Word Count: 1675

~Avia

With my hand over my eyes, I lounge under the sun, enjoying the silence, tainted only by the sound of Savea flipping through the pages of her book next to me.

Cherry speaking startles my eyes open again. "And what do we owe the pleasure of having the Alpha join us for tea this afternoon."

Isaiah stalks up the steps, looking over us all. I sit up in my seat immediately, surprised he's bothered to come out to the gazebo where he knows we have our afternoon tea. Usually he doesn't disturb the four of us.

"It's a nice day, and I'm bored," he comments, collapsing into a seat next to Mari, who rolls her eyes.

I clear my throat, looking down at the dregs of my tea, which have gone cold, despite the heat in the air. I'm still not used to being around Isaiah, constantly aware that he is my mate, and he has no idea. All it would take would be for him to touch me suddenly, without me being able to stop it, for him to realise what I'm trying so desperately to keep with him.

Because if he found out...

"You seem distracted today, Kenna," Savea notes, drawing everyone's attention to me. "Is everything okay?"

I stretch back in my seat, yawning. "I just didn't get very much sleep last night."

Cherry twists to face me. "I wish you didn't have to go home."

"I know..." I murmur, having to force myself not to look at Isaiah. This mission is coming to an end soon, and the rebellion has garnered nearly enough information to make their move. Once I'm out of here, I may never see anyone here ever again, including Isaiah. And that thought hurts far more than I ever thought it would.

"You could always stay, you know," Isaiah mentions. When I look back up at him, it's obvious how much he wants me to stay, but he won't push me on it, considering Elise. He's going to be married to her, and there is nothing I can do about that.

Other than reveal to him that we are mates...

"My purpose here is almost completely done," I remind him coolly. People have been liking Isaiah far more, despite all the horrible things that have been done during his reign. It's all because of his father.

"You can stay as long as you like, regardless," he says, looking between Cherry, Savea and Mari. "Everyone clearly likes having you around."

"Oh, that's so wonderful. You have to accept, Kenna," Cherry gushes.

"Do I get a say?"

We all look toward the edge of the gazebo, only to see Elise approaching from across the formal lawn. All of us collectively wilt into our seats.

"And here I was, thinking I could have a perfectly pleasant day," Mari mutters, fanning herself as she stares hatefully at Elise. I smirk, amused by their effortless banter, despite being very alike. At least she is brave enough to speak like that to Elise, because I know I'm not.

"If you're here to taunt any of us, you should probably go," Savea sighs.

"I was going to say that I like the idea of Kenna staying," Elise says, tipping the brim of her wide hat up, smiling cruelly at me. She stands right next to Isaiah, silently staking her claim to him, even though her and I both know she has no interest in him. "She stops all of you mindless fools from irritating me on my visits."

All the girls collectively roll their eyes, but I smile. It's fascinating how unlikeable Elise can be, and how fine is with it.

"Speaking of visits, when do you parents require you home?" Isaiah asks softly, tilting his head back to look at Elise. His voice is tight, not trying to insult her, but it's clear he wants her home as much as the rest of us do.

"Tomorrow, actually."

Mari settles back into her seat, folding open her newspaper again. "Never mind, this day is pleasant."

"Still confused, Alpha, why you allow a girl who is related to murderers around your so called friends," Elise drones, running her hands over Isaiah's shoulders. I stiffen, bothered by watching her touching him, and she is very aware of that, even if she doesn't know the true reason why.

Mari sits up, growling. "My parents have nothing to do with the murders."

"That's not what the evidence says..." Elise shrugs.

I watch on curiously, biting the edge of my nail. Elise knows exactly how to dig under Mari's skin, and it's a wonder how they haven't aided in each other's demise yet.

"Why are you going home so suddenly?" I ask her.

"Duty calls," she muses. In other words, her parents have summoned her back, which I personally want to thank them for. However long without her will allow me to complete my mission without much interruption. "Isaiah and I have set a wedding date, haven't we?"

Isaiah looks straight at me, eyes cold. He could make it any more obvious in his expression that he doesn't want this, and it wasn't him who authorised it.

"It's not completely confirmed," he mutters.

Shifting, I ignore the way my heart falls in my chest. I have no right to be upset that he is marrying. I'm keeping the fact that we are mates from him, which I have no doubt he would be upset about if he knew. Not to mention the mission, which I need to complete as soon as possible.

I will just have sit by and take Elise's attempts to make me jealous silently.

"In a couple of months. Then everything will have finally come together," she exclaims. She sounds as though she is pretending to be happy, that realistically, she couldn't care less. "You'll be gone by then, of course, Kenna."

Tapping my fingers against the table, I hold her gaze. "Right..."

"You can go now, Elise," Mari mutters, dismissing her with a wave.

Elise sighs, looking over us all before backing away. "Whatever, I can find better company in a broom closet."

We all watch her walk away, none of us speaking. For the first time since she arrived, I can feel myself relaxing. Were she to see that I'm interested in Isaiah for anything other than casual sex, she would do everything in her power to ruin me, which would include finding out about the Rebellion, and having me imprisoned for life.

"You're really marrying her?" I question, not bothered that everyone else is at the table, looking between Isaiah and I curiously. At this point, I don't think it's a secret that there is something going on between us.

"My father is pushing for it. It's not what I want," he assures me softly.

"Then call if off. We all know you would be better with someone like Kenna anyway..." Cherry murmurs, smiling deviously. I nudge her with my elbow, as my cheeks flush, mortified by what she is insinuating.

"Cherry!"

She tries to smother her smile, but it's no use. "What? I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking..."

"True..." Savea giggles.

Settling back in my seat, watching Isaiah, whose gaze is painfully heated. What will become of us?

***

A knock on the door to my bedroom pulls me away from the mirror, where I've been preparing for bed.

I'm not surprised to see Isaiah, who immediately stalks past me into my room. Each time he visits me, my heart flutters expectantly. This time, I'm going to have to be especially careful to ensure he doesn't touch me in any way, so I back up, keeping a healthy distance between us both.

"Everything okay?" I ask breathlessly, sweeping my damp hair back out of my face. I'm glad he didn't come any earlier, otherwise he would have interrupted my bath, and I've had enough mortification for one day.

"I wanted to ask you something," he murmurs, looking surprisingly unnerved.

"Okay..."

He steps forward, but I match it back, watching his bare hands with a careful eye. He looks too tempting right now, with his casual clothing and intense gaze. It takes everything in me not to launch at him and drag him into my bed.

"I know it's probably going to get me in trouble, and yet I can't see myself regretting it," he mumbles, shifting from foot to foot. "Will you go on a date with me?"

My brows raise. "Seriously?"

"In town," he continues. "A proper one."

I blink, not quite sure if I'm hearing him right, this seeming to have come from another realm, where Isaiah and I would be able to have a normal relationship without any interruptions or expectations.

"Why do you want to take me on a date?" I ask gently. A date would be bad, it would be wrong. But I'm so tempted, I don't even think I'm capable of saying no, despite all the perfectly good reasons for me not to say yes.

"I'm falling for you. I know I shouldn't say that, with Elise and everything, but yet I want to be normal with you before I can't," he murmurs, that vulnerable expressions he offers so little melting away all my rational thought.

I smile tightly, knowing I'm going to regret this. "Okay Isaiah. I'll go on a date with you."

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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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