Alpha Kael

~Jada

I’m terrified of where this is going to lead.

Kael doesn’t turn back to look at me, simply leading me away and out of the gym. I stare at his back, wishing I could turn and run away from the situation I’m being lead into. I’m afraid he’s going to drag me into a dark room and force me to admit to sneaking into his room a few nights ago.

Each muscle under his shirt seems to shift and move under his reasonably tight shirt, like some kind of taunt.

I don’t know what we are doing, all I know, is I have to get through it. I’m here to win, and as much as I’ve been lead off track knowing Kael is busy trying to find his lost mother, I want to get through this.

I want to be a Silent.

Kael leads me into a corridor off the side of the gym. Still, he doesn’t say any words, not even checking to see if I’m following. Of course, I do follow. Right into relatively large room with soft mats on the floor. The colour of ruby red, like the blood I assume has spilled many times here before.

Finally he turns around to address me. “Welcome. I thought here we could do a few basic training exercises. So I can get a feel of you, you know?”

I’m assuming he means my level of fitness, but it still makes me shiver.

Nodding in agreement, I look around. There doesn’t seem to be much to this room at all, which I’m grateful for. It means no work with weapons, which isn’t my strongest suit. Back at the institute, we were never allowed near anything that could be perceived as a weapon. Only the most delinquent get their hands on weaponry enough to train with it.

“Anything you want, Alpha,” I murmur, trying not to seem as suspicious as I feel. If he truly had his memory wiped, the last interaction we had would be from the letter I sent him about removing contact outside of the competition.

Was the conversation we had that night real? Did he truly enjoy talking to me, I did he just feel sorry for me?

Either way, I have to continue.

To begin with, Kael had me doing some basic fitness warm ups. Each I did without question, wishing I had trained and readied myself for something like this early. Sweat began to build on my brow, and the more I lost my breath in front of Kael’s watchful eye, the more ashamed I became. Does he think I can actually do this?

Finally, when he called me to finish, I stood in front of him, hoping I don’t look as much of a mess as I feel. My hair is plastered against my seating forehead, my cheeks are flushed bright red and all my clothing is clinging distastefully to my body.

“How badly do you want this?” Kael asks, expression stern it leaves no room for error. I swallow anxiously. How badly do I was this?

There is no sign of the calm, sweet Alpha I met all those times outside of this competition. He isn’t giving anything away about seeing me as anything other than a competitor wanting to serve their Alpha. It’s unnerving, but I should have expected it. I’m not here to get special treatment. Kael would never react to coercion.

“More than anything,” I tell him firmly.

It’s true, and I hope he can look into my eyes and see that. He seems doubtful, however, as if I didn’t just run back and forth in this room for the past twenty minutes under his instructions.

Without a word, once again leaving me with more questions than answers, he leads me out of the room again. He leads me out back into the hallway, then much further down into restricted areas. No one is around, which only increases my concern. I’m trusting he’s not leading me to an area to charge me with conspiracy and have me dragged to the gallows like my parents were.

Instead, he guides me into a room. It’s small, with a sleek white table in the middle and two chairs on either side, facing each other.

I’m more fascinated by what’s on it.

A strange black box with cords hanging out of it is neatly placed upon the surface, looking imposing. I approach the table apprehensively, unsure of what the box does. Kael pulls out a seat for me, and I know I have no other choice but to sit down, obeying his every word until I understand more what is going on.

“Can ask what that is?” I ask warily, unable to take my eyes of the unknown object. Kael sits down in the chair opposite.

“It’s technology I was gifted by the Alpha of the Wisdom Pack. It’s a test to clearly define a lie next to the truth. This is imperative in ensuring I can have Silent’s by my side that I trust,” Kael informs me. “This is new technology, and is highly effective.”

A chill runs through me.

This isn’t ideal. At all. If he asks me about the other night, and I lie, he will know, and there is no way I will get away with it. But to appear calm and okay with this, I nod, agreeing to being strung up to this machine.

He places a headpiece over me, and places a few pads connected to cords on my pulse. This is technology that could only ever come out of the Wisdom Pack. It’s cold and heavy on my head, and does nothing to calm my nerves. Kael wordlessly connects it before he sits back down in his chair.

“I”m going to ask you a few questions,” he says smoothly. “I hope you answer as truthfully as you can.”

I nod.

He glances down at a piece of paper he had brought with him. I hadn’t even noticed. It gives me time to calm myself, steady my breathing and observe Kael’s reaction. He seems calm, shoulders loose, stance casual. In turn, it steadies me.

I concentrate on the way his hair sweeps down over his forehead when he looks down at his paper. The way his dark eyes scan, never missing a single detail. The way his muscles on his arms tense as he leans on the table. I’m so fascinated by every inch of Kael, and I could never explain to myself why.

Suddenly, his gaze flutters up, catching me. “You don’t have to worry, Jada. I trust you.”

Not for long.

The first few questions were simple. Whether I truly wanted to be here, whether I had a criminal record, and if I truly love this Pack. The last question came back inconclusive, which was a relief. I can’t say I’m the biggest patriot.

“Alright, have you ever committed a crime previously that you were not convicted for?” Kael asks, looking down at his paper.

Stay calm. I know what I’ve done, and if he knows, he won’t forgive me. Plenty of competitors have criminal records, but not for anything like conspiracy, or for tricking an Alpha into letting them into his home before drugging him. I have to be honest, to hopefully get around it.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Yes.”

Kael doesn’t even blink. “Could you tell me what that might have been?”

My mind scrambles for something in my life that was mild, yet went undetected by authority. It can’t be bad enough for Kael to reprimand me, however, my mind keeps coming back to the other night.

The moment I think of that, another lie comes into my mind. Actually, it’s not quite a lie, but hopefully enough to get me off the hook. It’s whether Kael wants to believe me or not, that matters the most.

“Most nights I sneak out of the institute,” I tell him calmly. “For air, you know. It gets busy in there, and sometimes I need some space. I doubt I’ll do it much again now that the group is slimming down. I heard we are getting a bigger group, however, so I can’t promise anything. Unless this is a problem.”

I could only hope my rambling was enough to convince Kael I was innocent.

He takes a deep breath, seemingly convinced. I only calmed down when he looked down at his paper and proceeded to ask another question. A simple one, about my family. He knows what the case is with that. I have nothing to hide.

“I have another question. This one is more important than you may think,” Kael muses, pushing his paper to the side to concentrate on me completely. “Do you think I’m attractive.”

Suddenly, I’m flustered, and speak without thinking. “No.”

Kael glances down at the machine, patiently waiting for the answer to come through. He raises an eyebrow when it does, and pulls his attention back to me again.

“Liar.”