cue to leave
1249 Words
Alpha Asher.
Not just any other Alpha but the Alpha King… the man who rules over the south with an iron fist.
I couldn't wrap my head around it no matter how many times Kiara confirmed it with that bright smile of hers.
The man whose name made grown Alphas lower their gazes was the same man who sat beside my bed and told me being alive was a blessing. Who didn't flinch at my sharp tongue or throw me out when I spat venom at him?
It made absolutely no sense no matter how much I thought about it
The Alpha king was known for his ruthless nature so who was that man really?
It had been a week since that day and Asher hadn't returned. Not once.
A part of me was relieved.
The other part…the part I refused to examine too closely…noticed his absence more than I should have.
Kiara however was impossible to avoid.
She arrived every morning without warning, slipping through the door with warm food and enough energy to power an entire pack.
She didn't tiptoe around me or treat me like something fragile. She just appeared and made herself comfortable like she had always belonged in whatever space she occupied.
I woke that morning to the sound of giggles.
Startled, I jerked up and my head connected with the headboard.
"Ooops." Kiara winced from the doorway, blue eyes wide. "I didn't mean to startle you."
I rubbed my head and glared at her.
"How are you always so loud doing nothing?" I muttered.
She laughed, completely unbothered, and dropped onto the edge of the bed like we were old friends.
“ I am loud but you like me that way.” Kiara said, sending a wink at me.
I groaned, sitting up and leaning against the headboard while rubbing my head.
“When did I say that I like you?” I asked, fighting the urge to roll my eyes at her.
"You don't like me?"
She looked like I just stabbed her in the chest with her hand pressed dramatically to her heart.
"You are so exhausting." I muttered but the corner of my mouth betrayed me.
Kiara caught that tiny traitorous twitch immediately and her entire face transformed back into sunshine.
"You smiled!" She pointed at me like she had just witnessed something historic.
"I did not." I denied it.
"You absolutely did. I saw it." She bounced once on the edge of the bed.
She giggled and reached for the tray she had set on the bedside table, placing it across my lap without asking.
I looked down at it..
"You mentioned your mom used to make you pepper soup when you were sick." Kiara said simply, smoothing the edge of the tray. "So I asked the kitchen."
Something tightened painfully in my chest.
No one ever treated me nicely like Kiara has been treating me these past few days.
Not my former mate or that fake friend, Vivian
With Kiara, she didn't treat me like I was something she was ashamed of. Her kindness was genuine and that made me afraid.
I was afraid of getting used to it, of craving it in the future.
I still had to leave after I was fully healed.
I didn't say anything for a long moment.
"Eat before it gets cold." She added softly.
“ After that, we can take a walk. I'll show you around the pack. The doctor said moving around will help you regain your strength.” Kiara added.
"A walk?" I repeated, looking at Kiara like she had suggested I sprout wings and fly.
"Fresh air, moving legs and sunlight." She counted on her fingers.
“ Those were the doctor’s words,not mine” She shrugged.
“ The doctor said I should rest."
"He said rest and gentle movement." She corrected without missing a beat. "You have done plenty of resting. Now we move gently." She pointed out.
I opened my mouth to say something but Kiara beat me to it.
"Bella." She called, fixing me with those blue eyes and all the brightness temporarily set aside. "You have been staring at these four walls for a week. Come outside with me, even for a little while."
Something about the sincerity in her voice made my argument dissolve before it reached my lips.
I looked down at myself.
"I'm not exactly dressed for…" I started to throw in another gentle excuse.
“ Don't worry about that. I have already prepared a set of clothes for you. They will be delivered shortly.” Kiara informed me.
I stared at her and she smiled sheepishly.
"You planned all of this before you even walked in here." I said.
"I have absolutely no idea what you mean." She replied.
***********
The pack grounds were bigger than they looked from the window.
I moved slowly, Kiara matching my pace as she chatted away.
The morning air was cool against my skin and I hated how good it felt.
I hated how alive it made me feel when I was still trying to decide how I felt about being alive at all.
We passed the rose garden Kiara mentioned earlier, the kitchens, a group of young omegas who glanced at me curiously but said nothing.
Nobody looked at me with hatred here unlike my former pack.
I was still trying to get used to that.
We rounded a bend and the training ground opened up ahead of us.
It was wide and packed with warriors moving through drills.
“ Speed over brute force, that's how to gain advantage over your opponent.”
The voice reached my ears before I saw him.
Asher moved through the sparring circle, looking focused.
He was instructing the trainees.
Luna pushed forward so suddenly she nearly knocked the breath out of me.
“Mate.”She pressed urgently against my walls. “Go to him.” she continued to urge.
“Stop it.” I pulled her back firmly.
“ I want mate. I want mate.” She chanted, pushing to gain control.
“ Did you forget we are leaving?” I cut her off. 'The moment I am cleared,we walk out of those borders and we don't look back. That is the plan.” I reminded her.
She whimpered.
“ You are ready to be cleared. You just haven't told anyone.” She snickered and my chest tightened.
“You don't want to leave.” She pressed gently.
“ Just admit that you want to stay with mate.”
“Nonsense.”The word came out harder than I intended and sharp enough to silence even her.
“I don't care about a stupid mate bond. You shouldn't either because we don't belong here.”
Luna retreated but she didn't fully disappear.
"Asher!" Kiara called out before I could grab her arm and stop her.
I went rigid.
Across the training ground, Asher stilled. He turned, and his eyes found mine immediately.
That suggested he already knew I was there before his sister called his name.
He crossed the distance between us unhurriedly, a towel slung over one shoulder.
Those eyes moved over me in a single quiet assessment.
"You're up." He said.
"I have been up." I replied.
Something almost moved at the corner of his mouth.
"You look better." He said simply.
"I know." I held his gaze and kept my voice level. "I have recovered fully. Which means this is my cue to leave."
- Writer
