HIS DESTINED ALPHA

THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE

💗CH-37💗

The morning sun rises slowly over the horizon, casting a warm glow on the training grounds. Alec stands at the far end of the field, his bow in hand, his stance steady as he focuses on the target ahead of him. The rhythm of the arrows slicing through the air, each one hitting its mark with precision, helps to clear his mind, if only for a moment.

But no matter how many arrows he looses, no matter how many times he draws the bowstring, the weight of last night, the guilt and regret, lingers in his chest. His thoughts constantly flicker back to Magnus-the pain in his eyes, the distance that has only grown between them.

Alec knows he can't keep running from it. The truth has to come out. He can't keep pretending everything will be fine, pretending that things will go back to how they were before.

As he pulls back the string for another shot, he hears the familiar sound of footsteps approaching. He doesn't need to turn around to know who it is. Izzy. She's always been able to find him when he's avoiding everything, when he's trying to bury his feelings in the hope that they'll disappear.

"Alec," Izzy's voice calls, a touch of concern threading through her usual confidence. "We need to talk."

Alec lowers the bow, turning to face his sister. Her brow is furrowed, arms crossed, a look of knowing in her eyes. She's seen him like this before-distant, consumed by something he refuses to share.

"What is it, Izzy?" Alec tries to sound calm, but even to his own ears, his voice betrays him. It's rough, heavy with unspoken emotions. He knows she can see right through him.

"You've been at this for hours," Izzy says, nodding toward the bow in his hand. "I get it. You're trying to work off whatever's eating at you, but you can't just bury it, Alec. Not with me. Not with Magnus." She pauses, her gaze softening. "What happened last night? You've been like this ever since."

Alec's throat tightens, his jaw clenching as the flood of regret surges within him. He lowers the bow completely, stepping away from the target. His hands tremble slightly as he wipes his face, trying to hide how much this is affecting him.

"I kept something from him," Alec admits, his voice barely a whisper, as if speaking the words aloud makes them more real. "Something important. And now... now he's gone. He's shut me out. And it's my fault."

Izzy steps closer, her arms uncrossing as she places a hand on his shoulder. "Alec, what do you mean? What did you keep from Magnus?"

Alec meets her eyes, the pain in his own mirrored in hers. He looks down at the ground, his heart heavy. "I knew about the danger to Edom. I knew for weeks. I was trying to protect him, Izzy. I thought... I thought I could keep him safe by keeping it from him. But all I did was push him away. I betrayed his trust."

Izzy's expression softens further, and she sighs, her hand still resting on his shoulder. "Alec, you're not perfect. None of us are. But Magnus knows that. He knows you didn't want to hurt him. But hiding the truth from him? That's not something you can undo with a few words. You're going to have to show him that you're willing to fight for him. That you're willing to put aside your fear of losing him and face the consequences of your actions."

Alec nods, his eyes staring at the ground, as if he can find the right words, the right way to fix it all. But there are no simple solutions, no easy way out. He has to face Magnus-has to admit his failure-and pray that it's not too late.

"I'm afraid, Izzy," Alec says quietly, almost to himself. "Afraid that I've already lost him. That nothing I do will be enough."

Izzy's voice softens, the fierce edge in her tone replaced by warmth. "You've hurt him, Alec. I'm not going to lie about that. But Magnus loves you.He always has. And love is not something that disappears overnight. But you have to be patient. You have to show him that you're ready to be the man he needs, not the man you were when you thought you could protect him by lying."