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

Sunday morning, peace had seemingly been restored.

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

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

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

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

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

“Change of schedule this week,” Quinn said, warming his own hands round his 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 his drink. “There’s a big meeting tomorrow,” he 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. He had the flair for it.

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

“Just two. Me and Jordan.”

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

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

“Are you friends with him?”

The question caught Quinn off guard. He gave himself 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… he’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 his coffee, his sweet smile rippling back in the dark liquid. “I’m sure they really like you, Alpha.”

Flustered, Quinn mumbled, “Thanks, Remi.” He hid his face in his 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 his pale skin, and the tiny jiggles of his flicking hair. If his intense interest was making him 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,” he 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?” he teased.

Remi flushed. “Sorry, Alpha.” He peered down into his 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. He wondered if they were even allowed to speak of him 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 he could force the word out.

“I don’t think it’s any secret that I hate the wolf hierarchies,” he 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.” He 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 himself and shoved his mug into his mouth.

“Maybe?”

Quinn swallowed, black coffee going down hard, and lowered his 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 him to say goodbye. Maybe supported him. No. They never would have gone that far. Stupid, just like he’d said.

Remi asked nothing more, and Quinn was grateful for it. Although, throughout their quiet Sunday he caught him looking over when he 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.” He laughed and Quinn shook his 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 his phone buzzed against his desk.

Assistant: Please tell all far there is someone here.

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

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

He 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 his concern deeply wrinkled his 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.” He snatched up his bag and stuffed his phone into it. “I really am sorry.” No time to put his jacket on properly, he threw it over his shoulder.

Jordan called after him 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 his pack.