Alex sat on the worn couch, eyes never straying from the clock. It was four o'clock. Lucifer should be home by now. He would know she was missing. A shiver passed through her. He would be furious.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump. "Are you okay?" Gadreel looked down at her.

Alex shrugged, gaze flickering back to the wall. She traced the grains up and down the wooden panel with her eyes, falling back into her own personal thoughts.

The couch dipped beside her. "You should try channeling. It might help calm you down."

Alex shook her head. She knew Lucifer wouldn't feel it, but . . .

Gadreel reached out, taking her hand. "It's okay," he promised and gently ran his fingers over her knuckles. "Lucifer-"

The phone rang.

Alex jumped. She looked over at the phone, eyes wide with terror. Gadreel didn't immediately react. He paused, then reached over and answered the phone. "Hello?"

Even from where she was sitting, Alex could hear Lucifer's voice. "What the hell did you do with her?!"

Gadreel remained calm. He turned his head to look the omega in the eyes. "What? Who is this?"

"Fuck you, Gadreel!"

"L-Lucifer?" Gadreel's voice sounded confused; however, he raised an eyebrow at Alex, smirking. "What's going on?"

"Don't lie! What have you done with Alex?"

"Who?" Gadreel shooed her away with a hand. Alex thankfully retreated upstairs, suppressing a terrified shiver.

...

Gadreel pushed his way into the small wooden bedroom five minutes later. "Great."

Alex could feel his anger. She pulled her knees closer, burying her head between them. "He knows," she whispered. "Oh God, how?" She looked up at Gadreel. "Is he coming for me?"

Gadreel crossed his arm, a frown forming across his face. "Lucifer found my card. It has my number and my address on it." His eyes glinted with barely-disguised irritation. "He'll be here in half an hour."

Alex trembled. "He's going to kill me." She jumped up, eyes wide. "What are we going to do?"

Gadreel stepped forward, hands coming to rest on her shoulders. "It's going to be okay." He leaned in, forehead pressed against hers. "I'm going to take care of it. We've got plenty of time."

He felt the young omega shake beneath his hands. "What am I going to do?"

"Alex. I've done this before." Gadreel let out a soft smile. "I know exactly what to do." He leaned in even closer, and his lips brushed against hers.

Alex let out a breath. She felt herself relax under the alpha's touch, and her eyes drifted close. "Okay." She whispered the word as her world narrowed down to just her and Gadreel.

The alpha echoed her. "Okay." He kissed her gently. Then he pulled back, noticing how she didn't reciprocate his efforts. "Alex? It's going to be okay. I've hidden omegas from their alphas hundreds of times." When Alex didn't look convinced, he let out a sigh. "Okay, okay." He reluctantly stepped away from the omega, running a light hand through his short hair. "Look." He stepped up to the wall opposite the bed. He hooked his fingers through one of the knotholes, and pulled.

The wall swung open. Alex stepped closer. There was a small crawlspace, about three feet across, enough room for someone to sit down comfortably. "Is that . . ?"

"Yeah." Gadreel nodded. "You'll hide in here. Lucifer will never find you." He swung the wall closed. "Now. We have about twenty minutes. When Lucifer gets here, just grab your things and hide." Gadreel walked out of the bedroom.

Alex followed. "Gadreel?" Her voice came out as no more than a whisper, and she cleared her throat.

The alpha turned, an eyebrow quirked.

Alex's mouth was dry. She reluctantly changed the subject. "What's behind that door?" Alex pointed to the locked door next to her.

"It's nothing." Gadreel's face revealed nothing as well. "Just some personal things. Stay out."

Alex frowned, but she shrugged. "Okay." She had no reason not to believe him, and right now, she had bigger problems.

...

There was a heavy knock on the door. Alex jumped, looking wildly around. Gadreel remained stubbornly calm. "Upstairs. Now. Don't forget your bag."

Alex barely heard him. She jumped off the couch and booked it up the stairs, tripping once. She tore into the bedroom, grabbed her things, then reached for the knothole in the wall. She roughly pulled it open, breathing heavy with fear. Oh God. He was here. Without hesitation, she hid inside the wall.

There she waited. She wrapped her arms around her knees, head buried in her arms to quiet her ragged breathing. Through the floor, she heard voices. Lucifer was yelling. She knew that voice. There were footsteps on the stairs, and she curled up even tighter, shifting as far away from the hidden door as she could.

The bedroom door was flung open. "What the hell have you done with her?" Alex heard Lucifer storm into the room. The heavy scent of Lucifer filled the air, and she screwed her eyes shut.

"I told you." That was Gadreel, calm as ever, if not a little irritated. "She's not here. I haven't spoken to her since I gave her my card at the benefit."

The alpha let out a scoffing laugh. "Right. You shouldn't have even been there. You're up to something." Alex heard Lucifer walk closer to her hiding place, and she held her breath. Part of her wanted to give up, to jump out and beg him not to hurt her. But fear kept her still. When Lucifer spoke next, his voice was high pitched with desperation. "She's been here. I can smell her!"

"You can't smell her. She's not here."

"I can smell her!" Alex heard a heavy thud as Lucifer pinned Gadreel against the wall. "You think I wouldn't know the scent of my own omega?"

"Dammit, Luce. She's not here!"

"I need her back." Lucifer's voice cracked with distress. "Please!"

Alex felt her heart ache at the pain in the alpha's voice. She had never imagined him to be like this.

Gadreel hesitated. "And what if I did have her? What would you do then?"

The floorboards creaked as Lucifer took a step back. The desperation was replaced by anger. "I'd kill her! And then I'd claim her."

The empathy Alex had been feeling immediately fell away, and she balled her fists. She was not his.

"She's mine!" Lucifer trailed off weakly. Alex heard the alpha take a deep, shaky breath. When he spoke again, he sounded cold and collected. "I'm going to find her. And you better hope you're not involved. You understand?"

Gadreel said nothing, and Alex heard Lucifer stomp away. Her lungs burned, and she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. As she felt the alpha walk away, part of her wanted to run after him. Her chest ached as Lucifer left, and she fell back against the wall. He had sounded lost, but . . . She shook her head. It didn't matter now. She was never going back. He would be fine, and she was free.