Disguise

Tick Tock

Flora's POV

"I can't think of anyone like that, guys - there are so many people - I made a whole new life after I left town." I said for what felt like the millionth time. I could understand their tension and their need to fix this but what else was I supposed to say if I couldn't think of anyone? Xena was pacing in the hall, trying to remember if there was anyone she knew who was in our life post Reece - since the two of us were basically joined at the hip.

Reece let out a frustrated growl and she threw me a frantic look of alarm.

"Reece, you're making my mate nervous." Nate told him, placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. Ever since he found out the truth about the whole scenario, he had demanded to speak to Isla himself - the poor girl was so startled because he'd projected his dominance all over her, unable to control his temper. I had to get him out of there and calm her down before he did something he'd regret.

He'd been very aggressive and dominating in the meeting as well, but it was passive, and now it was all finally coming out as if he couldn't hold it inside him. I knew that it was only a matter of time before he blasted, but there was nothing I could do. In my opinion he needed to get it out of his system, but hopefully if we were around him then he wouldn't hurt anyone and we'd get to him before that happened.

Reece gave Nate a blank stare and without another word, Nate took Xena by her hand and led her out of the room. She threw me a worried glance but I simply nodded, he'd never hurt me. I moved to where Reece was sitting once they'd shut the door of our conference room. Everyone was out doing tasks and keeping themselves busy and maybe that's what we needed to do as well.

"I think that maybe you should rest a while. Some sleep would help calm your nerves," He groaned and put his head in his hands but otherwise didn't make any move to get out of this room towards a bed. "I can't sleep until we catch these people!" He spoke into his hands, and something in his voice made my resolve to deal with him in a strict manner weaken.

"Reece?" I placed my hand on his shoulder and he immediately scooped it up in his own large, warm palm. Familiar sparks flew across my skin but it didn't seem to do him any good. "Reece it's okay we will catch him." I couldn't understand what was going on with him. He was usually so controlled and authoritative, it was a surprise that he seemed so unstable - especially when we were doing everything we could and there was no immediate threat - if anything Isla had told us that they hadn't perfected the poison yet, so we could be hopeful that they wouldn't release this to anyone else.

"I just.." His voice broke towards the end of that sentence and suddenly I wasn't holding his hand anymore. I was wrapped around him like I was trying to protect him. I snuggled into him, giving him as much comfort as I could give so that he would calm down.

"Reece! Reece, it really is going to be okay!" I tried again, cooing gently into his ear as I stroked his hair. He held me tight, as tight as he could and I let him. There was something about him, being so vulnerable in front of me that made me want to protect him twice as hard. I knew these were absolutely rare moments for him.

And then everything shifted. His hold on me tightened, and his body stopped shaking. He froze, his grip stone hard but not painful and I didn't know what to do. I tried to move out of the hug, to get a look at his face but he didn't let me move. "Reece?" My voice shook.

"How are you so unaffected?" The voice that came from the man in who's embrace I was, was dark and sinister. It was ten times more fear inciting than Reece's had been. It was my turn to freeze.

"Huh?"

"How come this isn't bothering you like it should have bothered? Like it is bothering me? Why are you so calm about this?" The voice didn't modulate. Like controlled fury. I gulped, suddenly needing the old Reece back.