Alek

I couldn't blame her for running. It's what I would have done if someone had suddenly been able to read my mind. The shocking reveals just kept coming for both of us today. Each one left me nauseated and shaky, like an earthquake was about to open a gaping hole under me. I didn't know what to make of this telepathy revelation, but I couldn't let Verity become lost to the night because of it. Whatever was happening, we needed to sort it out. Together.

I jogged behind her, tracking her route in the dying light. It was a pursuit quickly ended: she fled as far as the parking lot, where she collapsed, heaving, against the hood of my car.

Afraid she would go stray cat on me and dart off if I got to close, I approached carefully. "Whatever happened back there, I wasn't trying to invade your thoughts, Verity. I don't know how in the hell I could hear what you were thinking."

Her breath evened out. She unfolded herself, and ran her fingers through her hair, then tucked her hands in the pockets of her shorts. Verity was not someone who liked to lose her composure, no matter the circumstances. "Is this the first time you've been able to read my thoughts?" She narrowed her eyes. "Don't lie to me."

"It's the first time." Half step forward. "I swear to you, I'm not lying."

Her face remained tense. "I never know with you."

"Are you sure?" Another half step. "You seem to read me pretty well."

"Stop being such a transparent liar if you don't like it."

I brought out my trusty dimpled smile. "Who says I don't like it?"

Something midway between a gurgle and a laugh escaped her. "That almost seemed like an attempt at flirtation, but here you are." She waved her hand in an arch over my head. "Your aura is all red and angry."

"I'm not angry."

"Not at me, maybe. At someone, though. I don't suppose you'll tell me who."

By now, I was close enough to feel her own angry heat as it radiated outward. I pictured myself closing the gap between us, our bodies crashing together like waves against the beach. We were both fired up. Both upset, both ready to comfort ourselves by comforting the other.

I hesitated. This wasn't the time. Not when her question weighed on me. Not when my own questions threatened to break me. Not when I knew what her mother had done to my parents, and she still had no clue.

I couldn't give her all my attention. If the moment ever did arise, I wasn't going to give her less than everything.

I swayed in place a moment. "I'm mad at several people." My aura, if such a thing was real, would be burning deep crimson as soon as I thought about Norvin and all that he'd withheld from me. But he wasn't the only person in my life churning up negative emotions.

The intake form. The laboratory. Me as a test subject. At six years old, I'd have had no say. No ability to stop whatever was done to me. No agency. I reached in and tried to pull out memories of that time, but there was nothing to grasp at. I didn't remember being a patient or having experiments performed on me.

The tiniest of doubts crept in. Maybe the form was wrong. Maybe it didn't mean what Verity thought it meant.

Maybe Verity was lying.

"I'm not lying."

My shoulders tensed. "What the fuck, Verity."

"In my extremely limited experience, I've come to find that mind reading works both ways. Now that you opened a channel between us, I'm hearing you in bits and pieces." She leaned against the hood of the car and gave me a sad smile. "I can block you, if you'd like."

"Please do."

She pointed an accusatory finger at me. "Same goes for you."

"I don't know how."

"Just imagine a brick wall."

"An imaginary brick wall? Is that all it takes?"

"I told you, I'm new at this. But I've had a wall up to ward off Chip since the whole Gold Rush Revenge incident and he hasn't shown his face, human or wolf, has he?" She circled around the car and waited for me to unlock the passenger door.

Once we were both inside, she leaned back against the head rest and turned her face to me. "Are you still returning to the archive?"

I nodded. "I'll be careful."

"How many people have died after saying those words?"

"I won't add to the count."

I put the car into gear, and we headed back towards Verity's place. She said very little until we'd arrived and I'd walked her up to her door.

"Bolt the door, arm the alarm." I told her.

As I turned to leave, she grasped my arm, sending tingling warmth through me. I wanted her to keep grabbing me like that. I wanted her to keep me from leaving, pull me inside her apartment and make me stay all night.

"I'm not reading your mind anymore," she said.

My cheeks grew warm. "Thank God."

"Right, but when I was... you mentioned you'd had no control over what must have happened to you."

My resolve to leave and search for my answers returned. "Well, I was six, so..."

"So, who did?"

Shit. I didn't want to get into this now. I build my brick wall and added a titanium barrier to it for good measure.

"As for me," she continued, "my mother must have brought me. What about you? Were your parents..."

"I can't talk about this." I pulled my arm away from her. "Not now."

"Okay, I'm sorry. It's just that, you have no memories, and yet, you're getting upset about a very specific question."

No. I had no memories of the Noble Plan experiment, but I had a few of the people who must have chosen me for it, memories of the people who were supposed to protect me.

These were the same people who, as AV's head scientists, wouldn't have just known about the experiment; they would have been running it.

"Verity, I..."

She looked at me hopefully. Those eyes—I had to look away, or she'd get everything she wanted from me—both the things I wanted to give her and the secrets I wasn't quite ready to give up.

"I have to go."

Her face fell. "All right. I didn't mean to pry."

"Its not that. You didn't. I just..."

She grabbed my arm again, her wide eyes searching for mine. I averted her gaze even though every part of me ached to give in.

She let go and took a step back, seemingly resolved to my decision. "Don't add to the count of the dead tonight."

With a nod, I left her standing in the doorway.

None of this seemed real. Werewolves, physcic werewolves, telepathic powers, and most unbelievable: Verity Jayne desiring me. It couldn't be true. Most likely, I was misreading everything, and she didn't see me as any more than a means to an end. She needed my help, ergo, she could pretend to be into me. I wouldn't blame her if she still hated me. What had I done but lie to her and almost get her killed today?

I drove back to the warehouse district, my mood grim. I'd been experimented on as a young child and now I could read minds. Or, at least, read Verity's. I'd lied but only because I'd been lied to by everyone I trusted. Anger boiled over. I pulled over to let a firetruck pass and fought the urge to turn around and drive out of the city, abandon my problems, start over somewhere new. But I'd be leaving Verity just when she needed me most. She didn't understand what she was up against.

Blue and red lights greeted me as I turned onto the road adjacent to the archive. Beyond them, an orange glow lit the sky. Even with the windows rolled up, the smell of smoke found its way into the car, burning my nose. My eyes watered.

A quarter of a block up the road and I could drive no further. Emergency vehicles choked the road. It was far enough to see what I needed to, however. I wouldn't be finding anything else out tonight. No more big reveals or crucial documents unearthed.

The warehouse and the archives within it sent their secrets into the night sky in flames and fumes.

By morning, there would be nothing left but smoldering ash.

___

Author's Note: The warehouse has burned: coincidence that this happened the same day Verity and Alek were there searching for answers or no? 

What do you think of the chemistry between Alek and Verity? Is it wishful thinking on Alek's part or is there something more?

Thanks as always for your support. Anyone who has stuck with the story for this long--you are amazing! Some exciting chapters are coming up next!