Chapter 7
Jared had spent nearly every evening after work and his days off with Steve. Steve had even stopped by and kept him company while he did his laundry and gone with him to do his grocery shopping.
“Things are moving fast between you two, huh?” Desmond said as they did a final check before clocking out.
“Yeah. But it's weird. I feel like I've known him forever and I just know that I can really trust him.”
“It's because you're True Mates,” Desmond said, sighing wistfully. “Each made to be the perfect life partner for the other. “
“I'm beginning to think that's not just hooey,” Jared admitted.
“Hooey? Who even says that?” Desmond cracked as they punched out..
“You're one to talk. I seem to recall a certain someone using the expression 'your sweet bippy', you may recall.” Jared stopped suddenly, a frisson of fear going through him. “Who's that?” he wondered aloud.
Desmond looked towards where Jared was gazing. Two men in dark suits had just entered the store. One of them was wearing dark sunglasses he didn't bother to take off once inside.
“Probably some civil servants. Got that look to them,” Desmond said dismissively.
Jared grabbed at Desmond's arm. “Let's just go out the back.”
“What? Really?” Desmond protested. The two men rested their gaze upon them and started forward.
“Umm, okay, we're off the clock anyways. Theo or Ali can help them.” Desmond turned, pretending he hadn't seen the two customers, and hurried back into the rear.
Leaving through the back, he gave a shaky laugh.
“You almost had me going there, Jared. Like they were the Men In Black or something.”
Jared turned a troubled gaze towards Desmond. “You sure they weren't something like that? Surely someone at least suspects about you guys.”
Desmond didn't know how to reply to that, so said nothing. The back alleyway was clear and no one chased or called out to them as they walked out of it and onto the front sidewalk.
“I'll speak to Steve about it,” Jared decided. “He'd know, right? Being the next Alpha and all of a large pack.”
Desmond just nodded. “Probably nothing but two guys on their dinner break and we were the first employees they saw.”
“Yeah,” Jared said. “Maybe. I'm going to call Steve now anyway. I hope he can come pick us up.” He pulled his phone out.
“Hi, um, Steve, I hate to ask this on such short notice, but could you come pick me up and my friend Desmond up from work?
Like right now? Yeah, these two weird guys came into the store as we were leaving...
okay, yeah. We'll do that right now. Thanks. Bye.” he ended the call.
“He says for us to go to Full Froth and wait for him there, to talk to nobody but the barista when we get our coffees. Oh, and to sit inside. He'll be there as fast as he can. He said he's glad you got off at the same time so I'm not alone.”
“He's picking me up, too?”
“Yeah, I asked him to. Why?”
Desmond blew out his breath in a huff. “No reason, really. Just, he doesn't know me, and he's the next Chang Alpha and all that.”
“So? He's a nice guy. So are you, and we're best friends now, right?”
Desmond relaxed a fraction and smiled. “Hey, yeah. We are.” The two briskly walked towards Full Froth, trying to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.
“I mean, I've got my roommates and I've got acquaintance type buddies that I club with and stuff, but you're my only actual good friend.
The kind I'd call if I needed anything, ya know? And you can call on me, you know that, right?”
Jared said nothing, instead clapping a hand on Desmond's shoulder for a moment by way of reply.
The happiness he felt at hearing Desmond's confession was tainted by a pit of dread filling his stomach as he became acutely aware that they were in an alley, quite possibly once more the prey of two men.
He slid his hand down Desmond's arm, grasping it lightly as he tugged his friend forward, urging him to hurry his pace even further even as the walls of the buildings on either side loomed, his panic giving the illusion that that they were crowding them in.
He heaved a sigh of relief as they entered the bright sunshine at the mouth of the alley, spilling onto the busy sidewalk.
Desmond said nothing as Jared continued to lightly cling to his arm as they hurriedly made their way the few blocks to the café.
Full Froth was full but they were only third in line. Jared sagged in relief as he recognized Steve's car as it pulled up. He tapped Desmond on the shoulder as he collected their order. “He's here.”
“Okay, I'll grab some sugars and sticks then let's bail.”
The two men wasted no time getting into Steve's car, mindful of how they held up traffic.
“This is Desmond, my friend from work. We got off at the same time today.”
“Hi,” Desmond said. “It's nice to finally meet you. Jared talks about you all the time.”
“Likewise,” Steve replied, giving a subtle sniff. “He never mentioned that you were a shifter. “
“Husky,” Desmond confirmed. “You could have told him, Jared. The confidentiality thing doesn't extend to your mate.”
“I didn't see any reason to bring it up, plus I wasn't sure about the rules about that,” Jared said. “I wasn't trying to hide anything, honest.”
“It's okay,” Steve replied. “I'm not mad. I was just caught a little off guard. It's good that you've met another shifter.” Steve smiled to show he meant every word. “So, some weird guys came into the store.”
Desmond explained about the dark suited men. “Yeah, anyways, probably nothing, but Jared felt it was better safe than sorry. We probably let ourselves get carried away.”
“Hm. Maybe,” Steve said. “Just let me know immediately if anything else odd happens, okay? I'll give you my number so you can call me if you need to, in case Jared isn't around.”
“See? I told you he'd know what to do,” Jared grinned, feeling vindicated.
“I'll let my father and the pack betas know as well. It won't hurt to have eyes sharp and noses to the ground,” Steve said. “Now, Desmond, is there any place in particular you'd like me to drop you off?”
“Just home is fine.” Desmond quickly gave him directions to his building.
After dropping him off with a promise that he'd call one of them if anything felt off, Steve pulled out. Jared was puzzled when Steve made a right at the first intersection but said nothing.
“I thought we'd grab some dinner,” Steve said, catching scent of Jared's confusion. “I'll fix us something at mine, seeing as I need to have a word about these guys and make sure nothing's up.”
“Okay,” Jared said. It made sense so he squashed the tiny inner voice rebelling at the choice being made for him.
You did call him after all, wanting him to do something.
Well, he's doing it. Besides, he's an alpha wolf, probably used to just deciding things.
If he does it over little things, then that's something to have a word about.
“I can, uh, make us some sandwiches while you talk,” he offered, wanting some measure of control.
Steve nodded, a pleased expression settling on his features. “Thanks. I think there's some sliced roast beef and stuff in the fridge.”
“Sounds good,” Jared said as Steve put on the turn signal and eased into the underground parking garage.
He reached into the console between the seats and pulled out what appeared to be a credit card.
Jared watched him slide it into a machine at the barrier and tap in his PIN number.
“Nice. Keeps people from trying to mooch free parking, huh?”
“Yeah, though it's mostly for security measures as well.”
Makes sense. Not like they can let just anybody in to just wander around.
The parking garage was well lit, with no pockets of deep shadows.
Nonetheless, the closed in feel reminded Jared uncomfortably of the alley.
It was with great relief that he noted Steve had a reserved parking space close to the elevator, which also required the use of a keycard, which he removed from his wallet.
Ushering Jared into the elevator ahead of him, Steve seemed as impatient as Jared to leave the cavernous space.
A few moments later the elevator opened up onto the lobby, where Steve nodded to the woman at the desk as they walked the short distance to another set of elevators.
Steve glanced over to where his mate stood in the kitchen, making sandwiches.
His wolf huffed in satisfaction at the sight of their mate within their home, preparing a meal from food Steve had provided.
His father had looked grave when he'd told them about the fright Jared and Desmond had suffered, though he had been quick to caution that it could have been a perfectly innocent occurrence that the two men's nerves blew out of proportion.
It was agreed that it wouldn't hurt to keep a closer eye on the two men, just in case, especially as the men who'd hurt Jared were still on the loose.
“When are you going to get him to move into the building at least?” his father asked him. “You're the next Alpha and if anyone who wishes us ill gets wind of the fact that he's your mate, they'd not hesitate to make a play for him. This goes double since he's your True Mate.”
Steve's wolf growled in response to the idea of Jared being harmed.
“I know you don't want to push him, and he's human so has certain- well certain ideas about how relationships progress, but maybe you can get his husky friend to talk some sense into him about it.
If he won't move in with you, maybe he'd be willing to share one of the vacant apartments with him.
Given how close the two have become as friends, it wouldn't hurt to have him here as well, under our protection,” Alan pressed.
Jared walked over with two plates of sandwiches. “Who here, under what protection?”
“He's talking about you and Desmond.”
“Oh no, I don't know if I'm ready to-”
“There's a few vacant apartments. He was suggesting you and Desmond be room mates in one.
That way you've still got your space but are better protected in case anything happens,” Steve interrupted.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “It's not a bad idea, okay?
I'm not trying to scare you, but he's right.You were already scared about those two guys today, plus there's the two who attacked you before, and well, you're my mate and I'm the next Alpha, so that makes me vulnerable if anyone wanted to use you to get to me and the pack.” Steve looked Jared in the eye.
“At least think about it tonight and talk it over with Desmond, okay?”
“But our leases-”
“Can be broken. The pack can pay them off,” Alan said. “Your safety, and that of the pack, are paramount.”
Jared looked at both men. Seeing the concern written over their expressions, he realized that he wasn't being railroaded into making an early entry into the pack.
“Okay. I'll move, and I'll see if Desmond will too.
It would be fun to have him around to hang out with, right?
And safer, plus he's not got a pack, so it'd be cool for him. He would be treated as pack, right?”
“Since he'd be under our protection, yes, but he'd have to swear loyalty.”
Jared rolled his eyes. “Geesh, I should have seen that coming,” he muttered. He proffered a plate to Steve. “Here, your lordship, have something to eat.”
Steve shook his head slightly as he took it. Man, I certainly will always have my hands full with this one. He found himself looking very much forward to it. “Thanks,” he said with a smile. “So, you'll move into one of the empty apartments?”
Yeah,” Jared said. It still rankles though. Should've been able to decide for myself when the time was right.
Alan beamed. “Great, I'll get all the arrangements seen to. There's one on the floor below this one. Let me know about your friend as soon as possible, okay?” Alan turned as he finished speaking and made for the door.
“Uh, okay and bye!” Jared called. He looked at Steve. “He doesn't wait around does he?”
“No,” said Steve. “An Alpha must be decisive and once a decision is made, he needs to see it implemented. Don't be surprised if you find your stuff moved in tonight. And I am sorry it went down like this.”
“What? Are you serious?”
Steve nodded and took a bite of his sandwich.
“Well, shit.” Jared sat his plate down. “Is this one of those alpha wolf things and pack political thingamajigs I'm gonna have to get used to?”
Steve gazed at him steadily and took another bite of his sandwich.
“I see,” Jared sighed. “But we're still just dating.”
Steve swallowed the bite he was chewing. “For now,” was all he said.