Behind The Mask (BL)

Gabriel slammed both hands on the restroom sink as another wave of his scent leaked out. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and touched his sore scent gland. The mere touch caused a sting, causing him to groan.

“Damn it.” He hissed in pain as the gland burned against his skin.

Sweat rolled down his temple despite cool air conditioning. He reached into his pocket with trembling fingers and pulled out a small silver case. Inside rested a single suppressant injector.

He stared at it for a brief moment. Despite using it for so long, he hated it. But he had no choice. Omegas had no stand in a world ruled by arrogant alphas.

He pulled down the collar of his shirt and pressed the injector against the side of his neck. The needle pierced through his skin, injecting burning toxin into his blood stream. The liquid flowed through his veins like larva. Hot. Scorching. And consuming.

Gabriel bit down hard on his lower lip to stop himself from crying out. His knees buckled beneath him. His grip on the sink tightened, summoning every last strength to remain standing.

The suppressant always hurts.

It wasn’t designed to be comfortable.

It was designed to erase.

To erase the scent that would expose him as an omega.

Slowly, the trembling subsided.

He stared at his pale reflection in the mirror. Dark circles rested beneath his eyes. His usually neat hair had become damp from sweat. He splashed cold water across his face, adjusted his tie and smoothened the wrinkles from his shirt.

At least, the suppressant should last up to five hours before his scent breaks out.

His phone vibrated. He picked it up from the sink and checked the message that popped on his screen.

Wyatt: My office. Now.

He texted Wyatt back that he was on his way and pocketed his phone.

After that, he left the restroom and made his way through the executive floor of the company.

One of the secretaries greeted him as he passed her desk.

“Good morning, Secretary Gabriel.”

He gave her a warm smile. “Good morning.”

“Are there any schedule changes for the afternoon meeting?”

“None at the moment,” Gabriel said. “I will get back to you once I get confirmation from Mr Sterling.”

His smile remained polite, hiding every trace of discomfort. As Wyatt’s head secretary, professionalism came before everything else.

He knocked once before entering the CEO’s office.

“Sir, you—”

The words caught in his throat.

Wyatt stood beside the floor-to-ceiling window. A young omega stood before him. The distance between them was almost nonexistent.

From Gabriel’s angle, it looked as though Wyatt had leaned down close enough to whisper into the omega’s ear.

Gabriel blinked.

Confusion flickered across his face.

An omega?

It wasn’t adding up. Everyone in the company knew one thing about Wyatt.

He despised omegas.

He refused to hire them.

He disliked their pheromones. He rarely tolerated their presence for more than a few minutes. Yet there he was…

Standing intimately close to one.

Wyatt tilted his head, his eyes holding Gabriel’s frozen gaze. He pocketed his hands and stepped away from the omega.

“You’re here.”

“Yes, sir.”

Wyatt grabbed a car key from his desk and stretched it towards Gabriel. “Drive Miss Chanel home.”

Gabriel collected the keys. “Of course.”

The omega looked at Gabriel, her eyes slowly observing him before she smirked and walked out of Wyatt’s office.

Just as Gabriel reached the exit, Wyatt called him.

“Gabriel.”

He stopped and turned to look at him. “Yes, sir?”

Wyatt’s cold gaze swept over him. “Clean yourself up before returning.”

Gabriel frowned slightly. “I’m sorry?”

“Your scent.” Wyatt’s expression hardened. “It’s disgusting.”

Gabriel’s chest tightened at his words, but he nodded. “Understood.” He lowered his gaze. “I’ll take care of it.”

Without another word, he opened the door and left.

The elevator ride was painfully quiet. Gabriel kept his gaze fixed on the descending floor numbers.

Disgusting.

The word echoed repeatedly inside his head. He had taken another suppressant only minutes ago.

Was it already failing?

Instinctively, he rubbed the injection mark hidden beneath his collar.

The omega beside him glanced at him cautiously. “Are you alright?”

Gabriel forced a small smile. “I’m fine.”

She looked unconvinced but didn’t ask again.

Soon, they reached the underground parking garage. Gabriel opened the passenger door for her before walking around to the driver’s seat. He drove in silence while the woman occasionally gave him directions until they arrived before a modest apartment building.

Gabriel parked the car, walked the woman to the building and waited until she reached the entrance before preparing to leave.

“Chanel!”

A man yelled at the woman, walking toward her from Gabriel’s direction. His expression was anything but pleasant.

Chanel stiffened.

“You’ve been avoiding my calls, the man said once he reached her side.

Chanel rolled her eyes and glared at him. “Can’t you read the room?” She fired back. “I’m done with you!”

Immediately, he gripped her arms, releasing a strong wave of his alpha pheromones. “Who gives you the right to break up with me?!”

Chanel trembled in his grip as she struggled to break free. “Let go of me you bastard!” She snapped at the Alpha.

Gabriel rushed up to their midst and stood before the man. The alpha’s aggressive pheromone shoved hard at him, he tightened his hands as he held in the aches it was imposing on him.

“Please restrain yourself,” he said through gritted teeth. “You are harming her.”

The man glared at Gabriel. “Stay out of this!”

Gabriel remained where he stood. “I can’t.”

The man’s face darkened. “You think I’m asking?”

He let go of Chanel and shoved Gabriel. The force made his vision blurred, but he steadied himself and stood his ground.

“Please leave,” Gabriel warned.

The alpha’s pheromones exploded into the air.

Oppressive.

Dominating.

Even though Gabriel’s suppressant masked his own scent, his body instinctively reacted. His breathing faltered. His knees weakened.

Not now…

He clenched his jaw, taking a few steps back as his legs wobbled.

The alpha took another threatening step. “You really want to get beaten over an omega?”

Gabriel quietly reached into his pocket. He unlocked his phone. “I’m calling the police.”

The alpha laughed. “You think that scares me?”

Gabriel pressed the emergency call button.

The smile on the man’s face faded. “You’ve got some nerve.” He clicked his tongue in annoyance before glaring at Chanel. “This isn’t over.”

With one final glare, he turned and walked away.

Gabriel didn’t lower the phone until the man disappeared around the corner. Only then did Chanel step forward.

“Thank you.” She said, tears glistening in her eyes. “I don’t know what would have happened if you weren’t here.”

Gabriel offered a tired smile. “You don’t have to thank me.”

She smiled. “Now I see why Wyatt entrusted me with you. You are brave.”

Not knowing what to say, Gabriel remained silent.

The woman turned away from him and walked toward the entrance of the building. Before opening the door, she looked at him.

“I hope I see you again.”

With that, she walked inside the apartment building. The entrance doors closed behind her. And silence returned.

Gabriel remained standing. The moment he was certain she was safe, he went back to the parking lot.

His legs gave out and he crashed against the car.

“…Ha…”

His breathing became ragged. The alpha’s pheromones still lingered in the skin. Even with the suppressant, prolonged exposure had affected him far more than he wanted to admit.

Every muscle ached.

His body felt feverish.

He wiped sweat from his forehead before forcing himself into the driver’s seat.

“I just need…” He swallowed painfully. “…another suppressant.”

With trembling hands, he started the engine. The pharmacy wasn’t far. He only had to make it there before his body betrayed him completely.