Filed To Story: Destined Bond with My Forbidden Alpha Novel (Alpha Alexander & Selene)
Silence filled the cave. Alice took deep breaths. Holding herself up was draining all of the energy she had left. But the liquid was still there. Still waiting to pull her into the depths and drown her repeatedly.
“She needs rest,” Holden sighed. “Put her with the others.”
“But no one is supposed to–”
“Do not test my patience!” Holden shouted, shaking the walls of her mind once more.
“I don’t mean any disrespect, but my orders….”
“Come from me,” Holden hissed. “Do as I say, and keep your mouth shut.”
Alice took a chance and looked back at the grime covered window that served as her eyes in this place. Holden was leaving the room. The other man stepped closer to her. She recognized him from all the treatments, but she didn’t know his name. He wore a lab coat.
Lab Coat stepped in front of her. His expression was filled with shame.
“I’m sorry, Alice,” he whispered. “I wish I could do something more for you.”
Alice couldn’t see what he was doing, but the liquid in the room was slowly receding. She lowered herself, trying to do it slowly and carefully, but she was too weak. Once she let go of the vice grip on the rock, her hand froze up, and she couldn’t grab hold of anything else. She fell back and hit the ground hard.
Her physical body reacted, letting out a groan of pain and gripping the chair she sat in tightly.
Lab Coat came back into vision.
“Alice?” he questioned, looking closely into her eyes. But there was no more response from her.
He moved her into a wheelchair, strapping her in so she wouldn’t fall forward. Then, he rolled her down a dark hallway, taking several turns Alice couldn’t track with her focus so scattered.
Finally, he approached a door that required keycard access. The door opened, and Alice gasped at what she saw.
“It’s a good thing you won’t remember this,” Lab Coat whispered. “Or else you’d never be able to leave this room again.”
Alice stared out her grimy window. Her bloody hand covered her mouth as her dry, scratchy eyes burned from the tears that welled up in them.
“For now,” Lab Coat whispered, moving her onto a bed and strapping her down. “You’re just going to rest for a few weeks. Giving your brain a chance to recover from all the treatments. Then you can go back to playing your games.”
She heard the loud buzzer of the door being opened and its slam closing behind him.
Alice lay down on the cold hard ground in the cave of her mind. She pulled her knees to her chest and wished she had let herself drown in the tea.
When Clara and Corrine spoke of a banquet in her honor, Selene had expected something similar to the full moon banquet she had experienced on her first visit to Summer. Food and light chatter. More formal and organized than any celebration she had known.
Which is why, when she arrived at the location of the event, she was shocked to see an outdoor venue complete with a dance floor, bar, and full dinner service. Some servers were also performers, some magicians, some dancers, and some very flexible people.
She saw two large tents and immediately got curious about what she might see inside. But found her path blocked by a very sexy man in a wheelchair.
Alexander adjusted his tie as they locked eyes, and he smiled at her with a blend of warmth and fire that had her biting down on her lower lip.
Seeing him there before her, she suddenly felt the strain of not seeing him for the better part of three weeks.
Selene grabbed the hem of her long dress and pulled it up to keep it out of her path as she hurried to greet him.
She ran straight to him and fell into his lap with just enough grace to keep from hurting either of them. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him the biggest kiss she could muster.
Alexander was surprised and caught off guard but not unhappy in the least. On the contrary, he held her waist tightly and gave her as much as possible.
They pulled away breathless but smiling and happily stared into each other’s eyes.
“I have missed you so much,” Selene laughed between breaths.
“I’d really rather keep you at my side all the time,” he said. “But if this is the greeting I get when we spend some time apart….”
Selene laughed and hit his arm playfully.
“I missed you too,” he said thoughtfully. “So much.”.
They took another moment just holding each other before Selene stood up off his lap. She adjusted the form-fitting, emerald green dress. It was simple but elegant, though the length was uncomfortable for Selene. She never liked to wear anything that threatened her ability to run if necessary. But Alexander had picked the dress out, and she did enjoy the look in his eyes as he watched her in it.
“So,” she said. “What are the tents for?”
Alexander smiled up at her.
“One of them is a staging area, where all the performers can get dressed and change costumes or prepare themselves for the show. The other is an outdoor theater. The tent walls will be torn down when it’s time, and then you will see it in all its glory.”
Selene was amazed.
“All this…” she whispered as she looked around. “Just to announce me as your mate?”
“This is nothing,” Alexander smiled, “wait for our wedding.”
Selene laughed.
“No,” she said, “our wedding should be small and intimate. Just the people who matter most to us.”
Alexander took her hand and brought it to his mouth. He kissed it gently as he spoke.
“Anything you want,” he smiled.
It indeed was a fantastic night. The dinner was delicious, and the entertainers never stopped putting on their small shows all over the event. Everywhere that Selene looked, smiles and laughter.
Even Fiona’s table had a level of merriment and mirth that Selene had not expected.
She was glad that Alexander hadn’t made a big speech. Instead, he had kept her introduction simple. He told them all her name, where she came from, and that she was his one and only mate. A few faces in the crowd gave her sympathy, appreciation, and possibly the beginnings of acceptance. But for now, most of what stared back at her was quiet resentment.
She had come here fully expecting this reaction. She knew that most of these people didn’t like her, but Alexander had gone to great lengths to try and put a joyous memory in their minds to associate with her.
So, Selene smiled and waved and told them how grateful she was to be here.
Alexander excused himself when Galen made a motion that Selene recognized right away as Alpha business.
She was about to sit back down at the table alone when someone caught her eye. Selene made her way down from the platform and towards the two large tents across the dance floor.
“Alright, everyone, find your costumes, get changed, and we will do a quick rehearsal one last time before the performance!”
Selene waited for her to finish talking.
“Miss Stacey?” she called.
The woman jumped in surprise.
“Selene!” she laughed, “You surprised me!”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” Selene said, “I just saw you and thought I would come to say hi.”
Selene had hardly seen Miss Stacey since she worked with her at the school the first few days after arriving in Summer. However, thanks to their honest conversations, Selene was able to gain some positive looks this evening.
“It is nice to see you again, Selene, though I don’t really have a moment right now. The children are getting ready for our performance.”
“The children are performing?” Selene asked with genuine interest and excitement.
She had enjoyed her time at the school. Getting to know the kids and playing with them had been something Selene had not expected to touch her as much as it had.
“Yes!” Miss Stacey smiled brightly. “Alpha Alexander came to our class just a few days after your visit. He told me about the event tonight and said that he thought you would enjoy seeing the kids do a small act for you. And of course, the kids were overjoyed at the idea.”
“I am so excited!” Selene said. “I had no idea, but I absolutely cannot wait! Please tell them I can’t wait to see them perform.”
“It’s only a simple set of songs, nothing spectacular,” Miss Stacey replied with an embarrassed laugh.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?