4

RAYNE 

It felt terrible that my fate was hanging on an eavesdropped bathroom conversation between two ladies I couldn't identify. 

What if it turned out they hadn't meant to literally kill Roman? What if 'kill' was some slang they used in the office which I wasn't aware of?

"No no... I wasn't hallucinating" I kept trying to still myself as I didn't want to imagine the humiliation that would follow that.

They had me sit in Roman's office like they wanted to hand me my consequences immediately if it turned out to be I had been bluffing. 

"I really can't believe we are wasting our time sitting here hoping she's right." Finn finally broke the awkward silence that had settled over the whole room for the past few minutes. 

"Patience." Roman had few words. 

"If someone is actually planning to kill you, I don't think sitting down here and doing nothing is the best thing to do." Finn tried to keep his tone respectful each time he glanced at me. "How can we believe a fire is about to happen in a place so secure—"

The fire alarm went off and that made my breathing a bit more relaxed. Like I told them, that had been the first phase of the plan according to the ladies discussing in the bathroom. 

I couldn't help feeling glad I had been silent all through the whole thing. 

"And now, some guards are going to come lead you out..." I had barely finished speaking when three men in suits came through the door. The shades they had on spoke volumes of how suspicious they looked. 

Roman and Finn exchanged glances before standing up. That was more than enough to convince them I wasn't a joke. I could only hope they wouldn't decide to change their plans along the way. 

"Sir... There's a fire. We have to get you out of the building." One of the suited men said. "It's not safe..."

I gave Roman a look, which was for him to remember what the next phase of the plan was. They were going to escort him outside to the hallway which already had extinguishers working and fumes were already flying around. 

Then they would give him and anyone he was with a mask as they led him to the elevator. The masks would be infused with wolfsbane to weaken him enough for them to kill, while they dumped him in the elevator. 

Finally they would meet with the rest of the team at the end of the elevator ride at the bottom floor. 

The hallway was exactly as it was described in the plan. It was chaotic as the fire system had been set off. The hallway smelled of panic and weird gas scents I hadn't perceived before. But then, they weren't enough to drown Roman's scent. 

"Sir, you all could use these..." The guard took out the small oxygen masks for us to use.

By the time Roman held the mask in his hand, he froze. I couldn't tell if that was shock or him suspecting I was the one playing out the script myself.

"Sir... We have to leave. There's no time..." One of the men pressured with a polite tone trying to make the situation feel more escalated.

Roman put it on and followed them. So did Finn and I. The familiar toxic smell of wolfsbane was all I could sniff. Finn was done doubting by then.

I felt weird for not wanting to be separated temporarily from Roman's scent. Good thing we had taken some shots of a wolfsbane repellant that would be just enough to get us to the elevator. 

I walked with them to the elevator. That was where it was all meant to happen. A brutal slaughter of the Alpha of the Kades. That could have been my chance to end it all as I could easily take advantage of the chaos. 

But there was a longer game in view.

Roman let out a low cough which was followed by a much louder and more disturbed one. He sold the intoxication so well that he had one of the assassins take out his dagger to get all stabby. They were meant to strike when the wolfsbane began getting to him. 

"Nice try." Roman held the man's arm mid way into the stabbing motion. The fear on the man's face said it all. 

Roman bared his claws and slashed the guard's throat, letting his bloodied body fall to the floor along with the mask. 

The other two tried to avenge their fallen friend and instantly met the same fate. I stood in awe as I watched the Ghost of Kade in real time. It was my first time witnessing the brute strength of an Alpha besides mine.

He didn't seem to mind the blood all over his white shirt and expensive suit. The rage in his eyes made me hold back whatever comments I had in mind. 

By the time the elevator bell rang, I went stiff like a mannequin by the time I saw who was out there waiting to receive the assassins for a job well done. 

"No...! What have you done?" Diane and the other lady beside her went berserk when she saw the dead bodies and charged at Roman with her wolf's eyes visible.

"Diane...?" I couldn't move as I couldn't believe my eyes. Diane had also been a spy like myself and had been acting like a human. Just how many enemies did the Kades have?

Roman took her out with just one punch. Her colleague tried to run but Roman was faster. He knocked her down to the concrete. They had taken advantage of the fire to evacuate everyone and make the place lonely.

"Finn, arrange for these two to be taken home to our dungeon." That was all Roman said before walking away. 

Not even a thank you? What the heck?

***

I woke up in my apartment feeling like the previous day had been a dream. The Alpha I was to get my revenge on was my mate and I had saved his life. 

It was hard to get any sleep that night wondering just how I would be going to work after all that. 

By the time I got out of bed for my morning routine, my phone rang. It was my Alpha— Maximus. 

"I hear there was a fire the day before." His stern voice always gave me chills.

"Yes sir." I replied hoping the call would end sooner. 

"That could have been our chance to end that bastard."

Here came the hard part. "I didn't foresee it. But I would be much more prepared to—"

"Oh shut it." He snapped. "We weren't putting up props when we paid for you to wire the whole place. You can't wire the whole place and not foresee things "

"It appears we aren't the only ones interested in the Alpha. I feel I have been monitored and they found the blind spots of my wiring and cameras—"

"Just fix it." He hung up. 

I let out a tired sigh as I tried to keep myself from getting demotivated. So much for revenge and trying to prove myself worthy. 

My phone rang again, keeping me from drowning in depressive thoughts again. 

I saw an unknown number and that had me suspecting all sorts of things. Perhaps another rival pack was spying on me as well. 

“Hello…” I said with confidence, ready for any sort of intimidation. “Who's this?

“Roman.” His voice came in crisp. “Get dressed. My car’s parked downstairs. You're coming with me to my family.” 

“Huh…?”