Chapter 15 #2
Stuffing a cookie into my own mouth for courage, I began. “So,” I chewed and swallowed, “the night I was dropped off at the clinic.”
Gwen nodded along.
“You asked if I remembered anything about the man who brought me there. I said no, but I lied. I do remember him.”
Her gaze sharpened. “Do you know who he is?”
I shook my head. “He wore a mask and hasn’t told me his name yet. But he saved me from those people.”
“What do you mean he hasn’t told you his name yet? And what did he do?”
I squirmed in my seat, sweaty and uncomfortable. Would Gwen understand? Would she think I was wrong for not turning him in? Would she turn me in for what I’d kept hidden?
Fuck, this wasn’t just about me. I could be giving the Masked Man away, too.
If she didn’t take it well, I’d call and warn him. I’d tell him to get as far away from Plover Bay as possible, and that it was too dangerous for us to speak again. He deserved that much, for saving me.
“I need you to understand that those people at the club were going to hurt me, Gwen. They’d already drugged me and forced a heat on me. I couldn’t move. They deserved… what happened.”
Her gaze was sharp. “Max. If you’re worried I’m going to judge you, I’m not. I don’t need to explain to you the things I’ve seen working at the clinic. I don’t give a fuck about the people who hurt you.”
Her eyes held nothing but conviction. I nodded. Here goes nothing.
“He killed them,” I whispered. “All of the alphas who were going to hurt me. Joey got away, but the rest… he murdered all of them.”
The lack of surprise on her face was a bit shocking. Had she suspected? I didn’t remember how I got to the clinic, but maybe she saw him there? Maybe he’d said something to her?
“And that’s it?” she asked. “That’s the last time you saw him?”
I bit my cheek and shook my head no.
“Tell me everything,” she said.
Leaving out the more embarrassing moments—like the part where I nearly begged him to knot me in the pantry—I filled her in on everything else.
Including our tentative agreement to kill Joey together, swiftly followed by the disastrous way we’d left things.
Now, she was shocked. “Wow,” she said. “I mean, wow. Okay…” She took a steadying breath.
“Okay. So. Just to be clear—an alpha wearing a skull mask stalked you for weeks, saved you from being drugged and raped, dropped you off at a shelter, and then two years later broke into your apartment, ordered you to put more clothes on, asked you to help break your unwanted bond by spending a heat together, flirted with you, and then listened to you when you said you wanted to be involved in a revenge murder? Is that it? Did I get all of it?”
I paused. It was quite a lot when she put it like that. “I think that’s about it, yeah. Oh, and he fixed a hole in my wall,” I answered.
She stared at me blankly. “Under normal circumstances, a man doing that would be noteworthy, but I think we can table it for now.”
A beat passed before we burst out laughing.
“Fucking hell,” she said between chuckles. “No wonder you’re a disaster. I’m surprised I didn’t find you churning your own butter.”
I wiped my eyes. “I can’t afford the hospital visit. Culturing at home freaks me out.”
She laughed harder. “So what are you going to do?”
“What do you mean?”
Dabbing at the corners of her eyes where tears had formed, she continued, “Are you really going to find some other alpha when he’s clearly into you, or are you going to spend your heat together like you both want?”
My eyes bugged out. “He literally begged me to help him break this bond. He’s not into me.”
“Oh, Max,” she said, shaking her head.
“Don’t, oh, Max, me,” I huffed. “He only feels a forced biological obligation; that’s it.”
She shot me a deadpan look. “You’re both idiots.”
My mouth popped open. “Hey!”
Rolling her eyes, she snatched another cookie.
“First, an unclaimed bond is horrific to manage. Most alphas go insane. I’ve seen it at the clinic before.
Honestly, I don’t even know how he’s alive.
It makes sense he would want that over with, regardless of how he actually feels about you.
Second, do I need to narrate the list of things he’s done for you again?
I’m not even sure I’d be able to, a second time.
It’s as long as my arm. He wants you. Things are just… complicated.”
“Complicated? And the part where he slept with other omegas before giving up and coming to me? How about that?”
“Is that what he actually said?”
I blinked. “Yes. I think so.” I couldn’t remember the specifics, but that was the gist. “He didn’t deny it when I confronted him.”
“How exactly did you confront him?”
You aren’t my first choice either, you know. I cringed, remembering it only went downhill from there. “I said… some things.”
“Mmhmm. I’m sure you remained rational and level-headed while he gave a full explanation.”
“He left before explaining anything,” I sniffed.
She sighed. “You could call him and ask. Or just tell him you don’t want anyone else.”
“You mean actually express out loud, with words, what I want?” I shook my head. “No, I won’t be doing that.”
“Of course, because the alternative, where you’re both miserable, is so much better.”
“There’s a million reasons why it wouldn't work to be together.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Did I say anything about being together? No. I said ask him to spend your heat with you, and see where it goes. You deserve to have an enjoyable experience, Max. Don’t deprive yourself of that.
Besides, none of his behavior is giving ‘temporary hookup’ anyway.
Which should concern you, given the circumstances, but you do seem to be a bit of a hopeless romantic. ”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I see what you read. I’ve been afraid for years that you’ll imprint on the first man you allow close enough to give you any kind of attention, but this…”
I cringed again, preparing for her judgment.
“This… makes sense, I think.”
I coughed. “What?”
She grinned. “I just mean, I get it. He saved you and cared for you when you were feeling vulnerable. Plus, and this is selfish of me, but he’d make holidays so much more interesting. Please invite him to our Friendsgiving. You make too much food, anyway.”
Right. We were going to skip over most of that for now. “Why do I have to be the one to fix this? He could reach out, too. It’s been three days.”
“The man has suffered an unclaimed bond for two years. He sounds like a bit of a masochist. Just cut to the chase for both of your sakes. What’s there to lose?”
“My pride. Also, my life. He murders people. Did I not make that clear?”
Her gaze sharpened, boring into me. “Has he ever hurt you? Or threatened to hurt you?”
Chastened, I shook my head. “No,” I whispered. “I should be afraid of him. But even from the beginning, even when he was following me, he does this thing.”
She cocked her head, encouraging me to go on.
“It’s like, I can’t help but relax around him. It’s probably just stupid pheromones that don’t mean anything, but it makes me feel…”
“What?”
I couldn’t look her in the eye. “It makes me feel safe. And that’s terrifying.”
A few moments of companionable silence passed while Gwen finished her cookie. “I’ve never told you about my life before I moved to Plover Bay.”
It wasn’t a question. Something in her tone shifted the air between us, and I locked in, riveted on her next words.
“I was married to someone who never made me feel safe in our relationship. Excited and addicted, yes. But not real safety. Not once. Not ever. What you describe isn’t something an alpha can fake, Max.”
My pulse picked up. “What did you do?”
She was the one to break eye contact with me this time. “I stayed. For too long. And then I left.”
I reached across the table and took her hand. “I’m sorry.”
She gripped it back. “The law doesn’t always get it right. Restraining orders only make it so they can be charged after they hurt you. You were spared before you became another victim, failed by our reactive and broken justice system.”
I searched her gaze. “Are you saying you’re not morally opposed to what he does? To vigilante justice?”
Squeezing my hand again, she released it. “Not when it saved my friend’s life.”
My mind spun around and around. The oven timer dinged again, and I stood to pull the sausage rolls out.
“Thank you,” I said once they were set aside to cool. “For listening.”
She smirked. “Just be sure to tell me all about it afterwards. Who knows, maybe you’ll fall madly in love.”
I snorted. “Not likely. He doesn’t seem the type to share his feelings.”
She gave me a look that screamed danger. “I have an idea, but you’re going to have to trust me.”
Oh, no. “Whatever you’re planning, it’s a no.”
She pouted. “Come on. It’ll be fun. And might even do you some good.”
I sighed. Again, there was usually very little point in arguing when she got something in her head. “Why do I feel like I’ll regret this?”
She plucked a sausage roll off the tray and dropped it onto a plate, headed for the door. “You won’t.”
I shot her a look. “Are you sure you’re being a good friend? I thought you’d tie me up and throw away the key to keep me away from this guy, not make me—”
“Confront that you’re hot for the sexy masked vigilante stalker who’s committed several felonies just to make sure you’re okay?” she cut in. “Yeah. Have fun with that. Some of us can’t even get a Hinge date to show up, so maybe look on the bright side.”
She took a bite of the sausage roll, wincing from the heat. “Hey,” she continued, mouth full, “you could do some scrolling on TikTok in the meantime. I think you’ll find you have a strong, supportive community there.”
I chucked a towel at her. “Fuck off,” I said with a laugh.
“Well?” Her eyes twinkled. “Do tell. Is the mask hot enough for MaskTok?”
“I don’t even know what that means. Get out of my kitchen.”
She cackled all the way down the hall.