Alpha Kaden | ✔️ (Published)

Chapter Six

Word Count: 1833

~Mara

I sat on the edge of my bed for what felt like hours. I can't sleep.

It's a mixture of the heat in my room, and nerves bubbling in my stomach. Saying yes to Kace will forever be a terrible memory burned into my mind. The photos of my family around are doing my head in. Why can't I get them out of my head?

I stand, pacing the room for a few moments. Naturally, I am a curious person. And the need to leave this room right now is pressing. Just to explore, not necessarily to attempt some sort of escape.

Because I know I'll fail at that.

Building up some semblance of courage, I walk to the door to try it. To my surprise, it swings open, revealing that no one locked it.

I peer out, looking down the hallway. I expected to see Coen there, but the place is barren. This makes a wicked smile cross my features. Time to make my move.

Stalking down the hallway, I kept my footsteps as light as possible. It would be a real annoyance of someone was to find me here now. What surprises me the most though, is that the place is still, no sign of life to be seen of heard anywhere for miles.

Padding down the stairs, I look left and right. The coast is clear, so I respond by walking to the right. It leads me into darkness, the lights running lower as I walk further. The feeling is eerie.

The fact that I could possibly be caught at any moment brings me a feeling of exhilaration. I've never stepped out of line in my life, and this is the first risk I have ever dared taking.

I descend down two more flights of stairs. The first one was wooden and clean, basically sweeping me off my feet with every step. The next flight of stairs had one light illuminating it, and the steps were hard stone.

I should stop and walk back upstairs, go back to my room and sleep...But curiosity pulled me along like a dog in a leash. The more stairs I placed my bare feet on, the more my interest increased.

I paused. A strange sounds ascends up the hallway, making me shiver. The sound can only be described as a loud thud. Something is banging down there, like metal on metal. The sound makes my blood run cold. Makes lumps form on my skin.

I have to investigate.

Moving slower this time, with a lot more caution, I make my way toward the sound. It gets louder as I plummet further down. By the time I'm at the foot of the stairs, the sound is threatening to burst my ear drums.

Down here the temperature is a lot higher. I can feel sweat already forming on my forehead. I pull my hair off my face, and kept moving. What I'm about to find down here is still unknown to me.

Passing by a few door-which rooms I looked into-I notice the sound is sourced from the back of the hallway.

A partially open door entices me closer. Someone is in there, banging things around.

Biting my lip, I creep closer on my tip toes. Praying I don't get caught, I peer my head around the corner of my door, and gasp at what I see.

A man. Naked. Well, nearly naked.

My eyes start at his feet, then follow up his black trousers, and to his bare back. Intricate lines of ink decorate the tan muscles on his back, bathed in a light sheen of sweat. My gaze dances up his muscular arms, holding up a large steel mallet of some sort. I even notice the dark mess of midnight hair upon his head.

My heart stops, as I take in the Greek God in front of me.

He swings the mallet down onto something metal, making me jump. I decide I need to investigate further.