[DARKLINA OMEGAVERSE AU]
Alina's eyes went wide as she felt his tongue invade her mouth, fighting for space, commanding it. As he devoured her with his mouth, his fascinating Alpha scent overwhelmed her, making her thoughts stop.
She had never felt...
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Another day passed which Alina spent in bed. She would've rather done anything else than lay in bed with nothing to do and no one to talk to. Genya would come to visit her every few hours, but for some strange reason everybody, her included, was certain Alina needed to rest and be alone. She didn't know if that's what they believed or if they thought Alina hated them all for what they did – after all, they followed Aleksander's orders and didn't think twice about stopping him.
But that didn't matter anymore. Nothing she cared about before mattered here. Alina woke up to a different world but, more importantly, she woke up different, too. And she just wanted somebody to talk to.
She wanted to talk to Aleksander.
But her new mate seemed to be avoiding her just like the rest of the Grisha. He didn't come to see her once, and when Alina asked Genya if she could go to him herself, Genya said it would be best she'd stay put. Alina listened.
She spent the whole day tortured by memories of Nikolai's final moments. So when Genya came to ask if she was up for dinner with more people this time, Alina, naturally, jumped out of bed to dress up.
For the first time since regaining consciousness, Alina looked in the mirror. She'd seen glimpses of her hair while in bed, the white of it gleaming against her tan skin. Now, she saw it in full force, so white it blinded, so bright it looked unnatural. Because it was unnatural.
Genya stood behind her. "Even though it's a response to your trauma, I think it looks really beautiful on you," she said. Their gazes met in the mirror.
"Thank you," Alina answered more to be polite and not because she believed it actually looked beautiful. She couldn't even recognize herself in the mirror.
Perhaps because there was no one for her to recognize there.
Alina looked at the kefta in Genya's arms. "The king had this made specifically for you," she explained, unfolding the kefta – it was all black with golden embroidery that reminded her of sunbeams in the dark.
Alina turned around, swallowing, "But black is... his color..."
"Well, yes, but that's why—"
"Can't I wear my usual golden kefta?"
Genya looked down at the black kefta, then back to Alina, "Of course you can, Your Grace."
The golden kefta now didn't fit her white hair at all, and Alina felt vulnerable and exposed as she went downstairs together with Genya to the main dining hall of the Little Palace. She felt nervous and horrified to meet Aleksander after that – after all this time.
There were Grishas already sitting around the enormous table, talking and laughing as if they were all one big family despite their different-colored uniforms. When she entered, all laughter and chatter ceased. Alina felt everybody's eyes on her, and she felt even more alone than she had in her room.
