22

Word Count: 2051

~Sienna

Alex's hands are clammy against mine as we sway to the music.

"I've never been to a ball like this before," she whispers softly, looking around with wide eyes.

I can't blame her reaction. Maren hosts extravagant parties.

Her ballroom has sweeping high ceilings and an overwhelmingly large chandelier that commands attention at the centre of the room. It casts a dancing cascade of light over the dance floor that shifts and glitters magically.

People dance around us in jaw-dropping expensive clothing to awfully dull music. At least the food is good, which is a good distraction from the fact that I can't dance with Kayn.

I can see him in the corner, talking to Rowan, his eyes shifting to mine every few seconds.

I turn my attention back to Alex."I thought you come from a powerful family."

"Rich, not powerful. My father came into money only recently after a family member he didn't know he had died," she explains, her rings digging into my skin. "So I'm still not used to all this."

"Everyone here is miserable," I say, sweeping my gaze over all their bleak faces. "Except Alpha Maren. She loves power."

She's near the door, still greeting people as they enter. I hate how beautiful she is. Her and Onyx would be well-suited if they weren't mortal enemies.

She's tall, with effortlessly silken black hair that falls to her shoulders. Her jaw and cheekbones are angular in a sharp, almost disconcerting way. She would be beautiful if beauty was confronting rather than admirable.

"So, what's happening with you and Kayn? Seems like it might get serious." Alex smiles knowingly at me.

"Maybe. I'm deciding if I want to move with him to his village when this is all over," I tell her, adjusting uncomfortably. This necklace is rubbing against my skin in a way that has me hoping it's not an allergy.

"What's holding you back?"

"Honestly?" I look across the ballroom at my friend, who is currently dancing with Lexa. "Onyx."

Alex sighs, rolling her shoulders.

"Can I be honest with you, Sienna?"

An apprehensive frown settles on my face. "Of course."

"I really like you. I think we could be really good friends." She sighs, her fingers tightening against my hands. "But if I get chosen, I'm worried about being with Onyx when he clearly has feelings for you."

I flutter my eyes, shocked.

Alex has never been so blatant with me. Her sharp blue gaze gives me nowhere to cower to.

"He doesn't have feelings for me. He's just a friend," I tell her firmly.

I don't blame her for drawing such a deep line in the sand. She's here for love, which I admire so much about her. She doesn't want anything getting in the way of that, and I understand completely.

"I see things. I hear things." She leans a little closer. "I want love. Real love. If Onyx doesn't think he can love me, I can't be with him."

I press my lips together, feeling the tackiness of my lipstick.

"That's totally fair," I say, watching Onyx talk to Lexa as he smoothly dances with her through the crowd. "You should talk to Onyx and be honest. He will appreciate it."

Her makeup creases around her mouth as it tightens. "What if he sends me home?"

I hold back my grimace.

I fear that Onyx is scared of Alex. He doesn't like that she's likeable, that she would be a good Luna. It means he will actually have to consider marrying her, which is exactly what he's afraid of.

"Then it was never going to be, right?" I let go of her hands, placing them on her shoulders. "I wouldn't worry. I told him you're his best option, and he seems interested in getting to know you better."

People mutter curses as we stall on the dance floor. I hardly care.

"Do you mind if I ask him for a dance?" She's brightened up a little, like my words have improved her prospects drastically.

"Go ahead."

She gives me one last smile before she approaches him, tapping his shoulder.

I back off the dance floor, not looking. Seeing this go so well for them is exciting, yet at the same time, it opens a wound I thought was fully healed at this point.

Onyx is not mine. Not romantically.

I pick up a flute of sparkling wine, taking a sip. I don't usually drink, but the faltering of my spirit has me deciding to break my one rule for these events.

Someone suddenly rushes past me, bumping my shoulder. It sends the glass from my hand to against my chest, liquid spilling down the front of my dress.

Thankfully I snag the stem of the glass before it shatters onto the floor.

My dress is officially soaked. "Shit."

"I am so sorry." It's a server. He looks horrified with what he just did, likely thinking it's going to cost him his job.

"No, it's okay. It was just an accident," I assure him, plucking up some napkins which I press against my front, trying to soak up some of the sticky wine.

"Come with me, I think I have something to remove the stain."

He gestures for me to follow him, so I do, glancing back only once to see Onyx dancing peacefully with Alex.

"Thank you," I tell him as he leads me into the kitchen.

People bustle about, paying us no mind as they focus on preparing enough food to feed the vultures outside.

"Don't thank me yet." The stranger leads me to the sink, giving my dress another anxious look.

He soaks a cloth before pouring some unknown substance into a bowl. He adds some water, then the cloth, then turns to face me.

"Would you like me-"

I take it from his hand, not really feeling like having a stranger put his hands near my breasts. "No, I can do it. I've cleaned plenty of stains from my clothing before."

Dabbing the fabric gently, I silently pray this doesn't ruin the dress. I hate seeing something perfectly good go to waste.

"Again, I'm sorry Sienna, I wasn't even looking where I was going..." the server mutters, delving a hand into his fluffy, bouncy brown curls.

I jerk my head up, my eyes narrowing. "You know my name."

"Everyone knows your name. You're the Alpha's mistress." He looks confused.

I huff out a breath. Obviously. I forget that my proximity to Onyx gives me a name in the public arena. I'm not sure how I feel about it, especially when my reputation is sleeping with him.

"Right. Of course." I shake my head, silently chastising myself.

I soak the cloth again and have another go at the stain. It appears to be working, the scent of wine being drowned out by whatever is in the server's secret stain removal concoction.

"Do I look familiar to you?" He says abruptly.

I pause, looking up at him.

He has round, honest-looking brown eyes. His face is slightly rounded, except for his nose, which is pin-straight. Absolutely nothing about him triggers familiarity.

"I'm sorry, no." It feels mean to say.

He shifts, his eyes suddenly as cold as chips of ice. "So you have no memory of me?"

"Have we met before?" I force myself to remember, but nothing comes up. "Oh, you were probably here when Alpha Onyx and I visited half a year ago."

He's a server here, so either I bumped into him in Onyx's Pack, or he saw us here. The latter option seems more fitting, and to be honest, I don't remember faces very well. Especially here, when there is always so much else going on.

"Never mind," he mutters, looking a little hurt. "Forget it."

I dip the cloth into the mixture and give my dress one more dab. When I look up, the server has vanished.

Promptly drying myself off, I compose myself before reentering the ballroom. The music has gathered in tempo, people far drunker, dancing around animatedly without a care in the world.

"Hello Sienna," a smooth, sultry voice says from next to me.

Glancing up, I catch the cunning eyes of Alpha Maren. She looks stunning in that effortless, regal way of hers. She wears a close-fitted emerald dress that glitters lavishly, the earrings to match brushing against her slender neck.

"Alpha Maren. Thank you for inviting me. This is a beautiful party," I exclaim politely.

We both know I don't like her. However, now that I'm mistress I must maintain a pleasant façade with every important member of society I come across.

Even if it makes me want to dig my eyes out.

"I don't love them very much, but it feels good to get my eyes on all my enemies." She looks out across the dance floor, brushing every person in turn with her keen stare.

My brow raises. "Is Onyx included in that list?"

"Maybe," she muses in that opaque, political way of hers. "Drink?"

She holds a narrow wine flute out to me, half filled with bubbling silver liquid.

"I don't drink." Often.

"This is going to be a long night." She nods to the debauchery currently playing out in the centre of the room. "Plus, it's diluted. I don't like messy party-goers lingering around my home."

The people dancing don't seem to reflect that notion, although people act strangely when they think they should be drunk.

"Fine." I'm meant to be polite, after all. "Thank you."

"If, at any point tonight you decide you're tired of Onyx, my bed is awfully vacant these days," she says lowly, giving me a long, wicked stare. "You can bring him. Or not."

I roll my eyes. This is another one of Maren's power plays.

With that, she walks away, leaving behind a heady scent of cloves and mint.

I drain the glass she offered me and set it down. This already feels like it's going to be a long night, and I don't have the energy for it.

For a while I linger at the edge of the dance floor, watching Onyx excuse himself to the refreshments table.

I could use a glass of water. Heat has gathered against the back of my neck, my skin suddenly tacky beneath my dress. I shouldn't have opted for alcohol tonight.

Pushing off the wall, I aim for Onyx, but a man slides in front of me, halting me in my step.

"Are you okay?" He asks, eyes roving over my flushed skin. I hadn't even realised I'd been fanning myself.

I recognise him immediately.

"Lord Ableman." I tuck my damp hands behind my back. "I'm fine, just a bit hot."

The older gentleman has connections to Onyx. He's just another boring, political lackey that does as he's told and not much else.

"Call me Nick. Let me take you outside for a bit of air," he offers, pointing to the large open glass doors on the other side of the room.

With every passing moment, the heat simmering in my blood becomes unbearable. I need some fresh air soon or I'm going to melt into a unrecognisable puddle.

"Okay, that sounds good," I smile at him tightly.

He sweeps his hand through his short black hair which is dotted with grey strands. "I've been meaning to ask you for a dance."

"Really?"

I haven't exactly spoken much with Nick. As Lucia's assistant, I've seen him in various meetings and such with Onyx, but he's not so much as uttered a thank you to me for pouring him a glass of water.

"You're very beautiful. You often catch my eye at events such as these," he muses, leering down at me.

Glancing over my shoulder I see Maren approaching Onyx across the room.

Ignoring the pressing feeling of unease, I follow Nick out into the gardens, leaving the party behind.

🖤••🖤

Thank you to everyone who has subscribed to this story over on Inkitt! Over there, you can read 15 chapters ahead!

If you would like to read more of The Alpha's Mistress, you can read over 10 chapters ahead on Radish!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading (:

~Midika 💜🐼