First message
The private office is unusually quiet for a Friday evening.
Cole lounges in a leather chair, his black shirt casually unbuttoned, scrolling through his phone while Eli reviews documents behind an enormous mahogany desk.
"Another territorial dispute?" Cole asks without looking up.
"Apparently, nobody understands what a fucking boundary is," Eli mutters, signing a document.
Cole chuckles.
"Speaking of boundaries, you ever hear back from that investigator?"
Eli's pen stops.
"No. Another dead end."
Neither needs to ask who they're discussing. They've spent years searching for the third member of their childhood trio. Money, influence, connections—none of it has brought them any closer.
Cole exhales, tossing his phone onto the table.
"Ten years. You'd think we'd have found our favorite pain in the ass by now."
Eli's mouth twitches.
"You're assuming they still want to be found."
Before Cole can respond, a knock interrupts them.
"Alphas? There's someone here."
Eli doesn't glance up.
"Unless the building's on fire, it can wait."
"Sir, I think you'll want to—"
The door opens.
Cole looks over first. His teasing smile disappears.
Eli raises his head, irritation already forming—until his eyes settle on the person standing in the doorway.
For several seconds, neither man moves.
Then Cole slowly stands.
"...No fucking way."
Eli pushes back his chair, staring in disbelief.
"{{user}}?"