Word Count: 1561

~Kezziah

I'm staring at a stunned man.

The door behind me shudders closed, a silence following after. I had to come here. After what Cian revealed to me, it's evident I have no other choice. No one else has offered to help me at all, and as much as I'm trying to figure this out myself, it seems unrealistic that I'll succeed.

Alden slowly rises from where he was sitting, eyeing me like I'm a foreign creature who crawled into his office. I don't move from my stance. I can't change my mind on this.

"What..." he breaks off. "Are you sure?"

I'm surprised he isn't jumping at the chance to see my brand. Instead he seems tentative, as if any word might send me right back out the door as I change my mind. For an Alpha of Wisdom, he doesn't seem so knowledgeable about what is happening. I suppose that's because he's never come across someone who has been marked by Time.

Does that truly make me his mate? The thought makes me want to double over and throw up, but I shake that feeling off.

I shrug, trying to seem casual. "At this point I have nothing to lose. I nearly died, remember?"

Alden nods, quickly collecting his paper off his table. I watch him quietly. He's frantic; anxious. It's fascinating watching him, seeing how something unknown for him to investigate gets him so excited. I can just imagine what he is thinking, rejoicing over new information that might get him a step closer to ending Time's operation.

It's something I now condone.

"Let's not look here. I have a private studio on another floor that might be better than this," Alden says quickly, tucking his papers under his arm. I wonder what they are, but I don't dare pry. Any documents in relation to the Alpha are surely classified.

I let Alden lead me out of his office, and to the elevators. No one else is around, which I'm grateful for. It was hard enough to explain to Sermon that I wanted to go up and see the Alpha. Had she not been given specific orders that I was allowed to report to his office whenever I pleased, there is no way she would have let me. She looked skeptical when I asked regardless.

His studio was three floors down. I noticed a thumbprint reader was necessary for Alden to get down there. Clearly it's very...private.

The elevator doors immediately open up into into a rather cozy room, not too big and furnished nicely. The walls are creamy, the floor a sultry maroon colour. Paintings framed neatly are strung from the walls, all extremely different in style and colour.

"You can sit down over there and I'll get you a bottle of water," Alden says, motioning to a white leather couch in the middle of the room.

As I do so, I looked around more, curious about what Alden get's up to in his spare time. Everything here is surprisingly immaculate. The short coffee table in front of me has a black portfolio placed upon it, and a few black pens and pencils scattered next to it. My itching fingers want to investigate, but as Alden brings me the water, I stop myself.

I want to explore some more, although it doesn't seem like there's very much to see. The leather couch opposite the only I'm seated on it the only things for me to look at.

Alden comes to sit in front of me.

"What really changed your mind?" he asks, clasping his hands together.

I'm not about to tell him Time came to visit me. Not when the repercussions for either of us could be horrific. I don't need Time coming back to tell me I belong to him. Even if Alden's dark navy eyes seem to induce the truth. The way they watch me so intensely, ready to capture any untruth and prove me wrong.

"Like I said, I have nothing to lose at this point," I tell him. That much is honest. "Plus, I want to see what you think of the brand, since obviously I know nothing about it."

Would he be able to figure out it's not just a Time Traveller's brand, but also a mark? A muscle ticks in Alden's jaw, suggesting he's suspicious. However, he isn't about to turn down the opportunity he's been waiting for, to finally see the brand.

"Okay, well, I'll look at it first," Alden says, picking up the portfolio. "And then I'll draw it, if that's okay with you."

I nod. "Sure."

Turning around on the couch, I tug off my jacket and shirt, leaving most of myself bare to him. He can't see anything other than the brand, however, a chill runs through me. I can feel his gaze burn into me, as he drinks in the sight of the brand, which has gotten so much bigger.

Suddenly, I hear him stand, the leather couch protesting as he walks away. I turn, watching him walk over to a small box pushed into the wall. He presses buttons on it before he returns back to his seat.

"I just put the heaters on," he reassures me.

I turn back around, surprised. At this point, I don't care that he has seen me in a bra, so knowing he won't see anything, I slip it off too, revealing the rest of the brand hidden behind the band. I'm flushed bright pink, which I hope he doesn't notice. Not because I'm embarrassed - although that too - but because I'm surprised at how gracious he is being.

"Thank you," I breathe, pressing my bare chest against the couch. I can feel the heat fill the room, caressing my skin. It helps calm me, relaxing my muscles into the seat.

Alden continues to observe in silence, tracing the brand with his eyes. I let him do so, thinking. Are all Alpha's gracious to expendable Pack members they don't know? He's getting what he wants, and he's being kind about it. However, I scold myself for seeing him in a different light. His medication nearly killed me...

"I'll have to be thorough with this," Alden explains. I can hear him open his portfolio, pulling out a piece of paper, pens clicking together as he picks them up. "I'm sorry if it takes a few more sessions after this."

I sigh deeply, placing my chin on the couch headrest.

"Tell me about someone special in your life," Alden murmurs. I can hear his pencil scratching against the paper.

Immediately I know not to bring up anything about my family. That is a discussion I don't want to get into with Alden. Instead, I think of someone else who I miss so much right now, who I assume is doing everything to get me back at this moment.

"I have a friend named Avia, who came into my life very suddenly after everything with Time happened. She protected me," I tell him. I leave out the fact she trained to keep me safe .

"Is she kind?"

"The kindest. He put me above everything. Even her own life," I breathe, staring blankly at the wall in front of me, imagining her face there, smiling back at me. "Tell me something about yourself. If you can."

Alden pauses, and for a moment I feel foolish for distracting him, although he doesn't seem to mind. "Dealing with Time has meant I've never had a stable place to live. I'm everywhere, from one end of the Pack to another. I don't live here. At the moment, I live close, but not in this building."

"I'm sorry. That can't be easy," I say truthfully. I know exactly how that feels.

"It's my obligation as Alpha to do what I need, not what I want. It doesn't matter if I don't have friends, a lover or anything. It is what it is," he murmurs.

I'm surprised at his honesty with me. He doesn't know me, and yet he is confidently speaking about his tribulations. Clearly he mustn't have friends if he is confiding in me. Part of me wants to turn around and get him to tell me everything that is on his mind, but I'm not a therapist, and surely Alden doesn't want to tell me everything.

"Any idea why the mark is different?" I question.

He pauses for a moment. "Sorry...mark?"

Every inch of me freezes. Alden must have noticed, my muscles tense, because I hear him set down his paper and pens. Oh no, I should have kept my mouth shut. One que, and now Alden will surely never let this go. I want to curse myself, to push myself away from this and run from the room. That is, if I wasn't half naked.

Alden rounds the couch, standing in front of where I was staring with his arms folded across his chest. I can't tell if he's angry, sad or
confused.

"Are you Time's mate?" He questions.

🖤••💚

If you guys want more of Alden, the rest of available now on Radish (:

Sinful's own story is up now on Radish! I wanted to make it apart of the Seven Sins series (which will have stories involving Cian and other characters you've seen before)

Hope you like (:

Instagram: Sophie_Midika

~Midika 💜🐼