Page 32 of Bear With Me

They left Ginevra’s house an hour later, no further along in negotiating Dennis’s purported mating, but at least Bjorn had reassured himself that his Gran was not at death’s door. They were headed for the alpha’s house, to have whatever discussion Escalus thought was so important. Frankly, Dennis wasn’t convinced he belonged at this discussion – he was just a guy - but Bjorn insisted, saying, “Where I go, my mate goes.”

It was a short walk from Gran’s house to Escalus’s home/office, and though Dennis had what felt like hundreds of questions for Bjorn, he had time for only one: “Can he make you stay?”

Bjorn shook his head. “No, but he can pressure me like crazy. And he knows I’m more likely to listen to him than to my parents.”

“Fuck.”

“Mmm,” Bjorn said with a nod as they mounted the steps in front of the alpha house. “We’ll get it over with and then head back to Gran’s for the night.”

The door was flung open before they could knock, a young man standing in the doorway grinning at them. He was short, perhaps five foot six, with cropped brown hair the same shade as Bjorn’s but with a lot more curl. “Bjorn!” he chirped, throwing his arms wide for a hug.

Dennis instinctively backed up a step from the assault, but Bjorn stepped into the hug happily. “Simon! What are you doing here?” he asked, giving the smaller man a squeeze that would probably have knocked the breath out of anyone who wasn’t a bear.

They separated after a second, Simon still smiling. “I’m working office admin for Alpha these days. The paperwork got out of hand, and he finally decided to let someone help.” He spun on the spot and started walking deeper into the house. Dennis wasn’t sure if they were supposed to follow, and apparently Bjorn wasn’t either, because he didn’t move either. Simon looked over his shoulder at them. “Well? C’mon!” And then he was walking again.

With a shrug, Bjorn followed Simon, and Dennis followed Bjorn. The house wasn’t ostentatious, but it was obviously designed with comfort in mind, and for more than one person. A huge sectional sat in a room off to their left; it looked big and deep enough to hold even someone Escalus’s size, plus his five closest friends. To the right was a gleaming stainless steel kitchen, the appliances looking to be of industrial quality. He spotted four ovens on two different walls before they were past that doorway.

“He’s remodeled,” Bjorn commented, looking around as they walked. He glanced back at Dennis. “This house used to look like it was a time capsule from the 70s. The previous alpha figured everything was good enough, and he was used to it, I think.”

Simon whirled and started walking backwards down the hallway so he could face them, somehow not tripping over anything or running into any walls. “Your tithes have made a big difference, Bjorn. Huge. Suddenly we had enough money to modernize.” He smiled warmly. “I’m happy you’re doing so well, my friend. Oops.” He drew to a sudden halt. “Almost plowed right past the office!”

Bjorn pulled up short, and Dennis smacked into his back. Ow, his nose. Rubbing it, he stepped back to find Bjorn peering at him with concern. “You ok, mate?”

“Mate?” Simon squeaked, voice high enough to startle dogs. He looked from Bjorn to Dennis. “Oh my god!”

Shit. Bjorn just couldn’t seem to keep his mouth shut about their being mates. He was going to have Dennis common-law married to him before they left this damn den. He glared at his companion, trying to communicate Shut the fuck up.

Bjorn, catching his look, winced. “Um, it’s nothing official,” he told Simon uncertainly. “Dennis is…deciding.”

Well that made him sound awful. Dennis opened his mouth to protest – somehow – when a strong voice called from deeper into the room, “For fuck’s sake, get in here, and stop lurking in the damn hallway.”

“Sorry, Alpha!” Simon said, entering the room with Bjorn and Dennis on his heels. “But did you hear? Bjorn found his mate!”

“Mmm,” murmured Escalus, leaning back in a leather desk chair and studying them with his hands steepled. “But they’re still not claimed.”

Simon whipped around to face Bjorn, looking at him with a face full of curiosity. “Why not?”

“I’m deciding!” Dennis snapped, sick of people talking about him as if he weren’t there. “I’ve known him for like three days; you can’t expect me to marry the guy just because he sprouts fur around me.”

Escalus chucked deeply. “Sit, gentlemen. Simon, thank you.”

Simon nodded and, shooting Dennis another curious look, exited the room, pulling the door shut behind him. Despite Simon’s avid, and somewhat uncomfortable, curiosity, Dennis felt like a comforting buffer had just been removed from between them and the alpha.

Bjorn lowered himself into one of the two chairs in front of Escalus’s desk, so Dennis mirrored his movement, sinking into the other. He crossed his legs, suddenly unsure what to do with all his body parts under the alpha’s stare. They sat there in silence for what had to be at least a minute before Bjorn finally blurted, “So, you wanted to see me?”

Escalus raised his steepled fingers to his lips, tapping them thoughtfully. “I did,” he finally said evenly. “We have some…business.”

Bjorn frowned. “I already pay my tithe, on time, every year. I’m not involved in any other den business.”

“Hm, yes.” The fingers tapped again. “Would you like to be?”

Bjorn blinked. “Uh…no? Besides, I’m hardly someone you’d want to talk to about business. If you want an illustration, I’m your guy, but accounts and taxes and stuff? Nope, not me.”

“Your father would like to retire.” Escalus sat back in his chair and raised his eyebrows. “He’d like you to take over the business interests he’s been handling.”

Oh, hell no. He wasn’t letting Bjorn get sucked into his father’s bullshit. “Absolutely not,” Dennis couldn’t help himself from cutting in, and then he startled at the sound of his own voice. Bjorn and Escalus were staring at him.

“I beg your pardon?” Escalus said politely, though there was an edge of growl in his voice.