Word Count: 2427
~Onyx
I stare down at the face of a man who I've spent far too much time around these past few days.
"I don't understand why this is so hard," I growl.
He stands near the open front door, rain pouring down outside behind him. He has a hood over his head an exhausted look in his eyes. He can have a break when he completes his assignment.
"I assure you, Alpha, my team and I are trying out hardest," he stays, wincing as a crack of thunder booms behind him. "Unfortunately, there were no witnesses, no reports-"
I hold my hand up, sighing. "Yes, I know."
Here I am, dealing with this private investigator when I should be with Sienna. Even though it's late, she won't be asleep. She doesn't sleep on nights where it's storming.
"There has been little cooperation from other Alpha's. Alpha Zion and Alpha Imogen are being specifically conservative about the information they are sharing," he states, adjusting his rain speckled glasses.
I sigh roughly. Naturally.
"Of course they are. Zion probably sent an assassin," I mutter.
Ascertaining who attempted to kill Sienna has been my top priority since the meeting. No one so much as lays a finger on her without being held personally accountable by me.
It's why I've hired investigators. They will reveal who the assailant is, whose fate will then be in my hands.
"I'm recruiting more team members. We will find who did this," the man assures me. "We have been comparing her medical records to other victims in the area to determine whether this person has a motive."
"They aren't a serial killer. They were targeting Sienna because she is my friend," I growl. "Focus on political motive."
He bows his head. "Yes Sir."
"Thank you."
I close the door behind him, sealing out the vicious sound of rain hitting pavement. I can feel exhaustion tugging me toward the room, but I veer toward the kitchen, hoping Diane has something in the fridge that I can bring to Sienna to comfort her.
Instead, I find Sienna in there herself, drinking milk from a glass while she stares off into the shadows vacantly.
She startles as I walk in, noticing despite my silent footsteps in the darkness.
"Warm milk?" I ask her, nodding down to her glass. Considering her fingertips leave marks on the frosted surface, I already know the answer.
"No..." She drifts off.
She sounds tense, distracted. Considering the storm raging out the window and the rain lashing against the glass, I'm surprised she can focus on me at all.
"Bad girl," I scold with a soft laugh. "How are you doing with the storm?"
"I'm trying to be calm...I'm hoping the milk helps." She lifts the glass, her gaze still trained into the shadows.
A flash of lightening cuts across the sky, painting the dark grey clouds with light for a brief second before vanishing. The entire kitchen flickers with light, Sienna squeezing her eyes shut until it's gone.
"Just remember to breathe. I'm here if you want to go to the room and hide under the covers the rest of the night," I offer, leaning back against the counter.
"As tempting as that is, I'm trying to distract myself."
I nod. "That's a good idea too."
We stand for a moment in silence. Sienna stares off into the darkness, seized by fear. I'm waiting patiently for decide her method of comfort. Sometimes she doesn't want anyone touching her while she thinks through her fear, while other days she wants me to hold her.
"Why are you still up?" She asks me. "Don't tell me you're still speaking to investigators?"
"I need to find who did this to you," I murmur.
The worst of the wound on her neck has healed, but I still see faint red lines and a scar from where the rope cut into her skin. The kind of anger I feel seeing her like this is different from her injury from Kayn.
This time I'm not eased by the certainty of revenge.
"It won't happen again," Sienna muses, rinsing her empty cup in the sink. "It was some opportunist killer who knew I was alone and decided to strike. I'm untouchable here."
I shake my head. We were in the most secure location possible. No one was out there accept people with a purpose. Yet, I keep the information to myself, not wanting to worry her.
"Once I have secured this person, I will relax." I roll my shoulders, trying to ease the tension my body is holding onto.
Sienna wipes her hands before turning to me. "I'm fine, Onyx...I promise."
"Is your neck feeling better?" My eyes drop to the offensive mark.
"Every part of me is feeling better." She bites down in her lower lip, her fingers tracing where the rope once cut into her skin. "Except my mind, sometimes."
I edge closer, so I'm leaning against the kitchen island directly opposite her. Her back is to the window, so she can't see the lightening flashing across the sky.
"Talk to me. Tell me what you're feeling," I prompt softly.
"The rational part of me knows it's unlikely the happen again. Yet I see an open window and I...I can't..." She breaks off, pressing her palms to her face.
It's well timed considering the violently bright flash of lightning the forks across the clouds.
"It's okay." I step forward, holding her wrists so I can pry her hands from her face, letting me see the beautiful, watery eyes as they gaze up at me. "We will work on that together."
Raising my hands, I cup either side of her face tenderly. She melts into the touch, releasing the softest sigh.
"Some part of me thinks I'm being punished for something."
"Why would you possibly need punishing?" I murmur, shaking my head at the absurdity.
She shrugs, looking anxious as she finds everywhere else to look that isn't my eyes. "I don't know. My past, secrets...something I don't know."
Tucking my fingers beneath her chin, I force her head up so she meets my eyes.
"You're not being punished for your own sins. This is because of your connection to me," I insist.
I've known Sienna for many years. I'm aware of all her secrets, of all her mistakes and regrets. This is nothing in her past she should be ashamed of, that she could expect to be punished for.
She leans forward, resting her head against my chest in a gesture that has my heart aching. It's more than just affection. She is resting on me like I'm her rock, trusting that I can harbour the emotional weight of what she is going through.
"I thought being your mistress was supposed to protect me," she mumbles into my shirt.
"I imagine it has from everyone except for Zion. He has no such boundaries." I suppress my anger with a slow exhale. I refuse to think about him right now.
Sienna slips from my arms, putting a step of space between us. She wipes a tear off her face before straightening.
"Is there any point to me being your mistress then?"
I study her face. "I like to think so."
"What then? I don't even get any benefits to being your mistress in the traditional sense." She throws her hands up, letting out an exasperated sigh.
I frown. "You do. You get protection from almost everyone, more guards, more-"
"I don't mean that."
"I don't understand."
She wipes her hands down her face before pinning me with a look. Something doesn't seem right with her. She's shuffling from foot to foot and the tension playing in her expression suggests something's off.
"Usually mistress's are close confidants of the Alpha, which I suppose I am." She tucks her hair behind her ear. "But mistresses also usually get to sleep with their Alpha."
My brows raise. "It's in my view that the Alpha is the one who has the privilege of sleeping with their mistress."
"The matter still stands."
I trace my gaze over her face, trying to get under that ambiguous expression.
"What are you saying?"
"I'll admit, I'm still getting used to you seeing me romantically. Sexually." She looks up at me through thick lashes, blinking them flirtatiously. "I've felt that way toward you for some time now, but I never thought you did."
I shake my head slowly. She's echoing my thoughts exactly. I still can't entirely believe this girl I've loved for so long has let me do to her what I have done so far.
"Our friendship means so much to me. After your mother died, I vowed to put away any thoughts of attraction and concentrate on making sure you got through your grief. We became so close after that, the thought of ruining it broke me apart," I admit softly. "But know those romantic feelings I had toward you never went away."
"You were always untouchable to me." She steps forward again, closing the distance but not yet touching me. "And now I'm your mistress. Now I want things I never dared to ask for."
I can feel my pulse pounding in my neck as I keep my hands back, gripping the edge of the countertop.
If Sienna and I keep playing this game, seducing each other then having to back off, we're going to go crazy.
"Like what?" I ask carefully.
"I want to have sex with you. Properly," she exclaims decidedly, giving me a look that would have me dropping to my knees for her on any other occasion, but tonight, I get the feeling she is seducing me for a very specific reason.
I sigh through my nose. "Sienna..."
"I know you want it to. Why wait?" She closes the gap, her breasts pressing against my chest as she wraps her arms around my neck.
I settle my hands on her hips, feeling safe there from temptation.
Sienna has no idea how badly I want to cave to her seduction. I've craved a night with her for years, and all it would take would be to pick her up and take her upstairs to my room. Or I could have her here, in the middle of the night, here in the kitchen...
"You may be my mistress, but you're my friend first. I won't ruin that," I murmur, my fingers bunching the fabric of her dress.
"We've done a lot we can't take back. Nothing I regret." She leans up on her tip toes, lowering her voice as she presses a kiss under the curve of my jaw. "I want you badly. It's all I think about, even with everything else going on."
I squeeze my eyes closed. "We can't."
A storm is raging outside and Sienna is trying to distract herself. She's bruised and still injured, and is trying to busy her mind with something easy, something fun.
I refuse to let her make this mistake. I refuse to be her casual distraction, even if I too want to divulge in a moment we will both regret come morning time.
"Why not? We love each other. I've never wanted someone like this," she insists softly, knotting her fingers into my hair at the back of my bed. "Take me to bed."
I bow my head, desire streaking through my body wildly.
"Fuck," I growl under my breath. "I want nothing more than to take you, Sienna. But I love you too much to be with you like that and not be able to make you mine fully."
"Marriage means nothing." She kisses up my neck, her mouth hot and taunting.
"Not to me," I grit out.
She pulls away just as a flicker of lightning dances across the kitchen. She winces, breathing slowly in an effort to calm herself.
"You want a distraction, you want an escape from your feelings," I tell her, brushing my knuckles across her face gently. "I'll have my way with you soon, Sienna. But on my terms."
"But-"
"Go to bed. To sleep," I command.
I need to go upstairs and deal with a very pressing problem. Sienna can seduce me when her mind is clear, when she knows the consequences. Not now, when she is chasing off her worst phobia and recovering for a night that nearly killed her.
She stares blankly into space for a long moment, listening the wind rattling the window frames.
"Thank you for caring about me. For always doing what is right," she murmurs, backing away.
The space between us brings both relief and regret. I should be taking her to bed, curling her up in my arms to whisper comforting words in her ear until she falls asleep. Instead, the temptation is too much tonight. I'll take the edge off my need before I visit her room to check on her. I won't sleep until I know she is.
"I'm always here for you," I remind her softly.
She gives me a tentative smile before she races from the room.
I stay back for a moment, watching the rain trace thick rivets down the glass. Sienna doesn't know it yet but steps are being taken to bring us together...
I've been researching how to trigger a mate bond, what can cause such an emotional link to snap into place. It's complicated and can be caused by many things, but it's usually only visible when both people are ready to accept it.
I am more than ready. I'm desperate for it, and I know it's there, ready to make itself apparent.
Sienna on the other hand...I'm not sure she wants the mate bond like I do. I need her to know that if we are mates, I'm marrying her. It will be all I need to convince the people, I'm sure of it. I just need to make her ready for it, to get her to internally accept what is between us.
Amongst everything, it is my sole focus. I'm going to do everything it takes to make her mine.
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~Midika 💜🐼