Alpha Assignment (BL) Chapter 26 (Early Access) (Patreon)

A reasonable time finally appeared on the clock and Quinn could justify dragging himself up from the sofa. There were no signs of consciousness upstairs. Not a sigh or a snore.

The only solace he could find was within the regulation of routine. What was most important was that he kept his mind off Remi's decision, and the easiest way to do that was to do things. Quinn went about his Saturday chores as quietly as possible, and once the ground floor was spotless, he swapped to preparing breakfast for the men upstairs. Chopped fruit, honey drizzled in a swirl over Greek yoghurt, toasted bread with thin, square slices of the cheese Jordan had gifted them. Remi hovered at the back of his mind, but he mostly managed to keep his thoughts from straying into the territory of hurting his own feelings.

The waft of coffee scent up the stairs must have roused the generous dairy donator, since he stumbled into the living room, bleary eyed and loudly sniffing. Quinn’s short pj set hung off his shoulders and over his knees, drowning him in white material.

“Morning,” Quinn called through the open kitchen door.

Jordan slurred something back and loped towards the cafetière on the side.

“Here.” Quinn slid a mug across to him. “Help yourself. There’s milk in the fridge and sugar in that jar.”

"Thank you," Jordan mumbled, drawing out the 'ou' until he managed to pry the lid off the sugar container.

They drank their coffees on opposite sides of the kitchen island, and it almost felt like they were back in the office. Quinn made small talk while Jordan took his time waking up

He slept well. Room was warm enough. Bed was comfy. Likes the decor, but maybe a bit minimalist for his taste.

Quinn ran out of polite questions, but luckily, Jordan had also run out of coffee.

"I'm gonna get washed up," he announced, hopping down from his stool and placing his mug in the sink.

"Sure, you're welcome to use anything in the bathroom."

"I was only planning on a heads ‘n’ tails wash." Jordan winked. "But if you insist, I'll gladly have a rummage around."

Qunn laughed. "Have fun."

He watched Jordan disappear out through the living room with a smile on his face. Maybe Remi was right, he could make real human friends.

Until they start asking for tips on how to date you.

Quinn winced, lowering his mug to the island to free both hands and scrub them through his hair. With what had happened last night with Remi, the washing-up chit-chat had completely slipped his mind. Even if Remi wasn't a part of the equation, a huge, glowing symbol in the centre, Quinn had only ever wanted human friends - a human lover hadn't been a consideration. How much would he have to hide? Would it be putting them in danger? How would he ever explain unwanted contact from the Assembly?

At the same time, maybe he should have weighed humans up as an option. Otherwise, that shadowy figure in his future plans would never have materialised. He didn't intend to have any wolf contact for the rest of his life if he could help it. What was he expecting? A coffee shop meet-cute with a man who just happened to be a werewolf and also 100% up for ditching their home, lifestyle and safety of a pack? Quinn's fingers trailed from his hair to his eyes and rubbed until he saw sparkles.

It was luck that brought Remi to his doorstep. Or rather, Mister Isaac. At Quinn's current trajectory he would have been on a surefire path to dying alone, and hadn't taken a moment to think too hard about it and realise. Maybe deep down, he knew. Maybe he was lonely in every way, so he thought he'd focus on the seemingly easier part first: human friends. Maybe he was at risk of losing the one genuine friend he had made so far to an awkward unrequited l-

"God damn, that shower has some power!"

Quinn blinked, pulling his face up from his hands in time to see Jordan strutting back in, hair soaked and skin shining. He'd put back on yesterday's clothes, and it looked like the radiator had done a decent job of drying them.

"Would you like some breakfast?" Quinn nodded to the tray of prepared foods.

There was a slight awkward shift in Jordan's body. He hovered by the kitchen doorway with his phone in hand. "I'm okay, thanks."

"Oh."

"Actually, I was thinking I'd get a cab now." His smile was both apologetic and uncomfortable. "Y'know, stop intruding-"

"You're not intruding, I'm driving you home." Quinn spoke without thinking, too blunt, but he knew something was wrong. And it was no doubt something he'd done. Just one human friend. One good, kind friend that genuinely cared about him. That was all he had wanted. "We can go now, I just need to cover this up for Remi."

Jordan nodded and retreated back out to the living room. Quinn covered the tray in plastic wrap, popped it into the fridge, and followed. A backpack was already resting against the front door, and Jordan was perched on the bottom step of the stairs to tie his shoes.

In the car, phone navigation set up, and quiet background radio serenading them, Quinn jumped straight into the deep end.

"Did I say something to make you feel uncomfortable?"

"What?"

"You're not yourself today. What's wrong?"

"I'm fine."

"You're not,” Quinn argued. “You were fine last night. This morning I thought you were just tired, but after your shower you seemed... awkward. So I must have done something-"

"It's not you, it's me.” Jordan sighed and rolled his eyes until they were pointed out the window. “And… that is a really lame cliché."

Quinn frowned at the road ahead. "If that's a reference to something, I don't know it."

Jordan laughed and shook his head. "It's just... something people say."

"I'm lost,” Quinn admitted.

"I... It's not about you, it's about Remi."

"Remi was up?" Not like him, it was a little early yet.

"No, last night."

Quinn’s brows raised and his fingers became itchy around the steering wheel. "Remi said something rude last night?" It had to have been before he got back from cleaning upstairs, he didn’t hear anything impolite when he was eavesdropping… just an inexperienced wolf tackling a normal human conversation with a little clumsiness.

"No, I said something rude to Remi."

"Oh." Somehow, that was much better. At least Quinn could explain things to Remi easier than the opposite way around.

"And I just…” He made a quiet groaning sound. “I wanted to get going before he came down because I was worried that... maybe I made him feel uncomfortable. It's his house, I shouldn't linger if that's the case."

"He didn't say anything to me last night,” Quinn offered. “I thought you two got along really well and I actually wanted to thank you for being so gentle with him. I want him to make friends outside of the cult, to be able to join in with the rest of the world."

"Well, if he does say anything. Please just tell him I'm sorry, I should have kept my mouth shut, and I'll be thinking thrice before pushing past two glasses of wine in the future."

"Am I allowed to know what you said?"

"Something stupid, under the influence."

"Okay." Definitely the kitchen conversation, then. Quinn wouldn't push it any harder, he didn't want to have that conversation. Especially not while Remi was at home, possibly weighing up Quinn as a potential... mate.

Jordan shifted the conversation to work, and Quinn gladly played audience member to his dramatic rendition of an argument between two men in the sales department.

"This one?" Quinn murmured, approaching an idyllic cottage with unruly hedges and countless shades of green. His phone announced they had arrived at their destination.

"Yep, that's me."

"It's beautiful."

"Thanks, I just let nature do its thing for the most part."

"I'd love to live somewhere like this.” Quinn cut his engine on the empty driveway. “I'm much more used to a rural environment."

Jordan smiled knowingly. "Have you looked in this area? With what you've got now so close to the town centre, I'm sure you could get something way bigger out here for the same money."

"Um, this area is-” Assembly territory, except for Sanctuary. “-indirectly involved with the cult."

"What?!” Jordan let his seatbelt loose, seemingly just to swing around with as much dramatic flair as possible and accuse Quinn with his eyes. “When were you going to tell me that? What if I got snatched?"

Quinn couldn’t keep his shocked laugh in. "They don't recruit members like a gang,” he corrected. “You have to be born into it. You're in no danger. I just wouldn't feel comfortable living somewhere I might get recognised."

"Mmm'kay," Jordan grumbled, popping his door and sliding out of his seat. "I trust you."

"It doesn't sound like it."

Jordan leant through the door gap. "All I'll say is: if a stranger tries to talk to me in the street, be ready for a panicked phone call."

"I hope you would call if you were in real danger."

Jordan flushed and dropped his eyes. "Yeah. 'course. I mean, you're Mr Muscles after all.” He hesitated, as if to say something else. “Um, thanks for the lift."

"No problem. See you Monday."

Jordan nodded at the now-empty seat and pulled back to close the door. He waved from his front door until Quinn had turned off his road.

At home, the food remained sealed in the fridge, and there was no sign of Remi. Quinn paced around the island convincing and unconvincing himself to just go upstairs and see him. It would stop him stressing, but it might cause Remi to feel obliged to give him a positive response. Not that he would take rejection negatively... at least not on the outside.

At eleven, he slapped his hands to the quartz counter top and decided. He would bring breakfast to Remi in bed. It would break the ice, he wouldn't linger, and it gave an opportunity to make it clear he was at ease either way. He cares about Remi, and that's what matters.

Portioning off a Remi-sized amount of each food, Quinn filled a tray with his offerings and added a steaming mocha to the corner.

Outside Remi’s bedroom door, a groan followed Quinn’s knock and request to come in. He took it as an affirmative. Inside, a duvet mound was huddled in the centre of the bed. The curtains were closed and no lights were on.

“Remi?”

Fluffy bangs exited the duvet first, followed by puffy cheeks and squinting eyes. “Ugh.” The sound told Quinn all he needed to know about Remi’s state, his throat sounded drier than sand.

Quinn walked the tray to the bedside table. “Looks like someone has a hangover,” he teased softly. “I’ll get you some water.”

“Thank you,” Remi croaked, retreating back into the dark of his bedding cave.

Quinn plucked a few bottles from the fridge. Remi wasn’t avoiding him then, at least not intentionally. When he returned, he handed an uncapped bottle into Remi’s hiding place. It came back out, along with Remi, empty.

“Better?”

“Yes,” he gasped. Sinking back against his blanket dome, it became a plush armchair for him. "I thought Jordan said I was too young to have a hangover after alcohol." His voice still had a light rasp, Quinn offered another bottle. This time he sipped at it. “I feel… awful.”

"Jordan is a bit more experienced in drinking than you,” Quinn explained. “He may have overestimated your tolerance."

Remi sealed the bottle and flung himself onto his front. He burrowed into his pillow and let it muffle his, "Hmmmmmm."

“I’m sorry you feel so sick.” Quinn crouched at the edge of the bed, letting his fingers reach for Remi’s hair. He stroked the sweaty curls carefully, tickling along his pale scalp. “I didn’t think it would do this much damage.”

Remi hummed again before lifting his head, just enough to pout in Quinn’s direction. “I’m annoyed at myself, not the wine.”

“Why?” Quinn pulled his hand back. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Please don’t say last night was a mistake. Please don’t take it all back.

“Today was supposed to be our day of kisses and now it will only be half a day of kisses,” Remi whined and threw his face back into the pillow, kicked his feet against the sheets and thumped his fists childishly at his sides.

Quinn’s crouch dissolved into him falling flat on his butt as he laughed, quietly as he could for poor Remi’s sore head, into his hands. His happiness was almost shaking him from the inside out.

“Remi,” he cooed through a chuckle. Remi raised his head, unimpressed at how seriously Quinn wasn’t taking the situation. “You can cash in your day of kisses any day you like, it doesn’t have to be today.” Quinn brushed the bangs back from his flushed forehead and pressed a gentle kiss in the centre. “Today, you need to focus on feeling better.”

Although he spent the second half of the day sulking, Remi did relent to being taken care of while he recovered from his first taste of being ‘wine drunk.’ He ate what he was told, took plenty of naps, and had a long, hot shower while Quinn changed out his bedding for fresh sheets. Every time he pointed his petulant little pout at Quinn, it only gave the alpha another boost to the spring in his step. Remi wanted him, too. Wanted him so much he made sure to show it in his face every time Quinn visited his bedside.

When he wished him good night, Quinn kissed the pout from his mouth.