Chapter 12: The Public Claim
The office had settled into a nervous, watchful silence after Kate's meeting with Jaxson. People typed with their heads down, shoulders hunched, as if expecting an earthquake to shake the building at any moment. The water cooler sat abandoned, and Cole could feel the weight of a hundred stolen glances landing on him every time he moved.
He was trying to focus on the schedule for next week's board meeting when Jaxson's voice cut through the quiet like a blade.
"Everyone. My office. Now."
It wasn't loud. It didn't need to be. The words carried across the open-plan floor with the precision of a surgeon's scalpel, and Cole watched as people rose from their seats in near-unison, their faces pale, their movements mechanical. There was no discussion, no hesitation. Just the shuffle of feet and the soft click of keyboards going dark as the entire floor filed toward the glass-walled conference room.
Cole stayed frozen at his desk, his fingers wrapped around a pen he wasn't using. He felt the pull of Jaxson's gaze a moment before the alpha's voice came through the bond.
You too. I need you with me.
Cole's heart hammered as he stood, following the stream of employees into the conference room. The space was designed for thirty, but somehow it felt smaller with everyone crammed inside. People pressed against the glass walls, their eyes darting between Jaxson and each other. Cole found a spot near the back, trying to make himself invisible.
But Jaxson's eyes found him immediately.
"Cole." A single word, an invitation that wasn't optional. "Front. Please."
The room went absolutely silent. Cole felt a hundred sets of eyes land on him. His face burned, but he moved forward, weaving between his colleagues, their bodies parting like water before a ship. He stopped a few feet from Jaxson, close enough to see the tight line of his jaw, the controlled tension in his shoulders.
Jaxson's hand found his shoulder, warm and grounding. The alpha's thumb traced a slow circle against Cole's collarbone, and through their bond, Cole felt a wave of steady, fierce love.
"Most of you know Cole," Jaxson said, his voice carrying through the room without effort. "He's been my personal assistant for two years. He's the hardest working person in this building, and frankly, he's too good for this job, for this company, and for me."
A nervous laugh rippled through the room. Jaxson didn't smile.
"What I'm about to tell you is not gossip. It's not a rumor. It's fact." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "Cole is my fated mate. And he's pregnant with our twins."
The silence that followed was so complete, Cole could hear the hum of the ventilation system. People exchanged glances. Someone in the back let out a soft, shocked breath.
Jaxson continued, his voice hardening. "I know there have been whispers about how this happened. I know some of you have speculated that Cole trapped me, that he somehow manipulated his way into this." His eyes swept the room, landing briefly on Sarah and Megan, who had gone pale. "I'm here to tell you, in front of everyone, that nothing could be further from the truth. I pursued him. I chased him until he agreed to give me a chance. I was the one who was desperate, not him."
Cole's breath caught. Through the bond, he felt the truth of Jaxson's words, a raw vulnerability that the alpha rarely showed anyone.
"Cole is my mate. Those pups are my pups. And anyone who speaks ill of him, anyone who spreads rumors, anyone who makes him feel unsafe or unwelcome in this building—" Jaxson's voice dropped to a dangerous growl. "—will not have a job here. I don't care how senior they are. I don't care how long they've been with the company. Their termination will be immediate, and their career in this industry will be effectively over."
The room felt like it had dropped ten degrees. Cole watched the faces around him shift from shock to fear to something like grudging respect. And then, to his surprise, Sarah stepped forward.
"Jaxson," she said, her voice tight. "I'm sorry. I—" Her throat worked. "What I said was cruel and untrue. And I'm ashamed of myself."
Megan nodded, her eyes wet. "We were jealous. We didn't think—" She swallowed. "We're sorry, Cole. Truly."
Cole stared at them, his mind spinning. Part of him wanted to accept their apology, to let the olive branch save them. But another part, the part that had been humiliated and hurt by their words, felt cold.
"I appreciate that," he said, his voice surprisingly steady. "But I hope you understand that I'm not going to just forget what you said."
Sarah's face crumpled. "Of course. I understand." She looked at Jaxson. "I'll clean out my desk."
Jaxson's expression didn't change. "That won't be necessary." He paused, letting the room hold its breath. "You're on probation for the next six months. One mistake, one sideways glance, one whisper, and you're gone. Both of you. Consider this your second chance."
Sarah's eyes widened. "Thank you. Thank you, Jaxson."
Megan echoed the words, her voice breaking. The two women retreated to the back of the room, and Cole felt something loosen in his chest. He hadn't realized how tense he'd been until that moment.
"That's all," Jaxson said, his tone shifting back to business. "Return to your work. And remember what I said."
The room emptied quickly, people filing out in small groups, their voices hushed. Cole lingered, his feet rooted to the floor. When the last person had gone, Jaxson turned to him, his dark eyes softening.
"Are you okay?" The words were quiet, barely above a whisper.
Cole opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Jaxson, pressing his face into the alpha's chest. He felt Jaxson's arms come around him, pulling him close, and through the bond, he felt a wave of fierce protectiveness mixed with a tenderness that made his heart ache.
"I didn't want you to have to do that," Cole murmured. "I didn't want you to have to defend me."
"Cole." Jaxson's voice was rough. "I would face down the entire world if it meant protecting you."
"But your reputation—"
Jaxson laughed, a low, warm sound. "My reputation can go to hell. You're more important. You and those pups. Always."
Cole pulled back just enough to meet Jaxson's eyes. He could see the truth there, a vulnerability that Jaxson only ever showed him. It made his throat tight.
"I love you," Cole whispered.
"I love you too, sweetheart." Jaxson pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Now come on. I've got a mountain of work to get through, and I don't want to do it without you at my side."
Cole smiled, the first genuine smile he'd felt all day. "Is that your way of asking me to stay late?"
"It is if you want it to be." Jaxson's gaze was warm, teasing. "Or we could go home early and watch the sunset from the balcony. Your choice."
Cole considered it, imagining the quiet warmth of Jaxson's apartment, the way the last light of day painted the sky in shades of orange and pink. He thought about the pups, two tiny heartbeats, and the future they were building together.
"Home," he said. "I want to go home."
Jaxson smiled, a real smile, the kind that chased away the shadows and made him look younger, softer. "Then let's go."
They walked out of the conference room together, Jaxson's hand resting on the small of Cole's back. The office looked different somehow, the weight of the tension lifting like a fog burning away under the morning sun. Cole could feel the stares of his coworkers, but they no longer felt hostile. They felt curious, maybe even respectful.
As they passed Kate's desk, she caught Cole's eye and winked. "Glad to see you two sorted that out. Now maybe I can get some actual work done around here."
Jaxson shot her a look. "You've been waiting to say that."
"Every day since you hired him." Kate's grin was unrepentant. "Took you long enough."
Jaxson shook his head, but there was no heat in it. He pulled Cole closer, steering him toward the elevator.
"Don't listen to her," Jaxson murmured in Cole's ear. "She's just jealous she's not the one getting taken home early."
Cole laughed, and the sound felt light, free. "Is that what's happening? I thought we were just going to watch the sunset."
"That's the plan." Jaxson's eyes were quiet, intense. "But I'm not promising anything after that."
Cole's cheeks flushed, the heat spreading down his neck. He felt the familiar edge of Jaxson's desire through their bond, sharp and hungry, but also tempered with something softer, a reverence that made his heart skip.
"I guess we'll have to see what the sunset inspires," Cole managed.
The elevator doors slid open, and Jaxson guided him inside. As they descended toward the lobby, Cole leaned into him, letting the warmth of Jaxson's body steady him.
He thought about the day's events, the cruel words, the public declaration, the apologies. It had been a lot. But as he felt Jaxson's fingers lace through his, he knew that whatever came next, they would face it together.
That was enough.
As the elevator chimed at the ground floor, Jaxson turned to him, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Race you to the car?"
Cole snorted. "I'm pregnant. I'm not racing anyone."
"Fine. I'll carry you."
"Jaxson—"
But Jaxson had already scooped him up, cradling him against his chest. Cole squeaked, clutching at his shoulders, his face burning.
"Put me down! People are looking!"
"Let them look." Jaxson's smile was all teeth, sharp and affectionate. "Let them see me carrying my mate. Let them know exactly how loved you are."
Cole buried his face in Jaxson's neck, hiding his smile. Through the bond, he felt joy, fierce and unguarded, and he closed his eyes, letting it surround him.
This was his life now. Not the rumors or the whispers or the fears. This.
Jaxson carried him across the lobby, and when they burst through the glass doors into the late afternoon sun, Cole tipped his head back, welcoming the warmth. The street stretched ahead of them, busy with cars and pedestrians, a city that didn't know them but was about to.
They had a future to build. And for the first time, Cole was ready to build it, hand in hand, heart to heart.
As they reached the car, Jaxson gently set Cole down, pressing a kiss to his temple. "I've got you," he murmured. "Always."
And Cole believed him.