Alpha Noah

¬Abella

For a moment, we just stare at each other silently.

“How did you do this?” he questions slowly, looking over me and the damage I’ve caused. I struggle to not feel bad about this, even though I shouldn’t. The awakening of these powers came from anger, caused by Cian thinking it’s okay to keep me here, away from Noah just because I didn’t choose him to ultimately be my only mate.

“Take me back now,” I demand. There’s a fire in my tone, even though we both know that I wouldn’t use any new found power on Cian, even if he still kept me here. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to muster it back again.

“Okay,” he says slowly, taking a few tentative steps toward me, reaching out for me. I take his hand, feeling the subtle sparks that spread across my skin. I doubt I will be feeling that soon with him.

The world disappears around me, before my feet touch ground again, and I’m suddenly standing before Noah’s manor, between the pillars and crystal pools that frame it. Whirling around to face Cian, I pull away, trying to put some distance between each other; both because I fear what I could do to him, and also the idea of him trying to take me right back again.

“I’m so sorry I destroyed everything,” I say immediately,

“I don’t care about that place,” he tells me anxiously, hands delving into his hair, revealing the golden roots which reflect brilliant colours in the sun.“I care about you.”

“I don’t know what happened, I just got angry,” I exclaim, trying to make sense of everything in my mind. It happened so fast, and it didn’t feel as though I could completely control it. “Stace said I had powers… I just didn’t know it would be anything like that.”

Cian’s expression is immediate disgust at the utterance of the man’s name, as if speaking it summons Demon’s just like him. “Stace just got into your head, Abella. Don’t let his words try to convince you that you actually have powers.”

For a moment I’m startled. Why would he say that? Of course I have powers, him and I witnessed it ourselves. It’s not as if it would be possible for me to summon that much fire without a magical ability being involved. Cian is so sure Stace is the purest of evil that regardless of what I say, nothing Stace tells me will be true.

“What do you mean, I caught your entire apartment on fire!” I exclaim angrily, frustrated that he isn’t believing me after what I just did. Right now I’m confused, wanting answers I don’t have, and instead I’m here, arguing with

“What’s going on?”

Cian and I both turn around at the same time to see Noah approaching. With evening setting in, the sunset hues of tangerine and violet reflect of his dark clothing and dark hair, the shadows framing the contours of his face which are twisted into a frown. I probably look crazy, with slightly singed cuffs of my sleeves, the rest of my clothing dusty with ash.

“Abella and I just came back from talking about how she chose you over me,” Cian says, his faux amused tone tinted with anger and resentment as he looks Noah over carefully. Noah doesn’t even flinch, although his expression does soften.

“I’m sorry, Cian.”

“Don’t act like we didn’t know this would happen since the beginning,” Cian says with a shrug. He may be trying to appear as though this doesn’t affect him, but I see right through it.

“I suppose the next step is to see a Gaze Reader, right?” Noah exclaims, clasping his hands together. Immediately upon arrival Noah wants to do this. I can’t blame him for wanting it to be over with, but I thought we may have at least waited until tomorrow. Secretly I’m glad, after the way Cian left me in that room with no intention to bring me back without incentive.

Should I tell Noah about that? I don’t want confrontation between them, so perhaps I should keep it to myself until this is all over.

“Yes. I think Noah is done with sharing,” Cian comments sourly. Looking between them, it takes all my effort not to roll my eyes.

“That an understatement,” Noah replies.

Cian gives me a long, lasting look, as if he suspects I may change my mind at the last minute. “Let’s just finish this, shouldn’t we?”

***

Noah had already prepared a Gaze Reader to meet us in his home.

No words come from anyone as we sit down in his living area, all on separate chairs around a small table. The Gaze Reader is the same one from my last attempt, where I changed my mind. I’m too frightened that one word may send everyone spirling into a fit of anger, even if both Cian and Noah seem rather solemn right now.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“This is a permanent change. It cannot be undone,” the Gaze reader reminds me, looking both Cian and I directly in the eyes, making me shiver. Noah and Cian have already argued earlier about allowing Noah in the room, since he doesn’t have to be involved in the separation at all.

The door opening behind us makes me flinch. Whirling around, I meet Stace’s gaze as he walks in, looking over us with a rather triumphant expression on his face.

“Don’t worry, Gaze Reader,” he says, waving his hand dismissively toward her. When she looks toward Noah for permission, and he nods his head, she quickly leaves. “I have this one.”

Cian immediately stands up. “I don’t think so.”

“Sit down, Greed,” Stace mutters, coming around to take the Gaze Reader’s place. “Your fate is going to be the same regardless of who does it.”

I had no idea Stace had the ability to do this the entire time. I know he’s powerful, especially in his position from where we come from, but I could have never predicted this. He sits opposite me now, hair dark and mussed, tattoos swirling up to his jawline in that strange, unique manner that I’ve yet to ask him about.

I narrow my eyes on him suspiciously. “Can you really do it?”

“Yes, oddly enough,” he responds. “I’ve been doing this for people since I was a boy. It’s common for people from our realm to end up with two mates. It’s nature’s cruel way of trying to pass magic down bloodlines, even if it often doesn’t work that way.”

Cian doesn’t look pleased, and I can’t blame him for it. The history between him and Stace is far deeper and far darker than anything I am aware of, and I’m not sure I want to delve into it. It appears that Stace is on a revenge mission for everything that the immortals did to his people… my people. I should be just as angry about it, and I am, but I can’t bring myself to hate Cian for it.

“What sick enjoyment are you getting out of this?” Cian questions, finally sitting back down after he had abruptly stood, not wanting Stace to think for a moment that he is vulnerable.

“Plenty of enjoyment, trust me,” he replies, that smile only growing. One moment Stace looks like a terrifying King with unspoken powers that are completely unmatched, and then the next moment, he looks like a spiteful man who wants nothing more to avenge his people.

Cian doesn’t respond, a coolness settling over the room.

Stace pulls a small object from his pocket, shaped like a crystal ball placed within a small frame. All of us eye is warily as he places it down on the table before us, the surface of the ball reflecting hues of pink, green and blue.

“Cian and Abella, place your hands on this,” Stace instructs, motioning toward us. Both Cian and I exchange glances before we both oblige. If this is the way to do it, then we have to, even if it upsets Cian that Stace is doing this. At least I know that with him doing it, the bond will truly be severed, and will never have the ability to be reconnected.

“Is this really going to work?” Cian questions flatly, his fingertips brushing against mine as our hands find the strangely smooth surface of this ball. It’s most definitely not from this realm, and perhaps

is something Stace fashioned himself.

Stace gives him a sharp look. “Close your eyes. I’m going to sever the bond now.”

I do so, letting darkness consume me for a long, painful moment. Yet nothing happens; no unbearable amount of pain, no feeling the bond be ripped apart between us. The only thing I feel is my heart rate increase in anticipation, and my stomach drop at the reality of what is happening right now.

“It’s done,” Stace says.

Opening my eyes, I blink past the light. “Really? I didn’t feel anything.”

“Yes, it’s done,” he replies solemnly. “You can go now.”

Looking toward Cian, I startle at what I see. Nothing has changed about his appearance, however, he looks slightly different to how I remember him, like a mask was put over me that has suddenly been removed. He’s no longer my mate, so I’m seeing him as I would see any other male. He’s still stunning and exotic in his appearance, but doesn’t have that appeal that is unique to mates.

He takes one look at me, and disappears, a vacant space being all that is left behind.

“Don’t worry about him. I’m going to speak to him again, ensure he doesn’t come back to you again,” Stace tells me as he gets up, slipping that strange contraption back into his pocket. In other words, he doesn’t want Cian seeking revenge, or killing me because of what I am.

“Don’t hurt him,” I plead.

“I’m not in the business of hurting people today, Abella,” Stace tells me firmly.. “Even if he deserves it.”