Alpha Kael

~Jada

I couldn’t sleep that night.

My mind was whirling, pouring over every word Kael had said to me. I’m not sure if it was his intentions to make me confused, but if it was, he succeeded. I never knew his family had died… or gone missing. I’m not sure what he had meant. All I know is he has on family left, and is left alone to be an Alpha. Is that why he has Silent’s?

Tomorrow we are revealing our secrets to Niko. Part of me wonders what I should say, considering no one else surely knows about this. Niko will be surprised. I would surely make it to the next round…

But can I really say it? A foolish part of me feels as though it’s a special secret I share only with Kael. Like no one else can know.

This is my downfall.

Sighing through my nose, I turn over on my side, looking at the moon that glares straight into my room, alighting my bed covers in a silvery glow. Right as I thought my luck was changing, I’m back where I started. I should enjoy the freedom before I’m whisked off into the depths of prison for the rest of my life.

I let my head sink deeper into the pillow. What am I going to do?

***

The expressions on everyone’s faces when we met in the gymnasium the next day differed. Defeat, to triumph.

What frightened me was not what I have to say in front of these people, and what they are going to walk out of here knowing. The worst that will happen is they will walk out of here questioning how I know this, or what else I know. Or maybe they will spread the word to other people around the Pack.

Niko wasn’t the only one to enter the room, arms crossed, looking across all of us as if he knew something we didn’t. Alpha Kael followed after him, hands tucked into dark trousers, a dark jacket pulled over his shoulders.

He doesn’t look at me, as my eyes widen. He doesn’t acknowledge me in any sense. He’s impassive, subdued, coming to stand in front of us with the stature of a leader.

Nothing like the honest man I talked to yesterday.

“Someone’s going home today,” Niko says brightly, as if it’s something to be celebrated. I feel Raine, the girl standing next to me freeze. She clearly isn’t very confident about what she has discovered. “I thought we might get that over with today.”

That feline smile painted across Niko’s smug face tells me everything. This is a routine process he has dealt with before, and enjoys immensely. It must have been awhile since he was in our position, wondering whether he would make it to the next stage or not. He seems to be enjoying this too much.

“As you may be aware, it was expected of you to find something out about a chosen subject, without them being aware,” Niko says, clapping his hands together. It’s a sound a little too harsh for this time of the morning. “And of course, a special guest, your Alpha.”

Finally his gaze meets mine, but only for a fleeting moment.

“I think we will start from the right side of the line,” Niko says, pointing to where Baylee proudly stood, ready to spill all her information. “Tell us the name of your subject and what you’ve discovered. We will decide who goes home when you’re all done.”

It was that moment it dawned on me. What if Kael sends me home for spilling what I know about his parents? But he wouldn’t have told me if he didn’t foresee it being released… Right?

“Well, my subject was Ace,” Baylee says excitedly. “And I found out that the only reason he rebelled and was sent off to prison is because his dad abused him.”

I hate this already.

Her words hang in the air for a moment, no one responding. The way she said it made me flinch, and I think everyone else feels the same. When I glance toward Ace, he is looking straight ahead, unblinking, attempting to look unfazed by her revelation. But I can see beneath it all. His fingers are quivering.

“I found out by calling around to his school. They knew everything. When I feigned being his Aunt, it really didn’t take much convincing to let me see his records,” Baylee says, toning down her excitement when she realises no one else is impressed.

“Right,” Niko says, looking toward Ciera who was next in line. “Moving on.”

Ciera looks troubled, which is an expression that I’ve never seen on her. That dyed red hair and short temper. Whatever she is about to say, she’s thought about it as much as I have about mine, and it wondering if she should dare.

“My subject was Shana,” she says tenderly. “I found out through a friend of hers, who I found by sneaking into her room while I was at dinner, that she’s gay. And because of her parents disagreeing, she ran away a lot, and got into some really bad stuff.”

Shana doesn’t look bothered at all. In fact, she smiles.

After that, everyone takes there turn, speaking about their successes. The only person who had a questionable time was Jalen, a shy boy who has kept to himself thus far. Apparently he had struggled to approach anyone, however, he did manage to find out that Parker has a issue with drugs and was reprimanded by authorities not so long ago.

And then it came to my turn. When all the attention was focused on me, I froze. I could barely open my mouth. Especially when I look at Kael, at see him staring directly at me, jaw clenched, dark eyes slightly narrowed.

“Ah,” I say slowly, attempting to swallow down the lump in my throat. “My subject was Kael. Alpha Kael, I mean.”

Not a single person doesn’t gasp.

The confusion is imminent, Shana, who stands on the other side of me, nudges me, getting my attention to raise her eyebrows. I don’t say anything to her, looking back and Niko, which demands everyone be quiet so I can explain myself. He should get the blame for this, since he gave it to me.

“Kael was kind enough to share some information with me,” I say nervously, feeling heat rise to my cheeks, and a sweat begin to form above my brow. “I found things out that I didn’t know before.”

If Kael wanted to intervene and tell me to stop, he could have. But he didn’t he let me speak, which could have changed my mind on what I was about to say, but didn’t.

“Kael has a freckle on his left cheek. It’s so faint, you can’t notice it without looking very close. I don’t think there are many here who realised that. Like I said, you have to get very close,” I say simply.

A quiet takes upon the room.

None of my peers around me move, speak, or even attempt to look for the freckle on Kael’s face. It would be foolish of them, if they tried. They are nowhere near close enough for that.

“Interesting,” Niko says smoothly, calming his surprise. I’m sure he was expecting a myriad of information to be released about his Alpha. But nothing. “Moving on.”

I sit there thinking while those further in the line speak. This was foolish of me, I know it. Surely Niko is going to send me right out the door. But yet, I can’t regret it. I feel as though I had no other choice. That if I spoke out, something worse may have happened to me. Mainly, though, out of respect, I was no about to share that.

“Well, you all succeeded in your task to a degree, so congratulations,” Niko said, looking up and down the line. “But naturally, one of you has to go, right?”

Kael has said nothing to Niko about who he thinks should go home, which only makes me nervous. Perhaps he came in here just to make sure I didn’t say anything about him. Well, Alpha, you got what you wanted, and it might be why I’m going home.

“Ciera, you tried, honey, but I think you should go,” Niko says.

Everyone seems to be shocked at this, especially Ciera. She steps out of line, and for a fleeting moment, I was convinced she would speak out or physically confront Niko. She may have confidence and a short temper, but she would not come out best in this situation.

“Why?” she demands.

Niko stares her down tiredly. “Because I said so. My rules.”

Kael doesn’t disagree with him. Knowing none of us are going to stick up for her, she storms out, leaving everyone momentarily stunned. Especially me. I was sure I was going home.

“The rest of you can go. You’ll be briefed on your next assignment tomorrow,” Niko says dismissively.

Just as I was leaving with everyone else, Kael quietly summons me to stay behind. With curious looks, everyone else departs, some whispering in hushed voices in each others ears, clearly conspiring about what is going between us to. If only I could answer them, because even I don’t know.

“I’m sorry-”

“Why didn’t you say anything about what I told you?” Kael questions, folding his arms over his chest. It makes me nervous when he does that, as if he is going to scold me. When it’s joined by a raised eyebrow and a stern expression, I can’t help but be annoyed.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

I straighten slightly. “It didn’t feel right. What business is it of anyone else?”

Kael doesn’t respond, he simply stares at me. I stare back at him, hoping what I said has sunk in. The only thing I’m realising is how taken aback I am by how rousing his scent is, like the pine from the other night, and something sweeter like orange blossom. It makes me want to take another shuddering step toward him.

Of course, I refrain.

I could never dream about being inappropriate with an Alpha. Despite how attractive he is, behind the intimidating, hard exterior. I’m here for a job…

“You’d be a good Silent,” he says softly.

I’m not sure how to respond, so to avoid saying something I might regret, I walk away, once again, left unsure of what to take from my interaction to him.

But it seems this time, something is different.