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The Alpha's Mistress

This is my first ever dual POV werewolf romance and it's been so fun to write! I hope you check it out now on Wattpad! (:

Word Count: 1780

~Hunter

I don't hesitate a moment longer, flinging myself into his arms.

He crushes me into his, his arms wrapping so tightly around them the breath is nearly pulled completely from my lungs. His familiar smell floods my senses, bringing back memories I thought I left behind.

"Edgar...I missed you so much," I mumble into his chest.

It takes everything in me not to choke of my growing emotions. I wasn't sure I would ever see Edgar again. I was convinced he would be suffocated up in the drama of me leaving, forced to move on and pretend I don't exist.

Edgar pulls away, holding my shoulders. He shakes them a little, a grave look on his face.

"You idiot. How did you end up here?" He questions.

"It's a long story. How did you end up here?" I tug at his apron, at the cuttings hanging out the front pocket. He even wears gardening gloves, which is an amusing switch from the Edgar I once knew.

He peels off the gloves at my scrutiny. "I followed you."

My eyes widen. No. He can't be serious.

"What...how?" I demand.

That wasn't part of the plan. No one was supposed to know I was leaving, no even Edgar. I could risk telling anyone, as desperate as I was to share my plan with my best friend.

Edgar was my only connection to the outside back home. My family didn't know he existed, and any spare time I had, I was begging for his attention, for a sense of normality.

He truly was my best friend. I hated leaving him behind.

"You really think I didn't see how desperate you were to escape? When he hit you that night, I figured that was it, that you would run, so I followed you," he explains, glancing back behind him to make sure no one is listening in.

I smack his shoulder lightly. "This whole time you were following me?"

"You're my best friend, Livia. Of course I followed you," he breathes, sweeping his hand through his straight brown locks.

A gentle rain starts to fall, pattering against my cheeks. "I'm Hunter now."

"So I've heard." That familiar wry smile touches his lips. "But you're still my Livia."

I let him hug me again, because it feels good. It's the only piece of my old life I miss. Here, I have Tay, and Azura, I suppose, but I'm still back to being promised to a man I don't want.

Except this time, my husband to be doesn't want me.

"I don't deserve you. You know that?" I mutter. Edgar has trekked across the land for me, to make sure I'm safe.

"Oh trust me, I know. It was a nightmare to get a job here, but thankfully me having experience working in an Alpha's household already made it a little easier," he tells me as I pull away.

Edgar was once a cook in my parents home. I was devastated when I learnt I would be living in my husband's house once we were forced to marry, and I wouldn't have a friend waiting outside my bedroom window at night, sneaking me pastries while we talked and looked at the stars.

"I can't believe you're working here," I say.

I need to be careful. If anyone sees me talking to a gardener, they will ask questions. Especially Tay...Then Kaan will hear, and that will open up questions about my past I can't answer.

"I'm a gardener, can you believe it? Went from chef to throwing dirt around...But I needed a way to talk to you." He looks up at the sprawling manor, at the windows that seem so high up, highlighting how inaccessible this monstrosity is.

I smooth my hair down. "I need to get out of here, start fresh."

"We can do that. Let's go now," he exclaims eagerly, pulling at my arm. Sharp pain shoots down my legs at the movement.

"I can't, I'm sick. I got shot, and I haven't been able to heal properly. You're going to have to give me time to get better," I tell him lowly.

No one should be around to listen, but if we are caught, there will be dire consequences. It's raining, so we should be safe.

"Of course, but I heard about your engagement," he brings up uneasily, his usually warm brown eyes cold and confused.

I tip my head back, grimacing. This isn't good. The staff will be talking, but what about the outside world? Kaan and I are supposed to be announcing our engagement shortly, and then, there will be nothing stopping the news from getting back to him.

"It doesn't matter. Nothing is going to make me stay here, and now that the King and Queen know that I'm the daughter of an Alpha, they are threatening me," I assure him firmly, resting my palms on his chest.

He holds my wrist, quiet determination swirling in his eyes. "I'll start scouting for places for us to start fresh, although it may have to be one of the far Packs."

"I figured it might," I breathe.

The further away, the better.

"I-" Edgar breaks off, looking over my shoulder.

"What?"

"Someone is watching," he murmurs.

Turning, I follow his gaze, seeing half of Azura's face as she peers around the corner of the house. The moment she sees me looking, she ducks out of the way.

"Azura...What are you doing out here?" I call out. The sound of her departing footsteps suggests she knows what she just witnessed is meant to be a secret, and although she can't communicate, it doesn't mean she won't find a way to prove to her siblings that I'm having a secret rendezvous with a gardener.

Without giving another glance, I hurry off after her as fast as I can, my legs and back protesting at my speed.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" I yell out, watching as she pulls open one of the staff doors in the back of the manor, slipping inside.

Pure desperation is all I need to motivate me up the steps and to the library which I'm certain neighbours her rooms.

I just need to talk to her, to make sure she knows not to bring this to anyone's attention.

Sure enough, Azura is in her room, pacing back and forth. When I duck my head around the doorframe, she freezes, her large eyes widening.

"I'm not going to hurt you Azura, I just want to talk," I tell her calmly, walking into her room with my hands out in front of me, like she's a frightened animal that might bolt at any moment.

She takes a wary step back.

I wince at my choice of words. "I mean, I know you can't talk, but I need to say this to you..."

She presses herself against the wall, nodding slowly.

"That guy back there, he's...a guy from my past. And I ask you, please don't let anyone know about him." I say the words slowly, but not harshly.

I know she wasn't just watching us. She heard our conversation, and there is nothing stopping her from making it clear in some way that Edgar and I know each other.

She clearly wants me out of here. Why wouldn't she?

She nods furiously, lines creasing her forehead. I imagine she's just agreeing with me so I will leave her alone, but there's no way to tell.

"There's no point in hiding it from you. I'm trying to leave, and I will leave, once I'm feeling better," I assure her, knowing that's what she wants. She wants me to stop disturbing her peace, disrupting her family.

By now I'm sure she knows about my marriage to Kaan, and I doubt she is okay with it.

Azura steps forward, taking my hand in hers. She holds my gaze, nodding securely.

"Let me take you with me, when I can leave," I offer gently. I'm not sure I can offer her the best life, since most of it will be on the run, but it may be better than living here, with parents who are okay with threatening someone into marrying their son.

Azura smiles, nodding once.

Maybe she doesn't want me to leave because she hates me. Maybe she wants me to leave so I can take her with me...That thought is far more comforting.

"Hopefully one day you'll be able to tell me what has happened to you in this place, and what these monsters have done to you," I whisper.

"Azura!"

We both flinch, looking toward her door. Kaan is calling for her, ascending up the stairs as we speak.

Azura's eyes widen and she points to her closet door. I'm not sure why, but in that moment, I don't hesitate. I fling the door open and stuff myself inside, like I'm her secret lover. In reality I don't want Kaan asking questions on why I'm up here.

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" He asks gently, entering her room.

I sink deeper into the hanging clothes, keeping as silent as I can manage. Kaan's voice is muffled from in here, but I can still hear him speak fairly well.

"Are the paintings coming along well?" He asks her. The bed squeaks as he sits on it, suggesting I may be in here for a while.

She must have nodded. "Good...Good. I know it will take time for you to finish them, but the sooner, the better, okay?"

Azura is clearly an artist, but why does Kaan have a vested interest in her finishing paintings quickly? I want to ask him, but I don't want him to know I've been eavesdropping on his talk with his sister.

His voice lowers until I almost don't catch what he is saying. "We are going to get out of this. I'm not going to let you down."

I frown. Get out of what?

Kaan doesn't elaborate, shifting into a more pleasant topic with his sister. As I sit, waiting for him to leave, I attempt to make sense of what he is referencing.

Whatever is going on, there's more secrets around here than I first thought.

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~Midika 💜🐼