Alpha on Leash

2

Once every four years, the world witnessed a spectacular event that was the epitome of grandeur and prestige - The TIMES Award Ceremony. Held at the luxurious 7-star hotel named "TIMES," the venue itself was a masterpiece of architectural brilliance. Adorned with crystal chandeliers, intricate gold carvings, and opulent tapestries, the hall exuded an aura of regality. It was a place where dreams met reality, and aspirations converged to create a celebration like no other. The women paraded in alluring gowns, adorned with jewels that sparkled like stars. Their dresses flowed gracefully with every step they took, and their radiant smiles illuminated the room. The men were equally impressive, sporting tailored three-piece suits that exuded power and confidence. The ambiance was electrifying, a blend of anticipation and pride, as everyone gathered to celebrate the best of the best. It felt odd to be the one getting the award, on the other side of the receiving end, rather than the one giving, a role I have always been accustomed to. The grand decorations of the hall only added to the allure of the evening. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a soft and ethereal glow that highlighted the intricate gold carvings and ornate tapestries adorning the walls. The ambiance was nothing short of regal, creating an enchanting setting that made us nominees feel like royalty.

As the ceremony began, the excitement in the room grew palpable. The hosts took the stage with an air of charisma and sophistication, their eloquence setting the tone for the rest of the evening. They spoke passionately about the importance of the award and the immense achievements of the nominees, building up the anticipation for the much-awaited announcement. I felt excited, truly happy and looking forward to the award that I had never thought would be such a big deal for me.

My hand nervously adjusted my dress, a habit I have had to mask for years to not look like an i***t. Suddenly, a girl came towards us with headphones on her.

“Miss Isabella Reid?” she asked, looking at me.

“Yes,” all four of us answered, making the girl confused.

I chuckled as I replied to her, “That would be me,” and stepped forward.

“Oh. Would you please come with me backstage. The awards will be announced shortly.” she asked as she began to direct me towards the backstage.

“Sure.” I answered and smiled at my friends warmly before walking behind the girl towards the stage.

As I stood backstage, waiting for my category to be called, I couldn't help but fidget nervously with my curly hair that I had meticulously styled early in the morning. The anticipation of the award ceremony had set my heart racing, and I desperately tried to distract myself by focusing on the attire I had carefully chosen for this momentous occasion. I glanced down at my ensemble, and a mixture of excitement and self-consciousness washed over me. I was dressed similar to Brooklyn but with a more feminine touch. The silk dress shirt I wore had delicate baby doll sleeves that added a touch of femininity to my overall look. Its light blue color complemented my fair complexion and made me feel like I was wearing a piece of the sky itself.

Paired with the shirt was a pair of beige-colored pants that fit snugly and flattered my figure. I had chosen comfort without compromising on style, knowing that I would need to maintain my composure while being on stage. The pants allowed me to move freely and confidently, which was essential as I might be called upon to deliver an acceptance speech. To complete the ensemble, I wore a pair of low wedge heels in the same light blue shade as my dress shirt. The heels provided a subtle lift and added a touch of elegance to my overall look. And last but not least, a pair of pink diamonds that my mother gifted me when I got the first ever award in the designing competition. It was the only competition I had ever been allowed to participate in but that event made me the happiest. As I glanced at myself in the mirror before leaving for the ceremony, I couldn't help but feel a sense of empowerment. I knew that my attire reflected my personality - strong, determined, and ready to seize the opportunities that lay ahead.

However, as the ceremony progressed and the names of the nominees were called one by one, my nerves began to get the better of me. I had spent hours perfecting my curly hair, making sure each strand was in place, but now, with the adrenaline coursing through my veins, it seemed to have a mind of its own. I discreetly reached up to touch my hair, hoping to tame any unruly curls that may have escaped my earlier styling.

My heart pounded in my chest, and I clasped my hands together to steady my nerves. Each announcement of a winner felt like a mix of excitement and trepidation. As the applause filled the hall, I found myself imagining what it would be like to hear my name called, to be acknowledged for the hard work and dedication I had poured into my craft.

With each passing moment, the tension in the room heightened. I could see the glimmers of joy on the faces of those who had received awards, and I genuinely felt happy for them. At the same time, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety as my category drew nearer. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. The grand decorations around me seemed to fade into the background as my focus narrowed on the stage and the present moment. I reminded myself that regardless of the outcome, being a nominee itself was an incredible achievement, and I should be proud of making it this far. The sound of my category being announced brought me back to the present. My heart leaped, and my palms grew slightly sweaty as I awaited the verdict. As the host read out the names of the nominees, the tension in the room seemed to intensify. The spotlight seemed brighter, and every breath felt heavier.

My name was called, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. I blinked, almost in disbelief, before realizing that this was my moment. I felt a mix of emotions surge within me - excitement, pride, and a touch of humility. The applause and cheers from the audience spurred me forward as I made my way to the stage. I saw the faces of my friends, their bright smiles and their proud feelings shinning through their eyes as I waited to be given the award. The train of my thoughts was momentarily broken when a name I had felt as though I had heard before was called out.

The room felt silent, a sudden hush fell over the hall as a man made his way up the stage. He was tall, probably 6 feet something, with the aura of a king that made everyone exhale loudly. My heart thudded loudly as the man walked nearer to the stage, towards me. His presence engulfed the room, the menacing confidence he exuded was evidence enough that he was an Alpha.

“Mr. Nikolai Archibald will now present the “Best Child wear Eco-friendly award of the year” to Miss Isabella Reid of the brand “Together”.”

He was only a few meters away now and my heart thudded loudly. I felt Lune stir in me with strange emotions coursing through my mind that I had never heard of. His dark brown eyes met my green ones and at that moment, I felt myself fall into an abyss of pure animistic tendencies. Mine, a silent scream in my head, but I could not hear right. I must have heard it wrong, I thought as I shook my head discreetly. His brown eyes looked at me, as though he was looking into my soul, searching for something I did not know about.

The man who was holding the award cleared his throat as Mr.Nikolai broke his eye contact and glared, GLARED at the guy as he took the award and presented it to me. I managed a smile even though I felt my heart in my throat and accepted the award from his hand. Our hands grazed each other, the sudden electric current made me flinch my hand back in a shocking way. His face showed no surprise, rather contempt, as if the reaction was less than what he imagined. He was weird, that was for sure. The sudden clapping around the hall broke the trance-like bubble that I went into. My attention was diverted towards the crowd and a silent growl was heard from behind, startling me. I looked over at Mr.Nikolai, who was again, glaring at the crowd. The man was weirder than I thought.

The ceremonies went on for a few more categories which Mr.Nikolai presented. Oddly enough, I felt eyes on me for the rest of the day.

“We did it!!” Melissa broke into a smile as she hugged me and kissed my cheeks when I reached them with the award.

“We made it happen.”Izac exclaimed, hugging me tightly.

“Yes, Yes we did it.” I said, a huge smile on my face. I was flustered, the adrenaline rush was wearing off and it was making me feel all the tiredness I had felt the past few weeks.

“We should go now.” Brooklyn mumbled, making all of us laugh at the not-so enthusiastic reaction she had about the ceremony. It was already a stretch for her to join us, it would definitely be a torture for her if we were to stay here any longer.

“Lets go to OUR PARTY!!” Izac said in a loud enough voice to make people turn their heads our way. We laughed it off and made our way to the exit. We entrusted everything to Brooklyn, who had very much told us she would not be going to the club to party with us no matter what happens. The not-so subtle threat was enough to shut our mouths. She had already bolted out the door before we could even tell her to rethink her decision.

“Excuse me.” a gentleman, dressed in a three-piece suit, his hair combed to perfection with an eyepiece that matched his aesthetics, called out to us as we were making our exit.

“Yes?” Melissa replied as all of us turned back to him.

“Miss Isabella?” he said, looking directly at me.

“Yes?” I asked, confused.

“I have something to deliver to you as a complementary gift from one of the event organizers. Would you be so kind as to give me your contact number and the address?” he sweetly asked. But his questions were creepy in itself. There were no talks about complementary gifts neither should there be a need for an organizer to know my contact number and address, which was something we had already given them in the first stage of the selection process. He was lying, all of us shared the same look.

“Sure.” Melissa boldly walked in front of me and gave him our business card that had the contact of the company and the address of a warehouse, far away from our main office. Discreetly, Izac placed himself in front of me in a protective manner. The creeps were always after me, from the times they might have seen me at the award ceremonies or a conference. Being a member of the Reid family meant the spotlight and a s**t ton of unwanted attention even if they were all aware of the transgressions I was having with my own family.

“But Miss.” the man tried to come forward, making Melissa place a hand on his chest.

“Do not step closer, sir, or else things will get ugly.” Her silent threat made the man freeze in his spot. He knew better than to cross his lines.

“Walk away and we will forget this ever happened.” Izac growled lowly, his fangs flashing in a threatening manner. I did not even need to say anything as the man gave me one last look and walked away.

Melissa sighed as Izac exhaled all the while dragging me towards the exit.

“Why do we ALWAYS have to deal with a creep that’s ALWAYS after you?” Izac whined as he pinched my cheeks.

“Well, what can we say? Our baby Isabella is a fallen princessssss.” Melissa pinched another of my cheeks.

“Ouchhh. Hey, I did not want to be called that.” I huffed as we walked towards our car.

“The name suits you though.” Izac winked as he and Melissa laughed at the face I made. Fallen Princess was a name assigned to me by the paparazzi after the scandal of me being removed from the position of heir of the Reid family. Nothing new, just my parents being dramatic and trying to woo me back into their life. The reply I gave to the paparazzi was a middle finger, the first ever middle finger of my life. It felt damned good.

“God, I hate that nickname.” I groaned as we all settled into the car. A strange feeling of being watched crept over me and as I looked around, outside the window of the car, I saw Nikolai watching me like a hawk. He was following our car and looking at us weirdly, making me feel as if something was going to happen. I could not shake the feeling of being watched for the rest of the evening. But soon it was all forgotten when we made our way into the club to celebrate our success.