Alpha Alden ✔️

Chapter Twenty

Word Count: 1545

~Kezziah

I have no idea what to say.

Alden is staring at me as if I have committed a crime. Maybe I have to. It wasn't like I had a choice what was done to me by Time. The marking...The everything. How the bond between us works, I'm not sure. However, when he touched me, I felt nothing. No sparks, no feeling other then angry and hatred.

"He's not my mate," I say carefully. I believe that, within me. I believe there is someone out there who is, but it's not Time.

I'm not sure why Alden looks so offended by this notion. Perhaps he is surprised he came across Time's mate. She's sitting right in front of him. Even if I don't believe we are true mates. But that doesn't mean Alden will.

"But he marked you, didn't he?" Alden questioned.

I snatch my shirt and bra up from where I had balled them up next to me. Alden walks back behind me as I quickly clip my bra around me and toss the shirt over me. When I turn around, Alden is sitting back in his chair, staring at the sketch. He hasn't done too much before he got distracted by this revelation.

"I'm not sure. I don't feel anything, he's not my mate," I insist, folding my arms over my chest. "I don't know why he did this to me."

Alden sits there, considering that. Seeing how much this bothers him, I'm glad I'm sitting here. He's going to find out what happened and why. He's the Alpha of Wisdom. I have nothing but spite left for Time. No fear.

"It's doctored," he mutters. "This isn't a real mark. It's a deeper brand. A claim."

Those words trigger a shiver, a chill settling over me. I want to demand Alden tell me why, but it is clear he hasn't got all the answers yet either. I watch him rake his fingers through his hair. The thick, dark waves muss around his forehead. He's handsome...What am I thinking?

"He went through a lot to do this. I can't see why he would go to the trouble," I say nervously, watching him pace back and forth.

"I think it's a message," Alden says, halting. "To me."

I'm stunned, for moment, having to take a full moment to absorb that idea. Nothing Time has ever said gave me that impression, but at the same time, it seemed likely, somehow. By branding me, Time was telling Alden he couldn't get to him. That he would always have the upperhand, and he can't take the bond away.

I just don't know why he chose me. Of course, it could be because of what he did, in the beginning, or perhaps because of how I rebelled. Either way, I'm confused and uneasy, unsure of what to think.

"We need to get rid of it," I say frantically, getting to my feet too. "Like right now. Right this second we need to get rid of the bond."

Alden steps toward me, calming down dramatically. So much so, I find myself matching him, taking in a deep breath. I should have begged Time not to mark me like that. To choose someone else other than me.

"It's okay, we will. It just takes time," Alden says carefully.

I look up at him, finding solace in his eyes. Sometimes they seem so expressive. Other times, they tell me nothing. It's a tactic, I assume, to keep his personal life to himself. This is just an operation that only has a small amount to do with me. But regardless, he has beautiful eyes. In fact, the entirety of him is beautiful.

That's a dangerous thought, though. One I won't dwell on too long, otherwise I'll develop a foolish crush that will only hurt me.

"How much time?"