The streetlights played across the car as Gabriel looked out the open window. He took deep breaths, trying to catch a hint of her scent. The salty sea. Wet earth. Car exhaust. Grilled meat. Damn it, where was she? Alex had to be in shock, he understood that, but he was angry anyway. How could she run into the dark night and in that outfit? Boston was a big city. There were thugs, delinquents...He was pulling at his hair when his phone rang.

The screen lit up with his cousin's name. He picked up, "Any news?"

"No," Theo's voice sounded apologetic. "Six security guards are out looking for her. I've handled the guests. But Gabriel, what the hell is going on? I can get Dolores to replace me, shall I come out to search?"

Gabriel closed his eyes in frustration, "Dolores is keeping watch over Marianne. You stay put, the cocktail will end soon."

"Marianne?" There was silence on the other side of the line, then Theo spoke slowly: "She tried to hurt Alex."

It was a perceptive deduction, but only half way there. Had his ex-fiancé only tried to hurt Alex, it wouldn't have been such a blasted problem. Now he was going to have to get Alex's memories wiped...Gabriel's fingers curled in anger. "She turned in front of her."

"Of all the fucking stupid...!" Theo held back the rest of the choice words that came to mind and cleared his throat. "You need to take her to Bertie."

"I'm aware," Gabriel bit out. He knew what he had to do, but first he had to find her.

"Will you punish Marianne yourself or allow her pack to do it?"

"All that can wait." Gabriel didn't want to think about Marianne right now. "Just come to Lupus Corp once you're done there."

"Got it." Theo agreed quickly, then hung up.

Outside the air grew rapidly colder, the round moon shining bright in the cloudless sky. He remembered Alex's silk jumpsuit and how his hands had slid over her exposed skin at her back. She must be freezing.

"Scott," Gabriel called out gruffly. "Turn around at the next lights, let's try the other side."

"Yes, Sir," the driver nodded, doing his Alpha's bidding at once. They passed two brightly lit hotels and a darkened office building before Gabriel caught her scent. There was no mistaking it: morning dew with a hint of rose from that bracelet she always wore.

"Stop!" The car hadn't come to a full stop when his feet hit the ground. She was close, he could feel it. Somewhere down by the darkened river bank. Her scent grew stronger, but so did another. Gabriel pushed his muscles to run faster as his nose filled with the stinging copper stench of blood.

When Alex came into view his wolf rose inside him, begging to be released. He held back, not wanting to frighten her further. He could handle this easily in his Human form.

With only a moment to go before he reached the group by the water, Gabriel took in the situation: Alex was fighting four men at once, two of them had knives and one of them was swinging a switchblade. She was fast, and judging by their bloodied noses, her fighting skills far surpassed the thugs around her. Nevertheless she was tiring.

Just as he was reaching for the man closest to him, the short one with the switch blade slashed the top of Alex's arm.

Blind rage took over.

The first man's bones cracked under Gabriel's punch. The scent of blood hung thick in the air, as the second man's took a kick to his stomach. They had dared to touch Alex. They had hurt his woman. The third went flying through the air, dislocating his arm as he hit the ground. And when the last of them tried to run, he grabbed him back by the hair and beat him senseless.

After the last thug was passed out on the ground, Gabriel looked for Alex. She was standing in the moonlight, her hair disheveled, her clothes streaked in red. He saw tears glistening in her eyes and the burning anger that had been driving him disappeared.

"Are you alright?" He walked to her, but she held up her hands.

"Please, I can't take anymore." Her voice was trembling.

Was it what she had just lived through that frightened her or was she afraid of him? Something in his chest squeezed at the thought. "I'm not going to hurt you, I swear it."

"You will," a tear escaped, rolling down her pale cheek. "If you are hurt, you will."

If he was hurt? She wasn't making sense, but it was hardly a surprise. First Marianne and now these bastards. She was in shock and needed medical attention.

"Come on." He took off his jacket and covered her shoulders before picking her up. Her face convulsed with pain and she bit down on her lip. Was the wound on her arm worse than it had looked? Bertie. Bertie had the best medication on the market. "Just a few minutes, Alex. You won't feel anything, just hold on, okay?"

She moaned in pain as he walked with her to the car, and Gabriel could do nothing but curse himself. It was his fault that Marianne targeted Alex. None of this would have happened if he had read Marianne's intentions properly. Or if he had controlled his lust. If he had just not lost himself to the point where he hadn't even sensed Marianne's arrival. This was all his fault. "It's going to be alright, Alex. I promise, I'm going to make everything right."