"Alex, stop!" The whisper pierced through her haze of pleasure.

"What?" Gabriel was wearing a completely unfamiliar look as he thrust her jeans at her.

"Sorry, baby. Can you get dressed - fast?"

The urgency in his voice pushed her into action. "What's going on?" She asked, doing up her buttons while he straightened his clothes.

Gabriel opened his mouth to explain, but was interrupted by a loud knock on the door, followed by an irate female voice: "Gabriel Moncrief, you can't possibly be hiding from me, right?!"

He groaned quietly, then cast Alex an apologetic look. "This was not supposed to happen. Punish me later, ok?"

"Punish you? Wait, who is that?" Alex hissed, stuck between anger and nervousness. What the hell was going on?

Tucking his shirt in and casting a quick glance over her now decent state of dress, he gave her a wry smile, "My sister."

"Your what?" Alex could feel the heat creeping into her face as she watched him walk to the door. Panicked , she looked around for a place to sit, better yet hide, but ended up standing exactly where she was. There was simply no escaping the mortification to come.

"Finally! Why on earth would you go locking your office door..." Angela Moncrief took several annoyed steps into the room, then noticed Alex and stopped talking altogether.

She was gorgeous Alex thought, taking in the sight of the leggy brunette in the power suit. Long chocolate coloured hair, baby blue eyes and a little black mole under her right eye which added a mysterious air to her beauty. She looked only about a year older than Gabriel and her taste in clothes was similar to her brothers; clean lines with no frills and made of the absolute best quality.

"Angela, this is Alex." Having closed the door, Gabriel came to stand beside Alex and gave her an encouraging smile before holding her hand. Warmth crept into her face as Angela eyed their joined hands without comment. What did he think he was doing, and in front of his family no less!? She tried to pull away, but Gabriel wouldn't let go. Instead he continued with his introductions as if they were at a blasted dinner party: "Alex, this is my sister Angela."

Alex had no idea how to react. Angela was just staring without saying a word, which was incredibly disconcerting. She must be thinking about what they were up to with the doors locked. Or maybe she was testing out some kind of werewolf skills on her? Alex was getting herself worked up, but damn it, when had she started caring what other people thought about her anyway? Why should it matter what the woman thought of her?

The answer came to her easily: because she is Gabriel's sister.

"Hi," Alex said after another moment of awkward silence.

It was as if Angela suddenly came alive. Her face lit up with a blinding smile, then she was turning to Gabriel, "Go get us some coffee will you?." She turned back to Alex, her baby blue eyes twinkling, "You do drink coffee?"

"Umm yes, but..."Alex looked to Gabriel for some kind of excuse to get away, but the damn bastard just gave her an apologetic smile. He was totally going to abandon her!

"She doesn't bite," Gabriel whispered, leaning in for a quick kiss. Then with a grin, he sauntered out of the office.

"Ass," Alex muttered, wishing she wasn't thinking about how good he looked in his suit even as she got angry at him.

"He is, that," Angela agreed, pointing to the sitting area near the windows. "Shall we move over there?"

Alex followed the older woman to the chairs and was barely seated when Angela dropped the first bomb: "So, judging by what I've just seen, I'm guessing you know about us."

Alex's brows rose in surprise before she could think to control her face expression. Gabriel made it clear that her knowledge of werewolves had to be kept a secret, but perhaps his family was an exception?

"Gabriel didn't tell me, it's just obvious," Angela continued to smile as if Alex had spoken out-loud.

"Do you read minds too?" Alex asked.

The laugh that came from the woman sitting across from her was warm and musical. "I do actually, although I can't seem to read yours. Can Gabriel? He is better at it than me, but for some reason I doubt he can read you either?"

Angela spoke so casually, it was hard for Alex to keep her defences up. Plus, Gabriel would surely have warned her if he wanted her to hide things from his sister. "He says he can't read me, unless I allow it."

"How curious!" Angela cocked her head, continuing to observe Alex with eyes that seemed to see far too much for comfort. "So, my brother is head over heals for a Human...I didn't think I'd see the day."

"Head over heals? No, not at all," Alex said quickly. "We are just..." what were they exactly? Boss and employee? Friends with benefits? Nothing she could come up with seemed to cover what they had been through. "We are just spending some time together."

"Just spending time?" One of Angela's elegant brows arched, then she was looking out the window and her mood seemed to have shifted. "Since Gabriel told you about us, he must have asked you to Turn, and that's not something a werewolf does lightly."

Alex wasn't sure how to answer. It wasn't like Gabriel had asked her to Turn, exactly. After finding out that she was already half-turned, he simply suggested she finish the transition and that mostly because her current status was one that didn't fit within werewolf laws. Thankfully, Alex didn't have to explain any of that because Angela continued talking:

"To reveal yourself to a Human and ask them to Turn, it's like you're testing your love. Will he love me enough to go through with it, or will he choose to forget me?" There was a sadness in the eyes that looked at her now, "I admit that I didn't deal well with the rejection."

Alex was trying to keep up with what the woman was saying. "You asked someone to Turn?"

Angela's smile was bittersweet. "Yes. I was together with Daniel for four years. When he asked me to marry him, I knew I couldn't do it, not without letting him see...all of me. I thought he was the love of my life and I assumed I was his, so I got permission from the council and revealed myself to him." She took two, slow breaths, "He was...let's say he was not impressed. As you know, the council gives you one month to decide, then you must Turn or forget. Daniel knew he either could become one of us and bond with me or I would be removed from his memory. He chose to forget me."

"I'm sorry," Alex couldn't begin to imagine how much that must have hurt. To have someone you love choose not to remember you...did Angela see him still? She couldn't bring herself to ask.

"It's all in the past now," the woman shrugged, adjusting the intricately designed bangles on her wrist. "Either way, I'm proud of Gabriel. For years he wouldn't go near Human females because of what happened with Daniel, but when love strikes, it strikes, right?"

Love? What the heck was Alex supposed to say to that? What was between her and Gabriel wasn't what Angela was thinking. The day that Alex found out about werewolves, Gabriel ask her to Turn for him, he tried to erase her memory. As for their physical relationship, well that just sort of just happened.

It wasn't that she thought Gabriel didn't like her well enough, but love? No, they were just enjoying each other's company and soon, even that would end.

"Have you said everything you had to say?" Gabriel suddenly entered the room, a curious smile on his handsome face.

Angela gave him an annoyed look, "Where has your tact gone? Couldn't you managed to stay away for a little longer? And where are the coffees?"

"No coffees, sorry. I can't let you harass Alex more than this or she will get anxious and she has a tendency to bolt when she gets anxious," he leaned over the edge of Angela's chair and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You trying to get rid of me?" His sister laughed, then she turned to Alex, "I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I don't usually come on this strong."

"Yeah, you do,"Gabriel corrected before Alex could get a word in. Then he was looking at her: "Angela is opinionated, headstrong and blunt which are all great qualities for the CEO of the Moncrief Group but not so good in an older sister."

"Shut up, dumb ass. Are you trying to make your girlfriend hate me?" Angela complained.

Watching the siblings bicker, it was easy for Alex to feel the affection they had for each other. A long time ago, she had been like that with James. But not anymore...

"Alex?" Gabriel was looking down at her, concern in his eyes. When had he come over?

She forced a smile, then stood up. "I should get going, it was really nice to meet you Angela."

"Alex?" Gabriel didn't sound pleased.

"I've got things to work out in the kitchen," she cast a quick look in the direction of his sister, "And you might have some things to clear up?"

"Right," he sighed. Then he walked to his desk and pressed a blue button on the phone, "Felicity, arrange for a driver to take Ms Turner back to the hotel."

"Right away, Mr Moncrief," came the instant response.

Angela stood up, an uncertain look on her face, "I seem to have given a bad first impression. I will try to do better next time."

"No, not at all," Alex was quick to assure her. "Actually, I'm pretty sure my first impression was a lot worse thanks to your brother's lack of sense."

"Hah!" Angela laughed at the surprised look on Gabriel's face. He had not been counting on the women talking so brazenly in front of him. "A woman that can surprise my brother into silence? You better hold on to her."

Gabriel's blue gaze was warm as he watched Alex, "I don't plan to let her go."