Word Count: 1802

~Sienna

I look down at the glass table, at the litany of plants laid out evenly.

The conservatory is the ideal place to examine the plants I've collected today. They are to be dried so I can place them in my encyclopaedia eventually, but mainly, I'm here to copy their likeness into my illustrated book.

I've been twisting and turning the same leaf for over an hour now. The sun needs to catch every edge of it, reveal every vein.

Pursuing this isn't just a passion, but currently, is also an excellent distraction from how I embarrassed myself last night.

How could I be so stupid? I wanted to take my mind away from the storm, and instead, made a fool of myself.

Onyx doesn't want to compromise our friendship. I should respect that.

Footsteps sound from behind me as someone enters the soupy atmosphere of the conservatory. I barely look over my shoulder, knowing the weight and stride of those steps.

"Hey you."

Onyx's warm voice glides over my skin, making me shiver. He stands behind me, looking over my shoulder at what I'm working on. Suddenly my fingers are quivering and I can't quite remember how I get the perfect sloping lines to best depict this unique plant.

"Hello Onyx," I greet tightly.

He shifts around the table, taking a seat so he can continue watching me work. However, instead of focusing on the beautiful array of plants I've collected, he's looking at my face.

"What's that look?" He queries.

"What look?" I mumble, flipping a plant over with careful precision.

"The look that makes it obvious you're thinking about last night." He smirks at me, his deep brown, almost black eyes appearing lighter than usual.

"Onyx! I am not..." I scold, my face heating uncomfortably.

He doesn't look convinced. "Uh huh."

"We're platonic, remember?" I bite out, dropping my pencil. There is no chance I'm going to be able to concentrate now.

"Uh huh." His smile is teasing as his eyes drop to the table. "What are you doing?"

I roll my shoulders, welcoming the reprieve from my embarrassment that he's obviously giving me. I know he didn't want to reject me, but retrospectively, I know he did the right thing.

"I found these incredible plants deep in the woods and I thought I would note them down in my book," I tell him, resting my hand on my cloth bound book protectively.

He will see it eventually, but not until I'm finished and happy with it.

"Your eye for these things will never not amaze me," Onyx says.

I love when he compliments my work. Despite this not being a personal interest of his, I know he means every kind thing he says.

Still, I eye him teasingly. "You find it weird."

"Only a little." He nudges me playfully. "Mostly I think it's cute. I love that you follow your passions."

I can't help the flush to my cheeks. I'm grateful for his friendship, for how attentive and supportive he is for me.

"You're sweet," I murmur. "Why are you here?"

He grimaces, his quiet happiness dissolving. "I wanted to let you know I'm going away for a while."

Disappointment ripples through me.

"Wait, what?"

"I put a lot of blame on Imogen after what happened to you. I don't trust her, but she leans more in favour of Zion than me," he says. "I'm hoping I can bring Violet with me and smooth relations over."

I drop my gaze back to my plants. Something dependable. Something that can't leave me. I understand that he needs to do this, but it hurts knowing were I his wife, I could go with him.

"That sounds like a good idea."

"It could take one week, it could take one month," he informs me uneasily.

I look into his eyes, not bothering to hide my disappointment. "Oh..."

I can't be away from Onyx for a month. Not again. Being apart is torture, like a chunk of my life is missing. I know I'll be fine, but I like having him near. It feels like there is something that needs to be established between us before we can be away from each other for so long.

"I know," he breathes, his brow creasing. "I want so badly to take you with me, but I need Violet to be the focal point this time."

"I get it." I do, even if it hurts.

Onyx reaches across the table to take my hand in his. I watch the way his thumb brushes against the ring he gifted me so many years ago. Back then it was a promise we would be friends forever.

Now the thought of being just friends feels like a prison I can't escape from.

"It should be you, as my wife, at my side." He holds my gaze, letting me see how desperately he wants that. He's not just saying it to appease me.

"You can't say that..."

"I know, but it's true," he breathes. "Violet does well, but people can see the gap between us. They see that her heart isn't really in this."

I'm not sure I could be as good as a leader as Violet is. She may not want it as badly as I do, but it comes to her with ease. She was bred for such a title. I was born to always live in my father's shadow.

"Just make sure you do what you need to do and you come home safely. You know I worry."

Every time he crosses into enemy territory there is a risk of him being harmed. It keeps me up at night, and him being gone for so long will be like torture.

Onyx's dark eyes soften. "I know. That's why I've brought you someone to keep you company while I'm gone."

I blink. "You have?"
+
"Wait here."

He launches from his chair, crossing the room to the door. I sit patiently, trying to think through who he could have brought here as company.

My suspicions on who it could be are confirmed as Alex strides into the room behind Onyx.

I bump my knee on the underside of the table excitedly as I jump out. She rushes toward me with outstretched arms and a bright grin on his face.

"Alex!"

I fall into her arms, any worries about Onyx leaving for business promptly left behind me as I feel my friends familiar embrace. When Willow died and everyone was sent home, I was certain I would never see her again.

"Oh, it's so good to see you!" She pulls back, holding me by the shoulders so she can look over me.

"I'm so happy," I gush. "What are you doing here?"

She slaps her palms against her face, jumping up and down slightly. "I got a job. I'm new Lucia's assistant."

"Wow, that's amazing. So you're staying here?"

This is the first flicker of light I've felt in a while that hasn't been related to Onyx. With the threatening notes and attempted murder, not much has made me genuinely happy.

"For now. I wanted to get away from my parents for a while. They weren't happy I didn't secure the marriage." She rubs the back of her neck, glancing back at Onyx.

He gives her an apologetic look. The two have clearly spoken about this before she came back here, so I'm glad she feels comfortable enough to be here.

"Oh...well, that's great."

"I'm not upset at Violet though. She deserves this." She speaks honestly, clearly sensing there was nothing romantic between Onyx and her.

I drop my gaze, swallowing thickly. She still has no idea that there is feelings between Onyx and I. I'll share with her soon.

"She does deserve it," I murmur.

"Alright, I should probably go pack and you two should catch up," Onyx says, giving me a lasting look before he backs away.

"Thank you Onyx. I really appreciate this," I tell him before he slips away.

Alex turns back to me, grinning. Onyx's plan of bringing her here to dampen my sadness upon him leaving is working effortlessly. I can already feel my mood lifting in her presence, even if the thought of Onyx going away for what could be awhile is disheartening.

"You two are such incredible friends. I'm so jealous," she gushes, linking her arm through mine.

I rub the back of my neck. "Yeah, he's the best."

***

My body feels weak with exhaustion as I finally make it into my room.

Alex and I have been downstairs for hours, drinking and learning about what each other has been doing since the marriages trials ended.

It has been good at chasing away any lingering sadness from having to say goodbye to Onyx earlier when he left with Violet for their trip to Imogen's.

Seeing him leaving with his wife hit me far harder than I expected, but Alex has been unwittingly distracting me since.

Now it's past midnight and I'm only just now coming up to bed. My body feels weightless from the alcohol, and I'm ready to sink into bed to sleep away the day.

However, my gaze snags on a note resting on my bedside table.

My blood chills to arctic levels.

I've been trying to push away the thought of my stalker leaving notes threatening me. It feels easier than facing the reality that whoever this is tried to kill me, and has access to my bedroom and probably so much more in my life...

Seeing the note sitting there, pale and unsuspecting has terror seizing me. Something feels different about it this time.

Slowly, I glance over my shoulder, half expecting to see my attacker right behind me, lingering amongst the shadows while they wait to attack.

But there is nothing but a calm silence.

Wandering close, I pick it up, folding it open to reveal the familiar scrawling.

Sienna,

You may have escaped me this time, but I assure you, next time you will not be so lucky.

I'm giving you one last chance to tell the Alpha the truth, otherwise it will be him I will target next.

You have no idea who I have working for me. At any moment, you could all be dead.

Tell him, or he won't live long enough to ever know the truth.

❤️••❤️

Thank you to everyone who has subscribed to this story over on Inkitt! Over there, you can read 15 chapters ahead!

If you would like to read more of The Alpha's Mistress, you can read over 10 chapters ahead on Radish!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading (:

I would love if you could check out my new story A GOD AMONGST WOLVES out now on Wattpad!

~Midika 💜🐼