Alpha Assignment (GL) Chapter 16 (Early Access) (Patreon)

Sunday morning, peace had seemingly been restored.

Remi cradled her coffee against her chest, staring into the dark liquid. Quinn had a theory that she preferred the temperature over the taste.

“Have you heard of a mocha?” she asked from the opposite side of the dining table.

Remi shook her head and took a long breath of the coffee-scented steam.

“Assistant, add hot chocolate to my shopping list.” Even if she didn’t end up enjoying the mocha, Remi had clearly liked the hot chocolate she got at the park.

The assistant repeated the request, confirming it had completed it. Remi still glanced about every time, as though she would spot the robot’s words flying overhead.

“Change of schedule this week,” Quinn said, warming her own hands round her mug. “I’ll be going into the office tomorrow and working from home Tuesday.”

Remi’s round eyes widened. “Is everything okay at the office, Alpha?”

Quinn nodded and took a sip of her drink. “There’s a big meeting tomorrow,” she explained. “Usually, they just want at least one analyst in-office per day, but the company is having brand partnership meetings all day tomorrow. One of the meetings needs the analysts to give a presentation, showing how successful our previous collaborations have been.”

Thankfully, Jordan always did the presenting. She had the flair for it.

“I see,” Remi said, quiet and serious. “How many analysts are there?”

“Just two. Me and Jordan.”

Remi drew her feet up on the chair with her, curling her feet inside of her pj pants. “So… you never get to see each other if one is always off?”

“Maybe once a week.” Quinn smiled to herself. “She makes up for it with plenty of messages.”

“Are you friends with her?”

The question caught Quinn off guard. She gave herself a few moments in a dragged-out drink to think of an answer. “I don’t know if I would call it that… Jordan is very friendly but… she’s human.”

Remi nodded knowingly.

“Humans are great.”

Remi nodded a little less certainly.

Quinn continued, “But, they’re different. And I would rather not take the chance of offending them by accident.” Better to be stoic than rude. Better to be too quiet than too loud.

“You’ve lived around humans for so long, I bet you’re great at being friendly with them,” Remi said to her coffee, her sweet smile rippling back in the dark liquid. “I’m sure they really like you, Alpha.”

Flustered, Quinn mumbled, “Thanks, Remi.” She hid her face in her own cup. “Maybe one day I’ll make some human friends.”

A long pause sat on the table between them. It gave Quinn plenty of time to appreciate Remi’s deflating cheeks, the bedding creases that had imprinted on her pale skin, and the tiny jiggles of her flicking hair. If her intense interest was making her uncomfortable, Remi didn’t say so. There had also been no mention of the sniffing.

“Do you like your job, Alpha?”

Quinn blinked. “I do,” she answered slowly. “I think humans find that weird.”

“I find it a bit weird, too,” Remi replied with a wonky smile.

Quinn laughed. “Because I’m not supposed to enjoy anything that doesn’t involve bossing people about?” she teased.

Remi flushed. “Sorry, Alpha.” She peered down into her reflection in the almost-full coffee cup again. “I actually think it’s very cool that you are able to work in the human world. You’re very brave.”

“If you were a member of my old pack, you’d call me selfish,” Quinn mused. She wondered if they were even allowed to speak of her anymore. The alpha that deserted them.

The question of ‘why’ was fluttering on the edge of Remi’s pouty lips. As sweet as it was to watch, Quinn answered before she could force the word out.

“I don’t think it’s any secret that I hate the wolf hierarchies,” she began slowly. “And that’s been the case for a very long time. Even as a teenager, I knew I didn’t want to stick around and run the pack.  My pack was relying on me, though. It’s not like someone else could take the position.” Remi nodded knowingly. They were both well aware that the next leader of any pack had to be an alpha and preferably not an outsider. “I think they thought the fact that I was their only option would guilt me into staying.” She sighed. “After some preparation - not nearly enough - I left in the middle of the night.”

“Did they chase you?”

“No. My parents knew I’d take my first chance to run. We’d already had the fight so many times that by the time I left, I think they were done giving their energy trying to convince me. Maybe…” Quinn caught herself and shoved her mug into her mouth.

“Maybe?”

Quinn swallowed, black coffee going down hard, and lowered her drink. “It’s stupid, and I wouldn’t have wanted them to anyway… but I wonder if I had been theirs… biologically, if they wouldn’t have let me go so easily.” If they would have at least followed her to say goodbye. Maybe supported her. No. They never would have gone that far. Stupid, just like she’d said.

Remi asked nothing more, and Quinn was grateful for it. Although, throughout their quiet Sunday she caught her looking over when she thought Quinn wasn’t aware, with sad, dark eyes.

The next morning, the meeting preparations had the office in controlled chaos.

‘Business Analysis and Growth Expectations’ was the only meeting that had been highlighted in green for ‘ready to go’ on the digital itinerary. Quinn had completed the report last week. Jordan could perform at the drop of a hat. They high-fived over the crack between their desks.

“The dream team have done it again!” Jordan announced with a self-satisfied sigh. “And by ‘the dream team,’ I mean you.” She laughed and Quinn shook her head. Without Jordan’s public speaking skills, Quinn’s reports were gibberish.

They were to be introduced to the executives from the newest brand they were looking to collaborate with in fifteen minutes when her phone buzzed against her desk.

Assistant: Please tell all far there is someone here.

Before she could unlock the screen, another message came through.

Assistant: Please tell her they are trying to come inside.

She typed back a message for the assistant to read aloud: Remi, I am coming home. Stay calm and find somewhere to hide. Tell assistant to call me if the person gets inside.

“Something wrong?” Jordan asked quietly.

“Um…” Quinn was still typing. “Yeah, sorry.”

“No worries.” Jordan sounded worried. “I’ve never seen you like this.”

Quinn hit send. “I’m so sorry, I have to go.”

“O-okay.”

“With the meetin-”

Jordan waved Quinn off, although her concern deeply wrinkled her forehead. “Don’t worry, we all know you’re just the eye candy to my incredible presentation skills. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s serious.”

“Thank you so much.” She snatched up her bag and stuffed her phone into it. “I really am sorry.” No time to put her jacket on properly, she threw it over her shoulder.

Jordan called after her as Quinn dashed through the office and out to the elevators ,“I know, and I’ll have you make it up to me by flexing in the background of the next brand partnership meeting.”  There was no space in Quinn’s brain to process the words, however, as all thoughts were concentrated solely on her pack.