Alpha Alden ✔️

Chapter Twenty One

Word Count: 1670

~Kezziah

The more time passed, the more days seemed to entwine into each other.

It would be breakfast, lunch and dinner seeing Amilia, Etta and Melena. There was always knew gossip to be had. Whether it be another patient reacting badly to the medication, or someone caught sneaking off in the late hours of the night to be with their assigned guard. Etta seems to find these stories the most mesmerising, being the hopeless romantic that she is.

Recently, I common trend had been patients graduating. A strange ceremony takes place where the girls are released from their holdings after their bond has been removed. Clearly Alden's scientists have made a breakthrough. More and more cases are leaving everyday.

As much as that pleases everyone, I know better. Time is waiting. Watching. I know him well enough to know he won't just be letting this pass him by.

None of them know that, though.

Each are granted a year of supervision once they leave. It's Alden's way of ensuring they won't get targeted by Time the moment they are back. They also get compensation. Money, given to them to bring their life back that they spent so long away from. It all seems to wonderous to them; like they won. They haven't though. Far from it.

"You should be out soon," Etta says excitedly to Amilia, as she shows off her brand, that has faded to the point it almost no longer exists.

Melena stares at it, a distasteful expression on her face. Her brand is lined red from a recent dose of medication she reacted to. She's been grouchy and irritated since it began. She's barely spoken, but she likes to pretend I don't exist most of the time. I don't hold it against her though. I would be the same if Time branded me like he did to her.

At least he didn't shove a mate bond down her throat.

"I can't wait. I can't to go back to work. To go for a walk. To breathe in some fresh air," Amilia says. She picks up her sandwich. "And I can't wait to eat something that hasn't been created in a lab."

I couldn't agree with her anymore. "I agree. I would do anything to step outside. Even if it was for a moment."

The best part of running from Time was the travelling. I saw almost every Pack, and I would do anything to go back to at least one of them. Maybe to the Love Pack, to touch the snow, to feel the flakes touch my skin and melt. These are things I can only dream about at night.

"Don't act like you've been here as long as any of us," Melena suddenly snaps.

Everyone freezes, stunned by her outburst. Girls at tables flanking us notice, whispering between each other. There isn't a single person in this room who isn't aware of Melena's story, and attitude. If one person finds out, it won't take long for everyone else to know too. Still, I'm surprised she snapped at me.

"It doesn't matter, we all want out of here Melena," Etta says, dismissing her. Usually Amilia is the one to keep Melena in line, but the Love Pack girl beat her to it.

"It's fine, I get it," I say, before Etta and Melena can fall into a full argument. "You're right, I haven't been here long."

Amilia rolls her eyes at Melena, which only seems to anger her more.

Melena focuses her attention on me, her cheeks flushing pink the more frustrated with us she gets. "Everyone knows you and the Alpha have something going on. Guards see you going up there and they talk. Don't think that because you're the Alpha's favourite, everyone here is going to like you."