Word Count: 1759

~Avia

We sit at the table the next morning, silently eating our breakfast.

"You all okay? You seem tired," Cherry notes, looking at each of us in turn.

Considering everything that is going on, Elise has made some kind of excuse to stay. Now we are all here at once, all in the rebellion and eager to deal with Kit. Cherry has no idea though, which Zire insisted continues. It's not that we think she will talk to anyone about it, we all just agreed that we didn't want her to have to harbour this secret.

"Hardly slept," Isaiah mutters, glancing up at me over the rim of his coffee cup. We got back late last night, and although part of me was tempted to spend the last few hours before dawn in Isaiah's room, I remembered the role I have to play here.

And it's not as Isaiah's mate.

Elise leans back in her seat, peeling away at her fruit. "Me neither."

"I was...reading," Zire says, frowning down at his plate, avoiding Cherry's eyes. So much for the expert liar. When it comes to Cherry, he has no idea how to lie, or sometimes, even how to talk to her. It's sweet, although I see the sadness that plagues him, from having to keep this life from her.

I know exactly how that feels.

Elise snorts. "Yeah right."

"What? I was..." He retorts defensively. Smothering a smile, I shove some toast into my mouth. Elise isn't trying to call him out, but everyone at this table knows Zire doesn't read, and now we know he is terrible with fake alibi's.

I run my hand down my face, looking at Cherry. "Well, I'm always tired these days, it seems."

"Perhaps a better sleep schedule," Isaiah notes. I raise my gaze to his, narrowing my eyes ever-so-slightly. Since last night, we haven't mentioned anything about the rebellion, and nothing about the mate bond. I want to know more about how he feels about it. I want to know how we are going to hide it from everyone.

Cherry frowns, picking up on the strange vibes that are going on at the table. "What's going on?"

"Nothing is going on, Cherry. We are just being silly," I assure her, before shooting glares at everyone in turn. If we are going to keep this from Cherry, then we need to make sure that nothing seems out of the ordinary, otherwise it will inadvertently tip Kit off.

"I feel left out of something," she exclaims warily. When she looks at Zire, he once again looks away. I could roll my eyes. Of everyone here, I didn't think he would struggle to keep a secret the most.

"What could we possibly leave you out of?" Isaiah asks her, to which she merely shrugs. "Which speaking of, I have some news."

"Isaiah..." Zire warns.

"It's not what you think," he mutters, before turning to look at us all. "My father is returning."

My heart drops into my stomach. Kit returning is good, but just knowing I'm going to have to be in the same room with him again, having to see that face that is the cause for my parents death fills me with both fear and rage. I'm only fearful that something is going to set me off in his presence, and I won't be able to hold myself back from hurting him.

"What?" I splutter.

"Seriously?" Zire growls. I always knew Zire didn't like Kit, but now I know his hatred for him runs deep. Kit has far too many enemies that he doesn't know about.

"He's going to expect us to be married...He's going to expect you to propose," Elise exclaims. She's gone pale. I know now she isn't motivated by political standing. She just wants Kit gone, like the rest of us, and her marrying Isaiah is just part of the ruse.

"I know that, so I will," he murmurs.

"There is a lot to prepare for," Zire sighs, sweeping his hand back through his red locks. I nod. A lot to prepare for, especially regarding the rebellion.

There is silence for a moment, as everyone resumes their eating.

"Do you really need to marry? Can't this be your one act of protest against him?" Cherry says suddenly, looking at Isaiah. He pauses, shocked by her outburst. Cherry has voiced to me how foolish she thinks the marriage is, but I would never suspect her to actually come out and say something about it to her Alpha.

Isaiah sets his spoon down, summoning a deep breath. "It's not that simple, Cherry."

"Neither of you want to marry, I know that, and Isaiah is secretly in love with Kenna..." she says. I flinch, taken aback by that admission. Everyone here as step around Isaiah and I's obvious chemistry, most seeing it but not mentioning it.

They know it's dangerous for me, lusting after an Alpha. But it appears that this has been on Cherry's mind this entire time, and now seems like the best time to bring it up.

I nudge her ankle with my foot under the table. "Woah...Cherry."

"It's okay, I mean, she's right," Isaiah admits. I gape at him, unsure if I'm hearing him right. Did he just admit that we have a connection?

"Isaiah..." I warn.

"No, it's true, I'm in love with Kenna. But I can't have her in the way that I want, so her and I have agreed she will be my mistress, until I can have her how I want," Isaiah explains calmly, as if he is speaking about business matters with a trusted colleague. When I glance at Cherry, she appears just as surprised at his honesty.

It as if finding out we are mates has made Isaiah completely give up on the social conventions he is meant to adhere to as the Alpha.

Elise's face turns to disgust. "Mistress? Really?"

"My father will appreciate it," he says with a shrug. Now it's my turn to feel disgusted. It's not as if I'm actually his mistress, but knowing Kit is the kind of man to expect that of his son makes me feel ill. I can't wait to finally kill that man.

Cherry looks at me, trying to read my expression. "And what do you think about this, Ken?"

"It's fine. I want Isaiah, and he knows that. This way, we can be together, at least partially," I tell her. It hurts, because we aren't together, and we can't be yet.

Cherry will find out we are mates soon, just not yet.

Elise gets to her feet, kicking her chair back, playing the role of the irritated fiancée to be. "Well, I suppose I should be off. I have a wedding to prepare for."

We all finish our breakfast promptly and head out the door. I need to start preparing for Kit's arrival, and figure out with the rebellion if they when they want us to strike. We are in the best position we have ever been, with a lot of Pack support, so I'm ready whenever they are to get this done.

I barely make it from the dining room when Isaiah grabs my wrist, dragging me after him. I yelp, letting him lead me around a corner to press me against the wall.

"Woah! Isaiah..." I exclaim, looking around in case anyone is around to witness this.

"I've tried to keep my hands off you for long enough," he murmurs, his entire body pressing against me, his hands clutching my waist. All the air has vanished from my lungs, my heart racing.

"You're going to have to wait a moment longer, with your father coming and everything," I whisper, swallowing tightly.

My entire body buzzes with life, my senses alight. It takes just a single touch for my body to react to him, and after all this time flirting with him, and trying to seduce him, it feels so right to feel him against me now.

He leans forward, pressing a kiss to my cheek, before bringing his lips to my ear. "I'm just going to have to sneak you into my room then."

"And what if he saw?" I ask, smiling despite myself.

Isaiah winds his fingers through mine, pressing my hands back against the wall. As my back arches into him, he kisses down my neck, my skin flushing with heat at the feeling of him. I'm tempted to drag him to his room right now and do what he has been taunting me with since I came here.

"Then I'll tell him you're my mistress. He expects me to have one," he murmurs, biting down lightly on my skin, before kissing back up my neck.

My eyes flutter closed. "I hate him."

"Me too, but at least if he thinks that, he won't expect me to send your home, and he won't mind you coming to my room, or us being affectionate," he tells me, pulling back to meet my eyes.

I smile. "You know what, I'm fine with that. I take it as a challenge."

"Really?" he quirks a brow.

"Why not? Could be fun?" Deceiving Kit even more, taunting him with my relationship to his son will bring me immense amounts of pleasure. Whether he wants to admit it or not, he can see the hold I have on his son, and I like making him worry that Isaiah will never take Elise as his wife, because he wants me.

Isaiah releases my hands, cupping my face instead. "You know that you're my mate before anything else, though? I'm in love with you, I don't just want you to be my mistress."

I smile fondly. "I know Isaiah, don't worry."

"Good, and in saying that, I'm not done kissing you," he murmurs, leaning forward to press his lips against mine.

💚••💚

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I have a brand new story called IMMORTAL PRINCE now available on Radish, and soon on Wattpad (:

"Tomorrow, we don't have to speak of this again." I hardly know what I'm asking. I just know I want whatever it is.

He watches me with an intensity that I know only he is capable of. "Put my hand where you want me to touch you."

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~Midika 💜🐼