Alpha Assignment (GL) Chapter 40 (Early Access) (Patreon)

“Can I… think about this for a moment?”

Remi nodded, hands tucked between her knees.

The proposition put forward from omega to alpha, over coffee and hot chocolate, horrified her. It wouldn’t help to show as much on her face, so she sipped her coffee and tried to mull it over. There were so many reasons to say ‘no’ and no gentle way to do it.

“You don’t like it, I can tell,” Remi mumbled.

Quinn sighed. “I’m not… excited about the idea.” Absolutely terrified by it.

“Please.” Puppy dog eyes pouted up at her. Hot chocolate forgotten on the side table.

Quinn said with a wince, “I don’t want you out after dark, not on Halloween. I’m sorry.” Not on any day, but at least the human holiday gave her a 24-hour-long excuse.

“I’ll be back before dark,” Remi promised. She rocked forward onto her knees, half-climbing into Quinn’s lap. “And if anyone asks me about my dress-up I’ll say I’m a werewolf!

“Please don’t.” Quinn put aside her coffee and grabbed Remi’s delicate shoulders. “If anyone asks you anything about Halloween, just say you don’t celebrate it.” She tried to sound stern, but didn’t feel it. All she felt was fear.

“So… I can go out?” A hesitant smile that only made Quinn want to senselessly agree fluttered at Remi’s plump lips.

Quinn grimaced. It went against everything her instincts were screaming at her, but refusing Remi her freedom went against every moral in her mind. There was a secret, too, something Remi wasn’t telling her.

“And… there’s no particular reason? You want to just… wander?”

Remi watched her for a moment, a strange look on her face. Maybe a little… guilty?

“I want to go outside,” she said simply.

“Alone?”

Remi nodded.

Quinn’s hands slid from Remi’s shoulders to her arms, squeezing in little pulses. Reassuring herself, centring herself, reminding her hands of the feel of Remi’s softness. She released her and sighed, forcing out pure petrification.

“I really appreciate you asking for my permission.” It shouldn’t be necessary, she was not Remi’s cult leader. Even less so now that they were mates, almost equals even in the werewolf world.

Remi frowned. “But you’re not going to give it.” She turned away, scooting back across the sofa. Quinn caught her again, clutching her hands.

She had no right to dictate where Remi could go, what she could do and when she did it. Freedom was all she wanted to give Remi, the freedom to live her life on her own terms. All Quinn could do was attempt to keep her safe as she did.

“Please keep your phone on you, and turned on,” she said in resignation. The phone could do little more than text and call, but as long as they had a constant line of communication, one that extended further than the bond was capable of reaching, Quinn had to find it within her to be reasonable.

Remi nodded, both excited and uncertain.

“Do you know where it is?”

Remi froze, looked away, and answered, “I will do once I’ve had a look!”

Quinn sighed again.

Bundled up, phone tucked into her pocket, boots tied tight, Remi stepped out of the front door. Quinn clung to the frame to keep from following. A hundred questions bubbled inside of her. Where? Why? How long? How would she handle an unexpected human interaction? Would she be distracted by all the spooky decorations?

The neighbours’ houses were strung with handkerchief ghosts and cotton webbing, dotted with pumpkins carved and waiting to be lit, and sprayed with cartoon spiders and ghouls. Maybe not that scary in daylight, but Remi wouldn’t have seen anything like it before. Everything was a hazard, a possibility, a worry.

Quinn watched Remi walk to the end of the drive, look up and down the street, and take off to the left, the choice seemingly random. Long after Remi had walked out of view, Quinn stood and stared. Her watch informed her that it had taken note of a workout that her heart was taking without the rest of her body.

It was five minutes before her resolve broke and she sent a check-in text. Remi responded almost immediately. If she hadn’t, Quinn would have thrown herself down the street, possibly on all fours. Instead, she managed to finally shut the front door. Then she sent another text, and received another response.

Remi’s messages were clumsily typed, and pretty short, but volleyed back to Quinn quick enough to just about keep her in check.

She was supposed to be working, but all she managed was mouse wiggling. That, and pacing around the house like a caged animal. She wished she’d followed Remi, but knew she’d have hated herself if she had. Remi was an adult, she was capable, she had spent time around humans and was still cautious around them… but why did she want to wander outside alone?

The original request was permission to take a walk, but how long did a walk need to take?

Hours passed, and although Remi continued to text back, always assuring that she was fine, Quinn was shaking from the strain of holding back her need to chase. To see her mate with her own eyes. Feel her with her own hands. The stress was going to combust inside of her soon, but that was preferable to forcing Remi to her will, following her around like her master. She tried not to tear her own hair out in the wait.

Footsteps passing were always parents and children, sometimes already costumed, and never the little feet she wanted to hear. The noise began to infuriate her.

Nerves fried to splinters, the ring of the doorbell almost stung. Quinn tore through the living room, almost enough to give her feet carpet burn, and threw the front door open violently.

On the doorstep stood two people:

One tiny omega with fluffy, flicking hair that bounced in a topknot, earth-toned wool clothes, and eyes like the night.

One man hunched over her, incapable of standing on his own, and soaked in blood. It was transferring to Remi as it continued to flow, with drips leading a trail up the driveway. He was beaten, bruised, and his skin was split in numerous places. Only one eye was open, and it cringed as it fought to stay that way.

The guilty look had returned to Remi’s face, and Quinn knew hers held horror.

“Inside. Now.”