14. The Nightclub

"No. Nope. Oh, God, no!"

Alice watched while Naomi criticized each of her clothes.

"Do you have anything that isn't black?"

"I am a widow, remember? We tend to wear black."

"Alice, you can't be a widow forever," Naomi replied. Then she stopped her rummaging and turned to Alice with a thoughtful look. "I mean, technically you can, but do you want to?"

Alice didn't reply, and Naomi focused again on the clothes, lips pursed in distaste either to her non-answer or to her wardrobe.

"Uh, this looks cute." She pulled a black leather dress from the hanger and put it in front of Alice. "I bet this looks awesome on you."

"No, not that dress." She took it from Naomi's hands and put it back on the rack. The dress was a gift from Bruno to celebrate her conversion. She didn't want to ever wear it again, but at the same time, she didn't have the courage to give it away.

"Okay, next thing, then." Naomi delved deeper into the walk-in closet.

"But I don't even want to go," Alice complained to her friend. "Why are you making me do this?"

Naomi turned to her so fast, she almost lost her balance, and had to hold onto a shelf not to fall. "Alice, you have been stuck in your house for over a year." Naomi pointed at her. "The only place you go is work. You stopped going to dance class and the gym, you stopped hanging out with your friends. We hardly saw each other all year."

Naomi put one hand on Alice's shoulder, and used the other to smooth the curls around her face. "Don't we matter anymore?"

Alice felt the anguish coming from Naomi, the feeling of abandonment. She hadn't meant to ignore her friends, she just… How did you come back from losing so much? She hugged her friend.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you, Naomi. It's just been difficult adjusting." She had only been half living this past year, hoping the ache in her chest would eventually fade away. It still hadn't.

"I know, sweetie. Last year was terrible for all of us, and we never forgot it was so much worse for you." Naomi kissed her forehead. "But we really want to be part of your life again. So please, come with us. Please…" Her big doe eyes pleaded in a way Alice couldn't refuse.

"All right, I'll go." Alice sighed. "But I choose my own clothes."

She rummaged through the closet and picked up a pair of faded black jeans and a satin top, showing them to Naomi.

"Oh, that looks nice." She beamed at her. "Can I do your makeup? And hair? You could use a haircut, you know?"

"You are not cutting my hair," Alice teased, remembering the last time Naomi had tried. "But I would love your help with my makeup."

"Yes!" Naomi shook her fist to celebrate her success. "And heels." Naomi looked through her shoe rack and selected a pair. "Can't forget the heels." Then she half dragged Alice to her vanity and rummaged through the makeup. "Yes. No. Uh, yes, please! This is nice. But this is better!" She was like a kid in a candy store.

Almost an hour later, they were happily sitting on Alice's bed and chatting when they heard a knock on the door.

"We are ready." Naomi opened the door and let Gabriel in. He was wearing his usual dark suit with a light tie, and beaming at them.

"Shall we go, ladies?"

Alice put on a light coat. It was late November but the weather this year had been surprisingly mild.

They took the private elevator to the garage, and she found the car they usually took for work already waiting for them.

"Don't you usually drive to the club?" Alice asked Gabriel.

"I usually do, but tonight we are doing things differently. Lemos will drive us."

"Is this about security again?" she asked as Gabriel opened the car door for them.

He laughed. "No. If Matts saw this, he would probably freak out." He sat next to the driver.

They stopped on the way to the club to pick up Marina, who greeted her with a big hug and an unusual outgoing enthusiasm. She was usually the shyest of the group.

"It's the first time you'll see Gabriel's club, right?" Marina asked her.

"Not for a lack of trying," Gabriel berated from the front seat.

"Yes." Alice said to Marina with a smile. She had never been there because Bruno didn't like going to nightclubs, and she would have felt guilty going without him.

"Is it just us three tonight?" Alice asked her friends.

"Yes, but next time we'll get the whole pack," replied Naomi.

"Next time?" Alice could see where this was going.

"Yes, and I want you to come back to dance class with me. And to the gym."

"I do miss swimming…" Alice caught Gabriel's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Good." Naomi beamed.

"Good that I miss swimming?" Alice turned to her in surprise.

"Yes, then you have no excuse to say no to swimming next week."

Marina laughed and Alice chuckled. She had her there.

The car drove alongside a huge line of people queueing up for something. They were all dressed up—the men in suits, and the women looking fabulous. They turned a corner and the queue kept going. As they got further up the line, Alice saw sparkling lights.

"Really, Gabriel? We are going in the front entrance?" Naomi asked him drolly.

Gabriel turned to them, smiled, and wiggled his eyebrows. "I have three beautiful ladies with me tonight. You can't expect me not to show off."

All three of them rolled their eyes and laughed.

The car stopped at the entrance of the club, and Lemos got out to open their door.

Naomi and Marina left the car, and Alice had to scoot all the way after them.

When she got out, Gabriel offered her his arm. Marina and Naomi were already chatting their way down the red carpet, waving to the bouncer at the entrance. He gave them an enthusiastic greeting, probably already familiar with them as they had been coming here since Gabriel opened the club.

They walked down the red carpet towards the nightclub's entrance and the people at the front of the line started chatting in low voices, staring at Alice and Gabriel. She was uncomfortable. Was this because he was First Chair, or did they think she was his newest conquest?

She tugged on his arm to get his attention, and he leaned close to her. "Why is everyone staring?"

He smiled gently at her. "The country knows I have a mate, but it's the first time people have seen us out in public."

She cringed at the word "mate."

"What do you mean, the first time? We go out for lunch almost every day at work." People continued to stare, and some had their phones out. Gabriel traced the back of a finger along her cheek to make her look at him.

"Don't worry, they aren't allowed to film or take photos in or around the club." He winked at her. "And it's not the same. Hardly anyone sees us when we go for lunch. I make sure of that."

"So you're showing me off tonight?" She asked, mouth open in surprise.

"Yes, I am." He smiled mischievously at her. "And you know the effect you have on people. Can you blame them for staring?"

She looked around to disguise her embarrassment.

There were tiny flashing lights that made the facade of the old factory sparkle like a gem. Gabriel had done some serious renovations on the building; she remembered when this place was falling apart. The brick work was showing but was painted white; the huge glass doors were crowned with the name of the club, Fábrica 63, in orange neon lights; and all the windows that topped the building were tinted black, only showing a fading flicker of lights from inside.

Gabriel turned to greet the bouncer, who in turn rushed ahead of them to open the double doors to the club.

The sound of the music jumped at them. She glanced at Gabriel, wondering how an alpha could withstand the noise. They passed by the coatrack, but Gabriel took her coat instead. "I have a better place to keep this, and your bag." He put his hand on the small of her back and guided her in. They went through another door and the music got even louder.

"I'm going to show you around, and then you can join the girls," he half shouted over the music.

The inside of the factory was mostly stripped of its original contents; only the old-fashioned iron columns survived, still holding up the roof. The building was rectangular, with most of the inside space taken up by an already-packed dance floor. The back of the building was an elevated area that had a smaller dance floor with far fewer people. It had several alcoves surrounding it, with comfortable-looking sofas and coffee tables. There was a small iron staircase to the area, and a bouncer at the bottom of the stairs was denying entry to a group of girls. He then dropped the rope for Naomi and Marina. The other girls weren't happy. Alice's friends headed to a spiral staircase that reached an iron walkway surrounding the club. It had more of those plush sofas.

"VIP area," Gabriel half yelled in her ear.

"Is that where we're going?"

"No." Gabriel laughed.

He grabbed her hand and led her around the club, introducing her to some of the bartenders. He introduced her by her first name, and didn't call her his "mate," which relieved her. She then met some of the people responsible for managing the club, who greeted her with their mouths open in surprise.

"We are so happy you came tonight." One of the managers eagerly shook her hand, a big grin plastered on his face.

"All right, that's enough of that." Gabriel grabbed her hand again and led her to the back of the building, where the second bouncer was. The man greeted them and let them pass up the stairs, but instead of going to the iron spiral stairs to meet their friends, Gabriel led her all the way to the back, to a metal door. He pushed a code into a keypad next to it, and invited her to go first. She opened the door to find a narrow brick staircase going to the left of the building. When she started to climb the stairs, Gabriel closed the door behind them, cutting off all the noise from the club. Reaching the top, she found a small landing that turned left again and another door, this one made of wood. She looked at Gabriel.

"Go on…"

She opened the door to find a narrow room with a desk, an office chair, and some sofas facing a huge glass window that went from ceiling to floor. She could see the whole club from here, including the elevated area. The only blind spot was the bar directly below.

"This is amazing!" She smiled at Gabriel.

"This was the old office for the factory. Used to have a spiral staircase, but I switched things around."

He grinned at her, picked up a remote from a small table, and pressed a button. The music that was playing outside started blasting on some hidden speakers. It was so sudden, it made her jump.

"So that's how you can put up with the music all night," she said over the music.

Gabriel turned down the volume. "Smart, isn't it? First time Matts came here, I kept the music on, just to see how long he could last." He turned off the music. "You should have seen his face when I finally turned it off."

"Matts was here?"

"Yes, to double check the security." He set the remote down. "I think he was pissed off when he couldn't find much to improve."

They both laughed.

He put an arm around her shoulders and turned her attention back to the window.

"That's the VIP bathroom, over there is the DJ booth, and those are the regular bars." Gabriel pointed out each place. His free hand was casually patting the skin on her arm, giving her goose bumps. "The bar down here is the only one you should go to for drinks. Don't leave the VIP area, and don't accept drinks from anyone except the bartenders."

"This is not my first time on a nightclub, you know."

"It's your first time as an omega, and although these people don't know you are one, they will react to you nonetheless," he said in a stern voice. "I made sure this is a safe space for you, but I am trusting you to play by the rules. You're responsible for your safety too."

"Yes, I know." She wanted to roll her eyes, but she could feel this was important to him. She placed both hands on his chest. "I won't do anything that may put me in danger. I promise."

He grabbed her hands harder against his chest and smiled at her. "Alice—"

"Here is your whiskey, boss." A happy voice with a Brazilian accent came from the doorway and startled them both. "And what would the lady like to drink?"

"Alice, this is Ravi," Gabriel almost snarled. She didn't know what he had been about to say, but he was clearly upset at being interrupted. "You can trust him with all your drinks."

Ravi put a coaster on the glass desk and a glass of whiskey on top before walking over to them.

"Charmed." Ravi picked up her hand and kissed it. It reminded her of the judge from the first hearing, but it was a far more elegant kiss. "It's wonderful that we can finally get to meet you, linda. The boss hardly ever shuts up about you."

"Ravi…" Gabriel growled in a low voice.

"Really? What does he say about me?" Gabriel looked menacing, but the charming beta ignored him.

"He prepared us over and over to make sure you're safe here in the club. I think Ruben, one of the bouncers, has actually lost some hair over it."

Ravi laughed but she was worried. It wasn't fair for these people to bend over backwards for an overprotective alpha.

"That's terrible," she said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

Ravi laughed harder. "I'm joking. The man was always bald." He gave her an apologetic look. "We are so happy to finally have you here, linda. Maybe our boss will finally be able to work in peace with his mate around."

Alice forced a smile at that. She hated that word, and now she was starting to wonder what people thought about her relationship with Gabriel.

"I think Naomi and Marina are waiting for you," Gabriel told her. "Why don't you show Alice the bar, Ravi?" Maybe he noticed her mood shift and was trying to distract her. It was harder to read his other emotions when he was angry.

No harm—she really wanted to be with her friends. Maybe they could go up to one of those comfy-looking couches and talk.

"Right this way, linda." Ravi accompanied her downstairs back into the heat and noise of the club. Her friends joined her while she was being introduced to the VIP bartenders, and half dragged her to the dance floor.

The evening was giving her a lot to think about, but right now, thinking was the last thing she wanted to do. She was ready to forget about the world and lose herself in the fun.

Gabriel watched Alice dancing with the girls from the window in his office. He couldn't help the smile that insisted on staying on his lips. She was sexy when she danced…

He had waited patiently for a year for her to come back from the dark hole she was left in by her husband's death. He'd tried to reach out to her as much as he could, but this was the kind of fight that came from the inside. It needed to come from her, and all he could do was support and protect her while she took tentative steps to regain her life.

And, piece by piece, she was returning to her former self. Once she was back in the light, he wanted to keep her walking away from that darkness, and into his arms. One year down on the bet, two more to go. He wouldn't lose. He couldn't lose.

And Matts wasn't going to play fair; he had already made that clear. After all, if Alice fell in love with him, she wouldn't fall in love with Gabriel. What better way to guarantee his win?

Advantages and disadvantages. Gabriel had the biggest ones, but Matt had his too.

Gabriel had Alice with him, but at the same time, she saw him as a friend only. It would be hard work to change Alice's view of him from a playboy friend to a real mate. And he only had two more years, so time wasn't on his side. On the other hand, Matts wasn't here often because of his job, so he was less of a presence in Alice's life, but he wasn't encumbered with the weight of a womanizer reputation or of having been one of Bruno's best friends.

One of the girls must have done something funny, because they were all laughing. He chuckled as if he was in on the joke.

Then he remembered the conversation they needed to have soon, and his smile dropped a little.

He had let Alice live in a bubble, away from outside influence and, most importantly, free from outside news and expectations. But the truth was, she was the mate of the country's First Chair, and people had been wondering why she never appeared next to him. Most people didn't know she had been Bruno's mate, with him having been First Chair for such a short time and so secretive about her. But Bruno had made the country fall in love with him very quickly, something Gabriel was having more trouble with. Respect, yes, but love…

He knew the difference between them. Bruno had been dragging Portugal from financial crisis to the stability and prominence that Gabriel was having more trouble achieving. But Gabriel still had an advantage over other European countries due to Alice's connections to the other omegas. Their mates trusted him, and that meant better trade deals and more cooperation.

But now it was time to burst the bubble and let Alice learn what the world had changed into while she quietly healed.

He saw Ravi enter the downstairs door with another drink. Everything in the club seemed like business as usual. He picked up a tablet to check the feed on the security cameras before he let himself become distracted by his head bartender.

"Here you go, boss." Ravi entered the room, bringing another glass of his favorite whiskey. He wondered if Alice had tried it yet; if she hadn't, he would have to fix that. He was sure she would love it.

Ravi put the drink near Gabriel, and peered out the window.

"When you said she was special, you really meant it, boss. I don't think any of us was prepared for this."

"Any trouble from the staff?" Gabriel asked. He put down the tablet. There was nothing on the feed that demanded his attention.

"No trouble. But I think everyone commented at least once tonight about wanting to protect her." Ravi gave him a big smile. "Is it because she's your mate?"

Gabriel lifted an eyebrow. "You could say that."

"She doesn't like that word, does she?" Ravi said while watching him carefully. "Mate?"

Gabriel sighed. "No, she doesn't. I find that most women don't."

"I feel them. We spent all these years fighting for the right to marry, and now marriage is outdated."

"You know you can still marry, right? I made sure of that."

"I know. You have been a wonderful First Chair so far, and you've had some big shoes to fill in."

He patted Ravi on the shoulder. "Thanks."

Ravi's smile dropped a little, and his voice took a more serious tone. "There is another one here tonight. She insists on talking with you."

"Shit." He looked down at the girls. They were happily dancing. "Where is she?"

Ravi looked down at the main floor and pointed to a blond woman waiting near the VIP entrance. "There, the petite blonde near Ruben."

"Can you make sure she comes up without the girls seeing?"

"Alice was interested in learning how to mix some drinks. Maybe Anya could take her behind the bar and show her around?"

"Perfect, please do that."

A few minutes later, he saw Ravi talking discreetly with Ruben on the floor, after which he directed the girls towards the bar. Ruben led the blond woman to the office's door and let her in.

Gabriel heard the heels echoing up the stairs. When she entered the room, she gave him her most brilliant smile.

"Gabriel." She walked over to him and kissed his cheek, her short sequined skirt jingling with each step. "How wonderful to see you again."

"Hey, there…" Shit, what was her name?

Her smile faltered, but she composed herself.

"Rita. We spent a few weeks together when I was just converted, remember?"

"Of course I do," he lied. "How could I forget such a beautiful smile?"

He invited her to sit down on the couch. "Is everything all right? How can I help you?"

"Yes, everything is quite all right. I've just been somewhat lonely and was hoping you were feeling lonely too…" She put her hand on his knee.

He froze. He had expected the same kind of requests the other women had asked for. A better job, a visa entry for someone into the country, or, in some rare cases, help with another alpha.

He looked down at her hand on his knee and picked it up, gently placing it back on her leg.

"Everyone knows I have a mate, Rita. I doubt the news has escaped your notice."

He didn't expect her smile to get wider.

"A mate who doesn't really care about you is hardly a mate." She sat back on the couch. "I know for a fact that you haven't been intimate yet with your supposed mate, and that you sleep in separate rooms. If she's not interested, isn't it time to let her go, and find someone else?"

Now it was his turn to smile wider. How did she know that? He leaned towards her to grab his whiskey from the table next to her side of the couch, and drank to give himself some time to think. "How do you know about our sleeping arrangements?"

"I have my way of knowing things…" She toyed with her skirt. "Let's just say I'm very good at getting what I want from people."

"And from which people did you get that information?"

"Now, you don't expect me to give it all away without something in return?" She casually put her hand on his leg again.

He glanced nervously at the door. He used to be the one who seduced women, while they worried that someone might find them. Now he was afraid Alice might walk up the stairs. He smiled at the irony.

"And what would you like back?" he asked.

"It's been almost two years since I was converted, and not a single alpha has signed up for my list," she replied with a pout. "I thought I should take matters into my own hands, and if I'm choosing someone for myself, then I should choose the best alpha the country has to offer."

"You would like to become my mate?" He smiled dangerously at her, but she seemed unfazed.

"I'm sure you could choose anyone you wanted, but I thought you might be interested in what I would bring to the relationship." She played with the fabric of his pants.

"I'm looking for more than just sex. I doubt you could bring more than the mate I already have," he baited her.

"Oh, but I can. I have access to a network of information that goes beyond our country. With my contacts, I can bring information about the alphas in other countries."

"So you would be my spy?" He lifted an eyebrow. He actually wouldn't mind having another spy.

"Spy is a strong word. I let others do the spying for me. Think of me as a little bird that gets to hear all sorts of interesting things. And I can sing them all back to you."

He took a sip of his whiskey and thought about her proposal. Then he dragged his fingers slowly up her leg and stopped at the edge of her skirt. Her cheeks flushed.

"Prove it to me." He kept stroking the inside of her leg, his fingers scratching on the edge of the sequins.

"I already did." She sounded breathless. "I told you, I know you don't sleep with your mate."

"A lot of people know that," he lied. "Tell me something about my household that no one else knows yet." He got closer to her face and caressed her jawline. "Prove to me that you would be more useful than my current mate, and I'll make you my new mate if you do."

"All right." She smiled in triumph. "I will prove it to you. I'll text you as soon as I hear something no one else has heard, and you will learn just how fast I can get my information."

"Good. I could use a good spy. Do that and I'll meet you next Saturday in a hotel. Then we can discuss our future."

He got up and offered his hand to help her lift from the couch. She gave him a promising look, and left his office.

Fuck. He fought the urge to toss his glass at the wall. Someone in his household had talked when they shouldn't have. Matts had promised him that everyone was trustworthy, but clearly, they had missed someone.

He took a deep breath to calm down. He should call Matts and ask him to come to Portugal and read the woman's mind. But if she had the information secondhand, and if the person was immune to Matts's powers somehow, he might not be able to catch the spy at all.

He would call Matts and ask for a visit, but he planned on having two people for him to mind-fuck.

Now he just had to convince Alice to do something she was probably going to hate.

"There are still so many people." Alice gazed through the window in Gabriel's office, leaning on the glass so she could get a better look at everything. It was six in the morning and the club was still full. People were dancing and drinking like it was the end of the world. From where she was, she could see several people hooking up in different parts of the club. Conversion had made everyone hornier, but seeing it like this was odd. She hoped Gabriel had those sofas sanitized every day. Inside the office, the mood was calmer. The music was playing on low volume while Gabriel finished some last-minute work. Naomi and Marina had already gone home, taken by their driver. Lemos should come back for her and Gabriel in half an hour.

She heard Gabriel take a deep breath. Something had changed his mood while she was dancing with her friends. Alice wondered if he had missed an opportunity to hook up with someone because she was here tonight. She had told him several times he was free to do as he pleased. They weren't real mates—at least, not in the way it seemed to matter to people nowadays. She'd already had her happiness, and she hoped he wouldn't miss out on his because of her.

She heard the laptop closing and Gabriel getting up, but she didn't turn around. She was fascinated with a couple laughing and kissing as they went along the metal walkway, seeking an empty alcove. It reminded her of when she was dating Bruno. They went all the way to a corner, where the building's odd architecture provided a more secluded spot from those down on the dance floor, and started making out like there was no tomorrow. The man put his hand up the woman's skirt, and her smile was full of erotic pleasure.

Alice quickly looked away, blushing and feeling like a voyeur. She rubbed the skin above her heart, the pain there still bothering her after a year. It was more of a dull ache than the sharp stab it had been a year ago, but it was ever present.

Gabriel turned off the music in the office and dimmed all the lights.

Time to go home.

"You have done something amazing here. This is the best club I've ever been to."

"Thank you," he replied gently.

Her heart skipped when he put his arms around her and hugged her from behind, snuggling her against his chest. His chin rested on the top of her head, and he swayed them gently.

She relaxed in his embrace. Her friends had been holding her a lot more since her conversion; the physical touch soothed them when they were stressed. Gabriel, in particular, had taken to hugging her when he was frustrated about something.

"Did anyone bother you while you were here?" he asked her.

It seemed like a normal enough question, but there was something eating at him.

"No. It was surprisingly restful."

"Restful?" He chuckled. "That's the last thing I would call a night of clubbing."

His chuckle vibrated against her back. It was soothing…

"I think the music and the lights dull whatever it is that makes people overreact around me. No one came to ask me if I was okay or tried to talk to me. It was a relief, not being an omega for a while."

"Good." He kissed the top of her head. "That means you can start coming with me every week."

"Every week?" She laughed. Was he serious?

"Yes. I like having you around." He bent down and kissed her cheek, making her blush. "Plus, it would really piss off Matts."

"Well, in that case, every week it is." She chuckled.

He caressed the skin on her arms, giving her goose bumps, and the way he gently swayed her in his embrace was extremely pleasant. She could stay like this for hours.

There was an odd feeling coming from him. Gabriel was harder to read than most people—his self-control was like a door she had to listen through to understand his emotions. But there was something on his mind.

"What's wrong, Gabriel?"

"Using your omega powers on me, Alice?"

"I can't help it, any more than you can help bossing people around."

"Fair enough." He took a deep breath through his mouth and out his nose, making the little hairs on her forehead dance around.

"Alice—" he started but hesitated.

She stayed quiet, giving him time to work things out.

"I…" He held her a little tighter. "I need you to sleep in my bed for a few nights."

She stiffened. Did she hear him right? "What?"

"It's not for sex! There is someone from our household leaking out information, and it's starting some rumors. I have a plan to find out who it is, and I need your help."

"What kind of rumors are they spreading?"

"About us having separate rooms and not being truly mated."

"But that's all true."

"I know, but it can be dangerous. Unmated alphas could hear the rumors and think you're fair game."

"You think some alpha is going to sneak in the house and steal me away into the night?" she joked.

"Not in our home, for sure. It's the safest place in Lisbon." He started playing with the strap of her top. "But the people there need to be trustworthy. If there is someone who isn't, I need to root them out."

"I thought you had given them a command not to talk about our home. How would anyone get around that?"

"I did give a command, which worries me even more." He stiffened. "It means whoever is talking is either under the influence of a stronger alpha, or is someone like Matts."

"You mean the bookkeeper thing?" That possibility scared her. She didn't want anyone messing with her mind again.

"Yes, the bookkeeper thing." He sighed. "If I can't find the person, I'm going to have to ask Matts for help."

"We could have fewer people in the house, you know." They had too many people around already, and the house always felt crowded. "And we would need less help if the apartment was smaller."

"Are you the one who's going to do all the cleaning?" he teased.

"I can clean up after myself. But no way in hell am I going to dust all your plastic miniatures."

He laughed and swayed them again, his front pushing against her butt. She blushed.

His hip vibrated, and he fished out his phone from his pants with one hand, while still holding on to her with the other.

"Yes? All right, thank you." He put the phone back in his pocket. "Lemos is back."

She expected Gabriel to let go, but he held on to her. His right hand caressed the skin under the strap of her top. It sent soft sparkles down her skin and up her neck. She couldn't see his face so she wasn't sure if it was intentional or if he was distracted.

"Shouldn't we be going?" she asked him.

"No hurry. I like being like this." He rested his cheek on the top of her head. He still felt upset. "Will you spend some nights with me? Help me stop the rumors?"

"Let me think about it. It's not easy for me, what you're asking." She held his hand and soothed him. She sensed something else under his stress. "What else do you want to talk about?"

"Omega powers again?" He chuckled. "It can wait until these rumors are settled."

He kissed the hand that was holding his, and let her go. She watched him as he packed his laptop and put on his jacket. His brow was furrowed and his gestures were rough. She put on her coat and grabbed her bag, always keeping an eye on him.

Something had changed tonight. Not just with her friends, but with Gabriel also. It felt like a step forward to something new, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it.

Gabriel offered his hand, a gentle smile softening his face. She accepted it.

"Let's go home."