Page 9 of Cupcake

Being up at four in the morning to start his baking, Dean had been in the middle of work when Axel had phoned him. Dean finished the batch of pastries he’d been working on before dragging Noah from bed.

Noah had grumbled but agreed to finish the baking and open the shop.

Dean knew better than to arrive at the big house without bringing the boys a treat. They were some of his best customers after all and every single one of them had a sweet tooth. He filled boxes with donuts, pastries, croissants, and even some cookies.The cookies were frosted, giving Dean an idea. He hadn’t missed the way that Logan hadn’t been able to take his eyes off the heavily decorated cupcake the day before. He grabbed one of the cookies and carried it over to the table where he still had the frosting from earlier. Dean didn’t have time to make up a fresh batch, but the pale lavender coloring would suit his purposes.

As Noah worked on a batch of cinnamon rolls that were done resting, Dean expertly decorated a cookie for his boy. No, not his boy. He couldn’t be. Yet. Still, Dean made a special treat for the sweet young man.

Dean boxed up Logan’s cookie separately, not wanting for the surprise to get lost with all the other food.

“I’m off,” Dean told Noah.

Noah yawned so wide that his jaw cracked but nodded.

Dean would owe his familiar big-time. He would think about what he could do for Noah later. At that moment, Dean was anxious to go check on his boy.

Fuck! Not his boy!

It was a nice drive toward the property that Axel and his family owned. Dean had discreetly asked around to learn as much about the paranormal family in town. Not that the humans knew Axel or any of the others were paranormal. No, Axel had managed to keep their secret while endearing them to the citizens.

The businesses owned and operated by the family had helped a small town that had been slowly losing residents and money. Axel and the family had been the reason that people had started visiting the forgotten town. Situated between the state park anda university nearby. The perfect stop for tourists to come in and out.

Dean’s own bakery was doing much better than he’d expected.

He’d chosen his business because he loved to bake. Dean was able to lose himself each morning and loved talking to every customer. Noah didn’t mind the work either. Dean and his familiar were a team after all.

It was still early when Dean arrived at the big house. Dean snorted. He'd heard Sam and Ansley call the home of the alpha the big house so many times that Dean had started referring to it that way without realizing it.

With his arms full of boxes, Dean hefted them up to the front door.

He was trying to figure out how to knock when the door opened.

“Hey, Dean. Thanks for coming,” Axel greeted.

Dean grinned around the boxes. “Morning. I come bearing gifts!”

Axel laughed. “Here, let me help you. The boys are going to love you. Me…not so much.”

Dean didn’t even bother to hide his amusement. “I have to take care of my best customers.”

“Someone is going to have to mate with a dentist,” Axel muttered. He grabbed half the boxes.

Dean followed Axel through the entry and down a long hall. The house was quiet, nearly still. Passing one room,Dean spotted several people sprawled out on couches and air mattresses placed on the floor. He shuffled his feet, wondering if Logan was inside that room.

Axel paused beside him. “Late night. The boys had a movie marathon. We just left them cuddling together.”

A sharp pang of longing shocked Dean.

This was a real family. A pack. What he should have had with his coven. Instead of constant loneliness Dean had wanted this…this closeness.

“They’ll smell the sugar soon,” Axel said with amusement. He started back down the hall, so Dean followed.

They entered the kitchen and Dean gasped. This space was any baker or chef's dream. Of course, the family actually had a chef. Drake was a master in the kitchen. Dean and Noah often dined at the amazing restaurant he owned in town.

“Nice, isn’t it?” Axel asked. He placed the boxes in the middle of a huge island.

“Wow,” Dean exclaimed. “My kitchen in my shop isn’t this nice. Forget about the one in the apartment.”

“Drake was very demanding in the design. I figured since he feeds us, we better keep him happy.”

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