shift of a bed and two hushed voices. George wanted to open his eyes and get up, to greet whoever was at the door, but he felt hot and sweaty, and quickly decided against it, his head buried in the soft pillow.

A few minutes passed before the door closed and the bed shifted again, and George couldn't help but flinch when something cold pressed to his forehead, but he leaned into it once he discovered it was soothing the heat in his body. He opened his eyes, happy to see that the curtains were drawn and the room was dim, and blinked up at Dream with a tired smile. He went to sit up, but a firm hand kept his shoulders pressed to the mattress, restraining him.

"You're burning up, George," Dream murmured quietly, keeping the wet cloth pressed to George's skin. "How are you feeling? Has your heat ended?"

"I don't know," the omega groaned, lifting a hand only to let it fall to the unoccupied pillow beside him. "My heats usually aren't this short. I feel weird."

"Maybe it's because an alpha helped you with your heat this time? It might have made it shorter?" Dream offered, shrugging his shoulders while avoiding making eye contact with the omega, nervous.

"Possibly," George sighed, eyes closed. "Thanks for helping me out, by the way. It was nice."

Dream quirked an eyebrow at that, his thumb swiping the side of George's cheek where some cool water dropped. "No problem."

A heavy silence stretched onwards after that, and George couldn't help but view it as an awkward atmosphere. He hated it.

Going against Dream's wishes, George sat up, a little dizzy and lightheaded at first, but managed to lean against the pillows and the wooden headboard of the bed. Dream fussed over him instantly, his alpha side already seeing George as his omega, but Dream, minus his protective urges, just wanted George to be comfortable at this moment. He's seen the face of George in pain before, and he didn't want to relive it, no matter what.