Alan couldn’t allow anyone to stop him.He needed to do this, and he hoped that Matthew would understand.If he didn’t, well, maybe he wasn’t the perfect guy for Alan.Alan didn’t like that thought, but it was what it was.There was no alternative as far as he was concerned.
“You don’t have to do this,” Rikar said gently.“We’re not going to stop protecting you just because you don’t want to be involved.”
Alan shook his head.He hadn’t even thought about that.He was glad that Rikar was on his side, though.“I need to do it.”
“Do you?”Matthew asked softly.
Maybe this wasn’t the best place to do this, but it didn’t look like Alan would have a choice.He turned to his mate and nodded.“I do.I know that what he did isn’t my fault, but I did contribute to hurting people in a way.Nothing I can do or say will change that, but Icanmake sure Victor doesn’t hurt anyone else.”
Matthew stared.Alan wanted to ask what he was thinking, but they were surrounded by people.Was this really the best place to do this?No, it wasn’t.Did they have a choice?
No, they didn’t.
Matthew sighed.“And that’s why I’m not going to try to change your mind.I want to stop Victor as much as you do.”
Alan nodded, relieved.“Good.And I know you’ll keep me safe.”
“I will.It’s a promise.”
And it was a promise Matthew would keep.Alan was sure of that.“I need to call Victor,” he said, turning back to Rikar and everyone else.
Rikar nodded and smiled encouragingly.Alan still wanted to run away, but he couldn’t.
Not yet, anyway.
Alan got to his feet.He’d left his phone in his room, but he was going to need it.Luckily, he didn’t have to go far to get it.His room was just down the hallway.
He was glad that Matthew didn’t come with him.He didn’t need his mate to, but he did need a moment.
He was really doing this, he thought as he walked down the hallway.He was about to call the man who’d tried to kill him—the man he’d thought was a friend.
But Victor had never been a friend.He’d never even been the man Alan had thought him to be.
It was getting hard not to panic.This was the right thing to do, but after everything Victor had done, it felt scary and dangerous.Itwasscary and dangerous.Unfortunately, Alan was the only person who could do this.He really hoped he could take a nice vacation once all of this was over.
The tension in the office was high when he returned.Matthew looked relieved, and Alan didn’t waste time sitting back next to him.He smiled at his mate, hoping to reassure him.He wanted to promise Matthew that everything would be okay, but he couldn’t.No one could promise that.
“Is he going to be able to find me through my phone if I power it on?”he asked, turning his attention back to the others.
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Rikar told him.“The village is protected against everything we could think of.We had to make sure it was.”
Because they had people here who’d survived the labs.Hell, some of them might even have been placed there by Victor.
Alan swallowed.He could do this.
He turned the phone on and waited for it to become operative.He had to resist the urge to tap his foot as he did so.This was nerve-racking, and he hated feeling like he wasn’t in control.He was, though, and he needed Victor to believe that.
Victor wasn’t an idiot.He would suspect something was up.It didn’t matter.As long as he said yes to meeting with Alan, Alan would deal with whatever Victor threw at him.
As soon as he could, he found Victor’s number and hit it on his screen.He hesitated, then put it on speaker so everyone in the office could hear what was being said.He leaned forward and placed the phone on top of Rikar’s desk, then waited for Victor to answer.
“Alan?”Victor’s voice finally said.
Alan sucked in a breath.He wanted to scream.He wanted to demand an explanation.He couldn’t believe anything that would come out of Victor’s mouth, though, so what would be the point?“Victor.”
“Alan, where are you?”
“Somewhere safe.”
