Alpha Isaiah ✔️

FORTY ONE

Word Count: 1759

~Avia

We sit at the table the next morning, silently eating our breakfast.

"You all okay? You seem tired," Cherry notes, looking at each of us in turn.

Considering everything that is going on, Elise has made some kind of excuse to stay. Now we are all here at once, all in the rebellion and eager to deal with Kit. Cherry has no idea though, which Zire insisted continues. It's not that we think she will talk to anyone about it, we all just agreed that we didn't want her to have to harbour this secret.

"Hardly slept," Isaiah mutters, glancing up at me over the rim of his coffee cup. We got back late last night, and although part of me was tempted to spend the last few hours before dawn in Isaiah's room, I remembered the role I have to play here.

And it's not as Isaiah's mate.

Elise leans back in her seat, peeling away at her fruit. "Me neither."

"I was...reading," Zire says, frowning down at his plate, avoiding Cherry's eyes. So much for the expert liar. When it comes to Cherry, he has no idea how to lie, or sometimes, even how to talk to her. It's sweet, although I see the sadness that plagues him, from having to keep this life from her.

I know exactly how that feels.

Elise snorts. "Yeah right."

"What? I was..." He retorts defensively. Smothering a smile, I shove some toast into my mouth. Elise isn't trying to call him out, but everyone at this table knows Zire doesn't read, and now we know he is terrible with fake alibi's.

I run my hand down my face, looking at Cherry. "Well, I'm always tired these days, it seems."

"Perhaps a better sleep schedule," Isaiah notes. I raise my gaze to his, narrowing my eyes ever-so-slightly. Since last night, we haven't mentioned anything about the rebellion, and nothing about the mate bond. I want to know more about how he feels about it. I want to know how we are going to hide it from everyone.

Cherry frowns, picking up on the strange vibes that are going on at the table. "What's going on?"

"Nothing is going on, Cherry. We are just being silly," I assure her, before shooting glares at everyone in turn. If we are going to keep this from Cherry, then we need to make sure that nothing seems out of the ordinary, otherwise it will inadvertently tip Kit off.

"I feel left out of something," she exclaims warily. When she looks at Zire, he once again looks away. I could roll my eyes. Of everyone here, I didn't think he would struggle to keep a secret the most.

"What could we possibly leave you out of?" Isaiah asks her, to which she merely shrugs. "Which speaking of, I have some news."

"Isaiah..." Zire warns.

"It's not what you think," he mutters, before turning to look at us all. "My father is returning."

My heart drops into my stomach. Kit returning is good, but just knowing I'm going to have to be in the same room with him again, having to see that face that is the cause for my parents death fills me with both fear and rage. I'm only fearful that something is going to set me off in his presence, and I won't be able to hold myself back from hurting him.

"What?" I splutter.

"Seriously?" Zire growls. I always knew Zire didn't like Kit, but now I know his hatred for him runs deep. Kit has far too many enemies that he doesn't know about.

"He's going to expect us to be married...He's going to expect you to propose," Elise exclaims. She's gone pale. I know now she isn't motivated by political standing. She just wants Kit gone, like the rest of us, and her marrying Isaiah is just part of the ruse.