CHAPTER 20: DO YOU REALIZE HOW THIS LOOKS?

"Why not just go home?" Beau leans his head back against the leather chair. He kicks his feet up on the coffee table of Zander’s office and closes his eyes. "It’s too late to be working."

Zander glances at his friend from over the screen of his computer. Beau’s stomach is bloated, his belt undone to make more room for his belly. "You can go." He says, waving his hand dismissively at him. Then he loosens the tie around his neck and clicks on a new file.

Beau grumbles tiredly and stands up. He wobbles, his arms spreading out so he can steady himself. He must have had too many glasses of wine at dinner. Zander watches him grumble under his breath before leaving his office with a half hearted wave. He’ll have to get Beau a gift for keeping Roxanne entertained so he can talk with Ethan.

He learned a lot during the short time. Ethans mother doesn’t seem to have a filter when she has alcohol in her. Ethan’s father left them to do who knows what a couple years ago. It’s the main reason Ethan decided to drop out of college. Guilt must have eaten away at him, after having to see Rox struggle by herself. They don’t even know if he’ll ever come back. Ethan loves her dearly, that much is obvious.

Tap, tap, tap

His finger raps against his desk, his gaze lingering on a two words. Investment proposal. He rubs his free hand against his chin in thought. He’ll have to send someone over first to try out all their dishes. It will probably take two weeks at most to finish up the paper work.

Zander is mostly worried about whether or not Ethan will accept it. There’s a quick knock on the door, but before he can dismiss whoever it is, the door swings open and an older disheveled man walks in.

"Mr. Harlight!" He beams, clutching a scattered pile of files to his chest. He pants as he drops down on the chair Beau had occupied before, and pulls a navy handkerchief from his front breast pocket. He dabs the clothes against his sweaty forehead, all the while Zander stares at him with furrowed eyebrows.

"I’m sorry, who-?"

"Ah!" The man gasps, "Right. My name is Peter Young and I work in your research department."

Zander raises an eyebrow, failing to see how this Peter would barge into his office unannounced. What if Zan wasn’t here? He reaches for the phone on his desk, fully prepared to call security and demand he learns respect.

"Don’t!" Peter stands, some of his papers falling to the floor. He groans and quickly gathers them up. "I only wish to speak. It’s important!"

Zander pauses, the pads of his fingers brushing against the number pad. "This is about work?"

"Yes! Yes!" He nods his head and sits back down. He dumps his files on the coffee table and rummages through them.

"You could have submitted -" Zander starts, only to be cut off once more.

"No! No, this is far to important and sensitive to be passed through other people. I had to bring it straight to you." Peter rambles.

Zander’s jaw clenches, just how much more does this man plan to keep him from speaking. He sees the dark circles under his eyes and frowns. When was the last time he slept?

"You’re from the research department?" Zander asks. Peter nods his head. The alpha sighs and leans back in his chair. He glances at his barely drawn up investment proposal for ’On The Rox’. It will have to wait. "Go ahead. You have ten minutes."

"Yes, thank you Director sir!" He passes a manila folder to Zander, his tight grip causing wrinkles.

Zander pulls out a packet of stabled papers and frowns as he scans the first page. It looks familiar. He flips through the pages, his frown deepening.

"I believe this could be a huge break through." Peter continues, his brown eyes wide and hopeful. "For both science and medicine! World wide heal-"

"Mr. Peter Young." Zander’s voice is loud and firm.

"Please, let me finish!" Peter presses on. "The healing rate for alphas, dominant especially -"

Zander’s head throbs. He rubs the bridge of his nose, the conversation going through one ear and out of the other.

"Mister Young." Zander cuts him off once more, and glares when the man opens his mouth once more. "Don’t."

"But-"

"The risks are to high. The experimentations suggested will cause more harm than good. The amount of funding itself is outrageous." Zander scoffs and drops the proposal onto his desk. "The chance of altering someone’s very being is seventy two percent."

"Well, yes. But that’s just-"

"Ah," Zander snaps his fingers as he remembers why this all looked so familiar. He licks the inside of his cheek and glares at the man across from him. "Haven’t you already brought this to my father?"

Peter pales and shifts in his chair.

"Have you asked him again?" Zander asks. He leans forward, his elbows on the desk and his hands linked together.

"Well, n- no." Peter stutters and a drop of sweat runs down his cheek.

"Then you’re coming to me behind the chairmans back?" When Peter doesn’t say anything, only fidgets with his papers, Zander sighs in annoyance. "Mr. Young. Do you realize how this looks?"

"Yes, but-" Peter leans forward, a desperatness growing in his eyes.

"Get out before I report you. Not only have you entered my office without an appointment, but you’re also trying to undermine your boss." Zander taps his finger against the desk, the rap more aggressive than usual. "This has the means to get you fired. I’ll pretend this never happened, and you will scrap this project."

"But, it has so much potential! If we can just work around-"

"No!" Zander snaps. He slams his fist into the desk, causing everything on it to rattle. He grabs the packet and tosses it into the trash can beside him. "You may take your leave now, Mr. Young."