Forbidden Entanglement with Mafia Alpha

11: Magnus

Magnus did not smoke as often as he used to.

It was a win, in his opinion. For someone who felt the amount of stress he did within a day, cutting down to one or two sticks was an absolute win compared to when he could go through an entire pack in a day.

Just as Magnus took a lit cigarette to his mouth and inhaled, the blue velvet curtains separating their booth from the rest of Taste of Redemption were pulled open.

Justin Reid came into view, his blonde hair shorter, a blazer draped over the right side of his torso to hide the arm cast.

Even though there was a thin haze in the air from the culmination of cigarettes and vapes within the booth, Magnus could feel Justin's dark eyes immediately on him.

The beta was a few inches shorter than Magnus, with a rather innocent look that could usually fool outsiders into thinking he was just an ordinary guy next door and not second-in-command to the New Order's most wanted criminal alpha. Justin being second-in-command meant Magnus trusted the man to do the things he could not trust other Pack members to do. After nearly a decade of knowing one another, Magnus easily read the urgency in Justin's expression without a single word exchanged between them.

Magnus savored the feeling of smoke in his lungs before exhaling slowly, angling his face to the side so the smoke wouldn't hit the woman still on his lap.

His cigarette wasn't even halfway finished, but he crushed the tip against a crystal ashtray on the couch next to him before maneuvering the stripper off him with barely a heave. He hadn't been enjoying it anyway, she smelled too sweet—like vanilla mixed with honey, trying to hide the stench of drugs and alcohol.

The woman let out a huff of disappointment that Magnus wasn't sure he was supposed to hear, so he tipped her fifty dollars before making his way out of the booth.

As soon as Magnus stood, his more sober Pack member tried to follow instantly. He stopped them with a raised hand. "Stay. You're all off-duty until tomorrow."

Justin held the curtain back with his good arm for Magnus to pass through. They walked through the dimly-lit hallway leading to the back entrance of Taste of Redemption.

Magnus' black car was parked right outside the back door. The cool night breeze helped him gather his bearings after downing three glasses of whiskey. Magnus hadn't expected Justin to come get him so late, which meant there was business that needed to be handled now.

The second-in-command wordlessly opened the door for Magnus to get into the backseat. Driving the car was Piolo Cruz, Magnus' newly-designated third-in-command. For someone who only had one good eye, Piolo had no problem driving through Dreadus streets even at night.

The third-in-command gave an acknowledging nod at Magnus through the rearview mirror. Once Justin had situated himself in the passenger seat, Piolo pulled out onto the road.

Magnus tugged off his blazer. "Has another shipment been intercepted?"

"Emilio Fernandez is dead, Head Alpha."

Time stopped.

A beat.

Another.

Then, "Have they found his body?"

"Right outside his hideout," Piolo answered. His voice was the complete opposite to Justin's clear, smooth tone. Piolo's voice sounded like rocks against concrete. "A slice to his neck. It was clean. He hadn't seen the killer coming."

Magnus' jaw twitched.

That meant whoever killed Emilio was skilled enough to sneak on a werewolf and strong enough to overpower a grown man.

Leaning back and closing his eyes, Magnus actively pushed down the frustration he felt. It was a vicious, chaotic thing if he didn't keep it in check all the time. "First the art pieces, now this." Complications in Magnus' line of work were normal. But Magnus did not achieve all that he did by simply going with the flow. He controlled things, foretold outcomes, had back-up plans for his back-up plans.

Things not going his way were his biggest triggers.

"Photos of my face are being passed around by soldiers on patrol," Justin said, his tone light in contrast with his words. "Motherfuckers can't wait to get their revenge for the five soldiers I shot."

"They should have aimed better then," Magnus huffed.

Magnus had nearly lost his cool a few days ago, when Justin told him that their plan for after the art gallery—the one with the paintings and the cocaine hidden in their boxes—had failed because soldiers stopped the truck even before Justin made it to the border.

Justin had managed to get out alive, with their products and paintings, but the jig was up. They couldn't use the same tactic again. A bullet had gotten caught in the beta's arm, fortunately sparing any vital arteries and organs.

Magnus had to hire a jet and pay-off tons of people just so he could get the drugs to their customers outside the state in time.

"Head Alpha," Piolo gruffed out. He drove the car onto the main highway. "You don't find it a little odd? These happenings?"

Justin snorted. Magnus saw his second-in-command use his good arm to hit Piolo across the chest. "This again. We deal with bullshit like this all the time, P. If you start questioning all the bad things that have happened to us, you should just remember: we're the bad guys."

"How can you have your position and be so flippant–"

"It's not being flippant. I just don't dwell on things like you do."

"Dwelling on things is how I've remained alive five years more than you currently have."

"Weird flex, but okay."

"Have the Amethyst Pack reached out yet?" Magnus asked with a harder tone than necessary, rubbing his fingers over his forehead at his bickering Pack members.

Justin pulled out his phone. "Not yet. But if they don't know already, they'll know in a few hours. Emilio's death will probably be on every news channel right now, and Emilio's Head Alpha will most likely make headlines of his own in his quest to seek revenge." The second-in-command looked through the rearview mirror. "You're probably the next target, Magnus. Nobody knew who our supplier was until recently. We should probably put a halt to your more daring plans until–"

"I've been the New Order's target for years now," Magnus cut Justin off. "This does not change anything we do."

Justin sighed. So far, he was the only one in the Red Flame Pack who did not fear to show his disappointment (and his true emotions in general) towards Magnus.

They took a turn down a familiar avenue, surrounded by high-rise buildings and luxury stores. Justin tried again, "Boss. I know you're eager to make a move to the Northern Region by taking on the Mooncrawl Pack, but I think—"

"As much as I mourn the loss of Emilio's life, our clients will be upset if they do not receive next week's shipment. Upset clients are as good as gone." Magnus was good at compartmentalizing and pushing aside his feelings.

Emilio's death hadn't sunken in yet.

"Piolo, we're not driving to my house," Magnus called out. "Emilio had ten employees he shared his business with. We're going to make a stop at each of their addresses, and we're going to find out who knows how to replicate Emilio's recipe."

-----

The irrational fear that Magnus Lawson or his men would find Faith's appearance in their lives suspicious after the death of Emilio Fernandez never once left Faith for three days.

It did not help that Magnus had her number but had not called or sent her a text yet.

But the day before the auction, Magnus had called to confirm their plans. He even helped Faith by mentioning it was a black-tie event.

Faith had shimmied into a floor-length dress with a sweetheart neckline that showed off her boobs. She sleeked her blonde hair away from her face, put in minimal make-up, and wore a silver necklace with a small, diamond pendant in the shape of a flower.

Magnus had wanted to come pick her up, but Faith insisted she get a cab instead.

The Head Alpha was vehemently against that idea, and so he sent Justin to pick Faith up.

The second-in-command was waiting outside the black car, his arm in a cast. Faith's heels clicked against the pavement as she got closer to a smiling Justin.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Faith's eyes widened with worry.

Justin quickly brushed her off with a smile that looked easy to trust. The beat probably charmed people into a false sense of security, since his Head Alpha looked as cuddly and soft as a rock. "All's good, just fell down some stairs. Honestly, I'm a bit of a klutz."

But Faith already knew Justin had been shot in the arm.

The beta was pulling the backseat door open for her before Faith could reply anything. "You'll be okay driving?"

"There's no alternative, Ms. Moore."

"Call me Faye, please. And I could drive."

Justin let out a chuckle. "Thank you for the offer, but my boss will gut me if I let his beautiful lady drive to the auction with me in the backseat."

Faith told herself that the only reason she felt flustered at being called Magnus' lady was because she was still putting on an act.

-----

It had been difficult for Faith to know which auction Magnus was taking her to, and who the organizer was. But after tech specialist Sugar helped, Faith was aware that Justin was driving her to Yvette Zolotov's manor.

The mansion itself was within a walled land. Security guards with shotguns were stationed outside large gates, checking drivers and passengers as they passed through.

They got in with no trouble since Justin's name was on the list. The mansion showed off the fact that the Zolotovs came from old money, and they had more money than they knew what to do with. There were even guards roaming the grounds.

Justin drove Faith all the way to the main entrance; double doors flung open to let exclusively invited guests inside for the private auction.

Faith thanked Justin. She tried not to be too suspicious as she took in more of the Zolotov family's mansion. Not even Sugar's skills in hacking could uncover photos of the inside of this home. And while Faith usually did not agree to dates or meet-ups with her targets in places she was unfamiliar with, SAC Armando Falls made his priorities clear during their last call.

"Your next goal is to find out more about Mganus Lawson's past, so we can complete his file. I need you to find out the other methods they are able to deliver cocaine all over the state and outside Dreadus too."

Faith could not do that if she did not take risks to show Magnus that she was worthy to be by his side, either as a lover or a partner.

Faith had to go through a metal detector on the way to a grand ballroom of sorts. The Zolotov family were all part of the Red Flame Pack, which meant most of tonight's guests were also in the Red Flame Pack. That only made the fact that Faith had no gun or dagger on her worse.

She was surrounded by people who were under Head Alpha Magnus Lawson's rule.

Which was why it was not surprising for Faith to spot Magnus, quite literally in the center of the ballroom under a crystal chandelier, surrounded by men and women wearing black and white—like a flock of sheep crowding their master.

Faith hadn't even been staring for more than five seconds when Magnus' blue eyes found hers, as if he sensed her arrival. The Head Alpha was able to see over the majority of the people's heads due to his tall stature.

Immediately, he was excusing himself from the large crowd without actually breaking eye-contact with Faith.

Faith put on her best smile, waiting for Magnus to reach her.

And she nearly jumped when a hand delicately touched her bare shoulder.

Next to her stood Tyler Venture, who was grinning at Faith's expression. "Surprised to see me too?"