SEDUCED BY THE ALPHA’S MATE

A Tough Agenda

Because she was the head of the genetics department, she was allowed her own work space. It also meant she got a big lab to use for her research.

Other than equipment and coded papers, the place was kept immaculate. Large and small machines were strategically placed to make the movement of samples from one to the other quick and efficient, along with multiple computers and printers.

The lab was also really cold. Goose bumps broke out on her caramel skin as she thought of the heater sitting by her desk. Outside, the weather was beautiful, but an iceberg lived inside the building.

She knew complaining would do nothing, since the best way to keep instruments from growing bacteria was to keep them cold. She would have to go to her office, which was located next door, to write her notes before she left, so at least there, she’d be warm. Glancing at her watch, she realized the hour.

Oh, s**t! She was going to be late for her meeting with the lab’s facility director.

Holding her precious tray of sharps, she hurried toward the other metal table to get to her special-colored vials.

In her haste, and her hips being well-rounded, she hit the corner of the table.

What came next, she would later tell herself was due to her own stupidity at trying rush around when she was not as coordinated as she liked to think.

Bouncing off the edge and falling forward in a sickening loss of balance, she saw the floor rush up to meet her face. Instinctively, she let go of the tray with one hand to try to catch her fall.

Everything around her narrowed to just the sound of her breathing. Distantly, she heard the metal tray smack the floor, and she landed on top of it, keeping the vials from falling and shattering on the concrete. Thank God.

She winced and picked herself up off the floor.

The damn underwire in her bra pinched her breast; it always seemed to break through the casing at the worst time. She wouldn’t have bothered with them if they didn’t make her breasts look so lingerie-catalog good.

“Ouch, dammit!” Looking down at the tray, she saw that the sharps were not there. Panic seized her, and sharp blades of terror stabbed her gut while she scanned the ground. The pinching sensation in her chest drew her attention to where the two long sharps dangled from the area between her breasts.

Icy fear numbed her brain and lodged in her throat, making it impossible for her to breathe. Frantic, she pulled the two long needles out carefully and examined the amount in each.

There was a minute amount missing from each.

A panicked scream wrenched out of her. Her first thought was to take a blood sample and check for any alterations in her DNA. After a second of logical thought and some frenzied breathing, she decided a few days of waiting were best.

No notable change would show up straight away if there was a delayed reaction. If there had been any life-altering changes to her DNA, she would see it in a few days.

Tears of frustration filled her eyes. Had she destroyed all her hard work with a stupid accident? She’d have to wait until Monday when she returned to the lab to run tests, unless there were any strange occurrences sooner.

Her stomach churned at the thought of her foolishness, but there was not much she could do other than wait and see. She stood, carefully grabbed the two vials with shaky hands, and stored her previously untainted samples.

She secured her storage freezer with her fingerprint and voice, which turned on the double-locked safe. There was no way in hell she was going to take any chances with what was in there. It was a good thing the freezer was made of the thickest metal available and resembled a bank vault.

She headed for her office. Her previous happiness turned into a desolate sense of impending doom when she thought of the notes she would have to write to detail the calamity from that afternoon.

Sophia popped the tiny flash drive from her laptop’s USB port and stuck it in her pocket. She locked up her computer, then grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

SHIT. s**t. s**t. She was late. Her stomach churned at the thought of being yelled at for her ineptitude.

But Ms. Winchester, the facility director, wasn’t that way. She was a nice older woman who had an easy way about her.

In the past, the sweet old lady had been so busy, she’d never been able to meet with Sophia at her office. Their meetings always ended up taking place outside the research facility at some restaurant where they would eat and catch up.

Victoria, or Tori as she preferred to be called, was sitting at a table. She smiled softly at Sophia, motioning for her to take a seat.

Tori Winchester looked amazing for her age. She was short, slim, and so petite, she made Sophia feel like an Amazing at five-foot-three. Her short silver bob hugged the curve of her neck and was coiffed to total perfection.

She wore a forest-green suit that screamed wealth. Tori’s emerald eyes were filled with life. The older woman was alert and sharp as a tack, which had allowed them to have some incredibly intellectual discussions in the past.

“Good afternoon, Sophia. How are you doing?” Tori asked.

Sophia was about to beg for forgiveness for being late, but that wretched feeling in her stomach was gone. Technically, she’d put in so many hours of overtime, being five minutes late wasn’t a big deal.

What surprised her most was that her gut fear was gone. “I’m great, Tori. Thanks for asking,” Sophia replied.

Tori laughed. “Something good must’ve happened.” Sophia gave her boss a questioning look.

“I’ve never seen you so joyful,” Tori answered. “What is making your life so happy?”

Sophia chewed on her bottom lip. She was so bad at lying, but if the head of the facility found out she’d been doing unauthorized work…

Tori slapped her hand on the table. “Did you finally extract what you needed from the shifter DNA?”

Sophia sat stunned. No one should’ve known what she’d been doing.

One side of Tori’s mouth curved up. “Are you asking how I know about that?” Sophia nodded. Her boss patted her hand. “It’s my job to know, child. Do you think I haven’t noticed the hours you’re putting in? Have you slept in the past six months?”

She fumbled for words. “I, uh…” Normally, she’d be under the table in embarrassment, hoping the earth would open and swallow her whole.

Instead she said, “I did find a way to separate chromosomes from genes. All I need to do is create a serum and…” Sophia froze. Did the woman know all of what she had been researching? Did she know the end game?

“And what, dear? Serum for both feline and the wolves?”

A waitress saved her from answering. “What can I get you all to drink?”

She opened her mouth to order her normal sweet tea, but something else came out. “I’d like a glass of milk.”

Tori raised a brow and ordered her usual unsweet tea. “We’d like to place our order.” Tori looked at her. “Do you know what you want?”

They frequented this restaurant since it was close to the office and never had a line at the door to get a table. Sophia liked this place for the salsa chicken. Fresh veggies for the salsa made her mouth water.

She said, “I’d like a steak.” The server wrote down the order and asked how she wanted it cooked. “Still mooing, please.” At that, the waitress glanced at her, but kept writing. After taking Tori’s order, the waitress went to put in their orders and get their drinks.

“Sophia, what has gotten into you?” the sweet woman asked. “You’ve never ordered steak before.”

She shrugged. She wasn’t sure what was going on. But she couldn’t tell her boss that. “Well, I thought a change would be nice.” She thought no such thing. Could she have brain damage from working too much with little sleep?

Tori unwound her silverware and put the napkin in her lap. “Now, what were you saying? Something about creating a serum for what?”

Dammit. She’d hoped the too-smart woman would’ve forgotten. No such luck.

“I could go a few different ways, but my goal is to let my sister be able to stop the shift if she wanted to.”

“Fabulous, dear. I knew you would figure it out.”

“You’re not mad about me doing my own thing?” she asked.

Tori’s brows lowered. “Why should I be? You have all current jobs under control with the lab techs and nothing dire is waiting.” Her boss leaned in as if to share a secret. “Besides, what you’re doing is groundbreaking and simply amazing. I want you to succeed.”

Sophia sat back, surprised. “You do?”

“Of course, young lady. We women have to stick together if things in this sad world of ours is to get better. We have to take control and make change happen.”

Sophia was shocked by the enthusiasm coming from her boss. The wonderful woman never got riled about anything.

Tori’s eyes scanned the room quickly. “You are securing your work, right? Locking it up somewhere?”

Sophia nodded, her eyes darting around, trying to see what Tori was looking for. “I’m putting it in the cold storage every night.”

“What about your laptop and notes?” Tori asked.

“I keep them locked in the lab’s cabinet,” Sophia said.

Tori gave her a nod. “Including tonight’s notes? If you made the breakthrough, tonight’s are the most important.”

“I haven’t written the analysis yet, but the data is backed up on my flash.”

Tori scowled. s**t, Sophia knew why, and should’ve kept her big mouth shut.

“You know, Sophia, it’s against policy to take any type of data out of the building.” Sophia cringed, ready for a tongue lashing. “But in this case, I think it’s a good idea.”

Again, Sophia was surprised. “You do?”

Her boss laughed. “Don’t be so shocked, dear. Do you think I’m some old curmudgeon who doesn’t live in the real world?”

“No!” Sophia replied. “I’ve never thought that.”

Tori patted her hand again. “Good. Because I’m not. I think we should take extra precautions with your work. Having a backup is smart. Keep it somewhere but the lab.”

“I take it home with me where I have a hidden spot for it,” she said.

“Excellent,” Tori said. “Now, let’s celebrate your remarkable achievement.”

Their waitress returned with a tall glass of milk and tea. Sophia stared at the white drink then drank it down in one tip of the cup.

“Would you like another?” the server asked, somewhat astounded. “Yes, please.” What the hell was up?