“That’s okay. Thanks for saying so.”
“Ollie, do you think… do you think we could meet up for that coffee some time? Just as friends, of course. I’d really like to chat with you some more, even if it’s just about random stuff. If your boyfriend doesn’t mind, that is.”
Boyfriend. “Are there any other titles you’d like to explore?”Oliver scrunched his eyes shut, because that one word alone was enough to make him feel flustered as hell. “Sure,” he said, the frequency of his voice so high only dogs could hear.
“Okay, cool! Let me know when you’re free. See ya, Ollie.”
“Wait a sec, Pember.”
“Yeah?”
“Please call me if you ever feel unsafe. Or if your mum pushes you into any more tricky situations.”
“I… thank you. Hopefully, it never comes to that, but it’s a relief to know you have my back.”
After the conversation, Oliver finished his tea, showered, cleaned his teeth and pulled a white t-shirt over his head, before realising—with some amusement—that it was actually Lucas’ t-shirt. He was about to take it off, but the comforting smell of the alpha brought a sense of calm to his frayed nerves. His first day back at work had been a lot, to say the least, but as he nestled himself between the sheets he knew there was something he needed to do. So, plucking his phone off the nightstand, he called Lucas.
“Everything okay?”
“Y-Yeah. Sorry to call you at work, but there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Go on.”
“The boss asked me to go on a diffusion day tomorrow. With Alfie. And the social worker.”
Lucas let out a breath. “I see. What time?”
“Nine o’clock.”
“Who’s your second?”
Oliver thought about lying, but as he clutched the alpha’s t-shirt between his fingers, he found he couldn’t. “No one. The Inspector asked me to go alone.”
“I’m not happy with that, Reed.”
Oliver sighed and rolled onto his side. “I know.”
Lucas let out a quiet hum, and Oliver could hear him scrubbing his stubble. “I’m coming with you.”
Frowning, Oliver buried his head under the blankets. “Please don’t. I need to focus on Alfie, and I can’t do that if you’resnapping and growling at the social worker. And besides, you know I can take care of myself.”
“I know that, Oliver. It’s him I’m concerned about,” he said, the faint edge of anger sharpening his words.
Oliver found himself growing cross as he snapped back. “Right. So,please, can you have a little faith in me? Let me do my job?”
“On one condition.”
“Yes?”
“I’m meeting you at the foster placement. I want him to know who you report to, and thatI knowhe went behind my back to arrange the meeting. And youwillkeep your phone on at all times.”
Oliver groaned into his pillow. “What good is it going to do? That just sounds like aimless posturing.”
“It’s not aimless, Reed. I want him to know that if he so much as touches a single hair on my mate’s head, then his life won’t be worth living.”
Oliver blinked several times. “Your?—”
“Mate. Good night.”
