The Alpha's Mistress

49

Word Count: 2591

~Onyx

I roll my shoulders, walking into the houses familiar embrace.

I shake my arms, as if I can physically expel the anxious excitement coursing through me. I don't just want to see Sienna. I need to see her.

"Welcome back, Alpha, Luna," Misty, one of my maids greets. "Let me take your bags."

Violet breezes in next to me, rubbing her eyes. She's exhausted. This trip was a success in some ways, and a failure in others. Imogen had no more information regarding Sienna's attacker, but we are on friendlier terms now.

"Thank you, Misty."

I set my bags down on the floor, letting Misty take Violet's bags first.

"Onyx, Violet. You're back a day early," a voice calls from the staircase.

Alex is hurrying down them toward us, her smile weak as she attempts to hide a nervous expression. My suspicion is dampened, however, by my desire to see Sienna as soon as possible.

"I thought I would wrap everything up a bit earlier so I could return. I've been anxious to get back." I rub my hands together, glancing at Violet who blinks blearily. She was sleeping in the transport.

She smiles regardless. "He's been anxious to see Sienna."

"Don't act like you haven't been missing Ariel every day we've been gone," I note, raising my brows at her.

She flushes, nodding subtly. Violet in love is far more relaxed and content. I know it hurts her too, though, not being able to marry her lover.

"You're right. I'm going to go find her." Violet darts off up the stairs quickly, not looking back.

I smile to myself. Violet is pure goodness. She deserves happiness more than a lot of people I know, and I hope one day I can give it to her fully. I just have to figure out how best to appease my people.

"Well, I'm off to see Sienna," I announce, starting for the stairs.

Alex weaves in front of me, holding her hands out. "Wait, Onyx..."

I pause. "What?"

"I think there are some business related things that your mother want to speak to you about." She grabs the banister, almost like she is trying to block me.

I frown, rubbing the back of my neck. Alex is my mother's new assistant, and still trying to earn her respect. Unfortunately there is nothing that can stop me from going upstairs.

"Tell her I'll speak to her tomorrow. I have so much planned for Sienna."

I brush past Alex, my feet pounding against the stairs as I make my way up. Alex follows me closely.

"Oh yeah?" Her voice is shaky with nerves.

"I'm going to take her out for a picnic near the lake, then let her explain the intricacies of leaf patterns all throughout the forest...or whatever she wants to. Then I'm going to play cards with her until she tires, then — well, I won't tell you what else I have planned," I say, glancing back at Alex as I walk.

I've spent a frustrating few weeks away from her. I'm not holding back tonight.

"That sounds so nice." Alex bounds up two steps at a time, trying to intercept me at the top but my strides are longer. "But I think you should really go see your mother, Onyx."

"I'll see her tomorrow."

"It's important," she insists desperately, right behind me as I make my way down the hallway, reaching Sienna's bedroom.

"Not as important as Sienna." I open her door, scanning the empty space. "Oh, she's not in her room. She must be with Diane, or maybe she is in the forest...or the barn."

The bed is made, but Sienna's clothing is strewn about, her closet doors gaping open. She has always insisted she would keep her room tidy over the maids cleaning it on her behalf.

I turn to see Alex has pressed her hands on either wall, effectively blocking me from continuing back down the hall.

"She's not there," she tells me breathlessly, her face contorted in a grimace.

I frown. "Where is she then?"

"She's not here," she says uneasily. "She left."

A cold feel settles into my chest. Alex is looking at me like I'm an explosive, ticking in anticipation of blowing up. Sienna leaving, unless to go to the village or to the lake is alarmingly abnormal.

"Where did she go?"

"She went to visit some family. She didn't say where." She rubs the back of her neck, smiling sheepishly.

I fold my arms over my chest, narrowing my eyes. "Sienna doesn't have any family she is in contact with."

"Shit...I meant Diane's family," she excuses hopeless.

Considering her cheeks are flushed bright red, she's fidgeting with the hem of her shirt and she's shifting from foot to foot, it's obvious she's guilty.

"Alex. Where is she?" I demand softly, trying to reign back my impatience. If Sienna has gone somewhere, and I need to know as soon as possible.

She lets out a long groan, her resolve finally crumbling.

"She ran away. She doesn't want you following her, and I was supposed to keep it a secret for as long as possible, but I guess there's no point..." She presses her palms to her face, guilt and indecision eating away at her.

It takes a moment for her words to cut through the tired haze on my mind from all the travelling.

"What? What do you mean she ran away?" I snap.

She winces. I don't mean to sound so harsh but if something has happened to Sienna, I'm not going to wait around for her to finally spit it out.

"Read this. She told me to leave it for you. Maybe it explains where she went."

She digs a note from her back pocket, pressing it into my hand. I fold it open, seeing the familiar lines of Sienna's handwriting.

Onyx,

I'm so sorry. I truly love you, and for that reason, I had to leave.

There are some things about my past I never told you about. I wanted to leave them behind, but carrying these lies has been harder than I expected.

And, selfishly, I can't stay in that manor anymore. I can't see you with Violet, knowing I will never marry you like I want to.

I'm going to get some space for a while. Maybe in a few months, or years, we can see each other again, but I think it's best for both of us that I move on.

I really do love you. I'll contact when I'm safe.

Please don't try find me. This is for the best.

Sienna.

I lower the note, my gaze blurring. There's a dull pounding in my head that vaguely sounds like blood pumping, but I can't focus on it. I can't focus on anything other than the thought of Sienna running like she did from Kayn...

Except this time it's from me. All because I couldn't marry her, because I didn't put my title as Alpha to the side so I could put her first.

"Fuck..." I hiss, dropping the note so I can sweep both hands through my hair.

Alex reaches for me. "Look-"

I pull back a step, needing space, needing to only focus on one thing.

"Where is she?" I demand sharply, already starting off down the hallway.

"I don't know. She didn't say." Alex chases behind me.

"Go find my mother and see what she knows," I tell her. "I need a log of every transport taken off this property immediately."

She can't have gone far. I'll send out every person I have working for me to find her, and when they do, I'm going to fix this.

I need to fix this.

"But-"

"When did she leave? Yesterday, the day before?" I ask, cutting her off.

Alex stops in her step, forcing me to as well. Now her face has scrunched up and she looks ready to combust into nothingness just to escape this interrogation.

"A week ago."

I force myself to take a long pause before I speak. I don't want to be mean to Alex, to let my frustration, concern and impatience force words from my mouth that I do not mean.

But this is Sienna...my soulmate, I'm sure of it. I need to find her, to prove to her that she can return here with no concern about what problems her past will bring her.

She needs to know that I'll do anything to bring her back. Anything.

"A week? And no one told me?" I question calmly, although Alex must see the fierceness in my expression because she backs up a step.

"She doesn't want to be found. Maybe you should respect her wishes, Onyx," she offers softly. "When she told me I found it hard too, but I realised it was what was going to make her happy so I let her go."

I shake my head, my chest tightening.

"She's my mate, Alex. I know it. I'm going to find her, and I'm going to marry her."

I hardly know what I'm saying, but the moments the words fall past my lips, I know this is the right decision.

I'm going to marry her.

Alex's eyes widen and her mouth drops open. "Wait, what?"

I start back off, making it to the stairs.

"Violet? Where is Violet?" I call out through the hall, pulling the attention of two guards and a scattering of maids. They all look between themselves, uncertain.

I pound down the stairs, and when I make it to the bottom, Violet appears. She's dressed in a long coat, her hair done up. She looks ready to leave again, her lover, Ariel, by her side.

"I'm right here, Onyx. Ariel and I are just going for a walk," she exclaims, her gloved hands clasping Ariel's.

"Sienna left..." I tell her tensely. "She's not coming back."

I shove the letter into her hands, needing her to read it, needing someone to read it. She needs to understand why I'm about to make my decision.

"Oh no. You'll find her, I'm sure," Violet murmurs, folding the letter back up once she's completed reading it.

"Even if I find her, she won't want to come back," I insist. "I...I need to marry her."

It's cruel, I know it is. Casting Violet out so I can marry my true love is horrible of me, but I can't sacrifice Sienna again. I'm damning the consequences and doing what I hope is right.

Violet blinks, glancing at Ariel and then back at me. "You want to marry Sienna?"

"Yes. I need her back here, and she can't be my mistress forever," I exclaim. "I want her as my wife and I want her to have my children and be this Pack's Luna."

I watch Violet's expression warily. I expect her to yell, for her face to redden and her temper to flare. Instead, a bright smile touches her lips, a sparkle glistening in her eyes as if this is the best news she's heard in her life.

She slaps my arm playfully, grinning. "I've been waiting for you to come to your senses."

I blink, confused. Violet has always been a stoic, almost solemn person. Her quiet introspection has always been a feature I've liked about her, and now she's like an entirely different person. It's both shocking and wonderful to see.

"You have?"

"Yes! Marry her!" She insists brightly. Even Ariel is grinning now, the meek girl emerging from her shell.

"What about you?" I ask. "I don't want to take your life from you like this."

"Ariel and I can finally do what we've been talking about." Violet wraps her arm around her lover. "We are going to get as far away from my father we can and we are going to have our dream life."

"A cottage, in the woods with a pretty garden and fruit trees," Ariel adds ecstatically.

My brows crease. I always knew Violet was under obligation to become Luna. I even doubted she wanted to be here at all, but I never expected her to have an entirely differently life planned out.

"It's not that I didn't like being Luna, I just felt like I was filling in for someone who is actually made for it," Violet explains.

I offer a tentatively smile. "You deserve the life you have always dreamt of."

"Give this to Sienna." She pulls off her wedding band, then her engagement ring, pressing it into my palm. "It was always meant for her."

I look down at it, at the silver band and pretty, simple diamond. I inherited it from my mother, who inherited it from my grandmother and so on. Now it belongs to Sienna.

I'm going to make her mine. I just need to find her.

"Leave tonight. I'll get you plenty of money so you can start your new life. In fact, I'll send you money every month for the rest of your lives together," I insist. "I'll ensure your father learns nothing about where you have gone."

Violet flushes. "You don't need to do that."

"Go, be happy, Violet. No one deserves it more than you," I murmur.

"You too." She rubs my arm tenderly. "Tell that to Sienna when you find her."

I nod, smiling softly as Violet and Ariel dash up the stairs, eager to pack their bags to make their way elsewhere. I hope to see them again, once I've married Sienna and everything has settled down.

Taking Sienna as my wife will complicate a lot, and may weaken my standing with my people. Yet, I suddenly can't find it in myself to care, as if my resolve is a tank that has been completely depleted.

"Onyx."

A sharp voice has me turning, seeing my mother lingering nearby, watching me with wary eyes. She looks as though she has been crying, as though she hasn't slept in weeks.

"Where did she go, mother?" I demand, approaching her.

She wraps her arms around herself. "What is your plan?"

"Do you trust me?" I tighten my grip around the two rings, deciding I won't be letting them off my person until they are safely on Sienna's finger.

"I...of course."

"Then tell me where she's gone." I have my suspicions that mother may have chased Sienna off, having seen me close to breaking. Yet, at the same time, I see a look in her eyes I haven't before.

Sienna is gone and she is scared...

"I don't know, but I let her take one of the transports," she admits, tucking her hair back with a trembling hand. "Gerald outside will know which one."

"I won't be returning until I have Sienna. Suspend all my business matters until I'm back," I demand, heading toward the door.

"Onyx!"

I pause, turning back to look at her. "What, mother?"

"Bring her back safely. Please," she murmurs gently, offering a tentatively smile.

I nod, a renewed desperation to find Sienna overcoming me as I press through the door and out into the world.

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