The Alpha's Mistress

72

Word Count: 2420

~Sienna

I lean my head back against the edge of the bath, releasing a long sigh.

This is my only moment of peace. Sitting in a bath where the water is a bit too hot, reddening my skin, and staring up at a pale ceiling, my vision warped by the steam.

A lot has happened since I last saw Onyx three days ago.

On a whim, when Alston and I had spent the day together, I felt confident enough to broach the question of trust with him. Zion has been especially suspicious of Alston recently, which has put him on edge, giving me the perfect opportunity to bring up killing him pre-emptively.

I figured he would shut it down, would tell me he needs his heir first. But the doubt has gotten under his skin, and he eventually agreed to start devising a plan to kill Zion.

My eyes close, the tension in my limbs uncoiling.

Despite everything Alston is doing for me, I can't find it in myself to feel bad. He genuinely believes, after all this time, that I will stay and give him is heir.

He has truly deluded himself into believing Onyx and I's relationship isn't real, isn't meaningful.

I appreciate Alston, but I'm concerned he actually believes he is in love with me.

The sound of clothing stirring a few from me has my eyes opening again. Alston is standing in the doorway of the bathroom, gazing down at me.

"Alston!" I scream, lurching upward as I band an arm over my breasts. Thankfully the bubbles cover everything else, but the surge of mortification stains my skin regardless.

"I'm sorry—"

"How long were you standing there?" I hiss, the water rolling about the tub, some having slipped over the edge and onto the floor.

He looks away, his jaw tense.

"Not long," he admits. "I was just about to say something."

"You could have knocked!"

The thought of him watching me from the doorway is beyond unsettling, leaving a sour feeling swirling in my stomach.

"I did. Multiple times," he states. "I was coming in to check on you."

I huff out a breath. Was I really that deep in my head that I didn't even hear him knocking? I wish he had taken the hint and left instead of entering my bedroom.

"What...ugh, never mind." I motion for him to turn around. "What do you want?"

Stepping out of the bath, I try not to slip on the slick floor. As I towel off, I keep an eye on Alston, but he doesn't turn back around.

"I thought we could go over the plan one more time." He scratches the back of his neck, his back tense.

Tomorrow is the day we kill Zion.

It's all we've been talking about, but I understand his apprehension. Everything is riding on this going right — if it doesn't, Zion will know Alston and I are working together, and he will ensure I remarry someone who won't be so merciful.

"Are you finally going to tell me where this exit is?" I question, slipping a bathrobe on before brushing past Alston on my way into my room.

Our plan is to kill Zion and escape through a service tunnel beneath the estate that emerges out near an old road that was decommissioned decades ago. From there, Alston's guards will escort us quickly to the border and to his Pack where we can seek refuge before reclaiming our right to the Pack.

Well, that's his plan. Mine is to flee back to Onyx the moment the opportunity presents itself.

And if Alston dares wage war against my mate, his small Pack in comparison will be crushed beneath the weight of Onyx's power. Without Zion's alliance, Alston has nothing.

It's not ideal...I don't want to betray Alston, but anything is preferable to having to sleep with him and carry his child.

"I can guide you to it tomorrow," he assures me, his gaze tracking me as I sit down on my bed. "We'll need to get to it as soon as Zion is dead, as once his guard finds him, the property...hell, the whole pack will be shut down."

"And you're sure this tunnel isn't used anymore?" I ask, folding my arms across my chest.

"It's a service tunnel that comes out near the old well. Water used to be brought through that way, but that's not necessary anymore," he assures me.

He looks beyond tired — he looks shattered, exhausted. He mustn't be sleeping, for the dark shadows under his eyes have deepened in colour and vivid red lines streak through the whites of his eyes.

I wonder what else has been plaguing him. His eyes are usually an electric blue, and now they appear dull and muted like the life once in them is draining out...

I can't worry about that tonight. Nothing can alter tomorrow's plan.

"Alright, so, Zion has definitely agreed to your idea?" I ask.

"Yes, he's having all his guards do an integration drill with my guards first thing in the morning while he takes his breakfast in his chambers," he explains, beginning to pace before me.

"Which I will bring him after you intercept his maid."

"Bring it in under the guise that you want to talk," he states. "Make your reasoning believable as not to rouse suspicion...something about how you and I aren't getting along, or maybe try to act as though you're appealing to his good nature by asking to see Onyx once more."

I nod. This is a solid plan. By now Zion must be wondering why I've stopped resisting to his ideas, why I haven't uttered Onyx's name recently.

"That sounds good." I can't help but smile. "Then you come in."

"I come in once his guard is gone and...we kill him," he says softly, swallowing thickly.

I frown a touch, trying to meet his gaze. He's stopped pacing now, but he's staring at my bedroom window, which only shows his reflection right back.

"His maid is his taster, so by intercepting her we can poison the food," I add. "I assume he takes an antidote though, just in case."

"Which is why you can take a knife, just in case," he murmurs.

I stand, tightening the robe's band around my middle. "Can I have it now?"

He hesitates long enough for the temperature in the room to cool. He still doesn't trust me, which is all this plan hinges on. He doesn't want to give me the knife in case I turn on him too...

"I'll give it to you first thing," he assures me, rubbing his jaw. "Better I have it in case of a search."

I exhale slowly. True, I suppose. Guards have been known to search me from time to time, and I would hate to know the consequences if they found a knife on me.

"Right. Now tell me where the entrance to the service tunnel is," I challenge, eyeing him warily.

This needs to go perfectly. I hate that I don't know where it is, that I can't sneak out tonight being sure of where it is without putting myself at immense risk.

"I'll tell you tomorrow—"

"I want to know now," I snap.

I'm pushing him. I can feel this is too much pressure, and yet I can't help myself.

He sighs roughly, shaking his head. "Sienna—"

"Alston."

"Fuck!" He throws his hands up, his voice booming through the room. I wince, cowering back a step.

He's not just frustrated, he's angry. Not at me, but at something else, possibly at himself. It's enough to make me wary of him.

"What?" I venture tentatively.

"Shit," he hisses, turning his back on me, digging his fingers into his dark brown curls. "I'm really going to do it."

He's breathing harshly through his teeth, his shoulders heaving with the effort. My mouth dries, a terrible sense that he's at his breaking point bearing down on me.

"Do what?" I whisper after a long moment. "Alston, you're scaring me."

He whirls back around to stare at me. His pupils are inflated and his face is tinged red. There's a feral, almost unrecognisable look about him that has me glancing apprehensively at the door.

As if the guards outside would do anything to save me....

"Let's have sex. I want my heir." His voice sounds strangled, his hair a rampant mess from his hands.

"Woah, I thought you trusted me." I back up, but the backs of my knees hit the edge of the bed. "I agreed to give you the heir once it was safe, once Zion was gone."

Fuck. This was what I was worried about. He's turning on me. I can see the string as frayed and now it's unraveling bit by bit until it cannot be wound back up again.

He shakes his head, almost looking regretful. "I can't trust that."

"You said you trusted me! You said you felt sorry for me!" I snap, panic crawling up my throat, making my voice shaky and uneven.

"Things have changed," he states decidedly.

"Alston...no...." I'm ready to beg, ready to plead. Something has changed about him tonight — I sensed it the moment he walked in.

The man I bartered with yesterday is gone. He either doesn't trust me or is choosing not to for his own benefit. Either way, he's snuffing my hope out as effectively as a bucket of water on a firepit.

"The deal is off."

"But—"

"The whole deal," he growls, his voice otherworldly. "Fuck the contract, I don't care."

No. no.

"What?" I can't breathe, can barely even see the man in front of me. My biggest fear since we made the agreement is coming true, and I feel as though my heart is about to fail me.

His serious expression melts and a watery smile greets his mouth as he takes another step toward me. There's nowhere for me to run to, nowhere for me to escape.

"You're mine, Sienna. I'll take my heir, and I'm going to take you as my wife," he murmurs like he's trying to soothe me, like this is good news.

"I'm married to Onyx..." I choke out.

"I can get it annulled." He laughs bitterly, the sound searing against my skin. "I'll claim you didn't consummate quickly enough after, I'll find a loophole."

"Why? Why do this to me?" I question hopelessly, feeling a traitorous tear fall from my eyes. "You're supposed to be my friend, Alston."

This can't be happening...

"I want you," he breathes, reaching for my face. "You're the perfect girl, the perfect wife. You'll lead both our packs with me and we will be happy...eventually, when you come around."

His fingers are ice cold as they glide up my cheeks, cradling either side of my face. I want to jerk away, to put space between us, but there isn't anywhere to run.

"Eventually? I'll never want you!" I insist desperately, grimacing as he wipes away a tear with his thumb. He even has the nerve to look sorry for me.

"You'll fall in love with me. I'll spend every day after today making it happen," he vows. "But I can't kill Zion. Not until I've thwarted your mate and destroyed that bond of yours—"

A hot surge of fury erupts from within me and I shove at his chest, pushing him back a few steps.

"You promised me!" I yell, my hands balling into fists.

He's lost his mind. Something has gotten to him, deluded him...he needs to snap out of this, to realise he doesn't love me.

And Onyx...Alston is signing his death sentence speaking like this, turning on us like this. The moment we fail to show up in two weeks to meet him, he'll assume the worst and wage war against Zion.

"That was until I fell in love with you. Until I realised I much prefer you over my heir." He smiles. "But I suppose now I can have both."

"No...Alston, please don't do this. Onyx will wage war against you," I remind him coarsely.

"I'll fight him off, then I'll kill him." He squares his shoulders back. "Stay with me willingly, and I'll spare him."

I gape at him, my mind whirling. He just dismantled our agreement in favour of another, knowing he's limiting my options.

"You've lost your mind!"

"You're not getting away from me Sienna." His smile drops. "Tomorrow we will have a long talk with Zion, and we'll admit our crimes to him together. He'll forgive us."

I plaster my hands to either side of my face, silently hoping this is a nightmare that I'll wake from soon. Alston wouldn't turn on me like this, not when we've come so far with trust.

If I got him to trust me once, got him to reason with me, I can do it again...

I step forward, opting for a softer tone, like I'm speaking to a wounded animal. "Come on, we can talk about this, come to another agreement—"

"No more." He holds his hand out, cutting me off. "Zion and I will prepare for war and finally rid of Onyx for good. Then you and I can get to our life together..."

"Alston—"

"I'll even take you back to my pack, and show you off." He rubs his hands together, contemplating the thought gleefully. "People believe we are in love, it's great! Soon enough what they see will be our truth."

My hands rake through my hair as I turn away. "No...no this can't be happening."

"Sleep well, my love." He strides over, presses a kiss to the side of my head before I can push him off, and then heads to the door. "Tomorrow is the start of our new life."

I watch him go, utterly speechless.

The door closes behind him, the lock clicking into place, sealing my fate.

I need to get out of here...I need to get back to Onyx.

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