Page 21 of Fall of the Alpha

He had no reaction to the name, though just hearing Cora say it always made Aria shiver. Saying that name was forbiddenin this territory. The one time Cora had dared, she’d thought Malachi and her Alpha might end up battling.

“He was trying to kill Malachi. Tatiana saved him but at the cost of her own life.”

Aria had heard the story. She’d also heard more they weren’t telling Alek—like Grigori’s obsession with Tatiana. The way he’d followed her, looked at her, the way he’d tried to get between her and Malachi. The hatred he’d carried for the Alphas.

It was no surprise he’d fit right in with the leadership of the Territories.

“Your mother looks like her.” Trace’s deep voice rolled through the room, startling Alek.

Trace was always quiet unless he felt he had something particularly worthwhile to say, usually allowing Cora to speak for both of them.

“My mother…” Alek’s voice trailed off.

“She looks almost exactly like Tatiana. Not in the superficial way Bella does, with her height and hair color, but her face as well.” Cora was still watching Alek, ignoring everyone else.

Aria wanted to move closer to either her or Trace to get some kind of physical reassurance, but she did not think Cora would welcome the interruption. She was so focused, she was clearly watching for something.

“How do you know what my mother looks like?” Alek bared his teeth, obviously incensed at the idea that the Alphas had been spying on his family.

She wondered if he realized that Cora was purposefully winding him up, testing him as though she wanted to see what he would do. Aria had only just now caught on. She’d thought Cora wanted him calm, but maybe she’d changed her mind after he’d gotten to his feet and started pacing.

“Because we’ve been keeping tabs on your father since the moment he left the territories.” Cora didn’t bother baring herteeth back at him, leaning back in her seat as though he was a non-threat. Something that was guaranteed to get him riled up even further.

Off to the side, Trace was watching, arms crossed over his chest. If Aria was to guess, she would say he did not approve, but he didn’t show that on his face, and he certainly wasn’t stopping Cora. He looked prepped for violence, ready to jump forward if Alek attacked.

But the Sigma did not. He closed his eyes, pulling his obvious anger inside of him rather than lashing out. Several long, deep draws of breath, then he opened his eyes again, moving back to the couch where Aria sat. She tensed as he approached, and she wasn’t the only one—Cora now looked like Trace, ready to leap forward if she needed to… but the male was completely under control.

He sat down next to Aria, keeping his hands to himself, palms and fingers splayed across his thighs, and took another deep breath. His muscles unclenched.

Aria hummed again, audibly this time, letting a low purr rumble through her chest as well, and Alek slumped beside her.

“You say you’ll help me return to the Zones?” he asked. “To my father?”

“If that’s what you want,” Cora confirmed with a nod. “I do not know if your father will be able to protect you, though. Paldon will be very upset to have you returned, but not his daughter. Matters are already tense between him and your father. He might even suspect your father having a hand in her abduction if you were to return.”

“I didn’t even know who she was,” Alek muttered, but that hardly mattered, as he seemed to realize.

Aria couldn’t help herself anymore. She reached out and put her hand atop Alek’s, feeling her own sense of calm wash over her. She might be afraid this Sigma was going to replace her,but she could not take his agitation anymore. Especially when he was sitting right next to her, and she knew she could help.

Just like an Alpha, he relaxed even more at her touch, instinctively leaning closer to her as a purr rumbled through his own chest. He appeared startled, his fingers reaching up to touch the center of his chest, rubbing it gently.

“I do not think that will matter to Paldon,” Cora said, as if the interaction between Alek and Aria was not of note.

Aria knew better than to think that, though. Her Alpha was watching everything very closely.

“And perhaps you should learn more about the territories before you make your final decision. Learn what the Alphas and Omegas truly are… learn what you truly are.”

“A Sigma.” Alek’s voice was flat.

“You’re very rare. Even rarer than Omegas, which are rare enough.” Trace moved behind them, coming around to stand on the side of the couch Aria was sitting on. “Both Alpha and Omega, endowed with the traits of both.”

“You’ve already experienced some of what it’s like to be both. You responded to Bella as if you were an Alpha, and you responded to Malachi as if you were an Omega.”

Alek looked away, and Aria gave his hand a squeeze. It flipped underneath hers, turning to catch her fingers in his, though he did not look at her. Cora looked at her and gave Aria a little nod. She squeezed Alek’s hand back.

“You should stay,” she said encouragingly. She didn’t know what Cora wanted from this male, but she was becoming curious as her fears of being replaced had finally begun to subside. “You should try being fully yourself before you make your decision.”

He snorted, shaking his head before he met her gaze, though he didn’t let go of her hand.

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