THE RICH ALPHA

CHAPTER TWENTY

He leaned down and brushed his warm lips against her ear. "Quiet, my love." Maggie stiffened and stopped her yelling.

There came another, more impatient knock. Albert opened the door and revealed two police officers.

One of them stepped forward and tipped their hat to the servant. "Good afternoon. We're investigating a missing person case. A man by the name of Felix Blake was last seen driving his car along this road the day he disappeared. Did he happen to stop by here?"

The officer half-turned to the driveway. "Are you sure? We saw at least three sets of tracks on the road."

"We have had visitors lately, but not this gentleman you mentioned," Albert explained.

The officer pulled out an iPad and stencil. "I see. Who owns this place?"

Albert pursed his lips. "Mr. Randall Forrest."

The officers glanced at each other before the talkative one returned his attention to Albert. "The owner of the finance firm?"

Albert bowed his head. "The very same."

"Does Mr. Forrest keep close track of his employees?"

Albert arched an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I know what you mean, sir."

The officer tapped the screen of his iPad. "What I mean is this missing person is one of Mr. Forrest's employees. In fact, he was just promoted the day before his disappearance, and then demoted on Mr. Forrest's order." The officer peered over the top of the iPad and studied Albert. "Did Mr. Blake make any attempt to contact your boss in person or otherwise?"

Albert shook his head. "None at all. I'm sorry I can't be of more help, gentlemen, but we have no information for you."

The officer frowned, but pocketed his iPad. "I see. Well, we might have some questions for you later, and for Mr. Forrest."

Albert bowed his head. "I will be sure to inform Mr. Forrest of your visit, and prospective visits."

The officer glanced past Albert at the interior of the home. A smirk slipped onto his lips as he nodded. "You do that. Anyway, good day."

"Good day," Albert replied.

The servant shut the door and the silhouettes turned and disappeared down the front path.

Adrian released Maggie who stumbled forward and spun around to glare at him. "Now don't you see you need to release the man? The police suspect my father and you of kidnapping him."

Adrian cupped his chin in his fingers and furrowed his brow. "This is rather more complicated than I expected."

"There's nothing complicated about it," she argued. She gestured to the door below them. "Just release him and tell the cops where he is!"

He dropped his hand and shook his head. "It's rather more difficult than that, I'm afraid. You see, I ate him."

Her eyes widened as she stumbled back a few feet. "Y-you what?"

He shrugged. "I ate him. My beast must feed, and it much prefers human flesh to any other meat."

Maggie covered her gaping mouth with her hands. "How. . .how could you?"

He flashed her a fang-filled smile. "I am a werewolf, after all, and not all the bad publicity is undeserved."

Maggie turned around and fled down the flight of stairs. Albert stepped into her path and blocked the door. She skidded to a stop and heard the stairs groan behind her as Adrian followed her footsteps.

"Your innocence is admirable, Maggie, but in this instance I cannot allow you to indulge in it," Adrian told her.

She half-turned to him and glared at him. "How can you do this? How can you murder so many people and not care?"

Adrian stopped three feet from her. He studied her face for a moment before he closed his eyes and sighed. "I can no choice in the matter. In our world it is either kill or be killed."

She took a step away from him. "That isn't my world."

He pointed at her chest. "It is so long as you hold the power of that mirror."

"But I didn't ask for that power!" she argued.

He chuckled. There was no mirth in the sound. "Fate cares little for our wishes." He opened his arms and frowned. "Do you believe I want to exist as a monster with these uncontrollable urges? That I wished to become as you know me?" Maggie pursed her lips. He slowly walked toward her. His bright eyes caught her gaze and held her in place. "I do what I must to survive. There's nothing good or evil about that. It's merely how I must exist." Adrian reached her and set his hands on her shaking shoulders. He cupped one of her cheeks in his palm and smiled down at her. "Though I must admit my life has gotten rather more interesting since you entered it."

Maggie couldn't stop the blush from slipping onto her cheeks. She shook her head and his hand off her cheek, and frowned at the man. "I still can't forget what you did to that man at the hospital, or that man in the woods."

He smiled. "I wouldn't have you develop amnesia. It's quite an annoyance."

Her eyes flickered from Adrian to Albert and back. "So what do we do now? How can I clear my father's name?"

Adrian chuckled. "Selfless, as always, and I have a plan that needs just your selflessness. I need you to transform me into Blake."