Reaux wasn't prone to forgetfulness. He always said his Alpha brain didn't allow it. Jak believed it was because he was too highstrung.
When he called to say he'd forgotten his lunch, Jak had gotten dressed and grabbed the green lunch sack. It looked childish, but Reaux didn't like paper bags and refused to buy lunch every day. The utensils and everything were washable so he didn't mind the ribbing he got at work.
He took the day off to work on some of his graduation details. He'd ordered his cap and gown and all the colorful frills that went with it. He'd ordered tickets, pictures, and booked a restaurant for the after party. Then he'd called his mom to see if they were going to make it. They'd ended up chatting for an hour before Reaux had called.
He wanted to surprise Reaux. He didn't get the chance to do that often because the older Alpha surprised him more. It was little things like his favorite dinner or tickets to a basketball game or concert. He never asked for anything in return. So Jak wanted to do something for him for once.
Reaux liked the coffee from a particular shop close to the station. Jak grabbed a French roast with light cream and a cheese danish. Then on a whim he brought a Colombian roast and a blueberry scone for Tiffany.
The station wasn't as busy as it had been the last time Jak had come. Captain Cooper kept the place clean and didn't particularly like people just hanging around. Everyone worked hard to keep their second home as neat as possible. For a neat freak like Reaux, it was heaven.
Everyone greeted Jak by name. Not only was he Reaux's mate and partner, but he was also John Olson's son. John was an architect who had built most of the downtown buildings with his close friends David Marquette and Chrisotph Marzano. That alone was impressive, but he was also mate to a very powerful Alpha.
In the city there were only five or six really powerful Alphas. To be considered powerful, the pheromones had to be able to subdue another Alpha. Tay was becoming one with the way he'd handled Damian's sporadic heat cycles and the people who talked shit about and to him. His temper wasn't nearly as bad as it used to be, but Damian was his weakness. No one was allowed to say or do anything hateful.
The top three in the city were Captain Cooper, David Marquette, and Reaux Grant. Jack Olson was a powerful Alpha, but he was gone a lot so it only counted when he was around. Reaux was here and people listened to him. If he wanted to, he could move up within the police quickly. Luckily for everyone, he was happy where he was.
Jak had only seen Reaux command a room one time in tandem with Tay and David. It had been at Damian's court day when the media had tried to storm the courtroom after the guilty verdict on Conrad Evers. The three had formed an impenetrable wall and the pheromones had been so oppressive barely anyone could move. The media had left the building entirely until they had come out. Even then, Reaux had kept an eye out for Damian.
He came to the station and kicked the handicap plate. The doors swung open and he went in. Reaux was on floor six so he was going to figure out how to get up there. Luckily, Tiffany was in the lobby. She saw him and laughed.
"Here," he said. He held out his right hand.
She took the cup and bag then saluted him. "Two years and you still can't remember my order?"
"You get a frou-frou drink every holiday, and drink black every other day."
"Close." Her smile widened at his memory. "I only like sugar."
Jak grimaced. "And that's why we can't be friends."
The elevator door opened. They waited for those already on to get off. Like Tiffany, many of those people welcomed Jak as they passed by. They'd used to work in the same department before Reaux and Tiffany's promotion.
They stepped on the elevator, and Tiffany pushed the button for the sixth floor.
"I thought we were friends," she said. "You see me every time you're here and you bring me coffee. That's a friend in my book."
Jak smiled sarcastically. "You're more like an annoying older sister."
She laughed again, her green eyes twinkling. "I'll take that as well."
They rode in companionable silence the last three floors. When the doors opened, Tiffany stepped out first. Jak followed behind her, talking to those he passed by. He hadn't been here as often as when he worked on floor four, but many still knew him. If they didn't know him by name, they knew him by smell.
He followed Tiffany through the offices. She had made their move almost effortless. Reaux relied on her more than he let on, but her organizational skills had helped him move one department to another easily.
Jak rounded the last set of desks and frowned. One of his fellow grad students leaned on Reaux's desk. Tiffany turned around suddenly and stopped him dead in his tracks. It didn't matter. Jak had already stopped, and his pheromones wafted around the corner of the room.
Reaux looked up. Their eyes met, and his face softened. Jak may not know entirely what to do with Reaux, but he was an Alpha. He was possessive of what was his. Reaux was his, and he didn't appreciate his classmate leaning so close to him.
Jak stepped around Tiffany and strode forward. Everything on him was rigid; so rigid he would have a migraine soon. But he wasn't going to let this pass by without it being addressed.
He set the lunch bag on the desk then dropped the cup and paper bag by it. He scowled at Reaux, which the other man found amusing. Jak wasn't prone to jealousy, but this wasn't something he would give up easily. Reaux knew how he felt but he wanted to see what he'd do.
"Dante," Jak said. It wasn't really a greeting. It was more of a 'I know who you are.' "What's going on?"
Dante's smile was bright. "Hey, Jak. I have to shadow a police officer. Captain Cooper suggested Reaux."
The detective caught his mate's glare. "I found out about it this morning after I called you about this." He tapped the lunch box. "You were already on your way so I didn't think I needed to call you back."
His face sour, Jak nodded. "Okay."
Tiffany hid her smile. "Come on, little brother. You can help me put some files away."
He didn't want to leave Dante with Reaux, but he also didn't want to make a scene. He followed Tiffany to her desk. She handed him several folders then followed her to the filing closet at the end of the room.
"How well do you know him?" she asked.
Jak wrenched open a filing cabinet. "He's a first year grad student in criminal justice. He must be doing his practicum for this semester."
"I'm not impressed with him. Something about his story doesn't make sense. No one volunteers to work the special victims."
He turned to look at her. "What are you saying?"
"Easy, tiger. I'm just talking. But he may be here for Reaux. Captain may have put him with Reaux because he's the least likely to eat him, but that kid may already know he's in for a challenge."
"Don't put thoughts in his head, Tiff. he already has an overactive imagination."
Reaux leaned against the door, amber eyes focused on Jak. the younger man put the file in his hand up then closed the cabinet. He turned defiant blue eyes to him and crossed his arms.
"I know you're not happy, but I had nothing to do with it. Cooper sprung it on me thirty minutes ago, and the kid was already here. I was going to tell you when you came," he said.
"And leaning intimately over you?" Jak asked. "What is that?"
"Jak, are you insinuating what I think you are?"
Tiffany felt the tension building. "Guys, it's probably not wise to do this here. Cooper won't tolerate it."
"I'm going home," Jak offered. His tone was hot and angry. His ears mirrored it as they were inflamed. "As for your question, I'm not insinuating anything. But you would react the same way if you walked into what I just did."
"Jak, I haven't done anything. I'm just showing the kid paperwork and meetings. He's not allowed on cases and can't leave the station. He can sit in on questioning. That's it."
Jak couldn't help his jealousy. The mating bond was strong, and everyone knew he belonged to Reaux. That didn't mean they cared. Jak knew Dante, but only in name. He wasn't a friend. It meant Jak didn't know what his intentions were.
"I'm going home. If you want to discuss this there, we'll do it when you get off. Your coworkers don't need to see this if it gets worse," he said.
Reaux didn't stop him as he walked past him. Jak's shoulders were slumped which told him the detective was thinking the worst. They had never dealt with this before so it was new territory for both of them. Jak didn't usually hold back his frustrations, but they didn't usually come up at work.
Tiffany moved, drawing the Alpha's attention. She watched Jak's retreating back then swung her gaze to the other man at Reaux's desk. Her nose crinkled.
"I know I don't have the enhanced senses like you and Jak," she said, "but that boy chose you for a reason. I just haven't figured out why yet."
"I'm not interested in him," Reaux said. His gaze was fixed on the man disappearing in the elevator.
"You may not be, but that doesn't mean he isn't. And he may not even like you."
Reaux shoved off the door frame and straightened his clothes. "You're thinking too much."
"And you're not thinking enough. By being this defensive, you're hurting Jak. He's dealt with enough since you accidentally claimed him that he doesn't need you screwing around with his head. If you don't like that boy out there, fine. Make it known, but don't leave Jak second guessing whether or not he's good enough."
She left him in the filing closet and went to her desk. Reaux knew Tiffany didn't interfere with their relationship idly. She had been his confidant when he'd waited on Jak to decide whether or not he wanted to be with him. She'd told him just to be patient, and it had worked out to his benefit. She knew what she was talking about, and if she said Jak's feelings were hurt, then she was right.
He went back to his desk to finish the paperwork he'd been working on before this blow up. Luckily, Tiffany had taken Dante away from him so he could calm down. He was going to have to figure out how he was going to make this up to Jak.