Page 9 of Jared

“Please excuse my manners,” he said as he swallowed down the last bite. “I shouldn't have wolfed my food down quite so fast.”

Okay, what I said wasn't that funny, he thought as they all exchanged glances and smiled, chuckling. Jared sat up straighter and cleared his throat.

“So, um, you wanted to talk to me about what happened last night, right?”

The mood instantly sobered. One of the men spoke. “I'm Alan Chang, Steve's father.”

Of course you are. And you happen to have the very same youthful appearance as your wife, neither of you looking a day over thirty. Talk about good genes.

The man continued. “You've met my wife, Alice,” he indicated her with a tip of his head and she smiled in acknowledgement, “And this big guy here on my left is my son, Mark. Next to him, sitting in the chair, is my other son, Dale.” Dale gave a nod in greeting. “You've met Steve. The other two fellows are his friends Tim and Jeff.” Both men raised a hand and waggled fingers hello. “And this capable young woman is my secretary, Bethany.”

His secretary? Why is his secretary here?

“Now, can you please tell us, from the beginning, just how you came to be in that alley and who those guys were?”

Steve balled his hands into fists as he watched his mate's face shutter. Jared couldn't seem to look any of them in the face any longer, staring at his hands in his lap instead. His distress was tangible in the air, making his inner wolf howl and scratch, wishing to comfort their mate and put an end to his suffering. Steve's nerves jangled further as he heard the wobble in Jared's voice as he told them how his day had gone so well at work and deciding to hit the club, thinking then that he'd made a couple of friends, ending his narrative with, “And then, and then, they grabbed me and...hit me, and said if I did what they asked...” Jared's voice trailed off into a sob. Steve bounded over to him, growling softly, warning all to back off this line of discussion. It was hurting Jared and he wasn't allowing any further anguish on his watch.

Jared sniffled, and looked up at his protector who'd crouched next to him and thrown an arm around him. “Thanks, I-”

Jared stopped, looking mesmerized by something as his eyes met Steve's. Jared pulled back.

“Your eyes... and are you growling?” Jared's eyes darted around the room, his gaze landing on each of the persons present. They'd gone stock still, seemingly on guard but unsurprised.

“What's going on?” Jared demanded.

Alan spoke, gaze firmly locked upon Steve. “Easy, son. No one here is going to harm your mate. We just needed to ascertain whether or not there was a further threat to him and if he knew those men. I think you can agree something needs to be done about them.”

“Mate? And do you mean do something, like file a police report?” Jared demanded. “I don't know if I want to do that. I wasn't really hurt-”

Steve growled louder this time.

“What the fuck is the matter with you? You sound like a goddamned dog and you're freaking me out!”

Alice was by Steve's side in a flash, her hand on his free arm.

“Give him some space, son. He's not pack and you're confusing him.”

Knowing his mother was right, Steve struggled to quell his wolf. He removed his arm from around Jared's shoulder and stood up, moving to the foot of the sofa where he sat down. He sat turned so that he faced Jared.

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you or cause you any more confusion.”

What the fuck did she mean by I'm not pack? He's growling like a dog and she starts on about packs. Does she mean posse, that I'm not part of his circle of friends? Is this some weird sort of slang?

“Ummm...are you going to answer my question or not? What is going on here exactly? I get you wanting to know what happened, seeing as it led to me being here, but the whole growling thing and talk about packs and all you people being here and all, well, yes, it's making me more than little confused.”

Alan nodded. “You seem a straight forward sort of guy. You want it straight up?”

Jared nodded. “Yes, please.”

Alan looked at his wife, then at each of his sons, then ran a hand through his hair. “Fine. There's no good way to explain it anyway, I guess.”

“Dad...” Steve started.

“Hush. He's asked and I'm telling. You'll get your chance. Just let me say my piece. I'm the one to decide things for the pack anyways, remember? You're not Alpha yet.”

Again with 'pack'. And what the ever loving fuck is he on about alphas for?

“It's like this, Jared. I'm the Alpha of this wolf pack. Alice is my mate. Steve here is my successor. He heard you that night, came to your aid, and as he did so, realized you were his mate. Therefore, he brought you here.”