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The Alpha's Prize

Word Count: 1986

~Kiva

Tonight, my opportunity has come about by a random, very lucky series of events.

It has been a couple days since I slept with Ark, and since then, I've been pushing my luck with what I am able to do. I am Ark's only weakness, and although I enjoyed our night together, I need to exploit it.

So tonight, I asked one of the guards if I could switch one of the vegetables on my plate for another. She looked irritated, but obliged me.

Her replacement got caught up in conversation just down the hall, so in the few seconds I had where my door was left unattended, I made a break for it.

Now, I'm stalking quickly down the hallway, shoulders squared back, trying to look like I belong here.

Since everyone is downstairs, enjoying their dinner together, I don't see anyone as I scale down the stairs, heading toward where I know there is a door to the outside world.

Once I'm out there, I could get lost in the forest to freeze overnight. But there is a bit of daylight left, which I'm going to use to put as much distance between me and this place as possible.

If I die out there...at least it will take me away from this miserable world.

As I shove the metal door open, checking over my shoulder to make sure I'm not being tailed, I am certain of one thing.

I need to get away from Ark.

The mate bond is too much for me to handle. If I stay there, I may start believing the false rhetoric he is eventually going to feed me.

I shake the thoughts from my head as I jog off into the trees, feet stamping prints into the frosty ground. I'm going to need to find a river to conceal my tracks soon.

I'm blaming the mate bond for my own weakness, but how I feel about Ark is overwhelming. It's making me insane.

I walk briskly for a while, arms wrapped around myself, fighting off the cold. I manage to make good ground before night falls around me, although due to the thick canopy, moonlight struggles to shine through, hindering my advancement.

Many hours past. Or maybe it just feels that long, but eventually I find a gravel road that seemingly appears out of nowhere, winding through the forest.

I nearly collapse with relief.

No one drives by for a while, but when they do, they stop for me, and offer to take me to Caspian's Territory, which is surprisingly close.

Hopefully Ark will suspect that I will return to my father, and won't know to come to Caspian's.

He's smart though. He will track me down eventually.

Caspian's estate is drenched in near complete darkness as we draw close. I once wanted to get as far away as possible from this place, and now, I want inside is desperately.

I promptly thank the man before rushing toward the entrance of the manor as if Ark is right behind me, ready to drag me back into the shadows.

The guards step in front of the doors as I approach.

"Princess?" One of them questions, gaping at me.

As far as everyone knows, I went missing. I'm not sure if they knew I was kidnapped, but surely my father figured, since it happened the night the rebels broke in.

"C...Caspian...where is he?" I ask frantically.

I look over my shoulder into the darkness, shuddering. I know Ark wouldn't have gotten to me yet, but I can't shake the uncomfortable feeling like I'm being watched.

"He's upstairs in his room," the guard tells me, leading me inside, closing the large double doors behind me. "Allow me to take you to the healer."

I frown, following his gaze, realising he's looking at my leg.

The fabric around my knee has ripped away, revealing a nasty gash. I don't even remembering falling, although I suppose I was mostly concentrating on not freezing to death.

"It's just a graze, I'm fine," I say dismissively.

The guard rubs his head, considering what to do. I'm the Princess, and I'm demanding that I be brought to my husband. Who is he to deny me, even if I am injured?

"Get the Prince. Now!" He growls to another guard.

The poor man rushes off up the stairs, while the other guard regards me curiously.

"I was kidnapped...by my personal guard," I tell him urgently. I know there are more guards around, but a million doesn't seem like enough to protect me from Ark.

"Everything is okay now, you're safe," the guard assures me.

"I'm not safe. I'm not ever going to be safe, and I need to warn Caspian," I insist.

My panic is causing my voice to rise, echoing through the grand foyer. They don't understand how serious this is. My freedom is on the line, and more importantly, their lives are on the line, and they don't seem to care.

"Miss, please calm down. We will protect you," he assures me, motioning to the weapon strapped to his hip.

"No, you don't understand-"

"Kiva?"

I look up, seeing Caspian quickly making his way down the sweeping stairs, concern and disbelief written all over his face. He may have thought I was killed by the rebels...if Ark wasn't my mate, I probably would be.

"Caspian." I meet him at the bottom of the stairs, letting him grab a hold of me. "I was kidnapped."

"By who?" He looks down over me, noting my injury, his brows drawing together.

I hesitate, but only for a second. "Ark, my personal guard."

He needs to know in order to make the right movements onwards. Ark isn't worth protecting, whether he is my mate or not.

Caspian winces, already anticipating the answer.

"Fuck," he growls, sweeping a hand through his messy hair. "I knew I didn't trust him."

"There's a rebellion going on. They are going to kill my father."

If he isn't already dead...

"We will talk to him tomorrow. For now, stay here and relax," he says, grabbing my arm. He's irritated, but he's clearly sleepy, and massively underestimates Ark.

He doesn't know how desperately my mate wants my husband dead.

"Wait...Ark is still a danger to us," I insist.

He waves his hand dismissively. "You're here now. You're safe."

"No...he knows this place, he won't struggle to get in."

Has Caspian forgotten that Ark worked here? He will know that I told Caspian everything, so he has nothing to lose. He can walk straight in here and slaughter whoever he pleases, and there won't be anything we can do about it.

"Then I will protect you," he assures me, smiling loosely.

"I don't mean to offend you, Caspian, but Ark will kill you. And not just because he wants to get to me," I tell him coldly, trying to get him to understand how dire this situation is.

But he's a Prince and he's arrogant. He's not taking me seriously because he doesn't respect me, and he thinks I'm a woman gone crazy. I should slap him, but that will only make this situation worse.

"You've been spooked, Kiva. Of course you're feeling anxious," he soothes, runnning his hand down my arm.

I tug it away, irritated. "You're not taking me seriously."

"You'll be safe in my room."

He grabs my hand, so tight I can't rip away. He leads me up the stairs, leaving the guards to stand by the door and await their terrible fate.

The moment I see the door to Caspian's room, I balk.

"That's a bad idea," I panic. "If Ark finds me in your room-"

He grabs my shoulders, shaking me a little, a dark shadow passing over his face. "Ark isn't coming, Kiva. You're my wife, and I have a claim to you first. I am a Prince, and he is nothing. I don't fear him."

He drags me into the room, closing the door behind us.

"We are making a mistake," I growl.

"Let's just relax, and try to get some sleep." He yawns, falling into the bed. I realise that he is still wearing his night clothes, having been awoken by my sudden appearance. It must be later than I thought.

He stuffs his head onto the pillow, looking over me with a furrowed brow.

"Did he touch you, while you were in there?" He inquires gruffly.

I swallow tightly, trying not to reveal anything with my expression.

"Ah, no, he didn't," I breathe.

I don't even want to think about what happened a few nights ago. If Caspian knew, he would probably demand a divorce immediately, which if I weren't in this situation, would be desired.

"He's obviously attracted to you," he mumbles, fluffing up his pillow.

"That's not why he kidnapped me. He's keeping me from going to my father and alerting him," I snap. This is why Caspian cannot learn that Ark is my mate. He will never take me seriously.

"Maybe. But he definitely wants to fuck you."

I sigh irritably.

"None of this matters, Caspian. What matters is that Ark will be aware that I escaped, and he will be on his way here right now to kill you and take me back," I say, my voice bordering on a yell.

He gets under the covers. "I'm not afraid of him. He's a coward."

"Is this door locked?" I wrap my arms around myself.

"There are three guards outside. If he can get through the many more of them that are posted outside and downstairs, then I will be very surprised," he tells me through another yawn.

"Trust me, you're going to be surprised, but I won't be." I shudder, glancing at the door.

"I'm going to sleep. Feel free to join me whenever." He pats the bed, grinning at me.

I watch as he leans over to turn his lamp off, drowning the room in darkness.

I let out a frustrated groan, collapsing into the chair in the corner of the room. There is no way I'm sleeping tonight. I need to be aware of everything going on around here without actually leaving the room.

Ark isn't going to wait. He's a patient, calculated person, but he doesn't need to be right now. He can come in here and take me back as he pleases, and considering all the information I can impart, he's not going to wait.

So I sit, waiting.

Caspian falls asleep fast, leaving me in complete silence and darkness. I'm starving and exhausted from my trek, but I fight the urge to succumb to sleep.

Soon enough, even my own fear of Ark appearing from the shadows does little to chase away my sleep, which captures me within seconds.

I'm awoken some time later by an itching feeling around my wrists. When I yank at them, I realise they are tied down.

My eyes fly open, a gasp falling from my lips.

I'm still sitting on a chair, but now I'm in the foyer, and opposite me is Caspian, whose head is slumped down, hands tied behind his back.

Dread floods through me as I turn to look around me.

Guards lie on the ground, blood pooling on the ivory floor in a gruesome puddle. My stomach lunches. They are dead, murdered.

The sound of boots come from behind me, a chill sweeping over my skin.

Ark.

He comes into my sight, dressed in his old guard clothing, a dark smirk on his face.

I'm fucked.

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