The Alpha's Mistress

47

Word Count: 1802

~Sienna

I look down at the glass table, at the litany of plants laid out evenly.

The conservatory is the ideal place to examine the plants I've collected today. They are to be dried so I can place them in my encyclopaedia eventually, but mainly, I'm here to copy their likeness into my illustrated book.

I've been twisting and turning the same leaf for over an hour now. The sun needs to catch every edge of it, reveal every vein.

Pursuing this isn't just a passion, but currently, is also an excellent distraction from how I embarrassed myself last night.

How could I be so stupid? I wanted to take my mind away from the storm, and instead, made a fool of myself.

Onyx doesn't want to compromise our friendship. I should respect that.

Footsteps sound from behind me as someone enters the soupy atmosphere of the conservatory. I barely look over my shoulder, knowing the weight and stride of those steps.

"Hey you."

Onyx's warm voice glides over my skin, making me shiver. He stands behind me, looking over my shoulder at what I'm working on. Suddenly my fingers are quivering and I can't quite remember how I get the perfect sloping lines to best depict this unique plant.

"Hello Onyx," I greet tightly.

He shifts around the table, taking a seat so he can continue watching me work. However, instead of focusing on the beautiful array of plants I've collected, he's looking at my face.

"What's that look?" He queries.

"What look?" I mumble, flipping a plant over with careful precision.

"The look that makes it obvious you're thinking about last night." He smirks at me, his deep brown, almost black eyes appearing lighter than usual.

"Onyx! I am not..." I scold, my face heating uncomfortably.

He doesn't look convinced. "Uh huh."

"We're platonic, remember?" I bite out, dropping my pencil. There is no chance I'm going to be able to concentrate now.

"Uh huh." His smile is teasing as his eyes drop to the table. "What are you doing?"

I roll my shoulders, welcoming the reprieve from my embarrassment that he's obviously giving me. I know he didn't want to reject me, but retrospectively, I know he did the right thing.

"I found these incredible plants deep in the woods and I thought I would note them down in my book," I tell him, resting my hand on my cloth bound book protectively.

He will see it eventually, but not until I'm finished and happy with it.

"Your eye for these things will never not amaze me," Onyx says.

I love when he compliments my work. Despite this not being a personal interest of his, I know he means every kind thing he says.

Still, I eye him teasingly. "You find it weird."

"Only a little." He nudges me playfully. "Mostly I think it's cute. I love that you follow your passions."

I can't help the flush to my cheeks. I'm grateful for his friendship, for how attentive and supportive he is for me.

"You're sweet," I murmur. "Why are you here?"

He grimaces, his quiet happiness dissolving. "I wanted to let you know I'm going away for a while."