27. Talking With the Masked Man

Alice reached out her hand, trying to find Gabriel, but only found soft sheets.

Eyes still heavy with sleep, she looked around the bedroom. She was alone. Why the fuck was she alone?

She reached for the bond and felt Gabriel nearby. Both alphas were patiently waiting for her to wake up. Well, fuck, if they let her wake up alone, then she was going to take her sweet time going to them. She got up and made her way to the bathroom, hissing at just how sore she was between her legs. In the shower, she kneaded her thighs and let the hot water soothe her muscles. But it was hard to feel relaxed. She had been so happy a few minutes ago, but now there was apprehension creeping in through the bond.

Both men were worried, and she didn't know why. Didn't they get what they wanted? Did they catch the wrong man?

Alice put on some clean clothes and made her way to the kitchen, her hair still damp. They were both outside; she could feel it. She grabbed a coffee and stepped onto the patio, wincing at the strong sunlight. Matts's drugs gave a hell of a hangover.

Matts was sitting at the table, smoking, an empty coffee cup in front of him. Gabriel was hanging out by the pool, cigarette in his hand, while he stared into the horizon.

"Where's Boss?" asked Alice.

"Daniel has him. Took him for a walk," Matts replied.

Gabriel didn't turn to her.

Alice sat at the table and took a sip of her coffee, glancing back and forth between both men.

"Did we get him?" she asked. The way they were politely ignoring her was unnerving her.

Matts was the one to reply again. "Yes. And we think we got the right one."

He was carefully watching her now, his intense stare muddled with worry. She saw Gabriel's head turn to them, like he was also expecting something.

"What happened? Why are you guys so nervous?"

Matts didn't smile like he usually did. She could feel the apprehension in both men, neither wanting to talk first.

"How are you feeling?" Gabriel asked from the pool.

"Sore." She was honest. "And confused."

Both men looked at each other before focusing back on their smoking.

"I need to make a call." Gabriel put out his cigarette in an ashtray and made his way inside the house.

Alice rubbed her face, now getting angry, the emotions coming from him confusing her. He had promised nothing would change. That he wouldn't stop loving her. What was happening?

"What is going on?" she demanded from Matts.

He picked up his empty cup and played with it in his hands.

"How are you feeling, Alice?"

"I already told you, sore and confused."

"Are you angry with me?"

"What? No," she replied, taken by surprise. "Why would I be angry with you?"

"Last night, when you…" He hesitated. "Did you only give in because of your heat?"

"Is that what this is about? The heat?" Alice's cheeks blushed. "I didn't expect it to happen, if that's what you mean."

"I understand." A wave of guilt came from him. "But did we force you? We triggered your heat, and I've been thinking all night that perhaps that is why you gave in."

"No." Alice groaned. "I didn't give in because of the heat. I made a conscious and adult decision about something I wanted."

Relief filled Matts, and he took a deep pull of his cigarette. "Good," he told her simply.

"Is this what was worrying you? That you had forced me?"

"Yes," Matts confessed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

There was something else under his concern. Alice didn't know why, but today she could read him more clearly. Maybe he couldn't hide his emotions as well now that he had let her taste them. But there was something more important than Matts's feelings right now. She downed her coffee and got up.

"Where did he run off to?" she asked herself as she tried to find her mate.

She found him in the office, just getting off a call.

"Alice?"

She closed the door behind her. "Are you worried that you forced me last night, like Matts was?"

"What? No." He scoffed. "I know when there is something you don't want to do."

"Then what is up with you today?"

Gabriel turned to her but hesitated.

"Are you angry with me because I fucked Matts?" She gulped. "Did you change your mind about me after last night?"

"Fuck, no," Gabriel rushed to her and held her tightly. "Never, Alice."

"Then why are you angry with me?" she demanded.

"I'm not. I'm just afraid." He tightened the hug.

"Afraid of what?"

"I want you to be honest with me. Do you want Matts? You are free to change your mind if it's what you want."

"What?" She pushed Gabriel away, dumbfounded by what he was saying. "What is it with all this male insecurity today?"

Gabriel's fear slipped through the cracks of his self-control.

"Gabriel." Alice cupped his cheeks and made him look her in the eyes. "You promised me nothing would change. You promised we could go back to normal if we followed Matts's plan. I don't want things to change."

Realization hit Gabriel, and the fear was replaced by embarrassment. "Am I being an ass?"

"A very big one, mind you." She drew him down into a kiss. "So stop sulking."

He smiled and grabbed her by the waist. Now that both male tantrums were resolved, she had something to ask that was really going to put both their panties in a twist.

She took Gabriel's hand and half dragged him outside to join Matts.

"I have something to ask," she told both men.

Apprehension and curiosity seeped from them.

"I want to talk with the stray leader."

"Oh fuck, no." Gabriel scoffed.

"Not going to happen, darling." Matts grunted at the same time.

Alice waited for both men to stop their protests before she continued. "I need to see him with my own eyes. I need that closure," she insisted. "And I will be extremely disappointed if you guys can't understand that."

It was a low blow, playing with their emotions like that. But she needed to be sure. She needed to see for herself the man who'd killed Bruno.

Matts gave in first. "Fuck." He looked at Gabriel, unsure.

Gabriel was furious, and she could feel his rant rising, so she dealt him another low blow, this time to his pride.

"Is your security in that prison so weak that I can't talk to the man without being at risk?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Fuck, Alice. You can't…" Gabriel waved his hands, his alpha pride powerless to contradict her. "Help me out here, Matts."

"Well, if we are with her, I'm sure it would be safe." Matts argued, earning himself a glare from Gabriel.

"I want to talk with him alone," Alice added.

A new wave of protests erupted from them. She waited patiently for them to tire of arguing.

"I'm sure you have a million cameras wherever he is, and you can spy on what we talk about all you want," Alice offered. "But I want to talk with him alone." She turned to Gabriel and let her emotions flow through the bond. "Please."

Gabriel grunted loudly, and Matts lit another cigarette. They didn't reply, but she knew she'd won.

Gabriel used his thumbprint to open another heavy metal door. Alice didn't remember so many doors the last time she was here.

Matts had his hand on the small of her back, in what seemed to be an attempt to soothe her. There was a giddiness coming from him now that she was actually going to talk to the stray leader, his practical side probably envisioning what impressions an omega could gather from the man. Gabriel also had that practical mindset; she could feel it through the bond. But, most of all, both men were nervous.

"We will be watching and hearing the whole thing," Gabriel repeated for the tenth time. "If he does anything suspicious, we will come in. If he hits the glass, you will leave the room immediately. If he does anything improper, I will come in and punch him half to death."

Alice stopped in her tracks. "Anything improper?" That was a new one.

"The man was connected to us last night while we—" Gabriel stopped himself before completing the sentence. "Men can be beasts—alphas, worst of all."

"I probably know that better than you," Alice muttered.

They finally reached what looked like a bank's vault door. It appeared impenetrable.

"What else do you keep in here? King Kong?" Alice asked.

"My Warhammer collection." Gabriel joked. He grabbed her left shoulder and pointed to a smaller door. "We will be right there. Very close to you."

"And the guard will be right outside. Anything happens, he will go in immediately," Matts said on her right.

"Don't touch the glass," Gabriel reminded her.

"If you feel anything in your head, walk out immediately," said Matts.

"Remember, we are watching," said Gabriel.

"We can hear everything, so make him talk."

"If you feel uncomfortable, just leave."

"If he makes you angry, don't take the bait."

For heaven's sake, it was like watching a tennis match. Alice raised both hands, begging them to stop. "It's all right. I will be all right."

They didn't feel reassured, but both men nodded.

Gabriel opened the door with a code and his fingerprint, and went in while she waited. She could hear muted voices, and the guard came out and greeted her. She walked into the room, Gabriel closing the door behind her.

The alpha was sitting on a mattress on the floor, wearing nothing but grey sweatpants and a white T-shirt. He didn't even have socks on. His knees were up and his face was hidden in his arms; only his light-blond hair was visible. He lifted his head casually, probably expecting a new guard. His blue eyes went wide when he spotted her.

"Alice." He got up immediately and walked to the glass. A whirlwind of emotions filled the room. Surprise, joy, regret, arousal, all mixed together in a complex cocktail that confused her senses.

She recognized him. "Rafael."

"What are you doing here?" he asked. He leaned heavily on the glass, like he couldn't stand being away from her.

"I needed to see you for myself," she told him honestly. "I wanted to ask why you killed my husband." She took a deep breath. "Why did you kill Bruno?"

He grimaced and hesitated. Something wasn't right. His feelings weren't right.

"I'm sorry for causing you pain," he apologized. "It was necessary to get rid of him, so we could get to you."

His answer felt both honest and deceitful. Still, it hurt. Alice always knew she was the reason why her husband died, but hearing it like this hurt.

"When we were in college, you didn't even talk to me. Why the obsession now?"

"Because you're an omega. Why else?" he replied. "We needed you. We still need you."

That felt true, but a little bit too true. "Then why try to get on my list before I was converted?"

He hesitated for a second, a feeling of being caught in a lie flaring and disappearing like a spark. "Because I knew even then, you would be special." he said, shrugging.

That felt like half a truth.

He was too guarded, too closed for Alice to clearly tell what was true and what was a lie. She watched as his eyes traveled along her body, and his right hand moved slowly up and down the glass to accompany them.

Alice took a slow step closer to the glass, and Rafael's arousal increased. Was his mind still on last night's events? She could feel Gabriel's disapproval through the bond, but she ignored it.

"Where is Sophie?" she asked him gently, deliberately sweetening her voice.

"Safe," he answered huskily, not meeting her eyes.

"Safe where?" Alice took another step toward him, the bond flaring with warning.

"With Felix."

"Is he the leader of the strays?" she asked.

"No," Rafael scoffed. His eyes snapped to hers, and he regretted his words. "I'm the leader of the strays," he hissed.

It felt forced.

"No, you are not," Alice realized. The way he moved, the way he talked, it was not the same feeling she'd gotten in that van. Even his desire felt different. This was not him.

He squinted at her, and a feeling of urgency hit her.

"I am the stray leader, Alice. I'm the one who got on your list. I'm the one who tried to take you from your mate. I'm the one who played around inside your head."

Again, it felt like half-truths. She felt a small tug on Bruno's bond, but resisted the urge to scratch her skin, aware it would alert Gabriel and Matts.

"Who is the real leader?" she demanded.

"I'm the real leader, Alice." Rafael grunted in effort. Was he trying to get into her head? "And I will make you mine, sooner or later."

"No. You're lying," she said, defeated. "I know him, and you're not him."

Rafael punched the glass. "I'm the one who killed Bruno. I won't be denied by you, omega. Look at me! I will go back into your mind and make you mine," he thundered at her, but his emotions felt like he was pleading with her to believe him. He kept hitting the glass, trying to get to her.

Gabriel and Matts entered the room, and Gabriel rushed her outside. "Are you all right?" Concern filled him when he saw she was crying.

"Yes, I'm okay," Alice lied, wiping the tears away and hugging him, needing his touch. She was so disappointed. She wanted closure, but instead she found they had the wrong man.

Gabriel watched Matts double-checked the weird-looking metal coffin they had put the stray alpha in before loading it onto the plane. The lid had a glass window, allowing them to see the man inside.

"Are you going to bury him alive or something?" Gabriel asked as the machine beeped and lights danced all around it.

"No, of course not." Matts chuckled. "That would be a waste. This little box was made to transport unruly bookkeepers. You can't risk transporting someone who can mess with minds, in reach of touching anyone."

"How the fuck does this work?"

"It keeps the person sedated and sleeping for the whole trip, isolated from any form of contact."

"But he got into Alice's mind without touching her, remember?" Gabriel insisted. "Can't he do that to you?"

"He got into her mind by using Bruno's bond," Matts reassured him. "We don't know much about how bonds work, but it's a connection between two minds. He hooked it into himself and was able to abuse it."

Matts glanced at the sleeping man inside, and his face lit up with an evil grin. "I can't wait to get inside your head," he hissed at the man.

"I remember meeting him when I was in Paris," Gabriel said. "He claimed to be Monaco's First Chair, and used a different name."

"Something else for me to look into. From what I remember, Monaco's First Chair was declared dead after the attack."

"Will you let me know what you find?" Gabriel requested. "What Alice said… It's concerning, to say the least."

"You must understand something, Gabriel," Matts told him quietly. "Alice's mind is not quite right yet. This man manipulated it in a way we don't understand."

"You don't believe her?" Gabriel asked.

"It's hard to say. On one hand, it is possible that she's right. She did recognize the alpha when I saw her memories, and she should be able to recognize him again." Matts sighed. "But, on the other hand, he erased himself quite thoroughly from her head. He could have damaged her perception of him to the point where she can't see what he really is."

"He was quite angry when she denied who he was," Gabriel grunted. "Shit. It could be that he's trying to cover for someone else. It could be an alpha with a hurt pride."

"Give me time," Matts suggested. "It will become clearer when we check his mind."

"All right," Gabriel agreed. He tapped the coffin. "But I can't wait for you to read his mind either."

Gabriel watched as Matts loaded the coffin into his plane, security heavy on all sides. This might be the end of the strays, if indeed they had caught their leader. But if they hadn't…

He let Matts say goodbye to Alice alone. A little jealousy flared inside him when Matts made her laugh. She liked him. Alice couldn't really see it herself, but Gabriel was sure she was in love with Matts as well.

She has made her choice,he reminded himself. And her choice was me.

Still, Matts's suggestion lingered in his mind. Gabriel wasn't an idiot; he knew when truth was hidden in a joke. Matts wanted to be invited to their bed again. It was a good thing Alice had been sleeping when he'd asked. What if she wanted to accept his offer? Could Gabriel share her like that with him?

Maybe, maybe not… Right now, he really preferred not to know.

Matts read his half-finished report and corrected another spelling mistake. His mind was not on his work right now. It was still lingering between soft sheets and silky skin. He closed his eyes and focused on the memory of Alice's scent and her curves in his hands. Shit, it was enough to make him hard. He leaned back in his seat and looked out the window, observing the clouds covering the sky below them like an endless rug. How was he going to get past this? Sex with Alice had changed him, and he wasn't sure if he liked the change.

He had no regrets about fucking her. It had been one of the best experiences of his life, and they'd hardly skimmed the surface of what they could do in bed. Oh, but to have her, to really have her, without Gabriel's rules and concerns. To show Alice all the ways he could give her pleasure, how he could make her body sing to his tune. He would let his imagination run free when he had some time alone.

No, there were no regrets about sex with Alice.

But dark thoughts had been circling around his mind since then. Thoughts about Jerome's proposal. If Matts recovered Sophie, he could have Alice all to himself, and that was the problem. He had always seen himself as a man of honor, as someone incapable of hurting innocent people. And look at him now, daydreaming about hurting the woman he loved. About taking her from Gabriel and having her all to himself. He rubbed his face with a disgruntled sound. He would not do that. He would not hurt an omega, hurt Alice, in such a way. He was better than that.

Wasn't he?

He got up and walked to the back of the plane, where the bookkeeper's holding box was.

"Any changes?" he asked the guards.

"Nothing. Sleeping like a baby."

Matts checked the vitals screen. All within parameters. He peered into the glass. The alpha looked peaceful, his blond hair and gentle features almost angelic. A college classmate of hers, Alice had said. She was quite sure this was not their alpha, and the more Matts thought about it, the more he was inclined to agree. Some things didn't add up.

He made his way back to the front of the plane and served himself a whiskey before going back to his seat.

As Matts drank, he remembered Alice drinking her own whiskey the night before. Her hesitation had given him pause, but another part of him, a more primal part, had nearly demanded to continue. He rubbed the skin above his heart. Perhaps some subconscious part of him had known what would happen. He reached for the fragile bond he now had with her, but could only feel a light presence at the other end. It was a feeble link, a delicate string so dwarfed by Gabriel's bond that Alice didn't even notice its presence. It was like a birthday candle lit next to a roaring fireplace—how could she possibly notice it was there? But for him, it was everything.

It was a link to the woman he loved, a door to her thoughts and feelings, and most of all, a proof that she loved him back. Even if it was a pittance compared to the feelings she had for Gabriel, he would gladly take that pittance.

And it was what gave Matts hope. Hope that last night was not a onetime event. Hope that he would go back to the wonderful feeling of fucking an omega. Hope that he might still compete with Gabriel.

So he was going to hold on to that thin thread like it was a life raft, and use it to push his dark thoughts away. Not that Jerome's offer was entirely useless. He didn't want to force Alice to leave Gabriel, but if he did recover Sophie, maybe he could use the command from the Potentia ad Opus to insinuate himself into their relationship. Having Alice to himself would be a dream, but sharing her was surprisingly fun.

Matts grinned to himself as fantasies of seducing her and Gabriel into trying new things danced around his thoughts.

The guard's voice boomed in the small aircraft. "We have a problem!"

Matts raced to the end of the plane to find the box alarm blaring, and the vitals screen flashing red. The alpha was dying.

"Get him out. Get him out!" he commanded.

They cracked open the box and pulled off every needle and paddle connected to the alpha. They took the man out, and the doctor began CPR measures.

"What happened?" Matts demanded.

"It was fine just a moment ago," the guard stammered. "I don't understand."

"I can't get any vitals," the doctor told Matts. "We need a Tube right now."

"We don't have one," Matts barked at the woman. He ran to the front of the plane and into the cockpit. "Can we land? We need a hospital."

"We can't land anywhere for a while. We are flying incognito," one of the pilots replied. "If we give our flight information and explain it's an emergency, we could get clearance, but it will take a while."

"How long?" he asked.

"Ten minutes, at the very least."

"Do it," Matts commanded before returning to the back of the plane.

When he entered the secure area, however, he realized it was pointless. The doctor looked up at Matts with fear in her eyes.

"He's dead." She gulped.

Matts let out a roar that shook the plane. "How?" he demanded. "How the fuck did this happen?"

Several of his people were checking the box.

"Here," a young bookkeeper called. There was a small device attached to the lower end of the box.

The doctor checked the vitals screen. "It gave him two thousand percent of the anesthetic. All that the machine had left in one go. It stopped the oxygen flow as well."

Matts's people started investigating the small device, but Matts just dropped into a seat.

His one lead, his best chance at destroying the strays, gone. He covered his eyes with his hand, frustration filling him.

"I'm sorry, Alice." He sighed. "I'm so fucking sorry."