The Alpha's Mistress

28

Word Count: 1784

~Sienna

The house is abuzz with activity.

People are frantically rushing in every direction for seemingly no reason. Everyone not directly dealing with Willow's body want to just be busy, although it's causing chaos.

I sift through the people, looking for Onyx.

It's only been an hour since he found the body. It sent a ripple through the manor and now everyone is involved. Lexa is panicking and Alex has locked herself in her room from fear.

Whatever happened to Elora happened to Willow, seemingly confirming my theory that something was wrong.

I snag Lilia, one of the maids by the sleeve as she rushes past me. "Hey, have you seen Onyx?"

"He's outside I think." She scratches behind her ear, looking anxious to keep walking.

I frown, glancing out the main hall's gigantic double windows flanking the door.

"Outside? Like in the rain?"

"I think so." She too looks out the window, probably wondering if she should have stopped him. "He said he needed time to think."

That's not a good sign.

With nothing more on than my sweater and some pants, I rush outside. The rain immediately dots uncomfortably against my skin as I bow my head and rush toward the barn.

It's empty, the light not even on.

Where could he be?

My feet start moving before my brain can catch up. I hurry out down the back path, around the garden and across the lawn to the top of the cliff.

Sure enough, in the darkness I can see his figure, gazing out into the empty expanse of grey cloud and misty rain.

"Onyx?" I call out.

He doesn't turn as I approach. "You shouldn't be out here. This rain could turn into a storm any minute now."

I come to his side. His hair is completely plastered against his forehead, watering dripping down into his thick lashes. His clothing is drenched, and yet, he doesn't look bothered in the slightest.

Something haunts him, though. I can see it in the tense lines of his perfectly sculpted face.

"Come inside with me." I snag the sleeve of his wet jacket. "There is no use standing in weather like this. We'll both get sick."

He looks down at his feet. "I can't."

"We will find who did this to Willow, alright? It's not your fault," I insist. This is hard for him, of course. I just had no idea the two were so close. Onyx looks heartbroken.

He sighs, looking back at the estate. The golden light from the windows cuts through the rain, giving the home a haunted, eerie look.

"This process was never going to work," he says, falling into step next to me as we make our way back to the manor. "How could anyone think I could fall in love?"

"You're more than capable of loving someone, Onyx. You're going to make an incredible husband." I wipe at my eyes, the raining gathering in my eyelashes starting to blur my vision.

"I'm tired of this game of pretend." His expression is tortured. "I'm tired of following rules set out by ancestors of mine that don't feel right."

"I know."

I was waiting for this moment, where it would all become too much. I can't even conceive of the sacrifices he must make for the betterment of his Pack. He's braver than anyone I know.