21. A Surprising Trip

From the plane window, Alice saw an island break free from the endless dark-blue ocean. Although it was January, not one cloud was disturbing the perfectly blue sky, making it a beautiful day to travel.

"Around ten more minutes until we land," Gabriel said. He radiated pure satisfaction, watching her through the whole flight and emanating delight at each surprise he gave her.

The biggest surprise was the trip itself. She wasn't supposed to leave Portugal, the rules around her protection all but set in stone by the High Court. But Gabriel had argued with Jerome that the Azores were part of Portugal, and therefore not out of bounds for them to visit.

From what Gabriel had told her, he had expected Jerome to push back and forbid the trip, but the judge had just ended up laughing and agreeing with him.

The second surprise had been the plane. It was her first time flying and she had expected to fly with a major airline. But on the tarmac, she was surprised by a luxurious private plane, a gift from the Italian First Chair to Gabriel for saving his life. They were greeted inside by a very friendly flight attendant, who directed them to four chairs around a table, so they could serve lunch after takeoff. She let herself slowly sink into an extremely comfortable leather chair by the window, as the flight attendant took Boss to a place prepared for him. Whoever had designed the airplane had done so with a huge dog in mind. A crate with a leather dog bed took up the space of two chairs, and was already covered with fluffy blankets for him to lie down. She dreaded to think what his huge toenails would do to the leather.

Alice was becoming suspicious of the gifts Gabriel was receiving from other First Chairs. From technological advances that benefited the country, to weird-looking drones and even cars, it seemed like every First Chair in Europe had sent him something.

Gabriel told her the gifts were attempts from the other chairs to bribe him into accepting becoming the European leader, but he kept refusing the offer to lead. It didn't stop him from accepting the gifts, though.

"It would offend the other alphas if I refused," he had told her.

Elijah came out of the cockpit and sat down in a chair opposite Gabriel. He and Lemos were the only ones from the security team flying with them. The rest were already on the island.

"Full protective measures are in place. We should have the airport to ourselves when we arrive," Elijah told Gabriel.

"Is that really necessary?" she asked the men. "Do we really need to inconvenience a whole island?"

Gabriel laughed, picked up her hand, and kissed it. "There were no flights coming into and out of the island for the past two weeks, nor will there be any flights while we are here," he told her with a smug look on his face. "It's not just your safety we have to ensure this week."

"What do you mean?" she asked him. Was he afraid of being attacked again?

"You'll see." Gabriel grinned, and Elijah chuckled. More surprises?

The flight attendant came to collect their drinks and ensure the seat belts were fastened, as they were about to land.

Alice was glued to the window, taking in every sight she could before they landed, but when she spotted the runway, her heart sank.

"We are going to land in that little bit of road?" she stammered. Although the skies were clear, the wind was not forgiving.

When the plane started the descent, she grabbed Gabriel's arm and closed her eyes. He patted her head and whispered comforting words all the way to the ground. She couldn't help feeling a bit silly when they landed without any issues.

As they left the plane, both pilots and the flight attendants came to say goodbye, and showered Boss with praise and pets for being such a good boy during the flight. Great, now even the dog was less afraid to fly than her.

To Elijah's displeasure, the airport was not quite as empty as they had expected. A delegation of local government with the alpha in charge of the Azores were there to greet Gabriel.

Gabriel greeted the alpha politely and received an enthusiastic handshake in return.

"So great to finally meet you." The man beamed at Gabriel. "There are so many things I would like for us to discuss."

"You do realize I'm here for a vacation, right?" Gabriel's tone was cautious.

"Yes, of course, and you mentioned you would be here a week, but I thought I might convince you to stay a few days more after that." The alpha was still shaking Gabriel's hand.

"Looks like the island will be inconvenienced for longer than expected, after all," Elijah whispered in Alice's ear with a chuckle.

"And who is this?" The alpha's eyes lit up when he spotted her. He must have been truly charmed by Gabriel if he was only noticing Alice now.

Gabriel put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"This is Alice, my mate." It sounded more like a warning than an introduction.

"Jo?o Pedro." The man offered her his hand, but she didn't take it. He gave Gabriel a confused look.

"I don't care for other people touching my mate, so please forgive us for the rudeness," Gabriel explained. A much-practiced lie that Alice suspected was not entirely untrue.

"My apologies," the alpha said while awkwardly dropping his hand.

They left the airport to go straight to the hotel to unpack, and Alice watched everything like a child. It was the first time she was out of the country—out of the mainland, at least—and she wanted to take it all in. Every sight, every sound, every new thing that broke the monotony of her routine.

"How did you convince Matts to agree to this trip?" she asked Gabriel while exploring their hotel rooms. They had one large suite with two bedrooms, and a living room joining them. Elijah was in a bedroom on the same floor as them, and the rest of their entourage occupied most, if not all, of the hotel.

"I didn't, Jerome did." Gabriel chuckled. "He did send some of his team to sweep the island, and I bet they shook everyone's hand, from the hotel manager to the most remote fisherman."

They both watched as Boss took the dog bed from the living room into Alice's bedroom, dragging it awkwardly in front of him while trying to avoid stepping on it at the same time. They laughed, and Boss huffed haughtily, disappearing into her bedroom.

"I should take him out for a walk," she told Gabriel. She was anxious to get out of the hotel and see the city.

"Not yet. I know you are in a hurry to explore, but security comes first."

"More security?" she asked, disheartened. He hadn't brought her halfway across the Atlantic to lock her up in the hotel, had he?

"Don't worry, I still have one more surprise for you tonight, and then we'll be free to explore the island." Gabriel held her face with both hands and leaned down into a kiss. A knock on the door interrupted them, and Elijah's head popped in.

"They have arrived and are checking security measures before disembarking," Elijah told them before closing the door.

"Who has arrived?" Alice insisted.

Gabriel laughed and hugged her, kissing her tenderly on the top of her head. He went to kiss her again, but his phone rang. With a huff of frustration that reminded her of Boss's annoyed exhale, he answered the phone and talked happily with an unfamiliar male voice on the other side. He spoke in English, which was not uncommon, but unlike the odd accents she usually noted, this caller had a decidedly American accent.

"Until tonight, then." Gabriel closed the call, a big grin on his face.

A few hours later, they made their way to a restaurant overlooking the ocean. The night was cold, but once they were inside, the temperature was very comfortable.

There were people she didn't know everywhere, wearing black suits, from the entrance to the lobby. She watched as Elijah greeted many of them. Their somber expressions changed to cheer when they spotted him, and they shook his hand with enthusiasm, and sometimes even gave him a quick hug.

With a hand on the small of her back, Gabriel directed her across the restaurant. All tables had been pushed against a wall to give one small table for four a wider space around it. On that table, there were already two people chatting happily, a man and a woman, both with dark skin and impeccably dressed. The man was eyeing the woman as if she was the most beautiful sight on earth, and was holding her hand for dear life. The woman had her back to them, but she was laughing at something the man had said. A familiar cute and cheerful voice reached Alice. When the man spotted them, his eyes and smile lit up even more, making the woman turn around in curiosity.

Both omegas stared at each other for a few seconds with amazement. Then they both screamed with joy and ran into each other's arms.

They hit each other with a million questions, both surprised at seeing the other.

Alice looked into Zoey's sparkly eyes.

"You are so much taller than me," Alice joked. Zoey could tuck her under one arm.

"At least you can wear heels around your mate! If I wear heels, I'll be taller than Michael."

They both laughed and talked until one of their mates coughed politely.

"Oh, don't you dare." Zoey turned to Michael with a grin. "You sprung this surprise on us. Now you have to be patient. We haven't talked to each other in ages."

"Maybe we could eat while you talk?" Gabriel gently suggested.

Alice introduced Zoey to Gabriel, and Zoey introduced Alice to her mate, Michael, before the two women went back to ignoring the men. They sat down for dinner and were served platter after platter of delicious seafood. Plates of shrimp, various crabs, and an unusual variety of mussels disappeared under the hungry attention of the two alphas. Although Alice was enjoying the food, she was not paying it much attention. Her attention was fully on her friend.

They talked about everything and anything, but knowing to keep the more sensitive questions for when they were out of range of alpha ears.

Time flew by that night, and they only stopped talking when the men insisted they needed to sleep.

"I didn't know alphas needed their beauty sleep," Zoey teased her mate.

"Only when they've had a big flight where they couldn't get any shut eye because their mate was asking, ‘Are we there yet?' the whole time," Michael grumped back.

"Are you staying in the hotel with us?" Alice asked Michael.

"No, we are staying in America. I can easily ignore the High Court's restrictions for Zoey, but I prefer not to push my luck when I can."

"You are going to fly back and forth every day?" Alice asked, confused.

Both men laughed, making her blush.

"Stop teasing her, you two," Zoey demanded. "The military base here is considered American soil, so technically it still counts as our country."

"How many islands are we holding hostage for this holiday?" Alice asked Gabriel.

"As many as we need to keep you safe. Keep you both safe," he added, looking at Zoey. "We are not taking any chances after what happened."

"Still no news about Sophie, then?" Michael asked.

"Matts hasn't checked in with me for a while now. He has been chasing the strays for months, but they are getting better at covering their tracks."

Michael nodded. Alice could feel conflicting feelings inside him, satisfaction and worry.

"There are no strays in North America, at least that I know of, but there have been reports of some groups rising against the alphas in charge in Mexico and Brazil."

"You never told me that." Zoey gasped. "Is Malu okay?"

"They're not after Malu—at least, not now," Michael reassured them. "They may not know about omegas, or maybe they don't believe you exist. The only thing keeping omegas kind of a secret is people thinking you're just an urban legend."

"Not so much a secret in Europe after what that asshole Marcel did," Gabriel grunted, finishing his whiskey.

"Is that why you have been getting so many gifts? Do they know I'm an omega?" Alice worried.

Gabriel grabbed her hand and held it. "If they do know, it won't do them any good. Marcel flaunted Sophie as a show of power, as living proof that he was above the others. That may have led them to believe the rumors about omegas, but it doesn't mean they know you are one."

"They're still trying to buy you off. There is something they want," she argued.

"They want to be free from the Potentia ad Opus," Michael revealed.

"What?" both omegas asked.

"It's true," Gabriel concurred. "Half the alphas in Europe disagree with the orders the Potentia ad Opus are issuing, but can't disobey. The other half agrees with them. And the divide is widening with each new order."

"So they are looking at the countries that don't obey, and wondering how they do it." Alice understood where this was going.

"But." Zoey hesitated. "Portugal has to obey, right? Ever since Bruno died? Unless you guys have, you know, bonded in the meantime?" she whispered, half leaning into Alice.

"No bond, no," Alice confirmed, a little more stiffly than she had intended. "But they haven't been sending any orders. At least, no orders that Gabriel can't disobey."

"They're waiting for something," Michael stated.

All three were looking at her, and it made Alice uncomfortable. "It's getting late, maybe we should go," she said while avoiding everyone's gaze.

She heard Gabriel sigh, but he agreed with her. "Big day tomorrow. We've got loads of stuff to see." He made a big show of yawning.

They said their goodbyes and made their way back to the hotel. In the car, Gabriel studied her face but didn't say anything. She knew what he wanted to say anyway, so he might as well keep it to himself. She did always end up running when things were about her.

The following days were probably the most fun Alice had had in years. They hiked every mountain on the island, saw breathtaking sceneries and geological marvels, ate delicious food, and even visited the inside of a lava tube. Zoey took photos of everything with her old camera, pushing buttons and turning dials until she was satisfied. She often asked Alice to pose for photos or took unexpected shots of her when she was distracted.

"I thought we couldn't take photos of ourselves," Alice said to Zoey.

"Not with anything that could possibly be hacked. But this way is safe," Zoey explained. "And I develop the photos myself. No one else handles them. Michael got me a space for a darkroom on the base, red light and all."

"Then you've got to show me the pictures before you go."

"Of course." Zoey beamed. "And I'm going to teach you how to use my camera, because Michael can't take a good photo of me to save his life."

The women laughed and continued their stroll on the beach. Alice tried to follow Zoey's instructions for taking some photos. Zoey wasn't as shy as Alice and would strike beautiful poses for the photos by the water.

It was not too cold for the beach, as they were blessed with sunny days and clear skies. Alice loved to walk along the shoreline, talking with Zoey and playing with Boss. Indifferent to the water temperature, Boss loved to retrieve anything Alice threw in the waves, and would often tease her with sticks he had found, challenging her to throw them for him.

They sometimes ventured into the water, but although the weather was sunny and the temperature was comfortably warm, the seawater was too cold to their liking. It was the hot springs that made the most wonderful experience for both omegas, who adored the steaming water. The alphas, on the other hand, didn't seem to enjoy them as much.

On a cloudy afternoon, they visited one surrounded by a forest, halfway up a hill. They had the whole place to themselves. While both Alice and Zoey soaked together in a hot spring, the men went further up to a pool with a natural waterfall, where the water was colder.

"This would be a lot more pleasant if it didn't smell so bad." Zoey sighed. She rested her head on the pool's edge, her eyes closed and relaxed.

"It's a volcanic spring. The smell is part of it." Alice chuckled.

"I could do without that part."

Zoey opened an eye and took a quick peek at the alphas conversing quietly. Alice followed her gaze. They were too far away to understand what they were saying, but they seemed to be having fun. And, at least for now, they were completely ignoring the women.

"Is he treating you all right?" Zoey asked, her eyes on Gabriel.

Alice smiled. "Gabriel has done nothing except treat me well," she confirmed. "But you know, that's not why we're not bonded."

Zoey turned around, crossing her arms on the edge of the pool. "Do you still miss him? Bruno, I mean."

Alice joined her at her side of the pool, one arm over the edge.

"Yes. No? It's hard to explain. It's not just the pain and the emptiness. It's—" She took a deep breath, wondering how she could explain this without scaring Zoey. "It's like a ghost of his presence is still behind me, but disappears every time I turn around to look."

"And bonding with Gabriel wouldn't help?"

"Maybe it could. You know what Malu said: it can dull the pain, but it will still be there."

"Malu was happy last time I spoke to her." Zoey let her head rest on her arms, concern in her eyes. "You seem content, but you don't feel content. It's like you're both sad and happy at the same time."

"Maybe I am. Gabriel has been trying his best to make me happy. And he knows what makes me happy, but…"

"But." Zoey hesitated. "You don't know if it's you or the omega he wants?"

Alice chuckled. Zoey could see right through her, using her "omega powers," like her friends liked to call it.

"Yeah, that… I'm afraid it's the omega he wants, not me."

"Are you afraid to have your heat around him?" Zoey asked. "I remember Sophie was terrified of Marcel before her heat."

"I'm not. I already had a heat," Alice confessed.

"What?" Zoey nearly shouted.

Both men in the pool glanced at them with concern. They waved at them and smiled.

"You? When? What happened?" Zoey sputtered.

"Nothing happened. He was a gentleman about it and kept his dick to himself."

"Girl, I think your vision is a little clouded. That man is deeply in love with you if he kept himself in check during a heat. Not with the omega—with you," Zoey stated. "If he wanted the omega, he could just do what Marcel did."

"Maybe. I don't know. It's been very confusing to me."

"What are you going to do about it?" Zoey asked. "You can't keep things how they are."

"Why not?" she asked. "I told him he is free to pursue any relationship he wants. He doesn't have to take care of me if he doesn't want to."

"Really, Alice? He's in love with you. And he's an alpha. You know he's not going to let go, no matter what. If you really don't want him, you have to be the one to let him go."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Alice groaned. "I have to be babysat by an alpha or the High Court will freak out. Heaven forbid that an omega be independent."

"You have Matts. You could choose him."

"Matts? But then I would lose my home and my friends."

"Would you really? I don't know him like you do, but he doesn't seem like the type of guy who would forbid you from seeing your friends."

"I guess not," Alice admitted. She wanted to sink deeper into the water and avoid this conversation. Why did people insist on change?

"You are being unfair to Gabriel, Alice," Zoey told her gently. "You are keeping him on a string, hooked on the hope you'll be his. If you really don't want him, then maybe you should let him go."

Alice's heart ached at the idea of losing Gabriel. He had become a safe harbor in the storm that was her life. She told herself this is what he wanted, that he was happy as they were. But it was a lie. A lie she told herself to keep things from changing. To avoid making a decision. And against her better judgment, she knew she was falling in love with him.

Could she let go and embrace a new life? She looked up at Gabriel as he came out of the water to grab a towel. He caught her eye and gave her a hesitant smile. Only time could tell if she could let go of the past.

"I can assure you this won't hurt a bit," Dr. Hall said while disinfecting Alice's wrist.

Her voice was confident, but Michael and Zoey exchanged a concerned look.

Alice tried to relax in the chair. Or relax as much as she could, considering her left arm was stretched over a sterilized table, the back of her hand resting on the cold metal. The other hand was holding on to her rabbit gold necklace for dear life.

The unfamiliar place was also stressing her out. She knew Daniel's clinic well, which helped her settle whenever she needed medical assistance. But this unknown place, together with Zoey's doctor instead of her own, made her uncomfortable.

While the doctor kept talking in a soothing voice, Alice's eyes strayed to the large machine at the end of the table. It reminded her of the machine Daniel used to take blood samples, with a similar round opening to put the arm through. At three times the size, however, this one was far more intimidating.

"I'll help you get through this." Gabriel sounded reassuring, but his feelings were a storm. He both wanted and didn't want her to go through with this.

His hands were on her shoulders, keeping her steady in the chair, and he gently kneaded her muscles. It didn't soothe her, though.

After disinfecting her wrist, the doctor placed her arm on an elevated pad and pulled the strange machine forward. It glided smoothly over the table, swinging from the arm connected to the ceiling, its opening turned toward Alice's arm.

"All right, Alice, last chance to change your mind," Michael said. "It's okay if you don't want to go through with this."

Gabriel's fingers tensed on her shoulders, and his emotions twisted into further turmoil. He really wanted her to go through with this, having already given her the reasons a dozen times over. And she had agreed. It made sense, and Michael had promised it wasn't permanent.

She squared her shoulders and closed her eyes, trying to regain some composure.

"It's all right. I can do this." Her voice sounded shaky, but her determination was solid.

The machine lit up and emitted loud mechanical noises that reminded her of an MRI scan. A loud knock on metal brought up another memory, one of her and Matts in his room as intruders tried to knock down the door.

If they had succeeded, would she be with Sophie right now, instead of Zoey? Or maybe not—maybe she would be totally alone and at the mercy of her captors.

The machine glided smoothly until it enveloped her arm. Fixing her wrist in place, so she couldn't move it, Dr. Hall proceeded to mess around with several buttons, knobs, and dials around the machine. Alice felt pressure snuggle up on her arm, and after a few seconds, a numbness started creeping in from her fingertips to her elbow, as if all the blood was slowly being drained from her limb.

Don't be silly, she thought. No one is draining your blood.

Satisfied her arm was immobile, Dr. Hall started her work in earnest. Peering into what looked like half a binocular attached to the machine, she manipulated two joysticks, one in each hand.

The skin on Alice's arm stretched and pulled but there was no pain. She looked at her friends, but they were all concentrating their attention on the doctor. The mood in the room was very tense, emotions dancing between the apprehensive to the deeply concerned.

"I'm glad you didn't decide to put this thing on my ass, or this would be very awkward right now," she joked.

Little rasps of contained laughter filled the room.

"No distractions, please!" the doctor reprimanded them.

Alice sighed. The good thing about the Tube was that you were knocked out for the duration of the treatment. You didn't feel time go by. Here, every minute that passed was punctuated by the clock on the wall, with the long hand advancing slowly across its face. All conversation halted, and nothing but pure concentration filled the air.

Her back was starting to hurt due to the awkward position, and she really needed to move her legs a bit, but Alice was too afraid of doing anything that could disturb the procedure.

"Almost there," Dr. Hall said, eyes still on the odd binoculars. "Closing up now."

Alice shut her eyes again and counted the seconds in her head. Almost there, she repeated to herself. Almost there.

The noise stopped abruptly, and the pressure came off her arm. She opened her eyes and saw the doctor pulling the machine away and inspecting her wrist.

"Looking good," the doctor proudly announced. "No scarring whatsoever. The skin is a little red but it's to be expected," The doctor smiled. "Take a look," she told her patient.

The inside of Alice's wrist appeared normal, albeit rather red. She turned her palm to the light and saw little reflections shine along the inside of the wrist in tandem with the lines on her skin, as if little metal strings were taking up the empty spaces.

"It's safe to go in the Tube with it. And it's completely traceless, at least with any technology we have up so far," Michael explained. "But you know how fast technology is evolving right now."

Unlocking a drawer with his fingerprint, Michael took a case from within and offered it to Gabriel.

Inside was a steel wristwatch. Gabriel took it and put it on. At the contact with his skin, it activated and made a beeping noise.

"No one can take the watch off but you. And no one can use it but you," Michael told him, showing them his own wristwatch. Touching the screen with his right hand, the watch's glass darkened and showed a dot and its coordinates.

"According to this, Zoey is nearby," Michael explained. "But, as I warned you, the tracker isn't very precise yet, and can give false information."

Gabriel tapped his own watch, and Alice saw a dot and coordinates appear on the glass.

"You can link it to your phone. Hover the phone over the watch and use your fingerprint to allow access."

Gabriel did as instructed, and a more complete map appeared on his screen.

"According to this, Alice is somewhere out on the ocean, and not in the ship," he said, concerned.

"It needs more calibration. The longer you wear it, the better it will pick up Alice's tracker," Michael explained.

"And if I need to share this with anyone?" Gabriel shook his wrist.

A knowing look passed between the two alphas.

"Then we would need to recalibrate the watch to someone else. As I said, it's for you only." The way that Michael emphasized you gave Alice some pause. Who else would be tracking her around? Elijah?

"Are the other omegas getting trackers too?" Alice probed.

This time, Dr. Hall replied. "Eventually they might, but right now, the High Court wants us to test the technology first. It should be Zoey alone using this, but it's good to have a second test subject."

"That's me, Alice the test bunny."

"I guess they are still afraid after what happened with our network." Zoey sighed. "I wish we could have it back."

"I know, dear." Michael put an arm around his mate and pulled her close. "But we can't risk it right now."

Both omegas looked at each other. This was the end of their trip. Michael and Zoey were being pressed to return to America already. Who knew when they would be able to see each other again?

That evening, all four of them watched the sunset settle on the waves, Boss playing around in the sand and swimming in the frigid water to retrieve whatever toy Alice threw in. He had the time of his life, indifferent to politics and restrictions of his loved ones.

Then they had one last dinner together, at a charming open-air restaurant by the sea. The place was lit up with small lights on strings, and, unlike their first dinner together, both entourages were enjoying a meal with them. Dr. Hall and Elijah were sitting with them, and their table was filled with laughter, delicious food, and way too much wine.

When they said their goodbyes, both Alice and Zoey were drunk, and they giggled and cried in an incomprehensible conversation. Caught in a drunken hug, Zoey whispered to Alice before kissing her cheek and leaving.

"Don't make them wait forever…"

It started raining the day after Zoey left. A heavy downpour hit the hotel room windows with so much force that it shook the glass. Gabriel wanted to stay another week to take care of official business, and insisted on Alice continuing her vacation. But she didn't feel like it was a vacation anymore. A cold chill had settled in the air, and the sky was dark and the wind relentless. The island's vibrant colors had faded into a washed-out shade of gray.

All Alice felt like doing was reading, and she only left the hotel to walk Boss. He didn't mind the rain but seemed reluctant to let her get wet, so they never went too far.

Elijah tried tempting her with words like waterfalls, hot springs, and museums, but a thundercloud bellowing as soon as he spoke put an end to those ideas, as if the weather itself was angry at the suggestion.

And at least one time, she cried. She cried because she was lost. Zoey had been more than a friend. The other omegas were closer to kin than others realized, and she had never felt their absence so deeply before. Zoey's words to her played in her mind like a broken record. Don't make them wait, Alice…

Was she being cruel by not wanting things to change? For not wanting to admit she was in love with Gabriel?

After three days of relentless rain, the sky finally opened in a brilliant display of blue, giving courage to Alice to venture outside. She had already seen most of the island with Zoey, but she visited the tea farm and the pineapple greenhouses again to buy some souvenirs for her friends and family. She also bought a very smelly cheese to gift to Matts, giggling as she came out of the store with her purchase. The gift would confuse him, no doubt, but at the same time she was certain he would appreciate it. The man did have a taste for good food.

In the meantime, Gabriel was hard at work with the local alpha. The man wanted to modernize the Azores and ensure the prosperity of the locals.

On their last evening before returning to the mainland, Gabriel insisted on going to the hot springs one last time.

"At this time of night? Who on earth goes to a hot spring at nine in the evening?" Alice joked.

"You'd be surprised."

They drove for an hour before reaching a hot spring they hadn't visited before. Alice read the sign at the entrance. "Po?a da Dona Beija."

Inside, they were greeted by an older woman with a shy smile, who ensured Gabriel they would have the place to themselves and no one would disturb them. Gabriel thanked her and gave her a wink that made the woman blush.

They changed into their bathing clothes in a small locker room with individual stalls. Outside, the place was surrounded by vegetation on all sides, with tall trees and dense foliage blocking the view. As they made their way to the pools, there were small LED lights breaking the night's darkness and pointing them in the right direction.

When they walked by the first pool, Alice was greeted by a neon-blue mist lazily drifting over wooden pathways. Leaning over a rail, she peeked down into the water. It was lit by a blue neon light that made it look like a nightclub dance floor, lit from within.

Leading Alice by the hand, Gabriel took her over a small footbridge crossing a stream that cut across the whole place. On the other side, he directed her to a pool with a short waterfall that ran down the whole back wall. It hit the water with a melodic gurgling, joining the stream next to it in a watery choir. Stone steps took them down into the pool, and when they reached the last one, the water was only waist deep.

"Why are all the pools so fucking hot?" said Gabriel.

"What did you expect from a volcanic spring?" Alice chuckled.

"At least with the night air, it feels kind of nice." He sighed and rolled his shoulders, but hesitated sinking deeper into the water.

"Here, let me." Alice offered and waded around Gabriel. Reaching up to his shoulders, she started kneading them gently. He knelt in the water to give her better access.

"Fuck, that feels great." Eyes closed, he leaned back until his head rested on her chest.

"What have you been sitting on, a log? Your shoulders are so stiff."

Gabriel chuckled but didn't reply. A corner of his mouth stayed up in a satisfied half grin. His eyes were relaxed.

"Did you enjoy our vacation?" he asked lazily.

"Yes, very much." She gave Gabriel a kiss on the forehead. "Thank you for all of this. It was wonderful."

Again, the corners of his mouth rose in a satisfied smile. His right hand reached back, found her leg, and caressed it. Alice felt goose bumps creep up her skin, something she would think impossible in the water's heat.

"How on earth did you manage to do all this without the strays finding out?" asked Alice. "Did Matts help?"

"They aren't really paying attention this way right now. They're too busy running away from Matts. So, in a way, he did help."

Gabriel gently squeezed her calf in tandem with her fingers on his muscles. His fingers felt wonderful on her leg, but they were giving her some very naughty thoughts.

The pool was lit with a warm light that made the walls shine like gold. The only sounds around them were of the waterfall and the stream. There were no other sounds like the ones she was used to in Lisbon, not even bugs singing in the night. The whole place had an otherworldliness to it that made their presence here seem surreal. The only thing that broke the spell was the smell. It had become a frequent companion on the island—the smell of sulfur coming from the thermal waters.

"You should sink deeper, soak your shoulders, and let the warmth work those knots," Alice told him after trying to knead a tight muscle in his back.

"Too hot. I would melt away." He raised both eyebrows. "I have an idea, however." Gabriel made his way to the waterfall and leaned his back into it. It was shorter than him, so he didn't need to try to keep his head dry as he let the water hit his back.

Alice watched him through the corner of her eye. He looked beautiful, his eyes closed in bliss as the water hit his shoulders and sluiced down his back, his chest exposed to the cool night air. The water that trickled down his chest reflected the golden light, illuminating his skin. He looked like a Michelangelo statue had come to life. Well, except for one thing, she thought, remembering her heat.

"You know, Zoey was right. This would be a lot better without the smell," she commented, trying to divert her train of thought.

Gabriel laughed. "Come on, it's part of the charm," he declared over the noise of the falling water. "Come try this."

She waded until she reached him and yelped in surprise when he grabbed her arm and pulled her behind the waterfall.

"My hair," she complained. "Now it's gonna be all smelly."

"You can wash it when we get back to the hotel."

He twirled her around and pressed her against the wall. The water became a barrier between them and the world, like a translucent curtain that distorted the view beyond it. Golden mist enveloped them in heat, and Alice wasn't sure if all the water on Gabriel's chest was from the pool, or if he was sweating.

He had to crouch or his head would hit the ceiling, and he had one hand on the wall behind her to keep his balance. The other hand brushed her wet hair off her face and gently wiped away drops of water on her skin, until it found its goal of cupping her cheek.

His blue eyes fixed on hers intently, as if he was searching for the meaning of life within her gaze, and his body slowly leaned into hers. Her skin was flushed from the heat already, but it was scalding hot where his skin met hers.

"Your eyes look beautiful," he whispered, his voice raspy and slow. "They look like gold, lit from within."

His thumb rested on her chin, and gently parted her lips. Alice was entranced. Caught in the comfort of his touch, she was unable to push him away.

She wanted this. She wanted him.

The familiar void in her chest pushed back, her broken bond searching for its other half. But she fought it. She wanted to be free of it.

Gabriel leaned down very slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. He was giving her all the time in the world to stop him before he kissed her.

Alice didn't stop him.

When his lips caressed hers, they felt soft and inviting, and he toyed with her mouth in a way that made her heart race. His tongue playfully skimmed her lower lip, testing the waters of her acceptance.

And she wanted to accept. She wanted to be honest to herself and admit that Gabriel had burrowed into her heart. If he had taken advantage of her during her heat, she wasn't sure she would hate him for it. She had been so embarrassed the following morning at the way she had offered herself, with how exposed and vulnerable she had been. And he had controlled himself—something the other omegas thought impossible.

She felt his hand travel all the way down the curve of her waist, reaching her hip and teasing her skin along the line of her bikini. It felt wonderful.

But her broken bond fought back with violence, telling her that this was wrong. The void pulled her in and closed her off from Gabriel. She pulled back from him, breaking their kiss, and rested her forehead on his shoulder.

She could feel his deep inhale into his chest.

"I had hoped—" He hesitated. "After seeing them together, I thought maybe it would help you change your mind."

Leaning his head onto hers, he hugged her. His emotions were pouring out of him, stronger than the waterfall before them. She could feel his want for her like a song in the air around them, in tune with the sound of the water. It overwhelmed her and made her feel protected. The broken bond fluttered against her chest.

Alice leaned back into the wall and caught his gaze. Placing her hands on his chest, she traced the lines of his muscles.

"I do want this, Gabriel," she confessed. "But I think I need more time."

Gabriel stiffened. His muscles became so taut, he felt like a wall under Alice's hands. She could feel his heart beat faster, and the tension in his chest. A turmoil of emotions stormed out of him, an internal war that Alice didn't understand.

It lasted only a heartbeat. Something won, and he regained his composure.

"Time?" he asked huskily. "I promised you, Alice, all the time you need."

Alice reached out to touch his face. Gabriel had always been honest with her, so she believed him. But for some reason, this time… this time, it felt like a lie.