Alpha of Dahael - ONC2024

Chapter 8 - Troubled Thoughts

Morning brought a sense of normalcy, or at least the illusion of it as she woke up feeling alert and refreshed. She checked the window to make sure that it was still locked from the night before. She took a quick shower letting the cold water run down her body as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She inhaled the sweet scent of flowers fromher bodywash and smiled at the familiarity of the scent. It was one of her favourite scents and just what she needed to start her day off fresh.

After reminiscing in the bathroom she dressed quickly and joined Mrs. Bonny for breakfast, her demeanour change, it was calm yet tinged with lingering apprehension. She couldn't bring herself to mention the encounter from the previous night, unsure of how it would be received.

Throughout the day, Sayde found herself glancing out of her window occasionally, half-expecting to see the mysterious man or the strange creatures once again, but fortunately the day passed without any unusual occurrences, and soon it was evening once more.

As night descended, Sayde's sense of unease returned. It was as if the darkness held secrets that were just beyond her grasp. She felt that she needed some fresh air, she wouldn't wander off again. Stepping out onto the porch, Sayde's gaze swept across the quiet surroundings.

The moon cast long shadows, creating an eerie yet mesmerising atmosphere. She took hesitant steps forward, her senses alert for any signs of movement.

A soft rustling sound caught her attention, and Sayde turned towards the source. To her surprise, it was Mrs. Bonny, carrying a basket of freshly picked flowers.

"Evening, Miss Bloom," Mrs. Bonny greeted warmly, her presence a comforting sight in the darkness.

"Good evening, Mrs. Bonny," Sayde replied, a faint smile gracing her lips. "Those flowers are beautiful."

Mrs. Bonny chuckled softly. "Thank you, dear. Just thought I'd add a touch of brightness to the evening."

As Mrs. Bonny arranged the flowers in a vase on the porch, Sayde couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the elderly woman's kindness. Despite the strange events of the past days, Mrs. Bonny's presence offered a sense of normalcy and reassurance.

The night wore on, and Sayde found herself engaged in conversation with Mrs. Bonny, their voices carrying softly in the night.

The fear and unease that had gripped Sayde earlier began to fade, replaced by a sense of camaraderie and warmth. She smiled to herself, it almost felt like she had a grandmother again, she missed having talks like this and just enjoying the time spent in the company of another.

As she bid Mrs. Bonny goodnight and retreated to her room, she walked slowly over to her window and opened the curtains slightly. She looked around, nothing peculiar captured her eyes, with a final glance out of her window, Sayde settled into bed, her thoughts drifting as sleep gradually claimed her.

Her dreams filled with random blurs as she heard random whispers and saw blurred faces. She felt nauseous this was the second time this had happened but why?

She groaned as she got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to freshen up, the stickiness of the sweat clung to her body.

Thirty minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom still feeling slightly sick. The house seemed eerily quiet, an uneasy feeling washed over her. She got up and started checking all areas humanly possible to hide a person. After she was satisfied with her search, she sank back into her bed and took a drink from the bottle she had placed on her bedside table.

She ate one of the snacks she had brought from downstairs before throwing the wrapper into trash bin next to her bedside table. Getting up to wash her hands and her face when a bit of loneliness hit her. She sighed and headed back to bed wrapping herself up cosily in her bedsheets. Tomorrow was a new day, and with it, the promise of new discoveries and perhaps even answers to the mysteries that had captured her imagination.

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Audeion's steps echoed softly in the hallway as he made his way out of the elevator, his mind still swirling with thoughts.

The conversation with Aaron and the unexpected offer of help replayed in his mind like a broken record, accompanied by a sense of gratitude mixed with apprehension. The notion of someone willing to stand by him in his time of need was both comforting and unsettling, considering the stakes of his predicament.

His keys jiggled as he unlocked his door and made his way to his bedroom. With a quick pull he was out of his shirt and his pants and underwear followed suit. He placed his clothes into the laundry basket before plopping the key on top of the dressing table.

'In the next two days he should visit the doctor again,' he thought to himself, placing his phone on the dresser as well. "He would have to see if Aaron was busy or if he would have to go there on his own this time."

"Aza set up a reminder to contact Aaron in the morning for scheduling purposes." The familiar ding came from his phone as an AI voice responded, "Setting up reminder to contact Aaron tomorrow morning for Scheduling purposes."

"Thank you," he responded as he headed towards the bathroom and within a few minutes. The warmth of the water cascading over him was a soothing balm to his weary body and mind. He let out a small groan of appreciation as the steam filled the bathroom, creating a cocoon of tranquillity that allowed him to momentarily forget the weight of his responsibilities.

A few minutes later he dried himself off and slipped into comfortable loungewear, his thoughts drifted back to the events of the day.

Lying on his bed, Audeion stared up at the ceiling, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting a warm light in the room. The day had been filled with unexpected twists and turns, leaving him with more questions than answers.

With a sigh, Audeion closed his eyes, letting exhaustion finally catch up to him.

Tomorrow was another day, and with that day came its own set of challenges but in the quiet comfort of his apartment, he allowed himself to relax and let sleep try to embrace him, the image of the woman's smiling face lingering in his dreams, her grey eyes seemed to hold a universe of emotions, twinkling with warmth whenever she smiled. Her laughter had been like a melody, filling the air with a sense of lightness that Audeion hadn't felt in a long time.

Being in her presence made him feel safe in a way his mother made him feel safe when he was younger. The image of her tousled chocolate brown curls and the scattering of freckles across her cheeks lingered in his mind, painting a picture of beauty and serenity amidst the turmoil of his thoughts.

He wondered 'if she was just a passing encounter,' as he slowly drifted off to sleep. 'Maybe fate would bring them together again'. The uncertainty added a tinge of longing to his thoughts, a desire to see her and hear her laughter once more.

"Mate," a deep voice said inside of his head as Audeion was being sucked into dreamland.