The Alpha's Mistress

69

Word Count: 1990

~Onyx

Sienna's hands are warm and soft in my grasp.

Most of the ceremony so far has been a beautiful blur. Not once have I been able to lift my eyes from Sienna's, wanting to imagine that we aren't in the basement of an old inn, that there are pews flooded with people we love and care about, and not a single person staring us down with their arms folded and a scowl on their face.

Thankfully one of my personal guards was able to step in and officiate this ceremony. I just wish I could give Sienna the wedding she truly deserves.

She tightens her grip on my hands, seeming to read my expression as to guard instructs us to finish our vows.

"I vow to dedicate myself to you, to always consider your needs before my own. I vow to love you through everything, to fight for you every day and to give myself selflessly to you for the rest of our lives," I promise softly.

Her smile is watery, emotion flooding her eyes. "I vow to fight for you, to fight for this mate bond. I vow to take on your problems, to weather any storm that may come, and to love you until my last breath."

I break out into a smile that has become increasingly rare since she left. I'm so in love with her it's hard to imagine there is any room for other emotions.

"Go on, kiss her then," Alston mutters.

Cradling the side of my face, I draw her closer. Her eyes drift closed and a serene look passes over her face right before my lips brush against her.

The moment my mouth meets hers everything vanishes from around me. The inn, Alston, our problems...they all disappear.

"Loving you is the easiest, most natural thing I've ever done," I whisper against her mouth, wanting my words to be for her ears only.

Something that sounds an awful lot like a sob mixed with a giggle spills past her lips. "I can't wait for the rest of our lives, Onyx."

Slow clapping sounds from before us. Alston's expression is blank, no joy or amusement to be found.

"Wow, very sweet, very cute," he commentates. "Now sign this marriage document and seal this doomed relationship once and for all."

"You don't need to be a dick about it." Sienna lets go of my hand, snatching the papers from him.

We signed our contract with him last night, barring me from rightfully claiming Sienna as my pack member and wife lest I want to bring war to my doorstep.

At this point I'm more than willing to take the risk, but I'm deferring to Sienna on this. She wants to fight her way out, and I'm honouring that.

For now.

"It won't be you getting the last laugh, Alston," I warm, watching Sienna sign her name before handing the pent o me.

"We'll see." That familiar, trademark smirk returns to his lips. "Our child is going to be beautiful, Sienna. I wonder if they'll have your eyes."

As I'm signing, he reaches out and brushes Sienna's hair off her face in a movement so tender I know he's not just doing it to aggravate me. He truly cares about her, but for now, it's what is keeping her safe from Zion.

She shoulders him off, leaning closer to me. "Stop it. That's not fair."

I'm trying not to think what Sienna is giving Alston in exchange for us to be married. She's devised a few ways to put off their union until we can come up with another plan, but he isn't going to help us kill Zion until he has his heir.

His smile drops and he rubs his face, something like genuine regret become apparent on his face.

"Sorry," he mutters tiredly. "I didn't get any sleep last night."

"You two should go before suspicion is roused," I muse regretfully. I'll never get used to watching Sienna leave with him, knowing there is always a chance I won't see her again if Alston chooses not to honour our agreement.

Sienna's eyes well with sadness. "I wish it wasn't like this."

"It won't be for long," I promise gently. "Alston will get his heir and we'll kill Zion, and you can come back home with me."

Alston steps close, his sudden proximity to me loosening a growl from my throat.

"You may have a claim to bring her back to you, but know I will launch a war against you with Zion and everyone else who will support me when they see our contract," he seethes low, each word dripping with warning.

I shove his shoulder, sending him stumbling back a step. "I signed it for a reason. We have an agreement."

He should count himself lucky. Once this is over and I've secured Sienna and gathered my forces, there won't be much keeping me from flattening his pack.

"Good. Come along then Sienna." He slides his hand into my mates, leading her toward the stairs.

I watch them solemnly. "I'll see you back in here in two weeks, won't I?"

Alston waves over his shoulder dismissively. "Of course. We have an agreement."

Sienna watches me over her shoulder with each step she makes up the stairs, a stark longing in her eyes that speaks to something deep within me.

I need to save her. I need to end this.

***

~Sienna

The carriage shifts and undulates along the long, dark road as we return to Zion's estate. We have passed from immune land to his, random outposts of guards becoming far more common as we get closer.

"I'm sorry for the way I've been acting," Alston brings up softly. "You have to understand this is hard for me."

I shift my gaze from where I've been intently staring out the window. Alston looks meek, his shoulders drawn in, the first few buttons of his shirt undone.

My jaw settles into a hard time as I regard him. "Hard for you. You've got to be kidding."

Alston is an entirely different man away from Onyx. I don't know what it is about my mate, but the posturing that Alston does in his proximity should be studied.

He clearly see's Onyx as competition, which is a pill that is becoming increasingly harder to swallow.

"Sienna...I have feelings for you," he admits softly, looking down at where his fingers are laced together on his lap. "It might not to be love, but I'm very attracted to you, and seeing you with Onyx hurts."

I exhale through my nose, willing calm and patience to overcome me.

"How do you think Onyx feels? My actual mate?"

He looks up, a darkness clouding his bright blue eyes in shadow. "To be honest I don't care. He's not good for you."

I shake my head slowly. Alston and I may have become closer over these weeks, relying on each other to get through this tumultuous time, but he has no idea what is right for me.

If he truly cared, he would release me from this cruel bargain.

"You're supposed to be my friend, Alston," I remind him sharply. "You're making this harder than it needs to be."

He presses the heel of his palms into his eyes. "I know...I'm sorry."

We fall into a tense silence for a while longer, listening to the familiar creaks and rattles of the carriage as it rolls over the gravel road.

Eventually my mind spirals into a dark chasm that tempts me to bring up a conversation I've been trying to avoid.

"When do we...you know." I bite down hard on my lower lip, hoping the sting of pain will distract me from his answer.

His brows raise. "Start trying?"

"Yeah."

"Soon. Once we complete this fake wedding in a couple days," he murmurs.

In order for this to work, Zion has to believe Alston and I are actually married. So, all of Alston's important pack members will be in attendance, and so will Zion's. It's made the perfect excuse to get away, as Alston has claimed he wanted to bring me back to his pack to parade me around for a day.

"Alright..." I break off, wincing at the thought.

"It will be okay, I promise." He leans forward, bracing his elbows on his thighs. "I'll make it good for you."

I repress the urge to shudder. Maybe in another life I could have fallen for Alston — he's a handsome man, and seems to have a good heart. But in this life, I am in love with Onyx, and he is the only man I ever want to be with.

"You need to stop saying that," I grumble.

"But I mean it. I'd never do anything to hurt you," he insists softly.

A sudden onslaught of emotion chokes in my throat. I try to swallow it down but it's almost impossible. I know it's likely from a lack of sleep and having to part with Onyx, but I can barely contain it.

"I'm already hurt. I just had to walk away from my husband and mate." I wipe at a tear that dares to fall, silently cursing myself. "Do you even know how hard that is for me?"

It's as if my heart is being torn from my chest. Onyx takes a part of me with him every time he leaves, and I want to follow, to reunite myself with the parts of me I fear are gone forever...
 
Alston's expression crumbles as his gaze follows a tears path down my cheek. "You're right, you don't deserve that."

"I couldn't care less about power over Zion's pack. I just want to be free of this."

"You will be," he affirms. "I have some ideas on how we can get Zion alone to kill him so his guards don't intervene."

Wiping away the last of my tears, I focus on that. A plan, a way out of this. Killing Zion will solve not just my problems, but Onyx's. It gives me something to fight for.

"It won't be easy. That guard of his is permanently fixed to his side," I note, thinking about the hideously tall, muscular man that follows my father everywhere, weapons permanently strapped to his sides.

The moment my father is cut down, he will descend upon us without mercy, targeting us before any of Alston's guards.

Although Zion doesn't seem to be suspicious of Alston, he has ensured his own guards far outnumber the one's of Alston's that he allows in the manor.

"We'll manage it," he promises. "After that, and after...well—"

I hold my hand up. "You don't need to say it."

"After all of this you'll be free. I promise." He smiles softly, and although my entire body aches, I offer one back.

At the end of the day, I've been paired with someone who is willing to help me, and I should be grateful for that. Even if he likes to make snide comments at my mate and claims to harbour feelings for me...

"Thank you for helping me," I murmur. "I know you didn't need to do any of this, so it means it a lot."

He nods. "You deserve happiness. Truly."

I settle back into my seat, looking down at my hand, at my bare finger where Onyx's grandmothers ring should sit.

I am now married to my mate. No one can take that from me.

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