Adilah~

 

I swallow my food grudgingly as I stare down the man who claims to be one of the most powerful there is in the territory. I praise myself for remaining impassive for this long, but my appetite is going downhill every second.

 

"If you eat like that, it wouldn't take long before the food goes into the wrong tube." He is sitting casually facing me, chewing his food while watching my every movement. I am angry enough that I don't feel uncomfortable under his gaze like the first time we have met which is this afternoon.  Speaking of...

 

"How did you find me earlier? Are you stalking me or something?"

 

He laughs, an act that I hate to admit is pleasant in my ears. Alphas are not good for the heart.

 

"I like to call it fate rather than your choice of words.  Besides, I have business down there."

 

"In such a sketchy place?"

 

He grins, "I have different kinds of connections, as an Alpha."

 

"How about the women you were talking about earlier? " I start to inquire. I just hope that there are somewhere in this place, which doesn't help considering the size of it. I can't pick up any familiar scent either.

 

"That's another topic that would require a lot of explaining. How about you? Running away from someone? " His turn to ask, just for the sole purpose of annoying me for sure. He knows something, but how much? Does he know about me and Cole? Whatever, I decide to play ignorant, "No. Just at the wrong place at the wrong time. " Not a lie. It's frustrating that I can't just ask him anything that I want.

 

"Hmm..." He seems to consider something, before grabbing a drink and pouring it on a glass. "Want a drink?"

 

"I think I can get my own."

 

"Suit yourself." I did.

 

"Who is the woman earlier? Shae?" I start another topic again just to cover the awkward silence.

 

"One of the best staff that I have.  A smart one too." I raise my eyebrow at him. I don't picture him as someone who would compliment a woman other than for the purpose of flirting. But he looks sincere enough, so I give him a break.

 

"You are not oppose of women working?"

 

He traces the tip of his glass, "I am the most liberated Alpha there is. I have an uncanny instinct to go against the norm." Sounds like someone I know. So maybe he is indeed on in the outrageous plan of integration.

 

Seeing a hope of a rapport, I continue questioning him. "What about the other Alphas?" I sip my drink as I present to be  interested. All I really want to hear is his opinion of Cole,  considering that I don't have the chance to know him a little bit. What a lovely "mate" he is.

 

Alexander seems to find my curiosity amusing. "Jackson, the Alpha of the North, is an isolationist. He's not overly conservative as the South but he prefers that his pack is left alone. Peter is the worse. The Alpha of the South, still has a prejudice against women. The two of them are no fun." He leans on the head of the couch comfortably. 

 

My eyes start to falter, I suddenly feel so sleepy. I shake my head, "How about the Alpha of the East?" I place my hand on my cheek to support my dipping head.

 

"Cole? He's the most tolerable of them all, but he's still too serious for me. I never see him falter once." He gazes at me curiously.

 

"I can tell." I stifle a yawn.

 

"You'll see." He answers meaningly.

 

And then it came. The room is suddenly whirling beneath me, "What did you do?" Something is wrong.  Really wrong.

 

"Shall I make him a little nervous for once?" He moves closer to me.

 

I should have known not to trust him. Here we go again. I welcome the darkness.

 

***

 

I wake up in the same room. The difference is, I am tied to a chair and the foods are gone. I sigh deeply.

 

"You're finally awake." I struggle to free myself just so I can claw at the only one responsible for this. He is still sitting on his spot earlier.

 

"You put something in my drink."

 

He nods without putting a fight to deny it. My jaw ticks.

 

"Don't worry it's a natural sleeping agent. I didn't drug you, I still value my life." As if that would convince me.

 

"What is this?" I feel stupid pointing out to him me being tied up, considering that he was the one who did it. But it's my way to stay sane and grasp the situation. I can't remember anything from our conversation.

 

"Sorry for tying you up. It needed to be more realistic." He stands up and stops in front of me. "I promise, after this I'll give you anything that you want."

 

"Go to hell!" I shout and try to kick him with my unbound feet, he's too fast for me though.

 

"It's just... It's been awhile. " Unfazed by what I did,  he goes down in my level and I stare at me intently. I watch his every move.

 

"What do you mean?" That's all I can ask.

 

"Been awhile since there has been an Alpha's mate."

 

"You mean a Luna." I remind him angrily that only get me a smile.

 

"Yes. It's been awhile too since I heard someone use that term. The moon."  He translates. I don't know where he's getting at, but I reckon that he thinks this is normal. Great, another weirdo.

 

"You still haven't found your mate yet?"  I ask in curiosity. For a second something flickers in his eyes, but it is so subtle that I could have imagined it. Especially with the smirk still plastered on his face, "No. I don't need one."

 

"Why not?" I challenge back.

 

"Because of where you are at the moment." He answers like I'm some kind of an idiot. My anger surfaces again.

 

"You knew."

 

"Hey, in my defense it wasn't my fault. Cole gave me an SOS call about you." He laughs, "It was so funny. I never heard of him so distraught before."

 

"You're a lunatic." I can't help but to say.

 

"Nah, just a guy who had nothing better to do these past years." He pulls out an unknown device out of his back pocket and point it at me. My heart picks up, "What are you doing?"

 

"Say cheese." I flinch as I hear a click coming from the object.

 

"Haven't seen a mobile phone before? What place are you from?"

 

"Somewhere that you'll never know, Alpha Alexander." I bite back.

 

"What? No Lander anymore. I only let certain people call me that you know."

 

"I am not interested. "

 

He finally give up his game, and straighten himself. "Now let see how long it will take him to get here for you." He's doing something in the phone thing he called.

 

"What are you planning again?"

 

"Something that will result me a punch for sure."

 

Suddenly a commotion started outside. I swallow nervously, "What do you --" I didn't have the time to finish another protest when I jump back due to the closed door that flew on top of me. I don't have time to recover, when I hear a painful crack followed by a grunt. Alexander is now on the ground, and the attacker is heaving heavily with his closed fists. I dare not to move when he turns in my direction.

 

"Took you 5 minutes. I'm impressed. " Cole ignores the bleeding Alpha and comes to me. His dark green eyes, being my only indication that it's him. An angry him.

 

He cuffs my face with both his hands and examine me everywhere, "Are you hurt?" His voice is hoarse, and it's stranger than what I heard from him before. I try not to shiver, and flinch when I start to feel the sparks. My initial shock is gone. Cole takes it as another sign though.

 

"You are hurt! I'll kill you Lander!"

 

"No, no, no! I'm okay." Feeling his rage I immediately stop him. He really is going to do it. He goes back to inspecting me again, "Are you sure?" He then grimaces. "His scent is all over you."

 

I roll my eyes, really. That's the first thing that he has noticed. "Can you please untie me now?" I try to sound polite, but I can't help my sarcasm.

 

"Woah, what happened here?"

 

Cole moves to free me, ignoring his confused friend who is standing dumbly at the door. I notice the bruise on his face. Poor Travis. When Cole still didn't answer him, because he's busy with me, he helps Alexander to stand instead.

 

I quickly massage my aching head as soon as my hands are out of the rope. I don't have time to compose myself when I am carried away by someone. I yelp.

 

"We'll talk tomorrow." Cole angrily said to Alexander as we pass them through. It didn't comfort me that I only heard Alexander laughed in return.

 

"Sorry, I just came." I refuse to look at him, the sparks all over my body is enough to throw me off. I might say something stupid if I do. Oddly enough, the feeling of his arms around me are so familiar. I lean my head on his shoulder. My eyes are getting heavy again. It must be the medicine.

 

"I'm sorry." That's all he can say? He has a lot to be sorry for anyways. He really sound worried though. I would blame that one on the medicine too.

 

"It's fine." I can't help but to answer back.

 

***

 

Yay! They finally meet. Poor Travis and Alexander though.  :)