Page 15 of Framed and Forgotten
“And what would those be?” I asked playfully.
“Guess we’ll see,” he replied nonchalantly. At last, he shifted from his spot, and before I knew it, he was up on his feet, offering his hand to help me stand. “Let’s go before everyone starts wondering about us.”
“Oh, I think they already know what we’ve been up to.” I laughed.
For the rest of the day, the problems we had completely slipped my mind, seemingly not as significant anymore. After lunch, we enjoyed a relaxing evening with our friends, returning to the alpha suite just before sundown to prepare for our date. Koen refused to tell me where we were going, and while Ipretended to be irritated, I couldn’t help but feel the mystery heighten my excitement.
When we were ready, we made our way to the car, where my mate stuck to his plan of keeping me in the dark. Through mindlink, he instructed the driver on our destination. As we drove through the winding roads, the city lights slowly came into view. Soon enough, we were stopping in front of a tall building flanked by grand stone pillars.
Koen got out first, then came around to open my door. As I stepped out, I couldn’t help but glance up at the impressive structure before me. “Where are we?” I asked, my voice thick with curiosity.
“A place I thought you’d enjoy,” Koen replied, his eyes gleaming with something both playful and proud. He took my hand and led me toward the entrance, where a doorman greeted us with a polite nod.
As we walked past him, my mate mumbled, “They might have stripped me of everything, but they couldn’t interfere with my memberships.”
“I figured this was an alpha-status venue,” I observed, glancing around to take in the minimalist decor, the polished marble floors, and the beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
Koen guided me to an elevator, where he pressed the button for the top floor. The world seemed to vanish, and for a moment, it was just the two of us. When the doors opened, we stepped into an open-air terrace that overlooked the entire city. The view was breathtaking.
Koen turned to me with that familiar, intense gaze. “I wanted to take you somewhere you could truly relax. Somewhere that was just for us.”
I was speechless for a moment, overwhelmed by the beauty of the place and the thoughtfulness of his gesture. “Koen, this is… this is amazing.”
He smiled softly, then gently took my hand and led me to the table. As we sat, the waiter appeared silently to serve our dinner - delicate dishes that were as beautiful as they were delicious. Staying true to his promise, Koen also made sure to get us the best wine, and I indulged in the rare pleasure of savoring a quality drink.
Once we were finished, Koen stood up. I took his hand, allowing him to guide me into the center of the terrace. The music had shifted into something slower, more intimate. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me close, and we swayed gently, the city lights below us twinkling like diamonds. For the first time in what felt like forever, I let go of everything - the worries, the uncertainties - and simply focused on him.
Unfortunately, life kept reminding me that I should never let my guard down.
After a perfect evening, Koen and I left the building. We were walking across the street, ready to meet our driver at the corner when I heard someone calling my name.
Goosebumps prickled my skin as I recognized the voice from not too long ago. When I turned, my nightmares materialized - Alpha Orson of the Golden Valley Pack. With a wicked gleam in his eyes, he chanted, bizarrely gleeful, "What are the odds we’d run into each other here tonight?"
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A V R I L
Time seemed to freezeas I stared at the man before me as if he were a ghost - a fair comparison, considering how he’d appeared out of nowhere just like one. All I could concentrate on was trying not to show how startled I was. I couldn’t let him know that his sole presence made me wary.
“Alpha Orsen! What a delightful coincidence,” Koen chimed in before my long silence became too weird.
A pinch of relief settled over me as I watched him take the lead in the amicable politics. His past experience had made him a master of diplomacy - a skill I, as an isolated leader, severely lacked. Thankfully, it wasn’t a skill expected of omegas, the role I needed him to believe was mine.
As Koen stepped forward with his hand extended to greet the other alpha, his aura conveyed more than mere politeness. The way he carried himself demanded recognition, though I doubted he truly cared that Orsen ignored him, his attention fixed on me instead. Was Koen playing the game, projecting a command of respect he wanted others to believe he still held?
Whatever it was, he achieved the desired result, forcing the man to tear his gaze from me for a moment to address my mate, “Indeed, Alpha Koen.”
When Koen backed away, he snaked one arm around my waist while standing slightly in front of me, the gesture both shielding and comforting. It gave me the time to recompose myself and the strength to casually inquire, “If I may ask, Alpha Orsen, what brings you here?”
A line twitched in his forehead, a subtle gesture that let me know he didn’t enjoy being questioned by me. But he soon smiled, as if he held a particular interest in talking to me. A clear sign that, by replying, he hoped to get something from me, too.
“I’m on a business trip,” he revealed. “My beta and I are visiting an ally pack nearby and I took the opportunity to treat myself to a relaxed evening in my rare free time.” His answer was calculated, vague yet purposeful - enough to explain what he was doing in the city without spilling more than he wanted us to know
Just as he finished his sentence, he took a step forward. “What about you?” The nonchalance in his voice was betrayed by the glisten of curiosity in his eyes.
It was an attempt to catch us off guard - if we admitted this was just a regular night out, he could assume we lived nearby, narrowing down the possible location of Azure Smoke. As much as I could see his real intentions, I didn’t have an excuse prepared. Our meeting here was a surprise I hadn’t been able to quite shake yet. Though I was normally a quick-thinker, I was sabotaged by my apprehension.
