The Alpha's Mistress

9

Word Count: 1807

~Onyx

"My mother's business is doing better than ever," Lexa chatters from next to me. "My brother will be taking it over soon, but I get half the profits."

"Uh huh."

My food tastes bitter in my mouth. These girls are nice enough, but sitting at a table with them to eat dinner, pretending I have an interest in courting them is slowly wearing me down.

"I would take over, but I want to marry, you know? I want a man to take care of me," Lexa continues.

She's dragging her fork through her steamed vegetables, the grating sound of metal against mother's expensive dinnerware not seeming to bother her.

"Fair enough."

Seemingly against my will, my attention shifts down the table where Sienna dines. She speaking animatedly with Lexa's brother, his name I have not yet learned.

My eyes narrow slightly as their heads bow close together, the slight pink tint to Sienna's cheeks indicating enough to have me zoning into their conversation.

"Beyond coming to visit you and your village, I'll admit, I would love to travel," Sienna tells the man. "Even beyond the Pack borders."

"Travelling is such a pleasure. I recommend it." He smiles at her, his eyes lingering on her a beat too long for my comfort. "Maybe I can tempt you to come with me on one of my excursions one day."

I shift in my seat, vaguely aware that Lexa has broken into a long spiel beside me.

"That sounds great. Although it will have to be when everything here has been resolved," Sienna says promptly.

Resolved? What does that even mean?

"I'm sure they won't mind if you have a holiday." The man nudges her with his arm, caring more about captivating her than eating his completely untouched dinner.

"Onyx?"

I blink, looking to my left. "Sorry. What were you saying, Lexa?"

"Are you alright? You seemed lost in thought." She pouts a little, her bottom lip sticking out in a way that immediately bothers me.

I feel bad for my scrutiny. I'm entertaining her under false pretences, and that's entirely my fault.

"I'm fine," I mutter distractedly.

Clearing my throat, I stand. The scrape of my chair against the wood floor has voices quietening and heads turning in my direction.

"I want to thank you all for attending. I know that this may be daunting, but with a family member to join you, I hope you will all settle in well."

I look across the table at all the faces that smile and flush. Sienna nods approvingly as I sit back down.

She's going to realise very quickly that my intentions are not that innocent.

I focus on the man beside her. "So, what are you? Brother?"

He drops his food-stuffed fork that was intended for his mouth back onto his plate, straightening at my new found attention.

"Yes, sir. My name is Zayn, and Lexa is my sister."

"Why don't you come sit next to her, then?" Next to Lexa is Violet's older sister Abigail. She freezes, waiting for instruction.

I want Kayn close to me. He needs to answer some questions before he can talk Sienna's ear off about travelling. I've heard less obvious pick-up likes from serial romantics.