Alpha's Moon

Chapter 12

"Gabriel?" Marianne sauntered over, filling their nook with her expensive perfume. He couldn't believe he had forgotten that she was waiting for him in the restaurant. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Marianne, this is Chef Turner, she will be working at Pretrichor for the next few months."

"Charmed," Marianne's smile didn't reach her eyes as she looked the other woman over. Gabriel already knew that she found Alex's simple eastern attire distasteful, but that wasn't all that was bothering his fiancée. He watched as a telltale line appeared between Marianne's brows, the pulse at her neck sped up and her fingers curled; she was trying to read the Chef's mind and failing.

"Likewise," Alex nodded towards the blonde woman in the abrupt manner he was fast getting used to, then her eyes were back on him.

Marianne reacted by stringing her arm through Gabriel's and turning her body into his. "Gabriel, you promised you would put work aside, remember? I've been looking at possible honeymoon destinations..." Not done making her point, she cast a look over her shoulder at Alex. "Sorry, it's just that we usually meet later in the day and then we never end up...talking."

Her insinuations were not lost on anyone, even without the silly giggle she gave at the end. Gabriel actually felt embarrassed at the childish display. He knew Marianne was the jealous type, could forgive her the exaggerations, but the vindictive pleasure in her eyes put him off. He was trying to decide how to give her a set down when Alex spoke.

"Do I have permission to start work tomorrow?" She was looking straight at him, ignoring Marianne's now outraged expression. Gabriel's lips twitched. He didn't have to teach the werewolf a lesson, Alex had done it for him.

Pulling his cellphone out of his back pocket he dialled. "Mathew, which room was reserved for Ms Turner? Yes. Is everything prepared? Good. She has arrived early, we are heading there now."

Marianne's outrage turned to incredulity, "Gabriel!"

"I will be ten minutes, Marianne. Why don't you eat while I'm gone and we can talk about the honeymoon over coffee?"

The wolf didn't have to read his mind to realise she had erred. Suppressing her anger, Marianne gave a reluctant nod. "Fine, but not a second over ten minutes. This is our special time, after all."

She was right. Marianne accompanied him to many social events, but unlike what she would have Alex believe, their once-a-week lunches were the only one-on-one time they shared.

"Agreed." He gave her a smile. It was enough to mollify her and she turned away in a flurry of pink silk.

"Shall we?" Gabriel glanced at Alex, then led the way to the elevators.

They didn't speak until the reached the twelfth floor. Mathew was waiting for them in front of the Green Suite. Gabriel made the introductions quickly, then watched Alex's face as the manager showed them around what would be her living quarters for the duration of her stay. She made little comment and her expression was impossible to read as they moved through the spacious three room accommodation. Along with a large living room, bedroom, ensuite and walk-in closet, the Green Suite had a small open kitchen, a six-person dining table and a grand-wing piano.

"Do you play?" Gabriel asked after Mathew finished listing the technological gadgets in the room and moved to the door to give them space.

Alex followed Gabriel's gaze to the piano, then shook her head. "Not anymore."

Gabriel didn't know what spurred his question and was even more confounded by the urge he had to find out what had made her stop playing.

His phone rang, saving him from more useless thoughts. "Leo?"

"The trucks were found," Leo said without preamble.

"Hold on," he looked to Mathew. "See that Chef Turner has everything she needs and bring her the physical copy of her contract as well as her first months pay-check. Ms Turner," he gave her a nod. "Enjoy the rest of your day."

"One moment, Mr Moncrief," Alex's voice took on an urgent tone. "You recall the third condition in the contract?"

Gabriel remembered the clause well. Of all the conditions he had seen in hundreds of contracts he had witnessed or signed, that had to be the strangest one. Alex Turner, the infamous Mama Fan, had given him three clear conditions in her email to his P.A.

Firstly, she wanted no history or personal information to be requested of her and no interviews or pictures to be publicised. Secondly, lodgings were to be arranged within walking distance with no lease or bills being in her name. And the final and the third request had been the real rarity: he, Gabriel Moncrief, was to give her 24 hours of his personal time.

Leo, who had drawn up the contract, suggested the last condition could only be a ploy to draw his interest. Gabriel supposed that stranger things had been done by marriage minded females who liked his money and fame. But somehow, Gabriel doubted Alex fit into that particular category.

"Yes, I remember."

"I'd like to use some of that time as soon as possible."

She should have sounded hesitant or at least looked the slightest bit embarrassed, but Alex's green gaze was unflinching as she waited for his response. Wasn't she aware of the things that he could be reading into her request? Gabriel had a feeling she was aware. She was aware and she didn't care.

"I'll be in touch." He turned, and was lifting the phone back to his ear when Alex called out.

"And Mr Moncrief?"

"Yes?" he looked over his shoulder, his brows raised in question.

"I would forgo the coffee during your honeymoon chat. Caffein is not good for your stomach."

Gabriel blinked, realising for the first time that the discomfort in his stomach from earlier was gone. He would have asked more questions, but Alex had already turned away and Leo was waiting.