Faith

part ten

Tya sat enveloped by the silence of her home , her jet-black hair messily pulled into a bun, her siren-like eyes sharply focused on the device in her hand. Images of men flashed one by one across the screen, each swipe of her slim index finger deliberate, as if she was browsing an online store catalog rather than faces. Her concentration was palpable, her gaze calculated, knowing exactly what she sought.

All the men shared a few key traits: black hair, dark eyes, sharp jawlines. The pattern was clear. Then, abruptly, her finger paused. One face stood out—the man bore an uncanny resemblance to Alex, with eyes that mirrored his intensity and facial features that seemed almost identical.

Tya’s lips curled into a faint smile as she locked onto his image. Without hesitation, she moved his picture into another application, her fingers gliding across the screen with swift precision, her mind already racing ahead with the next steps.
In less than ten minutes, Tya had gathered everything she needed about the man—his name, profession, hobbies, and even the places he frequented. For someone with her expertise, stalking was effortless, almost second nature. But this time, it wasn’t about eliminating a target. There was a different game at play.

With meticulous precision, she crafted a profile on a dating app, each detail carefully curated to draw him in. From the alluring picture to the shared interests, everything was tailored to perfection. She knew exactly what would catch his eye and lead him straight into her web. It wasn't just about matching—it was about control, setting the stage for a new kind of manipulation. This wasn’t a kill; this was a psychological trap, and Tya always enjoyed these the most. She spent her next nights refining every detail, weaving together Alex’s fake identity with the same precision she used for her hits. The passport, the documents, even his new life—all had to be flawless. She’d been tailing the Hungry Dogs for weeks, learning their weaknesses, adjusting their escape plan with razor-sharp accuracy to seem as if the Hungry Dogs attack was successful. It was her way of protecting Alex, of ensuring everything went off without a hitch. Yet, despite her focus, she couldn’t ignore the subtle shift in him.

He was different now, distant in a way she hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t the usual coldness of “Blue Blood,” but something deeper, almost... haunted. When she saw his eyes drift, she didn’t need to ask what was on his mind—she assumed it was the weight of their plan. Of course, Alex was thinking about the risks, about leaving everything, including her, behind. It was logical to her; she had come to terms long ago with the life they lived, accepting that one day, their paths might diverge.

But what Tya didn’t know was that it wasn’t their dangerous life that plagued Alex's thoughts. It wasn’t the gang or even the mission. It was Eian. Her face lingered in his mind every time he tried to rest, the connection they shared coursing through his veins like a pulse he couldn’t ignore. The moment their eyes met replayed over and over, the intensity of it unraveling everything he thought he knew about himself.

Tya, however, stayed silent. She believed he was struggling with the idea of abandoning her, his partner in crime, his shadow. And if that’s what he was wrestling with, she would let him. She didn’t need him to reassure her—she had long made peace with the darkness that defined her existence. If Alex left, she would remain.

In the warmth of the luxurious room, surrounded by delicate furnishings that mirrored Eian’s gentle nature, the omega sat amidst scattered papers. Her collage project, an attempt to distract herself, lay unfinished. For three weeks now, she had been consumed by thoughts of her alpha. Why hadn’t he returned? She wasn’t angry about the party, just confused—so confused.

Since childhood, Eian had dreamed of meeting her alpha, imagining what he might be like. But she also harbored fears. What if he turned out to be one of those arrogant, entitled alphas from a wealthy family? She loathed those types. But the man she’d seen that night… he was different. Mysterious, handsome, and the way her heart melted whenever she thought of him—it was undeniable. Still, as the weeks stretched on, her confusion grew. Why hadn’t he come for her? What was keeping him away?