The next day, Gadreel arrived five minutes early. This time, Alex was ready. When he knocked, she was already dressed, and she had eaten. She cracked open the door, and seeing it was him, opened it. Gadreel stepped inside, and Alex closed the door behind him. "Hey."

"Hello." Gadreel's eyes travelled over across the room. "How are you?"

"Good." Alex locked the door with a swift motion. "You?" She studied the alpha. He was wearing a black leather jacket over a light grey hoodie. Under that was a thin purple shirt. Alex tore her eyes away.

"Very well, thank you." Gadreel walked over to the chair, eyes still focused on the fireplace in front of him. "And thanks for having me back over. I'd almost convinced myself you'd back out of it."

Alex took two steps in his direction, head tipped in confusion. "Why would I do that?"

"You seemed pretty convinced that Lucifer would string you out for having someone over."

Alex shrugged. "I'll do what I want" she huffed. "He's not the boss of me."

Gadreel nodded. "Good." He sat down, motioning for Alex to do the same.

She did. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

Gadreel shrugged. "I just thought I'd ask a few opinion questions?"

"Alrighty then." Alex threw her feet up onto the couch, leaning against the arm rest. "Ask away."

"Okay." Gadreel pulled out a small notebook from his pocket, and produced a pencil as well. "So. What's your whole opinion on this alpha-omega relationship?"

Alex frowned. "What?"

"What do you think about being owned by Lucifer?"

"Not starting easy with the questions, huh?" She asked dryly. Then she paused, choosing her next words carefully. "Luce thinks he owns me, but he doesn't. You shouldn't be able to own another person. It, it's not right. I . . . He thinks he can tell me what to do, what to think. I'm my own person. I do what I want, and I think what I want." Her eyes narrowed slightly in anger.

"So you hate him."

Alex blinked. "What? No, I . . . I don't know. I don't hate him."

"So you love him."

"No!" Alex let out a growl. "I don't love him."

"Have you thought about leaving him?"

Silence. Alex stared at the alpha, confused. "Leave him?" she repeated. "I couldn't do that. N-Not with this." Her hand came up to brush the collar on her neck.

"I can take it off." Gadreel moved to sit next to her, taking her hands. "He won't feel a thing."

"He'd feel the bond breaking." Alex pulled her hands away. "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm just trying to help you. You could go back home."

Alex hesitated. When she spoke, her voice cracked. "I don't have a home to go back to."

"Then you could start life again. Just anything to get away from Lucifer." Gadreel's blue eyes met hers. "I can help."

Alex stood up. "No. I can't do that."

The alpha looked like he was going to protest, but he decided against it. "That's your choice. It's not a smart one, though."

Alex frowned. "Excuse me?"

"You think you have a good life here. With him. You don't." Gadreel stood up. He didn't seem angry; only concerned. "You don't know who Lucifer is. You don't know what he'll do."

"I think I have a pretty good handle on things," Alex retorted.

Gadreel narrowed his eyes in confusion. "I don't understand. You hate it here, but you stay. You say you hate him, but you won't leave. I offer you a way out, but you refuse me. What do you want?"

"I don't know." Alex threw her hands up. "I don't know, okay? Yeah, I don't like it here." She walked over to the french doors, pushing her way out to the patio. She heard Gadreel follow behind her. "Lucifer hasn't done anything. And until he does, I'm not going to risk leaving." She looked back at the alpha. "Do you understand that? Yeah, this isn't the way I want to live. But right now, I'm safe. I have food, and shelter, and all I have to do is put up with one alpha."

Gadreel stepped closer, lowering his voice. "It's not going to stay that way. Not for long."

"And you say that . . . why?"

"Because I know Lucifer. He likes to be in control. He likes things going his way. And he likes the traditional relationship between an alpha and an omega. And that looks nothing like this."

Alex's eyes flickered with uncertainty, which hardened into anger. "You don't know that. The only time Lucifer had me act like an omega was at the benefit. And I did it only because it was important to him."

"He's seen you do it once. What's going to stop him from asking it of you again? The more he takes you out in pubic, the more he's going to want you acting like an omega. Things are going to change."

Alex shook her head. "They won't. Not with Luce."

Gadreel opened his mouth to say something, but at that instant the phone rang. Alex jumped guiltily, and hurried inside. She looked at the phone's caller ID. Lucifer. She answered it, swallowing nervously. "Uh, hello?"

"Hey. Glad you're up."

"Uh, yeah." Alex looked over at Gadreel, who had reentered the room. She quickly looked away. "Just watching some tv."

"Is that so, huh?" Lucifer sounded somewhat amused. "I felt a sudden wave of frustration from you."

Alex blushed. Of course he could feel her stronger feelings. "I — it's a frustrating show," she quickly lied. "They can't see what's right in front of them."

Lucifer laughed. "I know the feeling." There were voices on the other end, and Alex listened as Lucifer pressed the phone into his shoulder, muffling what Alex heard. He responded to whoever was taking, then turned back to his omega. "I just wanted to check in to see how things were going."

"Yeah. Everything's fine. I'm a little bored."

"Huh. Well, I just wanted to make sure everything was all right. I'll be coming home for lunch."

"Oh." That was good to know. "Okay. I guess I'll see you then, huh?"

"Mm-hmm." There were more voices on the other end. "See you in a few hours." He hung up.

Alex looked over at Gadreel. "You probably should go."

Gadreel stepped closer. "Is something wrong?"

"Lucifer's coming home for lunch."

The alpha smiled in amusement, now only inches away. "That's in four hours. We have plenty of time." He reached up, cupping her chin. "Now. I still want to see you channel. I've heard rumors that you're pretty good."

"From who?" Alex couldn't decide where to place her eyes. It was awkward looking into his eyes when he was so close, but the only other place they seemed to end up was on his lips. She shifted uncomfortably.

"Oh, around. Lucifer enjoys bragging about you."

"You know I can't channel. Luce will feel it." The omega's mouth was dry, and she self-consciously wet it. She opened her lips to expand her point, but she heard a faint click. Then Gadreel's lips were pressed against hers.

Alex's immediate reaction was complete and utter shock. The alpha pulled back, smirking slightly to himself. "Try now." He held up Alex's silver collar.

Alex's hand flew up to her bare neck. "W-W-What did you do that for?" she snapped. "Dammit!"

"It's okay. He won't feel it. And he won't feel it when I put it back on."

"A-Are you sure?" Alex trembled slightly in fear, afraid that the phone would ring that instant. "What if he can feel it? He'll kill me!"

"Alex. I know what I'm doing."

"Oh," Alex scoffed. "Right. You probably free and kiss all the omegas you encounter."

"I free the omegas that need it. And I've only kissed you." His smirk grew into a genuine smile, which faded quickly. "That's my job. I take omegas away from dangerous alphas and get them somewhere safe."

Alex squared her shoulders. "Lucifer's not dangerous!" she snapped.

Gadreel ignored her. "I want to see you channel."

Alex closed her eyes. Screw it. She drew in the Source. It filled her more fully than it ever had with the collar, flooding through her veins. "What do you want to see?" she asked, not losing her concentration. Without waiting for an answer, she decided to try and conjure up the wolf she had showed Lucifer. This time, the Source came even easier, molding and twisting into what she wanted. She opened her eyes to find the form on the floor, looking up at her. It was made of a pale blue energy that swirled through its pelt, and its eyes glowed a bright blue.

"Damn," she heard Gadreel whisper.

Alex started to lose her grasp. The wolf threw back its head and let out a mournful howl, which was faded away as it lost its form, swirling into nothingness. Alex scratched behind her ear, confused at why it didn't disappear with a bang this time. She shrugged it off, looking over at the alpha. "Ta-da?"

"I didn't know omegas could do that." Gadreel looked over at her. "At least not the ones as young as you. I've heard stories of the elderly ones accomplishing that, but it took decades."

Alex shrugged. "Oh."

"You've heard that before."

"Yup." Alex guiltily looked towards the phone. "Can we put the collar back on? What if he realizes he can't feel it?"

"Can you feel him now?"

Alex shook her head. "No."

"Does it feel any different then when you had the collar on?"

"No. Not really."

"And when you wore the collar, could you reach out and feel him?"

"No, but—"

"Trust me. It's the same for him. I'm an alpha, Alex. I know what it feels like." He stepped closer. "Besides," he murmured. "Putting the collar back on means I can't do this." He leaned in and kissed her again.

Alex didn't react. This wasn't right.

"Why not?"

Had she said that aloud? Alex looked into Gadreel's eyes. "Luce—"

"What about him? You said he's not your mate. What's stopping you?" Gadreel pulled back slightly lips hovering next to hers. When Alex didn't respond, he nodded. "That's what I thought." He kissed her again.