The Alpha's Mistress

70

Word Count: 2306

~Sienna

This is the worst wedding I've ever been present at, and unfortunately it is mine.

Zion transformed his entire property to be a wedding paradise. His gaudy, out of touch purchases make my nose turn up, although his carefully selected guests seem to enjoy it.

I've been paraded around in my too small dress, forced to smile and act as though I'm enamoured by Alston, who doesn't seem nearly as unimpressed with this circus as I am.

We drawl through our vows and at our kiss, I try not to hesitate.

The way his hand slid behind my neck, his other secured around my waist made me want to set my dress on fire. It's not that he repulses me, I just can't stand another man touching me who isn't my mate.

Pretending to marry Alston feels so strange, so wrong. I know my union with Onyx makes this void, but an uncomfortable feeling crawls over my skin regardless.

I shouldn't be in this situation...

I know not a single person in attendance, and yet I'm forced to shake each of their hands as they depart the venue late at night. It gets to the point that my cheeks ache from my fake smile and my feet are almost bleeding from being wedged into these heels.

With every hand I shake and compliment I'm given, I see Zion watching me.

The smug twist of his lips hasn't diminished since the ceremony started. He thinks he's winning, and yet he has no idea what Alston and I are planning.

Another person appears before me, wearing a white dress with ruffles and a smile so large it nearly swallows half her face.

"Congratulations," she sings, shaking my hand gently.

"Thank you for coming," I respond blandly.

What must be her husband sidles up next to her, taking my hand next. His eyes travel over me blatantly, the bottle of wine I've consumed on my own curling in my stomach.

"Congratulations, you make a beautiful couple."

I smile tightly. "Thank you."

Alston has been pulled off to converse with his brother, who seemed wholly uninterested when introduced to me. Other than that, and a few cousins, he doesn't have much family.

It's good...the less people that rely on this faux union the better.

"I can't wait to see the gorgeous babies you two have," the man claims, looking at my stomach. It takes every ounce of effort not to cover it with my hands.

"I wouldn't count on it," I grumble under my breath. I've heard that exact sentiment at least one hundred times tonight. It's tempting me to rip all the pins from my hair and collapse onto the floor in a fluffy puddle of gauze.

He frowns. "Oh..."

"Bye now."

Mercifully him and his partner move on, heading for someone who is allegedly my Uncle. Anyone connected or allied to Zion is not friend of mine, even if we share blood relation.

A hand suddenly slips into mine, strong as it grips me.

I look up, meeting the heavy browed gaze of Alpha Imogen. A gasp catches in my throat, my first instinct being to pull my hand away, but I refrain.

I don't know much about this Alpha. I know she has always been wary of Onyx due to his freshness as Alpha, and her tense relationship with his father previously. Her and Zion share a tentative understanding that I know so little about, but clearly he trusts her to be here.

She intimates me. Someone that powerful and decisive cannot be underestimated, and she stands for values that are still unclear to me.

"Sienna." She says smoothly, her nose scrunching up a bit at my dress and frilly lace gloves. "I would congratulate you, but I'm not sure it's what you want to hear."

At least she's perceptive...

"Imogen. Thank you for coming," I muse politely, hoping she will continue on her way.

"You couldn't look more disinterested in the ceremony," she continues. "I figured what was going on between you and Onyx was just some private fun. I see now that you truly are in love with him."

My throat tightens at the mention of his name. I'm not sure her angle regarding this conversation, but knowing someone seems through this façade is comforting.

"How can you tell?" I whisper.

"You're a different person when you're far from him." Her deep brown eyes crinkle at the edges. "I can notice the bond between two people well."

"You can?"

"I had a mate. I lost her in an accident years ago." She sighs with her whole chest. "If this isn't what you want, fight for what you do."

I blink up at her in surprise, not expecting those words to come from her mouth.

For as long as I've known Onyx, and in relation, all other Alpha's, I've never particularly liked Imogen. As the oldest Alpha, she is the wisest, but she's secretive and often harsh. I understand her doubts about Onyx, but I never understood her allegiance to my father, even if it is weak.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your mate. Overcoming that has clearly made you the strongest person I've ever met," I admit softly, trying to stop myself from imagining falling victim to a similar fate. "I'm hoping I can count of you if matters start to shift around here."

She doesn't break eye contact, but falls silent for a moment.

I'm taking a risk hinting at something so blatantly when in Zion's territory. Imogen must know war may come if matters change with Onyx and I, but which side she will fall on is still uncertain. Her and Onyx came to some agreement, but that was before she witnessed him turning on Alston.

I just hope now she understands why he did.

"You can rely on me," she finally relents. "Stay safe, Sienna."

She finally releases my hand, bowing her head before she pulls away. I watch her go, my heart thumping in my ears.

It seems we have a majority if this does come down to a war...the relief is so palpable my legs tremble.

That is, until Zion approaches.

"That was a beautiful ceremony, daughter," he muses, turning to stand beside me so he can watch the last of the people filtering out of the grand ballroom.

"Leave me alone," I growl. I'm not in the mood to deal with him tonight.

"You are fulfilling a worthwhile destiny." He doesn't bother to dial down the triumph in his tone. "You should be proud."

"I'm a prisoner here."

"You should thank me. I paired you with a man around your age who's looks are nothing to sneer at." He gestures toward Alston. "Your other options were this not to work are not so favourable."

I glance at Alston. He laughs animatedly, clapping his brother on his back as they talk. People seem to gravitate toward him, seduced by his charisma. As beautiful as he is, he's not who I want, and no amount of prompting from Zion is going to change that.

"Fuck. Off," I snap.

I don't wait for his response, charging toward the exit. People watch, stepping out of my way. I'm sure I must seem ridiculous, visibly angry while clutching the fluffy skirts of my dress.

A hand grabs my arm, but doesn't stop me. Alston falls into step next to me, worry pinching his brows together.

"Hey, everything okay?"

"It's just Zion." I twist through the corridor, nearly barging wedding goers to the side as I merciless stomp toward the stairs. "He will not be missed once we kill him."

Alston visibly winces, murmuring apologies to people as we walk past. I'm so upset I hardly care...let them think their Alpha's life is going to be cut short.

Once we are heading up the stairs, he leans closer.

"I'm starting to devise a plan that I think will genuinely work," he says lowly, eyeing guards that stand post at the top of the stairwell. "We'll discuss it with Onyx when we next see him."

"I'm looking forward to that."

I pause, bracing my hand on the wall as I yank my shoes off, nearly catching my heel on the hem of the dress. I barely note the blood spotting the insole, or the tenderness of my feet as I start walking on the carpet again.

"Was the ceremony...okay?" Alston asks softly, trying to keep up with me.

"It was bearable," I sigh. "But only because it wasn't real."

We make it to my room. Alston pauses in the doorway, rubbing his hand through his curls awkwardly.

"Can I come in?"

I whirl around to face him, his question hanging in the air.

We both know what that means. He's trying to school his face into something calm, but the grimace breaks through. Even he knows this is unbearably uncomfortable, but that's not stopping him in pursuing his heir.

"I'm kind of tired..." I stammer. I can't...I just can't.

"I just want to make sure you're really okay after that. I imagine it was hard," he murmurs softly in an attempt to save the situation.

He steps tentatively into the room when I don't protest, venturing closer as I sit down on the edge of the bed, giving my aching feet a rest.

Despite being afraid of Alston's intentions, I like that I can talk to him freely.

"It was hard," I admit, feeling the chasm of unbearable darkness and misery open back up again. "But I've experienced worse. I had to watch Onyx marry before."

That nearly killed me. I thought that man I had been in love with for years was slipping from my grasp right as I could have had him.

I should have just told him the truth...we could have overcome everything together.

"Ah yes. Violet," he says knowingly, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Beautiful girl."

I nod weakly. "Mmm."

"They were well suited," he admits with a half shrug. "And they could have been happy together, if..."

"If he wasn't in love with me?" I look up at him, my voice cracking.

Neither of them would have been happy. Alston may think that an arranged marriage can work in our case, but I'm not going to fall in love with him. My heart has made its decision, and so has the mate bond.

"It doesn't matter now." he shakes his head. "I was wondering about something..."

"What?"
 
"I think we should start trying tonight." He says it so quickly he practically stumbles of his words, his cheeks reddening. "For my heir."

"Oh...ah—"

"I don't want to pressure you," he adds quickly. "But the sooner we start, the sooner it will be done."

My heart plumets into my stomach, and once again I feel the overwhelming urge to be sick. I know I'm going to be continuously harassed until I either come up with an alternative plan, or give in to his wants, and that haunts me.

"I know," I whisper.

He steps forward, kneeling down to one knee in front of me as if he's not in one of the most expensive suits I've ever seen. He reaches for my face, his eyes dropping down to my lips as his intentions become clear.

"Alston." I balk, pressing back on his shoulders. "I can't tonight."

His eyes darken. "Why not?"

"I'm on my period," I blurt out, grabbing the first excuse that comes to mind. "This week just won't work."

His expression falls and he quickly stands back up again, smoothing a hand down the front of his suit jacket. The excuse may not be original, but it works.

"Oh, that's alright. Next week then, right?"

I smile tightly. "Yeah, of course."

"I know I shouldn't say this, but I'm looking forward to it." He winces. "I mean, I'm looking forward to connecting with you."

"We're never going to be lovers, Alston. You know that, right?" I remind him sternly, giving him a hard look.

Whatever he thinks he feels for me isn't real. We are forced into an uncanny situation and it's doing something strange to his mind.

He rubs the back of his neck. "I don't know. I guess we'll see."

"I think you should go..." I stand, gesturing at the door. If he stays much longer, I fear I'll say something I'll regret, and he'll turn against me.

He hesitates, but eventually nods, backing up a few steps.

"Right. Goodnight Alvera."

I wait until he's closed the door behind him before I release a long breath. I escaped his advances tonight, but how long am I going to be successful in doing that?

Venturing across the room, I pull at the sleeves of the dress, needing to be rid of this hideous monstrosity.

My eye catches on a folded piece of paper piece of paper on my bedside table.

I can feel my heartbeat pulsing in my throat as I stare at it for a few long moments. No, it's can't be...

I wander toward it slowly, my fingers quivering as I pick it up and reveal the familiar hand writing printed on the paper.

Sienna

Onyx may know the truth, but I am not satisfied.

Reproduce with Alston, and I kill him.

Kill Alpha Zion, and I kill you.

Make something work.

~Your brother.

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