Chapter 42 The Worst Enemy
Sunday, March 24th. Xander's bedroom. 6:58 a.m.
-Magnus - Xander's hesitant, insecurity flowing through his words -. What made you change your mind?
Their bodies still maintained the proximity and Alexei's penetrating gaze made Xander increasingly anxious. But curiosity, unfortunately, is part of his nature like a second skin, he can't force himself not to need to find out why the change in the Alpha is so sudden.
-A person who is very fond of you made me reconsider my attitude - he pauses, feeling captivated by those beautiful eyes that observe him with attention -. I was an idiot, kitty. I accept it and I assure you that it won't happen again - Xander smiles in response, but his countenance soon becomes serious. He looks away from Alexei and scowls -. What's wrong? - the Alpha asks curiously.
-Nothing, I mean... - in a low, faltering voice.
-Tell me, kitty. I want you to trust me - he stroked his cheek with the knuckles, amazed at how well the little Omega responded to his touch.
-Will we continue... Hiding? - he finally asked, reconnecting their glances, Alexei noticed that he was uneasy.
-So you didn't agree with hiding our relationship? - even though they weren't exactly in a relationship before, it was something that bothered Xander deeply.
He never felt brave enough to discuss it with Alexei, as he didn't want to seem clingy and didn't feel comfortable admitting it either. Although the Alpha had recognized that his feelings were reciprocated, Xander did not want to remain in the shadows as a dirty secret.
If there's one thing that Xander was proud of, despite all the ex-lovers that passed through his bed in the past, it's that he was always honest and true to himself. No matter all the things that happened to him over the years, he never gave in or lied, and he didn't want to start now. He shook his head back and forth, denying the question.
-Why didn't you ever tell me?
-I don't know. I suppose I didn't want you to think that I wanted to take advantage of your position to get some benefits for myself - imitating the gesture of the Alpha, he held the palms up to his face and caressed Alexei's cheeks between his little hands, trying to control the slight tremor that dominated them with restlessness -. Everything I've told you is true, Magnus. Though I did not expect it to happen, I am in love with you. And... - the last words faded into a small whisper that ended with a shuddering sigh.
-And? - Encouraging him to keep going.
-And, well... My Omega recognizes you as his Alpha - stuttering out of control.
Xander was very nervous. He knew that there were cases where a person could be in love with someone, but the animal part could reject them or take time to reciprocate their feelings. Even when he considered himself in love with Dimitri at the time, his Omega side rejected him completely.
He remembered how frustrating it had been, having to forcefully gain control by taking extra suppressors. That, of course, was when he admired that Alpha from afar, before he learned how evil the man was. Alexei's prolonged silence did nothing to calm the storm of anxiety inside him. Fear began to move through his bloodstream quickly.
-Damn, Xander - of all the things he was hoping to hear after his confession, "Damn, Xander" was certainly last on the list. Sadness threatened to return and just when he was ready to protest, Alexei continued -. You don't know how relieved I am to hear that.
A wide smile spread across his perfect features and Xander was sure his heart skipped a beat. He had never seen Alexei smile before, but if he had to wait that long to appreciate such beauty, he would do so without flinching.
-You are? - he asked tentatively, still dazed by his fascination with the Alpha -. For a moment I thought you'd run away.
-You took me by surprise, that's all - he kissed him quickly and right over Xander's lips whispered: -. My Alpha also recognizes you as his Omega.
And kissed him passionately again. Xander's legs suddenly felt weak, knees shaking and making it difficult for him to stand. Luckily, Alexei seemed to have noticed and held him with those strong arms around his waist, deepening the kiss, sweeping away what little sense Xander had left with that skillful tongue. It felt wonderful.
For the first time in his short life, his feelings were answered and although he had the hunch that both of them would have to go through a lot of trouble to be together, he felt completely ready to deal with them. The kiss ended slowly, with a small bite on his lower lip that made him shiver. God, Alexei knew perfectly well what to do to drive him crazy. The two took a few seconds to control their hectic breaths, until finally they separated. Alexei held Xander's hand and interlocked their fingers.
-I know that's not the answer you're expecting to hear, but for now, I'd like things to stay the same - he didn't overlook the disappointment in Xander's eyes, so he moved on quickly -. It's not because I'm ashamed of you, kitty. It's just that I want to make sure I solve the shit we're in now first. I'm a man with many enemies, Xander, but Dimitri Zhukovski is certainly the worst of them - «You don't have to convince me of that», Xander thought ironically -. I'll call a meeting with the others to discuss this. Get the video of Rocco's meeting with Dimitri and bring it to the meeting room at ten in the morning.
-Okay, Magnus - before the Alpha has the conviction to leave, he approaches again and kisses his thick lips. No matter how many times he does it, he never feels satisfied. The days they'd been apart had been a constant torture.
-Are you sure you're going to be okay? - he asks as they part, Alexei's dick was squeezed tightly into the trousers as he watched Xander's gaze of desire return, his eyes clear and narrow as he held the lips slightly apart.
Unable to talk, Xander just nods, missing the closeness of the big, strong body above him and sees him heading for the door. Just before leaving, Alexei turns to observe him.
-At night I want you in my room, naked and on my bed - with that seductive voice that always caused every hair on Xander's body to stand up. Just like that, the Alpha's gone. Xander collapsed in bed, unable to stand up any longer. He'd have to take a cold shower before going out, even though his cat hated the idea.
Meeting room, 9:58 a.m.
After exiting Xander's bedroom, he walked to his own, took a quick bath and brushed his teeth. Once dressed and shod, he called Yaakov and instructed him to gather the team, he had to communicate the news and prepare a plan of attack. Dimitri Zhukovski is not someone to be underestimated and Magnus had learned the lesson the hard way.
The man is a 37-year-old Alpha lion. He and Dimitri had a long history of rivalry, having faced each other on several occasions when, to the misfortune and fury of the lion, Alexei was always victorious. Alexei always suspected that he had something to do with Yurik's death, but he never managed to obtain enough evidence to incriminate him.
For about three years he had no news of the other Alpha and now it turns out that when he hears from him again, it is because he was involved in an assault against him. Revenge would be sweet. That is why now they were all gathered in the large room, sitting at their usual posts and although not everyone was aware of what had happened, the tension in the atmosphere was tangible.
-Xander, did you bring what I asked you to? - Xander nods and quickly stands up to insert a flash drive into the computer that was in the room. Everyone could see what he was doing through the projector, and when the video started playing, those who didn't know the reason for the meeting were stunned.
The camera angle perfectly focuses on Rocco and Dimitri Zhukovski conversing pleasantly, sitting opposite each other at a circular table while the waiters attend to them. Alexei tried to concentrate on the video, but couldn't help but keep an eye on Xander. He realized that he was making a great effort not to directly observe the image that was reflected and when Dimitri's voice was heard, he would shiver and nervously bite his lower lip.
«Goddamn it, I knew it was a bad idea to put him through this», he thought, feeling helpless. He wanted to approach and hold the Omega in his arms, assuring that everything would be all right and that he would die first before allowing anything bad to happen to him. He had to squeeze the hands tightly on his thighs to avoid doing so. The recording began and the sepulchral silence reigned in the place.
-"So, how are things with Franchesco?"- Dimitri asks Rocco amusingly, devouring a bite of the barbecue -. "Is he still busting your balls?".
-"For now" - the Alpha Snake responds with annoyance -. "He can't even imagine what I've got planned for him"- taking a sip of his beer.
-"Oh, yeah?"- Dimitri's elbows are on the table, looking at the other one with interest -. "And what's that supposed to be?".
-"You'll see" - Rocco laughs, in his sharp eyes, one could tell that he was savoring an unrealized victory in his mind -. "If we manage to get away with it after having deceived the «great» Alexei Magnus"- by making the quotation mark gesture with the fingers -. "Franchesco will be a piece of cake"
-"Don't get too confident, Rocco"- Dimitri warns him -."Yes, we screwed Magnus, but remember the amount of work and preparation it took to do it".
-"I know, man" - Rocco snaps his tongue, then rolls the eyes -. "Don't take me for a rookie. We managed to get away with it, didn't we?".
-"But that doesn't mean we should let our guard down. Why do you think I got rid of Abelard? I was lucky to catch him before he left the country. It's not smart to leave loose ends, you should have killed the driver too".
-"The guy was a complete idiot, plus I gave him a ridiculous amount of money to make sure he didn't open the mouth. Now he's probably on a nice beach enjoying the sun with some hot chick by his side. It's all right, Dimitri. Stop being so paranoid" - both men eat quietly for a couple of minutes. It's not until the bartender comes back with new beers that they resume the conversation.
-"Do you have any idea if Franchesco suspects anything?"- Rocco has a long laugh, before controlling himself and being able to speak well.
-"Come on, dude. The man trusts me blindly and in bed, he always begs for more"- raising the eyebrows in an obscene gesture.
-"Too much information"- Dimitri dismisses him, making a disgruntled gesture -."Get serious, asshole. I want to make sure we have a clear path. Magnus isn't someone you should underestimate. For a pitiful dog, he's quite clever".
-"Isn't he a wolf?".
-"The same kind of shit, a filthy mutt"- he pauses briefly, straightening the shoulders and with a tone of total seriousness -. "So? Do you have any news about him?" - Rocco swallows the morsel of meat and wipes the corners of his mouth before speaking.
-"I've looked everywhere, but it's like he's vanished. Shit, it was hard to keep an eye on him before, but now it's like he never existed".
-"Goddamn it!"- Dimitri complains, slamming the table. One of the beers almost spilled, but Rocco managed to catch it -."I don't care how much effort it takes, or how much money you need. Find him, Rocco"- mumbling, his big fangs showing up as his eyes turned yellow.
-"I told you I'm on it" - for the first time in the whole video, the snake looked a little intimidated -."By the time I managed to get his address, all of his belongings were gone".
-"And what about his roommate?"
-"He's missing, too".
-"What?!" - Dimitri screams in outrage -."Fuck! I told you to keep an eye on him".
-"I tried, but I had to go away for a couple of days because of Franchesco and by the time I got back, he was out of sight. Listen, maybe the lovebirds escaped together. I don't know, they probably discovered their involuntary involvement in the embarkation business, or maybe the Alpha had problems with Luka Nekrasov and they had to run away...".
-"I don't give a fuck" - interrupting him in the middle of his speech with another punch, this time softer, on the table -. "Find him, he's mine"- hissing through the teeth.
-"All right, fine"- Rocco surrenders, raising both hands in the air to appease the opposing Alpha -."Holy shit, you get intense when you talk about him" - then gets up and buttons his vest -. "I have to go now, if I take any longer my dear boss might get suspicious. I'll contact you if I have any news".
-"You'd better find him, Rocco"- Dimitri warns him, without abandoning the threatening and hostile tone -. "I should never have let him get away from me, he belongs to me. Xander King fucking belongs to me".
Rocco simply nods and leaves the restaurant without saying more and that's when the video comes to an end.
-But what in the world? - Yaakov asks in amazement, leaning back in the seat.
The silence in the room is deafening, Xander is standing by the projector and saying absolutely nothing. He stares with wide eyes and doesn't blink at a fixed point in the room, but Alexei could tell that he was shaking and his breath was coming out in rushed gasps. Immediately he could feel the fear in the air that his little body was emitting.
-Fredek - calls, after noticing the state of shock Xander has sunk into, the fury invades him and makes a huge effort to control his wolf, who growls in anger at the threat to his Omega -. Take Xander to his room - commands. Fredek pretends to stand up to obey, but Xander raises one hand, stopping him.
-No, I'm okay - whispers unsteadily, without looking up from the ground.
-Xander - Alexei's voice coming out harder than he wanted to, regretting the way his Omega was tensing -. You don't have to force yourself. It's obvious you haven't fully recovered, you need to rest...
-No, Mag... Mr. Magnus - corrects himself quickly -. I'm really fine. I can do it - with hesitant steps, he approaches the chair and collapses. He takes several breaths in a failed attempt to calm himself, raises the face, and connects his gaze with Alexei's -. You may continue.
Alexei stares at him for a long time, but quickly figures out that Xander won't retreat. He sighs in resignation and nods.
-All right - focus his attention on everyone in the room -. Now let's make sure we hit these fuckers where it hurts the most.