Chapter Text
Everything is worse than he thought. No amount of Ferrari blood is going to contain the uncertainty in his heart; as the days goes by, one by one of the gang heads go missing and the more information he gets from them, the angrier he feels. Most of them are clueless where Charles is at but there’s information about the new hormonal drug Ferrari is perfecting. It seems his mate’s reaction and reports from all the years finally bear some twisted fruit for the organization and now they claim to have something that will put Charles’ omega genetics dormant for a very long time.
The amount of deaths definitely made them worried because it gets harder and harder to kidnap them even if Max has already killed a few big names. They speculate his return, they claim he’s alive but he has yet to really show his face. Maybe the question now is, how much blood must be shed before he finds Charles?
He didn’t manage to get his claws on Arthur Leclerc, close but not enough. Apparently, the eldest got severely injured protecting the youngest, ensuring another one of his brothers doesn’t fall to Red Bull. They did end up giving up on Bryan— he’s still strapped to a chair somewhere in the basement, Max has interrogated the man verbally, and he’s loyal, very willing to die for Charles and Ferrari. He isn’t dead yet… only because… Max knows Charles… and the last thing he wants is for his beloved adorable mate to hate him even more even if… Charles does look incredibly sexy when he’s angry.
Max’s thoughts pause when Daniel knocks on the door, rushing in with a box in hand.
“Boss, look at this.” He hands it and it was opened prior, his team doing the necessary inspections so they don’t bring in a bomb into their safe house.
He grabs the lid of it, lifting it up just a little yet the heavy scent of his mate hits him like a wave. The Dutch Lion’s heartbeat spikes, discarding the top to see the ‘gift’ left for him. Charles’ shirt. He’s sure of it. The scent is unmistakable. Max bites back a noise in the back of his throat, hands grabbing the fabric in search of a clue and sure enough a red card drops out of it.
It’s embossed with the prancing horse logo but there’s no words on it.
Did they get to him first? Is this a threat from Ferrari? Do they have him?
Max doesn’t hear Daniel calling his name. His head is in a trance, clouded with his mate’s scent now that he has it. There’s no blood on it and he doesn’t smell pregnant but there’s no saying he will after all the years of his body changing. Who sent this? Why did they send it? How do they know it’ll come to him?
“Most of the executives are too afraid to set foot in France since our killings but we got word that Mattia Binotto landed hours ago…”
He’s well acquainted with that name– that’s the man who has been leading the project.
“We don’t know why he’s in France but we’re keeping an eye on him… this… box was found in his hotel room before he left.”
How is this possible? How could they get to him first? After all his resources and influence, was it not enough? Max blames himself for the incompetence. Hating how Charles is in the wrong hands first. How could he allow this to happen? As an Alpha, he has failed his Omega.
“We think he has the new drug too… and… you know… if…” Daniel doesn’t finish his words, and Max knows a good reason for it. He nods his head, breathing through his nose to calm himself down, “Find out where he’s going… I’ll go after him.”
“If you do that… your cover will be blown and—”
“I don’t care. They have Charles! I don’t give a fuck!”
Max slams the table and that’s enough understanding for the both of them. Daniel sighs, not out of disappointment but pure worry for the spiral his leader is going through, however, the Dutch Lion cannot think of anything else except his mate. His instincts guide him to the fabric again, grabbing it and slowly putting it up to his nose, taking a very deep inhale of the scent, feeling his inner wolf calm with each passing second.
He thinks.
They’ll use the drug on him.
Charles will lose himself and the puppies—-
They’re provoking him. They’re mocking him.
He can’t act the way they expect him to.
Max takes his gun out from the drawer and makes his way down the hallway, long fast strides until he reaches the living hall where Daniel is making some calls, barking orders down the line. The taller male pauses when he sees him, immediately asking if everything is alright.
“...When you have word about Binotto, tell me, I will go after him immediately but get Yuki and Seb to lock down the area and search for Charles. His safety is a priority and it is a priority over mine. If I come out of there alive without Charles, I will kill all of you for failing me. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Next… either we have a mole problem or someone in Ferrari is messing with me…”
“What do you mean?”
“The gift they sent… his shirt with his scent. How do they know it would matter to me? They know we’re mates and last I checked… not many of us know it. Charles could’ve told Lorenzo… maybe even Arthur but I doubt they’d betray him like this. He didn’t leave a word about it to Pierre Gasly… Ferrari made the connection that I was killing because of Charles, that maybe I was obsessed with him or wanting territory but they would not speculate us being mates. It is too far-fetched…”
“Max… what if… this is a trap? What if Charles is on their side and…they’re doing this to lure you out and kill you? I know you love your mate… but what if…he doesn’t…. Love you back?”
What if his plan didn’t work? What if moments apart fueled his Omega with hatred and rage instead? If it was anyone else who said those words or even insinuated it, Max would’ve shot them but this is Daniel and Daniel always has his heart and best wishes in his mind. So, he knows for a fact that it’s out of pure concern and reasoning.
The Dutch Lion smiles, the first one he’s had since a long time.
“Then I’d gladly die for him. If Charles doesn’t want me, then I do not have a reason to live.”
“...What if the drugs work?”
“Omega or not, he is my fated one. Once I have him, he will not leave my side anymore. Whether he is willing or not. I will spend every waking hour to bring my Omega back if that’s what it takes…”
Daniel casts his eyes away, intimidated by words alone.
“It worked when we were on the cruise… everything I did… the drugs, the sex… so if it takes a never ending trip this time… I’ll do it…”
A beep of Daniel’s phone casts his eyes down and moments later, he hears the news he wants to.
“We have sight on target.”
Time to hunt.