Alpha Kael

~Jada

Finding an excuse for why my face is cut and bruised isn’t coming to my mind as easily as I had hoped.

A first aid kit I had found underneath the bed is a blessing. A smear of antiseptic cream and a plaster strapped over wound is all I can do. The bruises, which surround both my eyes, and part of my forehead, a dark mess of blue and purple, have no hope of being hidden. And at this point, no hope of being explained.

Naturally, at breakfast, it was Parker who pointed it out.

“Someone is desperate to win this competition,” he says, sliding into a seat next to me. I have no patience for Parker. He seems pretentious and almost everything he says can be seen right through. I don’t think I’m the desperate one.

Sighing deeply, I place my toast back on the plate, reluctantly giving him my attention. “Aren’t we all, Parker?”

“Nasty battle wound,” he says, that grin manifested from constant compliments about his straight, white teeth. Reaching up with prying fingers, he gets so close, he almost touches the surface of my plaster. But not before I smack his hand away, which he recoils back against him.

“Careful, and you’ll have one too,” I snap, pulling the collar of my shirt closer against my face.

He laughs, an animated sound that I assume is to attract others to this conversation. I’m not sure why he is obsessing over the cut above my brow, and the bruising. Unless of course, he saw me sneak out last night… No, he can’t have. Surely he would have brought it up already.

“Is that a threat?” he questions.

“That depends,” I say with a light shrug. Slowly, I shift my gaze to him, and how he faces me with his entire body. “If you think you’re my target, you should back off. Unless you want the rules broken, and for to get kicked out of this competition.”

I’m not sure if it was my threat, or my tone of voice that faltered the beam in Parker’s smile. Either way, he slid a little further away from me.

“Alright, I get it,” he says. “Calm down.”

If he is looking for an apology, he doesn’t stick around long enough to get one. Not that I was offering one. Parker is in to win it, and by his approach, is going to be aggressive about it. I can’t blame him for it. However, I’m not going to play nice. Not now.

I have to concentrate on what is important. Today, I’m meeting with Kael. If it doesn’t go well, then I might be out of this competition. After last night, he seems fairly forgiving, although I can’t confirm that until today. It only makes me more nervous. Not only do I have an objective, but I’m relying on an intimidating Alpha who I know nothing about.

Parker pushes away from the table, going to sit elsewhere. He should count himself lucky. His objective is nowhere near as difficult as mine.

***

I was sitting at my desk, considering how I was going to get to Kael’s estate, when someone knocked sharply on my door.

Pulling back the door, I see Niko.

“We have a request for your presence at the Alpha’s manor,” Niko says slowly, as if he can hardly believe he’s saying this. “I’m here to escort you, as competitors, in most cases, are not prohibited to enter his property.”

I’m taken aback for a moment. On this, I thought that I was alone. That I wouldn’t be assisted, like they insinuated we wouldn’t be. However, Kael has ordered this to happen, which makes it all the more real. I’m going to meet him, and I’m going to find out a secret about him. At this point, I’ll take anything.

Niko doesn’t say anything to me, as he leads me out of the back door, down the path and toward a car parked in front of the front office. I can only hope no one is watching.

“I filled out the paperwork for you leaving the premise,” Niko tells me.

My reply doesn’t come, as he opens the car door for me, and I slide in. I’m too nervous, and starting to wonder if this is a bad idea or not. I didn’t even bring a notepad in case he throws information at me. I’ll just have to listen intently, which I hope won’t be too hard to do.

It was as we were pulling out of the driveway, that Niko spoke again. “I’m surprised.”

“Why?” I ask.

“I’m surprised you got in contact with the Alpha, and convinced him to give you even a moment of his time,” Niko muses, as the driver leans out the window to hand a selection of paper to the gatekeeper at the edge of Kael’s estate. He controls the large mechanic gate which currently is keeping us out.

I smother a smile. Niko underestimated me, which I don’t blame him for. An empowered feeling blossoms within me, but I quickly shun it down. This is all because of Kael.

Once the gate smoothly glides open, it reveals the expanse of Kael’s estate immediately.

The actual manor is propped all the way at the other end of the property, at the end of a smooth concrete driveway. Before us, is a stretch of formal lawn, which leads to a manicured garden framing the house. It’s surprisingly picturesque, and doesn’t seem to fit what I assumed Kael would prefer.

It’s too…Pretty.

The car finds a stop at the front stairs of the entrance way, Niko propping the door open for me to step out. As soon as I was out, he steps back into the car.

“Wait, you’re not coming in with me?” I question.

There’s a slight smile on his face, and shakes his head, going to close the car door behind him. “This is all up to you, Jada. Good luck.”

I stand there for a moment, watching his car drive away before I turn back to the Alpha’s Manor. It’s a beautiful structure, hardly new to any extent. This must have been in his family for generations. It makes me wonder how many of his relatives are still alive. He’s been Alpha for over five years.

Clambering up the stairs, I knock promptly on the door. I’m not going to waste any time. Who knows how long he will give me before he gets bored and sends me off.

I’m surprised when Kael opens the door.

For some wild reason, I expected him to be dressed up, as if this was a proper meeting. Instead, he’s dressed… normally, in a black grey tunic and trousers. Similar to what I’ve seen him earlier, however, there’s no addition of any fighting leathers, and his hair isn’t so smooth. Recently, he’s been running his hands through the rich brown strands.

Is he nervous? No, of course he isn’t. Why would he be nervous to be speaking with me, when I’m surely the least of his worries. I find myself almost blushing in his presence for thinking such a foolish thing.

“Welcome Jada. I’m glad you could make it,” he says warmly, motioning into his home. “Come on in.”

Nerves cease me even harder than before, as I step into his home.

The inside is just as beautiful as the outside. Even more so, perhaps. A foyer stretches out in front of me, wide cascading steps the centre piece. The floors under my shoes are a sleek marble surface, my face appearing in the reflection when I look down. I’m not sure if it is him that has furnished this home, or someone else, but the artwork slung on the walls, and the plants framing each pillar, is done stunningly well.

“You’re so lucky to live here,” I say in wonder, turning on the spot to truly sink in the full spectacle of the home. This is only one room, but already I’m itching to explore all the others to see if they are as beautiful as this one.

Kael watches me keenly, a soft smile on his face. “I don’t live here full time. Just during the warmer season, when the competition is on.”

I can’t hide my surprise.

“Where else do you live? I would want to live here permanently, it’s incredible,” I say in one breath, before I consider what just came out of my mouth. Kael has an eyebrow raised at me, however, doesn’t look offended. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked you something so personal.”

He shrugs calmly, taking a few steps toward a small table and chair set a few feet in front of the stairs. “I live closer into the Pack in a small apartment. It’s all I really need.”

I’m dumbfounded by the information being fed to me. With his waving hand, I follow his instructions to sit in the chair opposite him. I can admire him for not relying on the wealth being an Alpha creates, but it also makes me curious. I make a mental note to ask him about it later, if he will let me.

“Well, I thought I best clarify what I’m looking for in this meeting today,” Kael says suddenly, before I could dig out another compliment about his home.

I blink a few times. “Ah. Okay.”

He leans forward on his chair, resting his arms on the table. I’m intimidated by this sudden proposal. I thought I was here to ask him questions, and that would be it. I hadn’t planned for anything more. I hadn’t even planned for this…

“I’ve decided that if you want to know something about me, I want to know something about you,” he says softly.

I’m dumbfounded. “I don’t understand…”

“And maybe if you chose a dark secret, I’ll tell you one of mine.”