Alliance

Chapter Thirty-Nine

It had been two weeks and Ben's back still ached.

There was nothing he could do about it. There was no pain medication he could take that wouldn't weaken his mind. At least he was able to walk properly now and he could shoot a gun. As long as he didn't have to fight hand to hand, he should be alright.

The past day Ben and Arnold had scouted out the hospital. No lights were shown through the window. Arnold had said that Wilson had covered them to give the illusion of an abandoned hospital so poor souls would be stranded there with the monster.

At night Ben thought he could hear screaming. He tried not to think about Mel in that hospital of death. If she were to die... Ben didn't let himself think that far ahead.

For years Ben had lived a lonely life. Elites and Royals saw Ben as a Prince. A person that needed to be worshiped. Or to be used. Too many times he found himself being used by a person to get his father's ear or to get into his brother's bed. No one stepped into his life and wanted to be friends with him without anything in return.

Then he found Alliance. Alliance was his home. No one knew his true identity, other than older officers who knew him since he was a boy and close friends. He created friendships that he never had before. It was the brightest part of his life.

Until the death of his mentor.

Colton, his mentor, had sacrificed himself to save Ben. The mission had been top secret. No one knew of it until Ben and Colton were supposed to return from the foreign land.

But Ben returned alone. Without Colton. Ben was unable to even bring back his mentor's body. He had not only failed Colton but Alliance. He had failed the mission and barely made it home alive himself.

He had become a shell. Neither smiled or laughed. His life had grown cold and dull.

When Ben was given orders to be a mentor, he had refused. He needed time. Needed time to deal with his thoughts and horrors. But he was not given the option to refuse.

But then Mel walked into his life. She was bright, beautiful, and likable. He knew he was harsh, knew that he was quiet at the beginning of the training. He did not want to get attached. So he kept her at arm's length. Keeping his features neutral at all times. He was there to do a job. To train her.

He kept to himself. Not sharing anything about himself because to talk took energy. To talk would bring up Colton. To talk would create a relationship with Mel.

But Mel wanted to know him. To figure him out. Wanted to see his smile. Wanted his approval. Wanted him.

When Mel found that her mentor was not Chief Collins but also Prince Benedict Roth, she did not change. She did not worship him, stand in awe of him, or used him.

She was mad at him for not telling her because she had considered him a friend.

She wanted to be his friend. Because like him, she was different. She was too smart for her school and she was an outcast because of it. Her life was never meant to be a field of wildflowers in summer. She was an offspring of a highly thought of Alliance officer and a traitor.

She and Ben were a match.

They both were born to fit a lifestyle that did not fit them.

As Ben watched the hospital, his anger rose. Mel was more than a student to him. He was her friend and he would go to hell and back to get her.