Thank you to Teegs for betaring

Chapter Thirteen

"Hey Boo, good to see you back! I've missed you," OC blurted delightedly, breezing over to Max's locker. "So how goes it?" she asked more soberly. "That heat crying thing over with?" She peered quizzically at Max.

"Yeah, my heats finished. I feel great, fine couldn't be better," she laughed, suddenly aware of how good she was feeling. "You coped alright without us?" she quipped, opening her locker.

Us…hmmm interesting OC thought looking her over. She's a lot happier than when she last saw her. In fact she's a lot happier than OC had ever seen her. She watched Max's smiling face as she delved in her locker "So where's your boy anyway?"

"He'll be in at lunch time, later shift."

"What happened to 'he's not my boy'?" OC mimicked. "He's not!" Max frowned. "But well…" she trailed off unsure.

OC raised her eyebrow. "So you've been doing the wild thing with him all week, but he's still not your boy?"

"Its complicated OC we still haven't sorted everything out." Her eyes slid off OC's.

"By complicated you mean Logan."

"Yeah" She sighed.

"Are ya pregnant Boo?"

"Yes," she nodded, grinning. OC gazed back at her dumbfounded, pregnant and to Alec and grinning like the cat that swallowed the cream.

"Do ya wanna talk about it?" She hope she did cause she sure wanted to know what's going on OC thought to herself.

"Yeah tonight after work at home, Oh and OC would you mind if Alec stayed for a couple of days. White's found his place so he's got nowhere to crash,"

"Whatever ya want Boo," she agreed thinking this just gets weirder and weirder.

"Here comes Normal. Probably to fire your ass."

"Come on people bip bip times awasting packages awaiting,"

"Normal I was…"

"Don't want to hear it Missy Miss. Alec has already called in an explained, don't wanna hear it again,"

"Here's your first delivery don't dawdle."

OC looked at Max slack jawed, "Damn the hold that boy's got over him is getting down right worrisome."

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She'd had a pretty good run and for some reason was still feeling on top of the world. Smiling and humming to herself she wheeled her bike into Jam Pony. He's early, her eyes caught and held Alec's. Leaning against the wall talking to Biggs he caught her scent before he saw her. Returning her infectious smile he was once again struck by how happy she seemed. It suddenly hit him what was different about her the guarded, wary look she always wore was gone. Philosophically he acknowledged his growing need to make sure she stayed happy and carefree like this.

"Hey, Max, wanna grab some lunch?" OC intercepted her as she headed across the room.

Leaning against the wall talking to Biggs, half his attention on Max, Alec scented Logan before he saw him. He knew the minute she sensed Logan, he watched her stiffen, her smiling relaxed face tense, her guarded expression back in place, her delicate shoulders squared as she turned to face him. Logan's gloved hand reached out to touch her cheek.

Savage blinding rage hit him, he came of the wall in a blur of fury, Biggs anchored to his shoulder. "No Alec not here, and not now," he ground out, slamming him back against the wall. "He's an ordinary he doesn't understand how it is for us." Intent on Logan he shook Biggs off him, only to find Steve fastened to his other shoulder and someone else anchored around his throat.

OC her eyes wide watched dumbfounded as Biggs and three other transgenic males wrestled and dragged a furious wild eyed, struggling Alec out of sight behind the lockers.

"What the hell, Max…?" she faltered turning, surprised to find Logan standing in front of them. She watched Max flinch away as Logan's gloved hand reached out again to touch her cheek.

"I hoped I'd find you here Max. Why haven't you answered my pages?" he demanded more harshly, suddenly angry as she flinched from his touch. "Where's Alec?"

Where is Alec? she wondered anxiously looking around suddenly wishing he would appear. She felt Cece come and stand beside her and inexplicably felt calmer.

Everything felt wrong, the fact that he was here, his touching her, the way he spoke to her, taken aback she wondered if he had changed or was she just seeing him differently now, comparing him to Alec she wondered uncomfortably. Her eyes settled uneasily on Logan again, impatiently she wondered where Alec had disappeared.

What the hell is all that banging coming from the lockers, there was definitely something up, suspiciously her eyes narrowed as she watched two Transgenic males stationed at the entrance to the lockers blocking people from entering. Steve, Kat's mate come out of the lockers and headed over to them.

"Steve what the hell is happening over there?" she demanded irritably.

"Nothing Max just the guys horsing around." He looked Logan over contemptuously. Alec was his friend and had been his CO. He didn't fucking well appreciated being forced to put his hands on him because this arrogant ordinary was to ignorant to realize Max was mated now and to keep his hands to himself.

Nor did he appreciate the cracked ribs he'd just acquired from Alec courtesy of this Fuck. Seeing him put his hand on Max had even pissed him off, he could imagine how Alec felt. If this stupid bastard were Transgenic he'd probably be dead by now. Not that another Transgenic male would be ignorant or bad mannered enough to interfere with someone else's mate. Time ordinary pricks like this learned you don't touch what isn't yours. But unfortunately not today, can't let Alec rip his head of in broad daylight in front of all these ordinaries. Ruin the sweet deal they had going here, scare the fuck out of them too.  Humourlessly he remembered the savage fights he'd seen when his kind fought for mates.

Good, no Alec Logan gloated. He'd been right to come here instead of TC. Not that he would have been afraid to approach her in Terminal City most of them liked him there, knew he was Max's boyfriend and showed him the respect he deserved. Alec wasn't particularly well liked, so if it came to a showdown he was confident he'd be okay and with Max on his side Alec would have been the one in trouble.

But he didn't want to talk to her in TC he would rather have her out of there, away from all of them, they were a bad influence. Distracting her from the Eyes Only work he needed her for. Just as important they were dragging her back down to their level jeopardising all the efforts she had made to become human. She didn't fit with maladjusted killers like Alec and mutants like Joshua and Mole. Sure it was okay, cute really that she wanted to help them, but it was time he helped her sort out her priorities.

"You and I need to talk now, Max, my cars outside," Arrogantly he gestured with his head towards the street.

Max distracted, her thoughts on what was happening in the lockers and the likelihood that Alec would be in the thick of it, glanced impatiently at Logan.

"Max, My cars outside," Logan repeated grabbing her arm. His unwelcome touch surprised Max, but before she had a chance to react Steve was standing quietly between her and Logan and Logan's hand had gone from her arm.

Enraged Logan glared at the Transgenic "Who the hell are you and what the hell do you think your doing? I'm so fucking sick of you people and your interference. Max I want to see you outside now,' he demanded.

Max surprised at his arrogant rudeness stared at him in shock.

"Not here and not now Logan," she returned finally. "But your right we have to talk and we will, tonight at my place."

"I'd prefer to do it now, Max."

"To bad, I prefer tonight at my place at eight o'clock. Is Alec in the lockers Steve?" She dismissed Logan from her mind.

He nodded his eyes fixed unblinkingly on Logan.

Logan watching her retreating back, enraged at his summary dismissal, started after her, only to find a cold eyed Steve barring his way.

Psycho killers the whole fucking lot of them he raged as he stormed out of Jam Pony and over to his car. It's time she gave up that fucking job and got away from the whole murderous lot of them. His head down caught up in his thoughts, he wasn't aware of anyone following him until he felt a vice like grip on his neck and he was yanked into the alley beside Jam Pony.

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"Steve will sort it, Alec, you're not thinking straight." She heard Biggs's heavy breathing and laboured words as she turned into the lockers.

They were in a huddle at the back of the lockers, five of them and Alec who was pinned to the floor. Tavis had his knee on his throat, Biggs and Todd each had a knee on his upper arms and one on each of his shoulders. Dex and Tony seemed to be hovering in general support.

"What the hell is going on here? Let him up this minute," she demanded furiously.

Alec got stiffly to his feet rubbing his throat and shaking his head. Fuck Steve has a powerful right hook. He glowered menacingly at the other Transgenics who had retreated warily over to Max and were now standing behind her.

"What the hell do you lot think you're playing at? Do you want to totally blow our cover here? You cannot fight amongst yourselves in public. What the hell were you thinking Alec? You know better than this," she stormed over banging him in the stomach. "Look at the state of all of you," she raged. "And you," she poked Biggs in the chest, looking disgustedly at his torn shirt collar. "I can even see your barcode. Alec, the back of your hair covers your barcode, give him your shirt," she snapped.

"Wwhat?" he spluttered indignantly, "I'm not giving him my shirt, it's my favourite shirt,"

"Give him your shirt now," she repeated, banging his stomach with the back of her hand for emphasis.

Scowling he pulled the shirt up his body and tossed it at Biggs who returning his scowl, caught it sniffing at it ungraciously.

"Now get back to what your supposed to be doing," she ordered turning, "And you Ale…"

Oh fuck she'd forgotten about those! Her eyes were riveted on his upper body and the still very visible marks she had left on him, blushing she heard them guffawing behind her.

"Give him back his shirt Biggs."

"Nah, I think I better keep it, Max. Can't have anybody seeing my bar code now can we?" Moving the shirt to his other hand, out of her reach, he smirked as he sauntered past her, the others still sniggering followed him.

Alec, his adrenaline levels still high glowered angrily at her. "You need to decide what you're doing Max. Logan needs to be told what's happening. I need to know where I stand," sighing heavily, he ran his hand through his hair self consciously smoothing it down over his barcode.

Not him too she thought exasperated. "Look between you and Logan I'm starting to feel really pressured. I'll decide in my own time Alec and this isn't the place to have this discussion. Don't change the subject anyway what the hell was that all about."

He stared at her helplessly. Yeah that's a conversation he really wanted to have with her and in the middle of Jam Pony. Well you see its like this Max my DNA makes me territorial and because it thinks you're my mate now, it had me on my way over to kill Logan because he touched your cheek. The guys just thought it wasn't such a good idea, hence the ruckus.

"Your right Max this isn't the place to discuss any of this, we've gotta get back to work. I managed to cover our asses with Normal for last week but his patience has limits."

He had a spare shirt in his locker but his locker was across the room from this set of lockers, It was lunchtime and the place was crowded. At least something useful can be salvaged from this he thought smirking, taking her by the hand he slowly made his way across the room. He could feel her trying to unobtrusively pull her hand out of his, ignoring the speculative looks he got from the women, he smirked back at the loud guffaws and appreciative comments of the guys. At least these ordinaries will get the message that she's now mine, he grinned satisfied.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Steve coming back through the main doors. Max furious at his public display and embarrassed that everybody could see what she had done to his body was seething by the time they reached their lockers.

"What the hell was that all about Alec?"

"What?" he answered innocently, delving into his locker for his spare shirt. "You're the one who gave my shirt away Max."

Speechless with indignation and fury she tried to punched him in the stomach but he grabbed her hand before she connected and pulled her into him. Rage flared, as he smelt Logan on her. Jerking her closer, eliminating all space between them he cupped her cheek in his hand. Her skin felt soft and smooth, her jaw small and delicate under his fingers. He gazed broodingly down at her.

Uncertainty flickered in her eyes "Let me go Ale…"

"Shh," putting his finger on her lips his eyes locked with hers, he needed to erase Logan's touch remove all trace of his scent from her and imprint his own again. He tilted her chin and lowered his head quickly brushing her lips with his, he rubbed his cheek on hers trailing his lips across her face around to her mouth and pressed a kiss into the corner of her mouth, she gazed up at him puzzled.

"You had his smell on you. Now you have mine again." Decisively he pulled away, closed his locker and shrugged into his jacket. Bending he quickly kissed her cheek, "I'll see you at Crash after work."

Still feeling the warm imprint of his lips on her cheek, confused, her emotions in turmoil, she watched him walk away.

TBC

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