Matthew wasn’t surprised that Victor had.If he really was selling information to the Glass Research Company and the labs, he wouldn’t want anyone to know about it, especially not when he was in a public position.He’d want to keep his privileges and to continue doing his job so he could get more names and more money from the labs.
Alan had been lucky.He’d managed to escape, but he could’ve easily not, and if he hadn’t, Matthew had no doubt that Victor would’ve made sure he could never talk about what he’d heard.
Matthew had almost lost his mate before even meeting him.
* * * *
“INEED TO PULL MOREpeople in,” Rikar said.He sounded apologetic, as if he expected Alan to freak out.
To be fair, Alan had been freaking out since yesterday, and it hadn’t gotten any better.He didn’t think these people were going to hurt him, especially now that he knew about the raids, but it didn’t mean they would protect him, no matter what Matthew had said.
Alan wondered if that protection hinged on him agreeing to be with Matthew.He didn’t want to believe that, but what did he know?What if he decided that he didn’t want to be with the man and the tribe dropped him like a hot potato?
It wasn’t like he didn’t want to be with Matthew.He just didn’t know the man.They hadn’t had the opportunity to talk, and Alan wasn’t sure they would anytime soon.Rikar was already calling people and telling them to come to his house.Alan clearly was going to have to talk about last night again—and again, and again—which meant that there would be no talking to his mate for now.
It was a pity.Alan was curious, and even more so, he wanted the distraction.He didn’t want to think about what Victor had done yesterday or what he was doing right now.Was he in the office?What was he telling people?He’d have to explain why Alan wasn’t there, but that wouldn’t be hard.He could just say that Alan was sick or something.Alan tried to never take a day off, even when he had a cold, but people would accept that explanation for at least a few days.It would give Victor time to decide what to do.
He wouldn’t want to let Alan go.He couldn’t afford for Alan to be out here with the knowledge of what he’d done.There was no way that Victor knew that Alan was protected now and that, by an incredible chance, he’d found people who would know what to do with the information he had on Victor.
On his own, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything.He wasn’t on his own, though.He’d found people who’d been fighting for shifters and other supernatural beings for years.Maybe they could use this information to stop Victor and the company.
Alan stayed huddled in his chair, wanting to talk to Matthew but too afraid to move.He didn’t think anyone would hurt him if he did, but he was fine watching the others from where he was and trying to wrap his mind around the fact that his life had crashed and burned.It hadn’t even been his fault.He’d loved his job, dammit.He couldn’t believe Victor had ruined it for him.
Matthew inched closer when more people started arriving.The way he clearly wanted to talk to Alan but didn’t dare come closer was obvious and endearing.Alan wanted to talk to his mate, but he was also glad that Matthew wasn’t pushing him.His thoughts were all over the place, and he didn’t know what he wanted from the man.He was still glad when Matthew eventually dragged a chair closer to him and sat there.He smiled at him, and Matthew smiled back, but he seemed focused on the newcomers.
There were a lot of them, and every single one was angry.Alan didn’t have to ask to be sure of that.He could see it from their expressions.It would’ve been scary, but even though he barely knew Matthew, he felt he could trust him.It was enough for him to stay where he was and take everything in.
“What do you mean, the Glass Research Company is back?”a tall man asked as he stormed into the room.
Rikar cleared his throat.“It’s good to see you, too, Moore.Why don’t you take a seat?”
Moore glared.“Talk.”
Rikar gestured in Alan’s direction.“This is Alan.He works for Victor Hudson.”
Alan snorted.“Worked, I think.”
“I do have doubts that he’d take you back,” Rikar said with a smile.“Alan was Victor’s assistant,” he explained as he turned back to Moore.“He heard Victor discuss the Glass Research Company with someone yesterday.Apparently, Victor’s been selling them the names of people they can kidnap and use in the labs.Alan fled, which is what brought him here.Victor was after him, but Matthew and Franklin found him when his car crashed.Alan is Matthew’s mate.”
Moore looked incredibly confused, which wasn’t a surprise.Alan felt the same way, and he’d been there and lived through this mess.
“So you’re telling me that a man who’s been clamoring for more rights for shifters has been using his position to hurt the people he was trying to help?”Moore asked.“And that he then chased down someone who found out about it and tried to kill him?Why didn’t anyone call me when this happened?”
Moore turned toward Alan as if he expected him to answer.Alan wished the ground would swallow him.He didn’t like being at the center of attention, but it was clear he didn’t have a choice and wouldn’t have one for a while.These people needed, wanted, and deserved answers.They were as involved with the labs and everything about the company as Alan, if not more.They were also shifters, which meant this impacted them especially.
He cleared his throat.He didn’t miss the way Matthew leaned closer.He was grateful for the small gesture of support.He didn’t think anyone here would hurt him, but it was still really fucking intimidating.
“My name is Alan, and I worked with Victor for almost a year, and, yes, I heard him talk about selling names to the Glass Research Company.I ran, he tried to kill me, and I ended up here.”
Moore blinked.“You say it like it’s an everyday occurrence for you.”
“Someone trying to kill me?It definitely isn’t.”
“And you’re sure about what you heard?”
“I am,” Alan confirmed.“I applied to work with Victor because I thought he was doing a good thing.I wanted to help, too.I thought that was what I was doing for almost a year, and I hate that he used me and my work to hurt people.”Alan leaned forward.“I want him stopped.”
“Because you don’t want him to kill you.”
