Chapter Seventeen

The hospital corridors were darker than usual, the lights above flickering. It was eerily silent, not a single peep heard and all the doors on the emergency floor were wide open, the lights in the rooms switched off, making the rooms look dark and menacing, like it held a horrible monster.

What the hell was going on? Brendon wondered anxiously, feeling his heart beat speed up underneath his ribs, struggling to breathe at the same time because it felt like someone’s hands were clamping around his throat in a vice like grip.

As if on automatic, his feet led him right to room 106, where Spencer was slowly trying to come back to life.

The room was dark as well but with the flickering lights, Brendon could faintly make out Spencer lying in the sheets, his body shaking and jerking, the alpha whimpering under his breath like he was trapped in a horrible nightmare he couldn’t wake up from. It took Brendon a second to realize that Spencer was strapped to the bed with thick, black belts on his wrists, across his chest and his ankles.

“Spencer!” Brendon gasped, about to run forward.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Brendon screamed like a banshee and nearly lost his soul, grasping at his chest because one second there was no one there and then the corridor lights had flickered and Cherie Puttah had appeared like a demon summoned from hell.

He could see nothing but her face in the darkness, and it was entirely crippling.

She stood right beside Spencer, too close for comfort, her lips stretched into an evil grin. She remained unmoving in the darkness, not bothering to come forward so that he could see her completely, her face just glowing eerily in the shadows despite the flickering lights.

“So you think you’re smart, huh?” she asked, that grin still plastered to her face. If Brendon was unsure that Cherie Puttah was out of her mind, then this was perfect proof. The woman was insane. “So you found the cure. Ha, good for you. This is something small, Brendon,” the way she said his name made Brendon shiver in revulsion and fear, “something bigger is coming.”

Her lips began to stretch even wider, the corners trailing all the way up to her ears, her eyes glowing red.

She opened her mouth and screeched, the sound like a million people being tortured before reaching for Spencer and grabbing his neck, snapping it quickly and effortlessly.

Brendon screamed and jumped forward to rip her fucking throat out when he was suddenly shooting violently awake, his entire body soaked with sweat.

He glanced round the hospital room he was in frantically. It was empty and he wasn’t with Spencer! The lights in the corridor were on and there was the noise of nurses and people milling about, not the silence of the dream he’d had. He didn’t have time to think about the completely fucked up nightmare he’d just had before he was scrambling off the uncomfortable hospital bed.

Spencer. He needed to see Spencer.

He ran back to the emergency room the alpha was held in on shaky legs, bursting into the room without preamble.

Except for the colour returning back to his skin, Spencer looked the same way Brendon had left him. The sound of the heart monitor, now beeping steadily with the thump of a sturdy heartbeat was like a balm to Brendon’s wounded soul. Brendon noticed another empty carton of water in the corner, silently thanking the nurse in his head for giving more water to Spencer while the beta had been unconscious.

The beta sagged with relief, sinking against the wall and catching his breath. It was only now that he knew Spencer was safe, the alpha comfortably in his sight that he thought back to his nightmare. The nurse must’ve moved him to another room when he collapsed and he appreciated the gesture.

But back to that fucking – what the fuck was that? It had felt so uncomfortably real – even now, Brendon was half waiting for Cherie Puttah to appear out of nowhere into the room.

He was filled with a bone-chilling fear that made him extremely anxious and jittery.

He couldn’t let anyone know about the cure to the spray – if he spread the news now, Cherie was definitely going to come after him. And the fact that she’d threatened Spencer right in front of his face was a sign that she was willing and ready to do anything to force Brendon to join her cause.

Finding the antidote to what was obviously her virus was the complete opposite of that.

He had to get Spencer out of here and then he had to find the nurse and beg her not to tell anyone just yet. How was he going to sneak the alpha out of the hospital though? The man was unconscious! It wasn’t like he could just roll Spencer out on a stretcher.

Fuck. Okay, he’d figure that out later. Pleading with the nurse to keep this quiet was the first on his list.

He hesitated, the nightmare still lingering in his subconscious. He was deathly terrified that if he left Spencer, something awful was going to happen. What if the water wasn’t the cure? What if this was just the virus acting up again? What if when he left and came back, Spencer was no longer breathing?

Stop it, Brendon! You’re wasting time!

He bit his lower lip, rushed up to the alpha and grabbed both his hands. “I’m here, Spence and I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I promise. I’ll be right back. Just hold on for me.”

He knew that Spencer was unconscious but he hoped that the alpha could hear him in his subconscious – it wasn’t uncommon for that to happen sometimes. He quickly rushed out of the room to find the nurse that had helped him. He thanked his lucky stars when he found her back at her work station in the reception, nodding off to sleep, a game of solitaire left open on her computer.

Not wanting to startle her, he tapped her on the shoulder gently. Well, not gently enough because she was jumping and nearly flying out of her seat.

Her eyes shot open and her cheeks darkened with a furious blush as she hastily reached up to wipe the drool from the corner of her mouth. “Mr Mckelly, are you alright? How’s Mr Smith?”

“He’s doing okay. Thank you so much for what you did –” he glanced down at her work badge “–Madeline. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She blushed harder. “Oh, it was nothing, Sir, was just doing –”

“Look, Madeline,” he interrupted, lowering his voice to a whisper, “I’d really appreciate it if you kept what happened in the hospital room on the down low. You’ve heard about the deadly spray that’s been killing alphas on the news, right?”

“Mhm,” she nodded almost furiously, her eyes incredibly wide.

“I – Spencer – Mr Smith was a victim of the spray.”

“Oh my god –”

“Shh,” Spencer hissed, glancing around frantically, “It’s obvious that someone’s making the spray, right?” she nodded. “So you know how crucial it is that we keep Spencer’s recovery quiet.”

Her eyes impossibly widened even more. “Oh I understand completely Mr McKelly,” she said, nodding furiously, “I won’t say a word, I promise.”

He smiled, feeling just a little relieved. Just a little. “Thank you, Madeline.”

He was about to make his way back to Spencer when he hesitated and walked back to Madeline. “Do me a huge favour, Madeline.”

“Anything,” she breathed, looking eager.

“Please call me a cab.”

*

Spencer gasped himself awake on the hospital bed, gasping and struggling to breathe like a fish out of water. Something in his belly rolled uncomfortably and he immediately found himself leaning over the bed as he emptied the contents of his stomach, throwing up all over the hospital floor uncontrollably. All that spilled from his lips looked like murky water and he couldn’t even think before he was throwing up again, his entire body straining, tears building up in his eyes, the entire floor covered in the slightly foamy liquid.

By the time he was done throwing up and dry heaving, he was extremely exhausted, his entire body aching. His nose felt hot and itchy, like he’d shoved it into a bowl of pepper and it felt extremely uncomfortable. He just suddenly felt like sleeping for hours.

What happened? Why was he in the hospital?

He frowned in concentration, trying to remember but all he could recall was being in the lab with Brendon and Lillian as they found out how exactly the virus in the spray worked –

Oh gods, the spray. Brendon!

Spencer doubled over and retched again onto the floor, only bile leaving his lips because his stomach was already empty. Tears of pain poured out of his eyes and dropped to the floor, his body shaking.

Brendon – Brendon had –

He couldn’t complete his thought before the room door was suddenly flying open and it was the reason why he was in the hospital in the first place that was entering the room.

He couldn’t control his reaction, scrambling up the bed and growling lowly in the back of his throat. “Stay the fuck away from me!” He hissed, refusing to acknowledge the way Brendon flinched, blatantly ignoring the pure agony that flittered over his expression.

“Spencer – Spence, please.”

Spencer suddenly couldn’t breathe. He heaved and then just broke down sobbing, clutching at his mouth, his eyes wide with disbelief like he couldn’t fathom just why the fuck he was crying.

Brendon helplessly choked on a sob as well, biting his lower lip hard to try and stop himself from breaking down.

“What…the fuck,” Spencer whispered in-between his hitched sobs, the memory of Brendon’s finger pressing down on the nozzle of the little white bottle replaying over and over again on his head like some demonic record. “What the fuck.”

“Spencer, please, I can explain,” Brendon pleaded, his voice wobbly but Spencer couldn’t even look at him right now, his entire body was on protection mode and at the moment, he saw Brendon as a threat. For the first time in his life, he’d trusted his mate to know that he was an alpha and that person had tried to kill him.

“Oh god,” he whimpered, doubling over again and dry heaving onto the floor, his head hurting from how hard he was sobbing. How the hell was he still alive? How long has it been? Was he still going to die?

“I found the cure.”

Spencer’s head whipped up at that and he stared at Brendon with shock, the beta’s betrayal momentarily forgotten.

“Less than two hours, Spence. I didn’t know what to do. I’ve never felt so helpless in my life. I didn’t want to lose you. I could have lost you – hell, I basically already did. I owe your being alive to Lillian for leaving her stupid water bottle in the lab again.”

Spencer looked confused and Brendon laughed a little bitterly. “It’s a long story.”

And just like that, the panic and pain were back and Spencer curled a little into the wall, his heart pounding painfully underneath his ribcage. He couldn’t look at Brendon without seeing that image of him spraying the bottle imprinted in his mind. He was literally shaking just being in the same room with him.

“Spencer – I know – I know you don’t trust me or – or want to see me right now but we really need to leave. You’re in danger, Spence and I won’t – I won’t let you get hurt again. Over my dead body.” He tried to take a step forward and Spencer actually flashed his fangs at him, growling dangerously.

“Don’t touch me,” he hissed wrathfully.

Brendon took a deep breath, trying not to cry or fall into a mindless panic. “Spencer – you have to understand, if I leave you here, they’re going to kill you.” And then probably kill me after, Brendon inwardly added, not voicing his thoughts because this wasn’t about him, this was about Spencer.

“They?” Spencer scoffed bitterly. “Oh great, more secrets. How fucking peachy.”

“Please think about it Spence. I found the cure – think about the significance of that. Now imagine whoever’s making the virus – imagine if they found out.”

That’s not my problem, Spencer wanted to say but he couldn’t because even though this man had tried to kill him earlier – intentionally or not – he still couldn’t help but love him and that thought just made him start sobbing all over again. He buried his face in his hands and just cried his heart out, hating Brendon, hating himself and hating his fucking life.

When his sobs had reduced to hiccups, he wiped his face with a corner of the sheets and tried to get out of the bed, trying to avoid the mess he’d made on the floor. Brendon wanted to move forward again and Spencer hissed, “Touch me and I’ll break your fucking hands.”

Brendon’s lower lip wobbled but he absolutely refused to break. He didn’t deserve to be upset about this. He’d tried to – he’d very nearly –

Spencer wobbled on his feet and had to grab the wall for support to keep from collapsing to the floor. His knees were shaking violently and he felt like any second now and he was going to lose control of his legs and plummet to the floor. But he grit his teeth and forged on, staying close to the wall so that he wouldn’t step into the sea of watery vomit on the floor.

Brendon watched Spencer helplessly, his fingers twitching because he wanted to help, chest hurting because he knew his touch was not welcome.

The alpha managed to make it close to the stairs before he collapsed on his knees, breathing like he’d just run a marathon, his chest heaving violently. He had one hand grasping at the wall, the other hand clutching at his chest as if it would calm his breathing and stop the pain.

“Spencer. Please. Please. Let me help you.”

Spencer clenched is eyes shut against the sob building up in the back of his throat. “Get me out of here.”

He clenched his teeth, leaving his eyes closed as Brendon reached for him, lifting him up into his arms. His entire body began to shake violently, the flashback of Brendon spraying the bottle replaying over and over again in his head until he couldn’t breathe.

Spencer was having a panic attack in his arms and Brendon felt his chest hurt, walking quickly to the stairs because people seldom used them and he’d be able to sneak out of the hospital faster that way. He made it out and to the cab without incident and he felt the pain in his chest multiply when Spencer began to breathe easier the minute he was out of Brendon’s arms in the back seat of the taxi. The cab driver wrinkled his nose a little, frowning at the sight of Spencer who was still donning a hospital gown because there was too little time to get him into casual clothes.

“I’ll be right back,” Brendon told the driver, “I just need to go to the ATM.”

“Sure thing,” the cabbie replied, shrugging at the bizarre nature of his passenger and giving him a thumbs up.

Brendon jogged to the ATM by the hospital. He’d already had everything planned. He knew how dangerous Cherie was – if she’d known that Spencer was an alpha when most people didn’t, then that meant that she had eyes in places Brendon wasn’t aware of.

She could have people watching him in the hospital. People at his apartment building – at Spencer’s.

This was extremely terrifying. Brendon felt like he was suddenly the main actor in a suspenseful thriller.

His plan was to get money out of the ATM and then he was going to use cash from here on out until he got Spencer to a safe hotel, somewhere close to the hospital because he was sure if Cherie was going to look for him, it wouldn’t be anywhere obvious.

He got back into the cab and Spencer’s head was lolling against the window, the alpha obviously struggling to stay awake. The scent of alpha pheromones made Spencer want to panic – in the hospital, it had been toned down because of his emotions and the smell of medicine thick in the air, masking almost all other scents – but now, in the confined space of the cab, it was all he could smell and he fought against the rising hysteria.

He couldn’t even appreciate the scent of citrus – Spencer’s natural scent untainted and heady because of the lack of the scent blocker. All he was focused on were the stupid bloody pheromones.

This was Spencer, he reminded himself desperately, Spencer wasn’t – isn’t like them.  

Brendon told the driver where he wanted to go, a hotel about ten minutes’ drive from the hospital and the driver nodded and took them. During the journey, Spencer kept blinking himself awake, shaking his head a little to stay conscious. Brendon didn’t know if it was a side effect of the drugs or the cure but he couldn’t start finding out now.

They finally got to the hotel and Brendon had to support Spencer again, wrapping one of the alpha’s hands around his shoulders and practically dragging him into the hotel. He paid for one of the cheapest rooms on the first floor and took Spencer towards the elevator.

“Do you need any help?” the receptionist asked, his eyes lingering on Spencer’s mode of dress worriedly.

“No thank you, I’m fine!” Brendon grunted, heaving Spencer tightly in his arms.

They entered the elevator and he pushed the button for the first floor. That pain in his chest was back because he knew the only reason why Spencer was leaning heavily against him was because he was half-conscious. They got to their assigned room and Brendon immediately put Spencer on the bed, pulling up the covers and tucking him in.

The alpha immediately sank into the sheets, instantly falling asleep.

Brendon’s chest was tight and his hand was shaking when he used the notepad and pen provided in the hotel to write a note in case Spencer woke up about where he was and what he was doing. He placed the note on the door handle, where Spencer would easily spot it before exiting the room, closing the door gently behind him.

He spun around to face the corridor and the mounting stress and emotional trauma just hit him and he sank down against the door, cupping a hand around his mouth to muffle his sudden sobs.

This was completely fucked up. He knew that even if Spencer decided to forgive him – which was highly unlikely – their relationship was never going to be the same again.

*

“I don’t like the sound of this,” Tania whispered, pacing up and down, “why would he want to speak with only the alphas on the team? What with alphas dying like wildfire, I’m really suspicious about this.”

“We’ve searched him as much as we could and he’s clean, Tania,” Markus replied, carefully watching the dark-skinned beta on the other side of the two-way glass slash mirror, “Plus I doubt the assistant to the Chief Medical Examiner handling the cases would want to murder all the alphas on the precinct.”

“It just sounds weird. Doesn’t it sound weird to you?”

Markus sighed. “Yes, it does. Let’s just hear him out and I’ll let you know what’s troubling him. Perhaps he feels safer around alphas?”

Tania bit her lip, “If you say so. So it’s just you and Bill, then? We can’t ask any of the other alphas because they’re not on our team.”

“Looks like it’s just me and Bill.”

Bill, Markus and a shaky beta – who just happened to be the assistant Medical Examiner in the hospital that was helping to work on the spray case – all together in one room.

Tania really didn’t like the sound of that.

*

Ah, the irony, Brendon thought with a bitter laugh, while he sat in the interrogation room, not looking up at the mirror opposite him because he was aware that it was a two-way glass and the officers were probably trying to decide how to handle his request of speaking to only the alphas on the team.

Brendon knew that anyone could be part of the Beta Omega Rights Foundation. Anyone but alphas. So it was really ironic that now in his time of need, the very gender he loathed and feared were the only ones he could turn to.

He was sure his therapist would have called it therapeutic.

He was anxious and shaky because he couldn’t stop thinking about Spencer, wondering if he was safe in that hotel or if he’d made a mistake taking him there. It felt like even in here, in the Peace Force precinct, it felt like Cherie’s eyes were here – her eyes being whoever she’d ‘asked’ to join her cause. He couldn’t trust another beta or omega – especially if they were part of the foundation because who knew which one of them was as insane as Cherie?

The door on the side came open and two alphas stepped into the room. He recognized them immediately – even though he rarely left the hospital; Spencer was always the one to go out to the crime scenes and bring the body or bodies back to the lab – he knew the officers on the Peace Force and Investigation Team – the best ones Maviz could offer.

Markus Rowan, newly transferred and Bill Anderson, who’s been in the Sendorian Peace Force for much longer.

They shut the door behind them and Brendon struggled not to panic as he was trapped in a room with two alphas with no means of escape. He was taken back to a time of terror and screams of agony and he gasped for breath, forcing himself to tamper the memories down.

This isn’t them. This isn’t them. This is Markus and Bill. They’re on the Peace Force. They won’t hurt you. They weren’t there.

“Are you okay?” the smaller alpha asked, frowning a little at Brendon in concern. Markus was short and slim but he held so much confidence and authority in his small frame that Brendon fought the urge to cower in his seat.

Bill however, held a silent aggressiveness that was triggering him badly.

Brendon wheezed and got out of his chair, stumbling to the other side of the room and pressing himself against the wall, creating as much space as he could between himself and the alphas.

Thankfully, the alphas noticed his distress and didn’t move forward.

“Are you uncomfortable having us here?” Markus asked incredulously, “’Cause that would make me wonder if you’ve lost your mind because you were the one that asked for only alphas.”

“I know,” Brendon gasped, “Just give me a second.”

He doubled over, wrapping his arms around his middle and struggling to get his breath back and for some reason, what he could see in his mind’s eye was Spencer, the time he’d taken him to that beautiful restaurant on the rock, the memory of him looking like a fucking angel in the sunset and the reflected lights from the rainbow polycarbonate roof and slowly, he felt his breath coming back and his senses returning.

He stood up again and even though he felt vaguely safe now, he refused to move from his spot. He wasn’t ready yet.

“Are you ready to talk to us?” Markus asked when the beta looked better.

Brendon nodded. “But no recordings. And promise me you won’t tell anyone about what I’m about to tell you – until it’s completely safe to do so.”

The alphas glanced at each other in indecision. Bill was about to refuse when Markus turned back to Brendon and nodded stiffly. “No recordings and whatever you’re about to tell us isn’t leaving this room.” Bill seethed, angry that he was finally getting some action but he still couldn’t talk.

Brendon decided to take the alpha for his word. He focused completely on the smaller man, ignoring Bill Anderson and the violent aura he just seemed to emit – the scent was hitting too close to home. There was just something about Markus Rowan that was as soothing as it was intimidating. Like a stern but caring father.

He took a deep breath and then blurted, “I know who’s making the spray.”

*

The Beta Omega Rights Foundation, gods, how could he have not known? It was so fucking obvious! Markus and Bill were still reeling from all the information Brendon McKelly had just given them. They’d had to leave the room just to take a breather after Brendon had told them how he’d been approached by Cherie Puttah – of all people. They sat on the other side of the interrogation room, staring in to look at the beta who was back in his seat, his head in his hands.

Tania wasn’t here and Dallas – Markus didn’t even want to think about Dallas right now because it was just going to put him in a sour mood.

“Cherie Puttah,” Markus repeated, “Fuck. I thought Penelope Heatherton and her husband, Riles where the ones that founded the organisation.”

“They founded it alright,” Bill replied and crossed his arms, “But Ms Puttah is the one that has all the control.”

There was a brief silence as they both let that sink in.

“What are we going to do?” Bill finally asked silently. On the inside he was pretty fucking excited because this was the closest action he’d gotten to a case since he’d joined the Peace Force. Their boss, Seth, believed that Bill was too hot tempered and hard-headed to handle a case – which was partly true but not the point – and so he was left in the background while Tania and Dallas did all the work. He hated it. But now, with the specialty of this case, he could actually do something other than calling people and holding crowds back with red tape. “He doesn’t remember the people that were in that meeting room with Cherie Puttah and we can’t just arrest her without solid evidence.”

Markus scrubbed a hand over his face. “We need evidence, you’re right. We need to know how they’re making the spray and if we could get that then we’re good to go. I’m just wondering who the other six people in that room where and how they play a part in all this. We could be missing something vital without knowing who they are.”

“McKelly did say they looked pretty important.”

“Anyone can look important dolled up in a suit,” Markus replied, instantly shooting that option down.

“How the hell are we going to get the evidence we need, though? Do we send McKelly back to them?”

“That’s dangerous,” Markus replied, his eyes shooting up to look at Bill. The bigger alpha tried not to shiver at that intense gaze focused on him. He sighed inwardly with relief when Markus was once again looking at the assistant Medical Examiner through the glass. “I feel this isn’t the entire story.”

Something had to have brought Brendon here. The beta wouldn’t just show up at the precinct out of the blue especially if he said that Cherie had threatened him.

Something just wasn’t adding up.

Markus glanced up at Bill, noting the way the alpha was holding himself with such self-importance. No doubt the guy was excited that someone was finally asking for his opinion on a case instead of making him do background work but still, Bill hadn’t noticed it, but Markus had seen that Brendon was more comfortable talking to him than to the bigger alpha. It was in his body language and the way he pretended that Bill wasn’t even in the room when he was confessing to them.

Bill had his head stuck so far up his ass that he wasn’t even seeing the signs.

“I’m going to let him go,” Markus said to Bill, “and then we can talk privately about what’s going on. And please remember, you gave him your word not to tell. Don’t mess this opportunity up, Anderson.”

Bill’s eyes grew wide and if he was going to brag about this before, he had definitely changed his mind at Markus’s words. “Definitely,” he replied like an eager puppy. His wolf’s tail must’ve been wagging wildly, “I’m not going to fuck this up.”

Markus smiled. “Good.”

He walked back into the interrogation room, leaving Bill to his thoughts. McKelly looked up as he approached and he saw the way the beta instantly relaxed the minute he realized that Markus had come in alone.

His eyes darted to the door and then back to Markus, asking a silent question.

Can he hear us?

Bingo, Markus thought. The beta was unquestionably not comfortable with Bill in the room.

Markus shook his head minutely and then coughed and pretended like the little exchange just hadn’t happened. “Shall I escort you out, Mr McKelly?”

“It’s Brendon. Please,” the beta replied, standing up from his seat.

Markus led him out, walking slowly and waiting for him to feel comfortable enough to speak. It was only when they were about to reach the reception of the precinct that Brendon dragged Markus into a tiny corner – a space between two walls that was obviously a mistake in the design of the place – either the engineer or the architect that had designed this place must’ve been drunk or high or something.

Brendon looked frantic – he looked like he was about to have a panic attack, like he wanted nothing but to be away from Markus at that moment but at the same time needed to get something off his chest.

“I found the cure,” he whispered so lowly Markus had to strain to hear him.

Markus’s eyes widened imperceptibly. “Oh my god.”

“Please, please keep it on the down low. When Cherie threatened me, I had planned to just ignore that it ever happened. She’d – she’d given me one of the bottles of the spray and I didn’t plan on using it I swear –”

“Brendon. You need to calm down. Breathe.”

Brendon realized he was hyperventilating and he shakily tried to take in deep breaths, his body trembling. The alpha’s hands came up to grab his arms, holding him tightly and Brendon’s entire body seized up with panic.

“Shh, calm down,” Markus whispered soothingly, not releasing his grip, “I’m not going to hurt you. Look at me, Brendon. Whatever you’re seeing, it’s not there. It’s just me and I’m not going to lay a single finger on you.”

Brendon looked down into the alpha’s emerald green eyes and felt his breathing slowly become less erratic. If this had been a few days ago, Brendon might’ve punched Markus in the face and ran for his life before having a panic attack; but, nearly killing his lover had changed his perspective on a lot of things.

Not all alphas were the same. Not all alphas where that bad. Not all alphas murdered his family in cold blood.

If you just stopped blaming every single alpha that walked the earth for your predicament, trust me, you’ll be in a much better place, Brendon. You need to let this go.

As he finally admitted this to himself, as he finally just stopped holding on to the pain and fear he’d felt as just a little kid, he suddenly sagged, feeling like a heavy weight was being lifted from his shoulders.

“Oh my god,” he whispered, clinging to the front of Markus’s shirt, his shivers increasing violently. “Oh my god.”

How such a small realization could change him was unbelievable. Just accepting the fact that he couldn’t blame every alpha on the planet for his tragedy felt like he’d just jumped off a cliff – it felt exhilarating.

“Are you with me?” Markus asked and Brendon looked down at him, coming back to earth.

It was like he was looking at a whole new person. The confined space and the scent of the alpha pheromones meant nothing to him. No rapid breathing. No panic attack threatening in the distance.

He wasn’t letting his fear control him anymore. He was free.

When McKelly spoke again, Markus knew something intangible had just happened. The beta’s posture had changed, he no longer cowered or looked like he was about to flee – he now looked like a man on a mission.

“Cherie – she gave me a spray and – and something happened, it’s a long story but – I – Spencer’s an alpha a-and –”

“Spencer Smith?” Markus asked, wrinkling his nose in surprise.

“Please, please don’t tell anyone. I don’t know if he wants anyone to know.”

“Alright. Go on.”

“Anyway, long story short – I – I mistakenly used the spray on him and this led me to finding the cure – albeit mistakenly but I still did it – and now I’m terrified that Cherie’s got people watching me, I know she has, I can feel it and I know that if they find out that I know the cure they’re going to kill me or worse – but Spencer,” Brendon said his name with such passion and desperation that Markus instantly knew something intimate was going on between the Chief and his assistant, “I’m scared for Spencer. I can’t let him get hurt. I was paranoid and I took him out of the hospital because I didn’t feel safe with him there but he’s alone and he’s at a hotel and I need – I need –”

“How many people know about the cure?” Markus interrupted, his work mode coming on.

“Just me, Spencer and a nurse that helped me save him.”

“And me, now. How about I send some plain clothes officers to watch over Spencer. How does that sound?”

Brendon looked like he was about to break down crying. “Yes, yes, please, please. No omegas or betas, please. I can’t – you can’t trust them right now. Any of them could be working for Cherie. Some may be innocent but we can’t take any chances.”

“You’re right. I’ll send some of my people down to the hotel. Give me your phone.” Spencer handed him the phone and Markus typed his number in, saving it under a pseudonym. “Text me the address of the hotel and then delete the text. The officers will check into a room while some will remain milling about inconspicuously outside. We’ll keep him safe, I promise. You get back to the lab and save your recordings if you haven’t. I can send some officers to escort you, if you like. What we’re going to do now is devise a plan to get some evidence out of the B.O.R.F. Are we clear?”

Brendon nodded, looking a lot calmer and settled than he’d had when he initially entered the precinct.

“If you two are done making out, I suggest we get back to work?”

Brendon jumped at the sarcastic tone, instantly scrambling out of the dark literal hole in the wall, Markus following behind him, the alpha digging his fingers into the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Dallas Crane stood in front of them positively seething, looking nearly comical in his neon orange pants and crisp white shirt, the combination enhancing the richness of his olive skin and stark silver hair.

“In case you haven’t noticed,” Dallas growled at Brendon, pointing at him rudely, cognac eyes flashing, “This isn’t a knotting institution. If you’re so desperate for someone to shove it up your stinking asshole, I suggest –”

“Dallas,” Markus growled in warning but the tall omega ignored him.

“– you find a real prostitution agency because the rest of us have a sense of decorum that you obviously, haven’t.”

“Ignore him,” Markus said, his voice low and deadly, his eyes not leaving Dallas who was still pretending that Markus wasn’t in the room, “You know what I’ve told you. Go and don’t forget to text me.”

Brendon didn’t hesitate to high tail out of there. The minute he was gone, Dallas stalked back into the precinct, still completely ignoring Markus.

The alpha breathed calmly, inwardly counting from one to ten.

Things had been going so well. That last night, Dallas had been so wonderful, so beautiful and perfect on his hands and knees, serving Markus like he was made to do it. It was still one of the best nights of the alpha’s life.

But then Dallas had suddenly just regressed so fast it was astounding. And the worst part was that Markus didn’t know what he did wrong – he didn’t know what caused Dallas to relapse right back to where they started from.

Meanwhile, Dallas was back to feeling too big for his skin; uncomfortable and achy and really fucking irritated at just about everything. After that night that Dallas had practically grovelled at Markus’s feet, the omega had changed. Goddess, he couldn’t believe he’d done that! He felt a familiar shame bloom in his tummy each time he thought about it and his self-loathing was back full force and he was just suddenly so pissed off at the entire world.

Fuck you, Markus for reducing me to a piece of shit. After David, he’d promised himself he’d never kneel for another alpha ever again in his life but Markus had broken down his defences so fucking effortlessly it was like he hadn’t even built up walls in the first place. He wasn’t a toy – he wasn’t an object to be used – to be treated like – like he didn’t matter!

You’re not talking about Markus anymore, now are you?

Dallas ignored the voice in his head, stomping to the office he shared with Tania.

“What the fuck did that beta want with Markus?” he growled the minute he entered the office and Tania flinched at his hostile tone.

She frowned. “Watch your tone with me, Dallas.”

“Oh seriously, fuck you,” he snarled at her and Tania could only stare in surprise because this was the first time Dallas was pouring out his frustration on her. “What are you doing, huh? Are you conniving with him? Working together to make Dallas look like the stupid little omega?”

“Dallas, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Tania replied blankly, “And I seriously think you need to get help so you can deal with your issues.”

“No idea what I’m talking about?” he mocked, grasping at his chest with dramatic shock, “Why the hell was that bastard all intimate and cosy with Markus just now? What the hell did he come here to report because it seems to me like he’s horny and lost his way.”

“You sound awfully jealous.”

Dallas sputtered, feeling his cheeks heat. “Fuck you! I am not jealous!”

“Uh huh,” Tania smirked teasingly.

“I don’t like Markus that way! He tricked me – he used his stupid pheromones to control me –”

“Watch what you’re saying, Dallas,” Tania warned, the smirk gone from her face.

Dallas suddenly noticed the other presence in the room. He spun around and there was Markus, standing by his office door, looking like he was about to fall sick.

Unable to deal with the upcoming confrontation, he tried to make his way out of the office and Markus tried to reach for him in the process, but he gasped, “don’t touch me!” with such panic and vehemence that the alpha hastily withdrew his hand with surprise, taking a step back to allow the omega walk out of the office. Dallas made it to the changing rooms for the preserve, thunking his head against one of the lockers and enjoying the feel of the cold metal on his heated skin.

He stiffened when he felt a presence in the room and instantly knew it was Markus without even turning around.

“And what the fuck do you want?” he growled rudely, not even bothering to turn around despite every instinct in him screaming at how disobedient he was being, how displeased Markus must be.

Well he doesn’t own me so I don’t give a shit!

“Just tell me one thing Dallas,” the alpha’s voice was strangely small, “was it all consensual?”

Dallas froze and then all the fight just suddenly left him in a rush as he sagged against the lockers, forcing the emotion that had been building up right back down his throat.

He tricked me – he used his stupid pheromones to control me –

He realised how his words might’ve sounded to the alpha and felt bile rising up in his throat. But admitting that he wanted it meant admitting that he was weak but at the same time, he couldn’t let Markus leave this room thinking he’d done those things to Dallas against his will.

He felt like he was physically tearing a chunk out of his skin when he admitted hoarsely, still facing the locker, his eyes clenched shut like he could escape from reality, “Yes. I wanted it – I…wanted you.” The way he said it, it sounded like the worst thing he’s ever done and Markus felt a tiny pain in his heart at that.

“Are we even something to you?” he whispered, feeling his heart break.

Dallas suddenly felt like a caged animal. Half of him wanted to say no, they weren’t shit and Markus could go fuck himself raw with a cactus but the other half of him was clawing desperately at his insides, whining and begging, reminding him just how good Markus was, how much the alpha actually respected him and treated him like he was a king and not a snivelling bitch like –

“I’m not him.”

Dallas stiffened.

“I’m not him,” Markus repeated, his voice hard, “And I’m never going to be him. I’m not going to treat you like that, Dallas. But the only way for this to work is for you to trust me.”

Dallas felt shame and emotion building up inside him because he was falling and falling hard and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

“I hate you,” he whispered passionately, curling his fist against the cold metal of the locker in front of him, “I hate you so much.”

He heard the sound of soft footsteps and then Markus lifted his hand up, hesitating to touch him because of his previous reaction to his last attempt. Dallas inhaled shakily and then turned around, reaching out a hand to twine his fingers with Markus’s.

The alpha breathed an obvious sigh of relief that made butterflies suddenly start to swirl in Dallas’s tummy.

“Look at me, Dallas,” Markus urged gently.

Dallas looked down into his brilliant green eyes.

“You’re perfect, Dallas and I sincerely wish you’d believe me. Under that prickly exterior, I know how amazing you can be – how passionate and brilliant you truly are. You’re not weak. You’re not just some omega to me – you’re…you’re like, everything.”

Dallas inhaled shakily, unable to speak because it felt like he’d swallowed a log.

“Are we on the same page?” Markus asked, tilting a head a little and reminding Dallas suddenly of a feline.

He nodded and realized his mistake when Markus hummed disapprovingly. He had to swallow several times before he could speak, his voice coming out thick and croaky. “Yes sir.”

Markus shivered visibly and Dallas felt powerful at the reactions he was pulling out of the alpha.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Markus whispered, his voice suddenly hard, “because I’m not going to let what you did today go unpunished.”

Dallas felt his heart skip painfully underneath his ribs and his breath catch in his throat.

“Is that clear, Dallas?”

And Dallas instantly knew that this was his out. Each time Markus had asked him that, is that understood? Are you sure? Is that clear? It had been Markus giving him an out, silently telling him that if he chose to walk out the door right now, the alpha wouldn’t stop him – if he chose to say no to anything, Markus wouldn’t argue.

Because Markus wasn’t David or Connor. Markus was…Markus. And he’d made his decision once again.

“I understand, Sir.”

*

“You were really disobedient today and I’m really disappointed in you, Dallas.”

Dallas felt his wolf whine in distress at the sound of those words. He currently had his hands braced against the table in his bedroom, his pants and shorts gone, the cool air on his thighs and buttocks feeling like a horrible teaser of what was to come. Markus was standing behind him, not touching him but close enough that the omega could feel his body heat.

“I’m sorry, Sir,” he whispered desperately, sounding truly contrite. Please don’t be mad at me, alpha.

“Oh, I know you’re sorry but we can’t just let this go unpunished, now can we? I don’t tolerate such irate behaviour, Dallas and I trust that you should know that. You were rude and disobedient to me, to Brendon McKelly and not to mention Tania, who I thought was someone you had utmost respect for.”

“I do respect her, Sir,” Dallas sobbed desperately, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Sir.”

“I’m going to give you twenty lashes of the cane, Dallas. Six for disobeying me, seven for being rude to Brendon and seven for being rude to Tania. I want you to repeat that back to me.”

Dallas swallowed. “Twenty lashes. Six for disobeying you, seven for being rude to Brendon and seven for being rude to Tania.”

“Very good, Dallas.” Dallas loved how Markus was always calling his name each time he spoke, always saying it so soothingly. It made him feel owned but in the best way possible. “I want you to count with me, is that understood?”

Is that understood? Dallas felt his heart throb because even now, Markus was still silently asking if this was okay and if he was alright with it.

“Yes sir.”

The cane – about a centimetre thin and made from the finest golden wood – landed on his backside so harshly that Dallas couldn’t help but yelp, almost forgetting to count.

“One sir!” he cried.

The first six lashes were a quick affair. There was no pleasure in this punishment for both of them, all Dallas could feel was intense pain and shame as he cried, tears and snot and sweat making his face a blotchy mess. On the other hand, Markus felt horrible for putting his sub through pain but if he didn’t do this, there was going to be no respect in their relationship so he was glad that Dallas had agreed to it. Gods, beautiful perfect Dallas.

When he finally reached six, Markus asked gently, “What was that for, Dallas?”

“For disrespecting you,” he said in-between sobs, “Sir.”

“And what’s next?”

“Seven for being rude to Brendon, Sir.”

“Very good. Shall we continue then?”

“Yes Sir.”

The punishment continued until Dallas had received his twenty strokes. His bottom was hot and throbbing painfully and he stood stiffly, not wanting to move because everything hurt. He was crying so hard he was hiccupping, his nails digging into the table he was clutching.

“You did so good, sweetheart,” Markus whispered, “You took it so well. I’m so proud of you.”

“I’m sorry,” Dallas sobbed, “I’m so sorry, I swear, Sir.”

“I know. I know, its okay,” Markus soothed gently, “Come on and get on the bed.”

Dallas clenched his teeth hard when walking to the bed made the muscles in his backside clench and release, sending waves of pain slashing through his entire body. Markus gently eased him onto the mattress on his stomach and then left the room. The alpha returned holding a tub of aloe Vera in his hands. He sat beside Dallas on the bed before uncapping the tub and scooping up a generous amount into his hands before gently stroking it into the heated, welted flesh.

Dallas sobbed into the pillow with pain and relief, focusing on the cool balm of the aloe on his skin and how reverently Markus was applying the cream. When Markus was done, he placed the tub on the bedside table.

“Would you like me to stay?”

“Yes Sir. Please Sir.”

“Okay,” Markus beamed, quickly taking off his clothes so that he was only in his shorts. He slid into the bed beside Dallas, reaching out to gently stroke the welts on his skin, making Dallas shiver uncontrollably.

The omega turned to look at him with eyes half-lidded and intense, his lips slightly parted. “Thank you, Sir.”

Markus felt his chest get hot. “I – uh, it’s okay,” he whispered, suddenly flustered.

Dallas smiled shakily at him, his eyes twinkling and Markus managed to smile back, his stomach rumbling with butterflies and he was shuffling closer until his body was touching Dallas’s side from his shoulder to his hip.

“Is this – is this okay?”

“Mhm.”

“Are we…uhm, are we good?”

“We’re so good, Sir.”

Markus grinned giddily. “Okay. Okay, that’s good. Okay, goodnight.”

Dallas giggled, stupidly happy. “Goodnight Sir.”