Chapter Twelve
Connor leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowed at the laptop screen. “This one’s bullshit.”
Leyden glanced up from his own stack of applications.
They’d been at this for three hours, holed up in their shared office reviewing candidates to replace the eight banished enforcers.
Although, to be fair, Connor had been doing basic calls and reference checks in every spare minute since he arrived.
The man was determined Leyden would be safe in his pack, with enforcers he could trust. Unfortunately, finding quality wolves willing to relocate wasn’t easy, especially on short notice.
“Which one?”
“Yeah, so?”
Connor pulled up another window. “I called Riverside’s alpha yesterday to verify references. He confirmed Kellerman worked there, but only mentioned him being around for ‘a few years.’ Not six. So I did some digging.”
Leyden abandoned his own work, rolling his chair closer. This was Connor in his element - focused, methodical, catching details most wolves would miss. Damn, his mate was good at the stuff Leyden got frustrated with.
“It turns out that Kellerman was fired in 2018 for excessive force during a territory dispute. He put a visiting wolf in the hospital over a minor insult.” Connor scrolled through what looked like medical records.
“Fractured skull, broken ribs, punctured lung. The visiting alpha threatened legal action. Riverside paid them off and kicked Kellerman out.”
“How the fuck did you find medical records?”
Connor shot him a look. “I have contacts. And before you ask, yes, it’s legal. Mostly.”
Leyden huffed a laugh. “Mostly legal. Great.”
“You want thorough background checks or not?”
“I want exactly what you’re doing.” Leyden marked Kellerman’s application with a red X.
“I don’t understand why Riverside’s Alpha couldn’t be bothered to pass along that little nugget of information, but maybe he felt it would show a weakness in his leadership.
Regardless, that was a good catch. I would’ve brought him in for an interview based on the CV alone. ”
“That’s why you need me.” Connor’s tone was dry, but through the bond, Leyden felt quiet satisfaction. His mate liked being useful, liked having his skills recognized.
They worked in comfortable silence for another twenty minutes. Leyden had worried that sharing office space might be awkward - Connor wasn’t exactly chatty, and Leyden was used to working alone. But it felt natural, having his mate across the desk, both of them focused on pack business.
More than natural. It felt right.
Leyden reviewed another application, frowning at the listed qualifications. “This guy claims advanced combat training, but his previous alpha describes him as ‘adequate in physical confrontations.”
“Adequate means weak,” Connor said without looking up.
“That’s what I was thinking.”
“No point interviewing someone who can barely hold their own. If the pack is going to trust the people who are supposed to protect them we need fighters, not bodies to fill positions.”
Leyden marked that application rejected and grabbed the next one.
Connor was right. Leyden would rather have three good wolves who were loyal and knew what they had to do, rather than a dozen who were just taking up resources without offering anything.
The pack was still recovering from the challenge, still adjusting to having Connor as alpha mate.
Bringing in weak enforcers would undermine the authority they’d just established.
“What about this one?” Leyden slid a folder across the desk. “Janet Moseley. Ten years’ experience, strong recommendations, currently working for the Northwood pack but looking to relocate because her mate took a job down this way.”
Connor scanned the application, then pulled up his laptop. His fingers flew across the keyboard, eyes tracking information Leyden couldn’t see from this angle.
God, watching Connor work was something else.
The man’s intelligence had been obvious from the start - Davis had made sure Leyden knew his mate was sharp - but seeing it in action was different.
Connor thought three steps ahead, anticipated problems before they surfaced, and connected dots most wolves wouldn’t notice.
Leyden had always been attracted to intelligence. Strength and looks were great, but a sharp mind? That did things to him.
Of course, he couldn’t act on that attraction. Not yet. Maybe not ever, depending on whether Connor developed actual desire beyond the bond’s influence.
But sitting and watching his mate work, Leyden was hit again with how lucky he was. Having a partner, someone who was protective and really good at what he did – Connor strengthened the pack just through his existence. And Leyden, too.
Even if they never had sex, having an equal partner mattered. Someone who challenged him intellectually, who filled in his blind spots, who he could trust completely...
“Moseley’s clean,” Connor announced, interrupting Leyden’s thoughts. “References check out, no red flags in her background, and I verified her mate did take a contractor position in town. Construction work.”
“So she’s legitimate.”
“Looks like it. I’d recommend an in-person interview.”
Leyden made a note in his calendar. “I’ll set something up for next week.”
They continued reviewing applications, falling into an easy rhythm.
Leyden would read through qualifications, Connor would run background checks, and they’d discuss each candidate’s merits.
Sometimes Connor would start a sentence and Leyden would finish it.
Other times, Leyden would have a concern, and Connor would voice it before he could.
Working together felt seamless. Natural. Like they’d been doing it for years instead of days.
“We make a good team,” Leyden said, surprising himself by speaking the thought aloud.
Connor glanced up, expression carefully neutral. But through the bond, Leyden felt warmth. Agreement. Maybe even pleasure at the compliment.
“Yeah,” Connor said quietly. “We do.”
The moment stretched between them, comfortable and intimate despite the lack of physical contact. Leyden held his mate’s gaze, seeing the sharp intelligence in those eyes, the quiet strength, the growing trust.
Connor broke eye contact first, returning his attention to the laptop. “Got three more applications to review before lunch.”
“Right.” Leyden grabbed another folder, fighting back a smile. “Let’s get through them.”
Leyden tried focusing on the next application, but his attention kept drifting.
Connor had pulled up what looked like property records, cross-referencing an applicant’s claimed residency with actual ownership documents.
The man’s brow furrowed in concentration, fingers moving across the keyboard with practiced efficiency.
“Found another discrepancy,” Connor muttered, more to himself than Leyden. “The application says he lived in Montana for five years, but the property records show he sold his house there after eighteen months.”
Leyden shifted in his seat. Something about the way Connor worked - that intense focus, the quiet confidence, the methodical dismantling of lies - was doing things to him. His wolf rumbled appreciatively, and heat pooled low in his gut.
Fuck.
Connor glanced up. “You okay?”
“Fine.” Leyden’s voice came out rougher than intended. He cleared his throat. “Just thinking about how many applicants lie on their applications.”
“Most of them.” Connor returned to the screen. “That’s why background checks matter. People assume we’ll take their word for it, especially if they’re moving from distant packs where verification seems difficult.”
“But you don’t assume anything.”
“Nope.” Connor pulled up another window, scanning what appeared to be court records. “Assuming gets people hurt. That destroys pack bonds. In the long run it’s better to verify everything.”
The clinical efficiency of it, the absolute competence – Leyden swallowed a groan as he felt his body responding despite knowing Connor wouldn’t appreciate it. They were working. Connor was helping secure the pack’s safety, using skills most wolves didn’t have, making Leyden’s job easier.
And Leyden was getting hard watching his mate dismantle false credentials.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Connor leaned back, rubbing his eyes. “This guy’s clean, actually. Everything checks out. Military background, honorable discharge, worked as an enforcer for two different packs with verified references from both alphas.”
“Good.” Leyden stood abruptly, nearly knocking his chair over. “I…uh…need to use the bathroom.”
Connor’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded. “Sure.”
Leyden walked stiffly toward the attached bathroom, grateful for the privacy. Once inside with the door locked, he leaned against the sink, staring at his reflection.
A competence kink. I’ve developed a fucking competence kink for my mate.
It shouldn’t surprise him. Connor was everything Leyden valued in a partner. And watching that intelligence in action, seeing Connor protect the pack through thorough investigation rather than brute force – although he’d done that, too… He complements me in every way.
Yeah. Arousal made perfect sense.
But Connor didn’t feel desire the way Leyden did. And Leyden refused to make his mate uncomfortable or pressure him in any way.
Which meant handling himself.
Unzipping his jeans, Leyden wrapped his hand around his cock.
He kept his thoughts carefully neutral - not imagining Connor, not fantasizing about what might never happen.
Not thinking about anyone at all, just taking care of a biological function so he could return to work without embarrassing himself.
It didn’t take long. The arousal had been building for the past hour, and relief came quickly, and fortunately, quietly. Leyden cleaned up, washed his hands, checked his face wasn’t overly flushed, and took several deep breaths before heading back to the office.
Connor had been busy in his absence. The scattered folders now sat in neat stacks - approved applications on the left, rejections on the right, pending reviews in the center.
Connor had also made notes on the whiteboard mounted on the wall, listing enforcement positions that needed filling and ranking them by priority.
“I organized while you were gone,” Connor said, not looking up from his laptop. “Figured it would help with scheduling interviews.”
Leyden stared at the whiteboard, at the clean stacks of folders, at his mate who’d taken initiative without being asked. Who’d anticipated what Leyden needed and handled it efficiently.
The arousal threatened to return. Leyden firmly shut it down.
“This is perfect,” he managed. “Thank you.”
Connor shrugged, but pleasure hummed through their bond. “We still need to review the pending ones, but I wanted to separate the obvious decisions first.”
“Smart.” Leyden reclaimed his seat, careful to maintain his usual distance. “How many made the approved pile?”
“Three, including Moseley. All with verified backgrounds, solid references, and legitimate reasons for relocating.” Connor tapped the rejection pile. “Eleven definite noes. Either lying on applications or too weak for our needs.”
“And the pending?”
“Six that need deeper investigation. Their applications look good on the surface, but something feels off. I want to make some calls, verify details that can’t be found online.”
Leyden nodded, trusting Connor’s instincts. His mate had prevented them from hiring at least two wolves who would’ve caused problems down the line already.
They worked through the pending applications together, Connor making notes while Leyden reviewed qualifications. The afternoon sun slanted through the office windows, warming the space, and somewhere in the pack house, voices drifted up - pack members going about their daily routines.
Comfortable. This was comfortable, working beside his mate, working on mutual goals.
Leyden glanced at Connor, taking in the sharp line of his jaw, the concentration evident in his expression, the capable hands resting on the keyboard. His mate was beautiful in a rugged, masculine way that Leyden found increasingly appealing.
Connor looked up, catching him staring. “What?”
“Nothing. Just...” Leyden searched for words that wouldn’t make this awkward. “I’m glad you’re here. Glad we’re doing this together.”
Something softened in Connor’s expression. “Me too.”