The Night I Met The Alpha

13

Word Count: 2081

~Dove

I stare down at where my hand tightly grips my fork, my knuckles pale.

We've been sat at a sweeping table dressed in a white linen tablecloth and adorned with crystal centrepieces and gummy candles that lazily flicker and ripple light over us.

Servants have swept in, serving us a plates of duck with steamed and roasted vegetables and some kind of salty sauce that I'm trying hard not to devour.

My urgent appetite persists despite the unpleasant seating arrangement that has my senses prickling.

Claude sits to my left while Varian flanks my right. He's deep in conversation with Ciella and Eden who are opposite me, with Ida on my sisters right.

I've never understood the appeal of meditation until this very moment, but I may be a convert.

"You look mouthwatering this evening," Claude purrs from beside me, ignoring his date who is on the other side of him.

"Thank you," I bite out, slicing a green bean down the middle.

His attention feels like a suffocating weight, akin to a rock tied to my ankle, dragging me into the depths of a tumultuous ocean. He frightens me, and irks me. It's bothersome.

"Did you enjoy the party?" He asks, swirling his wine, the red liquid licking against the side of the glass lethargically.

"I did."

"I'm sure Varian was more than willing to tell you about what my intentions were that night." His smile flashes his teeth. "After he stole you away from me."

The metal of my fork cuts into the flesh of my palm, the sting a refreshing distraction from my irritation.

"I wasn't anyone's to be stolen, for the record," I say under my breath, watching Eden to make sure she doesn't overhear. "And he did tell me."

I'm yet to rid of the thought of me covered in my own blood while Claude drags his tongue against my skin. It's so horrifying I'm forced to set my cutlery down and forgo the rest of my meal.

"Scintillating, right?" His smile is molten and sultry.

"Let's just agree that it was a good thing our paths diverged that night," I respond brusquely, trying to tune into Ida and Eden's conversation, but their words sound languorous and incoherent.

"You haven't tasted true sin until you've indulged in a night with me." He leans imperceptibly closer. "I was forced to pick another that night, although I thought of you the entire-"

I clear my throat abruptly, letting my fork clang against my plate.

"So, Ida. What is it you do?" I ask delicately.

"Oh, I mostly engage in a number of non-profit organisations around the pack. It's my passion," she says warmly.

"How wonderful."

I swear Claude's chair has inched closer to me, his arm brushing mine as he leans toward me still, lowering his voice.

"Despite having you taken from me, I must admit that seeing your face contort with pleasure while Varian fucked you with his fingers was utterly glorious."

Heat plunges into my blood, likely turning my face crimson. Thankfully Ida has been dragged back into conversation with Eden, no one else seeming to notice my embarrassment.

"Do you not have an ample selection of women to engage with instead of me?" I hiss between gritted teeth, looking pointedly at Anita.

The poor girl is being completely ignored by her imperious date, although has found good company with Alissia, who is talking her ear off about flower arranging.

"I do, in fact." Claude drains his glass of wine, his gaze pressing into me. "Yet I want you."

I roll my eyes, familiar with his practiced seduction methods. Unfortunately for him, they aren't doing him any favours with me.

My response dies on my tongue as I feel the cataclysmic shift in the atmosphere as Varian turns his attention to me.

"Dove," he murmurs. "How are you this evening?"

My name alone sounds sinful on his lips. I'm forced to divert my eyes to my plate, unable to face those obsidian eyes and their proclivity for relentless assessment.

"Fine. Thank you."

"Come home with me tonight," Claude insists, reaching for my thigh under the table but I smack his hand away. "I have so many plans for you."

"Are your family well?" Varian asks.
 
"They are," I say tensely.

Seesawing between listening to Varian and ignoring Claude is more difficult than I would like. The latter has roaming hands that need deflecting and the former needs appeasing.

"I see they aren't as puritanical as you once assumed," Varian murmurs, glancing at my sister. "Well, one of them at least."

"My father is though. Very much so." I start back on my dinner again to give my hands something to do. "In fact, he—"

A foot collides with my ankle under the table and I'm pinned with a hard look from Eden.

Right. It's easy to forget our father is a war advisor for Varian's primary enemy. Any slip up could change the temperature of this conversation drastically.

"He...he has been under Matthias's rule since he became Alpha, and before that, Matthias's father," I force out, clearing my throat.

Claude's chair inches another inch closer to mine. "Say yes to my invitation."

"No thank you, Claude." I twist to glare at him. "Don't you have Anita?"

He rubs his buzzed silver hair, his smile wry.  I turn away again before I can hear some comment about joining the two in bed.

"Did you return home from the party safely?" Varian asks gently.

"I did." I shove a roast potato in my mouth, the vegetable having lost all flavour.

"Yet you didn't give my driver your address," he muses, rubbing his jaw. "Any reason why?"

My mouth dries so I take a moment to sip my drink. Wondering why he inquired with his driver is enough to rouse my suspicion, but I'm mostly focused on ensuring he doesn't uncover the real reason why I'm keeping secrets.

If he finds out about Matthias and my father, this conversation with change rapidly.

"I have a reason. One that has proven to be a good thought considering you knew about me avoiding giving your drivers my address," I say lightly.

His eyes darken. "I just wanted to ensure your safety."

He speaks so languidly and seductively. The thought of what him saying more suggestive phrases would sound like has me pressing my legs together under the table.

"After this dinner, allow me to take you upstairs. There is a painting of mine in Ciella's gallery. We fucked the lady together years ago," Claude encourages, his mouth close to my left ear.

"No Claude," I snap.

"Did you, at the very least, enjoy my party?" Varian asks softly.

I don't think either of them can hear each other, or care that both are trying to speak to me at the same time.

"I enjoyed parts of it, yes," I admit to Varian. Hoping he doesn't think about what parts I'm eluding to...

He leans imperceptibly closer, holding my gaze in a way that feels far too intimate with everyone else at the dinner table. Thankfully they are all engaged in their own animated discourse, unbothered by the way Varian looks at me like he wants to eat me alive.

"So you still think of what I did to you." He doesn't pose it like a question, but like a statement of fact.

I swallow thickly. "It hasn't crossed my mind since."

My mouth feels like cotton. My lie is unconvincing, since I've thought about that night every moment since. It's not like I can admit that to him, though. Not at the expense of my dignity, at least...

His lips curve. "Liar."

"What can I do to get a moment of your time?" Claude pulls my attention back to him. "You let my Alpha, my friend bring you to climax in front of a group of people, and yet you cannot spare me a glance?"

I give him the glance he desires, but in the form of a bitter glare. "I would like you to leave me alone."

Varian rests his hand over mine. "I never thought I would see you again."

Pulling my hand away quickly, I scan the table to ensure no one noticed. Only Claude's eyes are focused on me.

"Does it matter that you now have seen me again?" I question. "That night didn't mean anything, it was just a bit of fun. And it's not like we're going to see each other again after this."

The sighs through his nose, his brows pressing together. "There is something very pressing that I wish to tell you."

I shake my head, focusing on my plate. "Not now, please."

My frustration is becoming too much to bear. I'm about to ask to be seated somewhere else, but I can't take much more of either of the conversations trying to happen beside me.

"Were I to excuse myself to the bathroom, would you follow shortly?" Claude asks.

"Leave me alone!"

My vision blurs as I reach out and grab my fork before jabbing the tines deep into Claude's thigh.

The moment he grunts in pain, reality crowds into me again. The soft chatter of voices in the room has ceased as everyone stares at me in mute horror.

"Holy shit." I bring my trembling hands up to my mouth. "I...I don't know why I did that."

"Fuck...me that hurts," Claude hisses through gritted teeth, yanking the fork out of his thigh, tossing it onto the table.

It clatters against the dinnerware, coated in a light sheen of blood. My stomach turns. I have no idea what came over me, but my frustration become so suffocated I needed to clear the air.

"Dove, what the fuck?" Eden gapes at me.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me," I insist.

I expect an explosion of anger out of Claude, but instead he starts laughing. The sound is loud and genuine, and a little eerie considering everyone else's stunned silence.

"That was the hottest thing I've ever had done to me." His eyes meet mine, his desire palpable.

I push back from the table. "You're demented."

"Look at all that blood, Dove." He looks down at his thigh, the fabric of his pants darkening as the blood soaks through it.

His smile is uncanny, his arousal obvious. My stomach turns, realising Claude is a far more dangerous person than I could have imagined.

"It's alright everyone, I'm sure the wound isn't deep." Ciella hustles around the table, grabbing Claude's arm to steady him as she helps him out of his chair. "Lucky for you, Claude, I have a healer on call."

"No need. Dove will take care of me, won't you?" Claude winks, forcing me to look away.

"Leave her be you menace." Ciella scolds. "Come with me."

Claude hobbles with Ciella toward the door, looking over his shoulder at me. "You owe me!"

I shiver. Owing Claude sounds like a dangerous predicament to be in. I can't bear to think about what he's going to call on to feel vindicated...

A soft hand rests on my shoulder, making me jump.

"You're shaking," Varian murmurs, his gaze assessing me.

"I'm fine." I sweep the strands of hair clinging to my face which is dampening with sweat. "Why did I do that?"

"He deserved it. You did what we all wish we had the guts to do," Ida brings up, her smile light and unconcerned.

"Absolutely." Alissa laughs softly, sipping her wine.

I look between them. Only Eden seems mortified, trying to catch my gaze which happily avoids her. Ida and Alissa seem genuinely unbothered by my reaction, continuing to talk between themselves without much care.

Anita leans over suddenly after staring at the bloodied fork for an unreasonable amount of time, vomiting on the floor near my feet.

I jump back into Varian's chest. "Oh shit!"

"Alright, time to go." Varian takes my arm, guiding me from the room. I let him, needing to get out of the room, away from what I just did.

I look up at Varian's face, his expression schooled into neutrality. "I just stabbed that man."

He looks down at me with a smile. "You're probably not the first, don't worry."

🩶••🩶

As always, you can read this book 16 chapters ahead on Inkitt and 10 chapters ahead on Radish!

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~Midika 🐈‍⬛💜