Chapter 59

Olivia’s POV

The leather upholstered chair at the owner’s table was a siren call I couldn't ignore, and I made my way to it with tunnel vision. The line had been so long last time I looked, and now there was no one. I wouldn’t get an opportunity like this again.

As soon as I sat down, though, the masked man materialized at my side, silent as a wraith.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath, my mind racing. I’d gotten so caught up in getting to the owner that I’d momentarily forgotten about him—or maybe just assumed he’d find someone else to partner with. Now I didn’t know how to shake him without causing a scene.

The owner—Fay—had a piercing gaze that swept over us, her blood-red lips curving into a knowing smile. "Well, well," she purred, "what do we have here? A charming couple ready to test their luck?"

I forced a laugh, the sound brittle to my own ears. "Not quite," I replied, struggling to keep my voice light. "I was hoping to play solo tonight. You know, see how I measure up against the best." I flashed what I hoped was a disarming grin.

I slid into the seat, hyper-aware of the masked man's looming presence behind me. I shot him a pointed look, silently willing him to leave, but he remained as immovable as a statue. Fuck.

"I'll just observe, if you don't mind," he murmured, his voice low and infuriatingly calm.

My heart raced, a mix of frustration and anxiety coursing through me. This was not how I'd envisioned this crucial moment. I'd needed privacy, a chance to get Fay alone and extract the information I desperately sought.

Now, with this unwanted audience, I'd have to improvise.

As Fay's deft fingers began shuffling the deck, I steeled myself. I could feel the masked man's gaze boring into me, and I fought the urge to squirm. This was going to be a dangerous game, in more ways than one, and I had no choice but to play it out in front of my mysterious shadow.

“My name’s Vi, by the way,” I told the owner casually, doing my best to ignore the several guards looming close by. “I’d never heard of the Golden Gate before, when did you open?”

“You can call me Fay,” the owner said. “We set up shop here around six months ago. Hopefully we can help revive this area a little bit.”

“Well, it looks like you’re doing alright,” I said, looking around. It wasn’t crowded per se, but there were no empty tables either. “Really good for half a year of business.”

Fay smiled, but something in her eyes stayed sharp. It made me feel like she knew everything and was just playing along, but I tried to convince myself it was just her tactic. Her way to throw off opponents and secure her winnings.

“It’s a good start,” Fay hummed, the cards quietly whispering against each other as she dealt. “We’ve got big plans.”

“Oh? Like what?” I asked. Fay gave me that enigmatic, unsettling smile again.

“Depends,” she said, “are you looking to invest?”

“I am,” my anonymous partner piped up, surprising me. I had to struggle to not look shocked. “This area has some promise, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

“Why yes, I have,” Fay grinned, her eyes curving into half-moons. “Are you planning to open a business here?”

“Not at all,” the masked man scoffed, waving his hand nonchalantly while I struggled to find a way to direct this conversation to where I needed it. “I know my talents, and management isn’t one of them. Investing, though, that I can do—as long as the return is worth it.”

“And you think our establishment would be?” Fay asked.

“Casinos are expensive start-ups, but they earn damn well once established,” the masked man said. “You said yourself you have ambitions for growth, and you have the basics down. But I don’t like to invest just for money, so tell me, how exactly are you planning to ‘revive the area,’ as you said?”

The cards, half-dealt, were forgotten on the table, and so was I. I watched on like a distressed bystander as the situation completely spiraled out of my control. I had no idea how to interrupt them without putting myself on the wrong foot with Fay.

The only saving grace was that, so far, no lone Omegas had entered the building. I still had a little time.

I listened intently to conversations about property value and job creation, desperate to find a place to jump in. Eventually an opportunity showed itself.

“We’re hoping to gain a reputation as a very safe environment, somewhere that more Omegas would feel comfortable coming to spend their money,” Fay said. “They’re somewhat of an untapped market in this industry, but they’re just as likely to enjoy betting as anyone else.”

Yes! She’s talking about Omegas! Here’s my chance.

“I don’t know,” I interjected. “Most of this is above my pay grade, but I’m not sure why an Omega would risk coming somewhere like this? I mean, you have a lot of security, but still.”

“She has a point,” the masked man nodded. “I agree that they’re a demographic worth targeting, but how are you going to get them comfortable enough to show up?”

Fay smiled, like she had her counterattack already planned. She probably did. I had to give it to her, she was damn good at this.

“Omega nights,” she said easily. “It’s understandable that Omegas would fear for their safety when they’re surrounded by Alphas and Betas, but if they’re able to mingle in a large group of other Omegas they’ll feel much more comfortable.”

The masked man made some comments about the idea, but I was just busy trying to hide the rush of adrenaline I got hearing those words. This casino, where Omegas repeatedly went missing, wanted to host an entire night for only Omegas? They would have access to so many marks, the scale would become catastrophic.

“Wouldn’t you have to wait, though?” I asked, desperate to derail this plan. “Until they find out what’s happened to the missing Omegas?”

The moment the words left my lips, I knew my mistake. I sounded too invested, almost nervous, and it gave away my hand. Fay's eyes flickered, a dangerous glint replacing her earlier amusement, and I felt the masked man behind me go rigid.

Before I could react, the room erupted into chaos. Burly bodyguards materialized from the shadows, their movements fluid and practiced. Strong hands gripped my arms, pinning them to my sides. I thrashed against their hold, my wolf raging beneath my skin.

"Let go of me!" I snarled, unleashing my Alpha aura as I’d planned. To my horror, it had no effect. That's when I noticed the nasal plugs nestled in each guard's nostrils, shielding them from my pheremones.

My stomach dropped. They'd been prepared for an Alpha.

Panic rising, I twisted my head to see the masked man similarly restrained. Guilt speared through me—he hadn’t done anything wrong, and I’d gotten him dragged into this.

"He's not with me!" I barked at Fay, hoping to at least secure his release. I wasn’t sure she could hear me over the sudden cacophony of frightened patrons stumbling out of the way.

Fay looked like a totally different person, her lips twisted in a vicious—almost frightened—snarl. She was acting like a cornered animal, except she had a small army at her beck and call. I yelped as a guard caught my foot, unbalancing me so badly that only the guards on either side of me were holding me up.

“Bullshit!” Fay shouted, gripping the edge of the mask as the man struggled. With a swift motion, she tore it away.

My breath caught in my throat. I knew that face. I knew that fucking face.

"Elroy?" I gasped, shock and confusion warring within me. How did he know I was here, and why did he come along? No wonder the masked stranger had seemed so familiar, even under his thorough disguise.

We knew, my wolf whispered. We didn’t know that we knew, but we did.

And now Elroy was captured alongside me. My stomach flipped in fear.

Before I could process this revelation, rough fabric descended over my head, plunging me into darkness. I felt my feet leave the ground as I was hoisted up.

"No!" I screamed, my voice muffled by the bag. "Elroy!"

My aura leaked out of me on instinct, but it didn't do me any good against the guards and if it affected anyone else I couldn't see it through the sack blinding me. I screamed as one guard pinned my arms and lifted me from the ground, another catching my flailing ankles and handcuffing them together with a sickening shnik sound. I heard Elroy's frantic roar as I was carried away, my wolf howling in response.

"Olivia!" Elroy's voice was thick with desperation. "OLIVIA!!”

The sound of a door slamming shut cut off Elroy's continued shouts. The air changed, becoming cooler, mustier. We were moving through some sort of passageway. My heart raced, fear and anger coursing through my veins. I thrashed against my captors, but their grip was iron-clad.

"Where are you taking me?" I demanded, trying to keep the tremor from my voice.

Silence was my only answer. The situation started to sink in, the reality of the danger I was now in, and all I could think was, My baby, my baby, my baby!