Zane;
"Good morning, Alpha Aurelian. Erm… Alpha Pat has been in the waiting room for the past five minutes, demanding to see you. He has refused to leave, and is causing a scene… Would you like to see—" I don't get to finish when he looks up from the document before him, and as his silver gaze pierces into me, I realise the foolish mistake I just made.
Alpha Aurelian hates his brothers, and I just asked if I should send one in on a peaceful Saturday morning.
"Forgive me. I'll order the guards to send him out." I apologise, and his gaze drops back to the papers in front of him.
"We've recompiled the file you asked for, sir. All updates to his likes and dislikes, as well as when these changes took place, have been noted." I inform him as I place the file in my hand on his table, and his eyes flick to it.
Instantly, he pushes aside the documents he was working on and opens the new file.
I stand silently as his eyes scan each page meticulously.
He flips the next page and pauses.
"Pastries?" He questions as he looks up at me, and I nod.
"After everything that happened last week, he suddenly grew an obsession with pastries. Stress eating them at every chance he's gotten." I explain, and he pauses, and then looks back at the file.
He keeps reading again, and then stops.
I know what exactly would get that reaction from him. The amount of inhibitors Mr. Ethan got in the last week alone is almost double the amount he got last month. It's disturbing to see anyone use that many inhibitors. Let alone someone Alpha Aurelian is this invested in.
"Has he had any attacks yet?" Alpha Aurelian suddenly demands, and I take a deep breath.
"None that we know of or were able to take record of, Alpha," I reply, and thankfully, he doesn't push it.
Inasmuch as he has eyes on the boy, we can not watch him every second of the day. He knows that… even though I know he wishes he could change that.
"Hmm…" He simply replies as he sets the file back down.
That subtle annoyance has returned to his eyes, and heaven knows I DO NOT want to deal with that right now.
"Th…there's good news…" I quickly note, and he looks up at me with those eyes of his that hold no light.
"Mr Ethan has accepted our offer. He sent his acceptance mail this morning." I inform, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I see a smile crawl slowly onto his face.
He's smiling. Actually smiling.
It's not the bright, happy smile one would think of when they hear the word smile, no, this one is predatory… dangerous… calculative with a kind of twisted joy.
"After all these years… he's taken the first step." He breathes, and I swallow.
I don't know what Alpha Aurelian wants with Ethan… but whatever it is, Light be with the boy.
*******
Ethan;
I try to force myself to stop looking about like a clueless noob, but I can't help it. This garden is the most exquisite thing I've ever laid eyes on.
We've been walking through it for about three minutes now, and I wonder why the place a common worker would live has such a magnificent garden.
Maybe this is like a company complex, though. A big ass apartment complex where other staff live too.
My gaze returns to the young man walking ahead of me, and I hopelessly try to match his stride.
He looks so… formal. Like the type of person to count how many times he chews before he swallows.
His brown hair is completely slicked back, with not even a strand out of place. His suit is tailored and ironed to perfection.
He even strides like a millionaire. He introduced himself to me as Zane. Alpha Aurelian's secretary.
How is HE the secretary and I'm the assistant? I look like I came here to ask for donations—
"So, here is where you'd be staying, Mr. Ethan." His voice breaks into my thoughts, and my legs freeze immediately I see the massive MANSION towering in front of us.
My heart pauses, and my jaw drops.
I lift my head completely to be able to see the building'a full height, and cold sweat breaks out along my back as I stare at the opulent white… paradise.
"Do you like it?" Zane questions, and I drop my head back down to stare at him.
Does he know the absurdity of that question!??
Do I like it!?
Boy, I come from an apartment complex with eight, always-in-your-face neighbours, and he's asking me if I like this!??
"I-I'm sorry. Is there like… an outhouse in the back where I… where I'm to stay?" I question, and he smiles… well… the ghost of a smile.
"No, Mr. Ethan. This is where you'll be staying during your time with Thean Tech. Inside… not in an out house." He replies, and I raise a brow.
Thean Tech doesn't do human trafficking, right?? Cause what is this habit of THROWING MONEY AROUND!?
Man, I was expecting a one-bedroom flat, with a wooden centre table as the only furniture, at most. After all the money they sent yesterday afternoon as my upfront payment, I wasn't expecting to get… a copy of the whitehouse as a home!!
Is it too late to return their money??
"You look disturbed," Zane notes, and I blink back to earth.
"Erm… actually… do I really have to stay here? I mean—"
"It's the boss's order. If you don't like it, you will be required to state your complaints to him personally." He replies, and I blink in silence.
State my complaints?
Personally???
Yeah, hard no. I meet my new boss, as the first thing o do is complain? Not happening.
"But… It's so huge. I can't… I can't stay here alone…" I mutter with building anxiety as I look back at Zane, and he smiles at me.
A measured, calculative one. The type you'd give a patrol cop when you know there's drugs in your trunk.
Why did he smile like that?