Alpha Kael

~Kael

In a few moments, I was at the mercy of an Immortal.

We were always warned never to make a deal with an Immortal. But in this case, I had no other choice. It would either be Kael finds out about what happened, or I forever become in debt to Sinful. Either way, both may end in death, so I chose the latter, which might have me around longer than the former.

A few days have passed since then, and I haven’t heard anything. I haven’t even heard from Jake, who promised he would reconvene with me about the information he found by the end of the week.

A day ago, another from my group was sent home. There’s only six of us left now. When we hit five, we will be mixed with another group competing.

Today we get out next mission.

I walked there slowly, dreading it. I’m afraid of seeing Kael there, in case Sinful never kept his side of the deal, and Kael knows what happened. No one seems to be acting any different, which is a good thing. If they have no idea, then maybe no one does, Alpha included.

I hear someone come up to walk next to me. It’s Ace. No one has paid me much attention, not seeing me as very much competition. Maybe it’s because I stick to myself. Either way, I’ve almost never spoken to Ace.

“Everything okay?” he asks. I almost startle at his approach. I’m so used to walking everywhere with my arms crossed with no one speaking to me, so this is strange.

“Yes.”

I’m wary of Ace. Each of us have a background in crime. That is what we have deduced, anyway. Ace’s seems to be the most brutal of all, but each time I look at him I get the feeling he’s keeping darker secrets. Those dark eyes of his are always so searching it leaves no room for anyone else to learn about him. He keeps to himself too, so I’m surprised he has sparked a sudden interest in me.

“Not many of us left,” he murmurs, looking in front of us where the other four walk. I stare at him while he walk, trying to figure out his motive.

Ace is rather handsome. But in a dark, sinister way. He reminds me of Kael without the power and intimidation behind his name. He doesn’t seem to have much strength in his build, however, he always wears dark coats hiding everything underneath. I think his cunning is what he’s betting on to win this competition.

I’m hoping for luck.

“I would say we are almost halfway through,” I say calmly, not wanting to engage in too much conversation. After everything with Jake, I don’t trust anyone. If someone wants to make friends with a competitor, it’s for their own gain.

He steps up to walk backwards in front of me. “I have a feeling they are going to throw us a curveball soon.”

“Maybe,” I murmur.

As frustrating as it is, his smile tells me nothing. He has such fragile features, smooth skin and the biggest, practically black eyes I’ve seen. His skin is so pale, too, in an almost sickly way that suggests maybe he never spent much time outside before this competition. Ace makes me so curious, yet I promise myself not to get too involved.

Ace goes back to walking beside me. “I hope if that does happen, I can count on you as a friend, right?”

There is is. Exactly what I thought was his motive. He wants people on his side, which hasn’t been my strategy thus far. I don’t see myself getting any further past this point anyway, and I assume this next mission we get is going to be end of me. Everyone sees it, so why is Ace wanting to get on my good side?

“Why? Why are you trying to be so friendly when you’ve barely spoken to anyone else this entire time?” I ask him, noticing the gym coming up on us fast. Perfect, a way out of this conversation.

“Maybe this has nothing to do with the competition,” he says with a shrug. An amused smile that doesn’t suit him at all. “Maybe I just think you’re pretty.”

With that, he turns around and walks away.

I allow myself to be dumbfounded for only a moment before following the rest of them into the gym. Don’t let that get into your head. He’s only trying to mess with you, to have you think he likes you so you concentrate more on that than the competition. Little does he know, I’m not so easily fooled.

Much to my dismay, as I walked into the gym to line up with everyone else, both Kael and Blue are standing there. I avoid both their gazes. Both the Silent and the Alpha I plan to avoid for the next week if I can. Things need time to settle down.

“Welcome back,” Blue says, clasping his hands together. “Today we are joined by Alpha Kael.”

The rest of the competitors still feel awe each time Kael joins us for any part of our appointed missions. I feel fear, and I wonder if he can feel it. My gaze is trained to my feet, hoping I don’t look too guilty. Sinful promised Kael wouldn’t remember that night.

“This week, you’ll each be working with Kael when he decides he wants to see you. He has specific expectations which if you fail to meet, you’ll be eliminated,” Blue warns.

Oh no.

I peek a glance up. His gaze sweeps over us all, deciding on who he wants to see first. I’m hoping it’s Ace so both of them are off my back. Everyone quivers under his gaze, hoping they aren’t the first to be put up to his chest. None of them understand the true power of our Alpha yet.

“I think I’ll take Jada,” Kael says, much to my misfortune.

Somehow I knew he would call for me. I’m unsure if he remembers what happened last night, or this is pure coincidence. When I look up at him, his gaze is warm, inviting, rather than cold and accusatory. Maybe he doesn’t know, and this is all in my head. Maybe Sinful kept his side for the deal.

“Everyone else come with me. We will be doing some basic training,” Blue says, motioning for the rest of the group to follow him.

As he goes to walk away, those famous blue eyes meet mine. Another strike in my chest of familiarity. Who is he really, and why is it that everytime I look at him, I feel this way? As if I’ve seen him before. Either way, I’m going to try avoid him best I can. After the way he has acted, I can’t say I trust him to any degree.

Everyone left. It was just Kael and I left.

“I got your letter,” he says, his voice echoing against the high ceiling. It takes all of the self control within me not to cringe. I wish I had never sent that.

“And?”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“You don’t have to be afraid to talk to me just because I’m an Alpha. Yes, you’re apart of this competition, but if you need help, you may come to me,” he tells me. Even when he stands a few metres away, I can still feel the heaviness of his presence. It sends a subtle shiver down my spine.

I glance quickly down at my feet. “Right. I’m still here wanting to be a Silent, for you. I want to serve you.”

The silence that extending between us makes me look up. Kael is staring at me, and not in the way I’m used to. Usually he seems as if he’s uninterested by me, but something is in there that is different. Daker. Hotter.

Like he wants me.

The moment that thought appeared in my mind I quickly pushed it away out of sheer embarrassment. What am I thinking? Kael doesn’t want me, and I’m foolish for every thinking he would. These wandering thoughts are getting the best of me, and I’m glad he can’t read my mind.

“To serve me. Right,” he murmurs under his breath, before he trains his gaze on me again. “Your curiosity intrigues me.”

It takes me a moment to put two and two together. He means the way I followed him all the way into a forest in the middle of the night out of curiosity. It was actually out of many reasons, however, I doubt he wants to hear them.

“Being brazen and having confidence like you do is essential in being a Silent. You should commend yourself rather than apologising,” Kael tells me.

“Thank you,” is all I can dare utter.

There’s a silence before Kael claps his hands together. “Alright, would you like to come with me? I need to do some testing on you.”

I nod, and wordlessly I follow, unsure of where this is going to lead us.