Beautiful Dreamer

28. Seduce

Ari awoke to a loud silence in her apartment. She hadn't realised she'd become so accustomed to having Mun and Ned around that she felt uncomfortable listening to her thoughts.

There was no denying sleep wasn't forthcoming, and neither would tossing in bed back and forth tire her enough to slumber again. It was time to wake up, even though she'd only slept four hours.

'Mun must have left early without breakfast.'

In truth, what had caused her discomfort and made her insomniac were Mun's words the previous day. Her friend was undoubtedly correct, for she had never fathomed being exclusively intimate with a beta, so to challenge her in that perspective struck her.

Ari remembered betas being brought over by her foster parents with the hope that her peculiar preference to dominance tendencies would be cured, as if there were any tendencies to be treated in the first place. Instead, one of the beta boys had developed a liking towards her, and upon receiving his confession, Ari had thought of a more excellent way to turn him down, but the fact that she knew why her foster parents had brought him over drove her to rebellion. She'd been point black with the boy, whose face turned pale the moment he'd declared she was born dominant, and had preference to the boy's brother as well. That remark landed her a punishment that had her isolated for weeks in hospital with a recommended treatment to turn her back to the popular choice of a woman or, as her  parents called it, normal.

That had become the beginning of her plotting a way out. The rumour of her unusual oriented condition spread like wildfire. Soon enough, everyone began distancing themselves from her, including some of her peers who had also discreetly confessed to being dominant boys out of curiosity to mingle with her. Seeing whatever she'd endured openly, they chose silence, begging Ari not to reveal the secret they'd shared in confidence. After all, it was the sole reason she had stood out to be picked for adoption.

Ari reflected on those memories whilst in the shower and only realised she'd stayed longer than she should when her tummy rumbled.

"Time to eat." She spoke to herself and opened her bedroom door, heading towards the kitchen.

'I wonder why Mun shut my door this time. He always leaves it open to get on my nerves... Or perhaps he didn't come to bid me farewell this time. Strange. He's been following that maddening routine like some morning ritual.' She wondered. Reaching for her phone, she checked for any messages from Ned, but there had been none. She'd expected this; after all, Ned had mentioned being heavily preoccupied in the coming weeks.

Smiling at herself, a part of her felt relieved that everything was going well in her relationship. Judging from their compatibility, she and Ned might soon be on their trip, galavanting as a couple abroad once Ned's schedule cleared up a bit.

Sizzling an omelette, Ari vowed to settle matters with Rey immediately. But, the truth is, she didn't want to meet Rey because she was furious; instead, she felt ashamed of how she had been explored to the brim by someone younger and inexperienced at dealing with those of her kind.

"Don't turn." Whispered a voice behind her. There was no mistaking who it belonged to. Ari was startled to believe it so until two large hands trapped her on either side, slowly pressing on the kitchen counter and her in between.

"If I don't do this, you might run away."

Ari's ears flushed from the feeling of a hot breath brushing the nape of her neck. Rey was here!

But why...? When...?'Mun that prick!'

Rey smiled and leaned closer as if he could read through Ari's false demeanour. "As I see it, and feel it, standing this close has proven something that bothered me for a long time." Rey sighed, then concluded, "I believe I'm attracted to you."