~AriaWhen Malik approached me the next morning, I was sure he was going to be sending me home at that moment. He walked with an easy gait about him, not worried at all that he had been caught with me on his shoulder by a girl who he had sent home. He didn't even give any hints that he had a list of girls who he is sending home in an exact order. Who can premeditate that? It makes me feel sick to the stomach. Clearly, I had been chosen to be sent home now, as Grey probably assumed I had the necklace at this point. He couldn't be more wrong. "Good morning," he says brightly, already dressed and ready for the day. I, on the other hand, am still dressed in my little cloud pajamas with my hair in an unruly bun. I pause, knowing instantly what he is going to say to me. I decide to lean against the wall in case I can't handle it, for whatever reason. Turns out, he wasn't sending me home. "I want to ask you on a date.""You want to?""Sorry, I mean, I am asking you on a date."There is
~Aria I was halfway up the stairs towards our hotel room, before I realised we would be sharing one. My emotions made no move, but my mind whirled with the idea of it. This is an impromptu stop, and we were lucky to get a room as it is. Perhaps us sharing a room will get me another step closer to his necklace. Problem is, if I get a hold of it, what's next?Run all the way to the Discipline Pack? It would take him less than an hour and five men to find me again.The room wasn't too small. It had a large double bed situated in the middle, with side tables and a TV mounted on the wall. Sharing a bed with Malik is admittedly mortifying, and my palms start sweating every time my eyes find. Other than that, I believe I can handle staying here the night, even if it means hearing a raging storm outside the entire time."I'm sorry you don't have your clothes. My driver is still trying to find out where the other car is," Malik tells me, as I go to sit on the edge of the bed.It's ice cold i
~AriaI dreamt that night. For those brief moments of bliss, I was back home, in my own bed. Everything is coated in a slight haze, but I swear my mate made an appearance at one point. I couldn't tell who he was - darkness shrouded his features - but I saw it as a sign. I may be apart of this competition, but that doesn't mean I'll never find him. I hope whoever he is, wherever he is, he understands that. I woke with a start. Light streamed heavily through the window, drenching the bed covers in brilliant oranges and even a hint of rose pink. It would be something to marvel in, if I wasn't in a strange hotel room with a slumbering figure next to me. I had to sit there for a moment, gathering my scattered bearings before I could even utter a word. Then it hit me like a tsunami, and I leant over to punch Malik through the sheet. He didn't move. He continued to lay there peacefully, mouth slightly open, his chest moving lazily. Who knew the Alpha of Love was a deep sleeper? Even as
~AriaI haven't seen Malik without so much stress in his shoulders. He looked young and carefree, showing his youth in a way that is contagious."Take your shoes off," Malik suggested, following his own words before he tore his shirt off. Despite his scars, he doesn't seem to care about running around with no shirt on in public. Not that many people are on the beach anyway, which is strange, since this is such a lovely day. Watching the waves tentatively inch their way up the flat sand, I can't help but be tempted to follow Malik. So barely thinking, I kick off my shoes and throw them far enough behind me so the waves wouldn't reach them.I watch Malik bravely back into the water. The way it hit the backs of his legs made me nervous, as if they might knock him over with a little more force."Come in, it's nice," Malik tells me with a playful smile.A braver wave hit my feet, the whitewash covering my toes. It was a strange kind of cold that drenched my entire body in shivers. It's no
~Aria I just stare at him, unable to really fathom what he just said. A part of me had expected him to send me home next after seeing the piece of paper. However, the other part of me was devastated for a variety of reasons. I was first hit with the betrayal. How could he take on such a nice date, to send me home the next day? My mind could hardly comprehend that part, until my eyes fell on the necklace. That's it. There goes my chance to steal it. I failed the mission because I'm not assertive enough. Malik even has the audacity to turn around to walk away. He doesn't get out of this that easily...."You can't do this," I splutter, hardly controlling the words that come out of my mouth. I reach out, snagging the sleeve of his shirt until he turned around to give me his attention again. He looked almost inflicted by physical pain. His eyes were burnt out, the life I'm used to seeing within them completely burned out. This isn't Malik. This is who the Alpha of Love should be, and
~Aria They left soon.Apparently Malik has to sign some papers about my leave under the scrutinizing gaze of his mother. When he will be back, I don't know, but I am not waiting under this bed until he decides to do so. As ungracefully as possible, I roll out from under the bed, scraping my knees on the carpet as I make it to my feet.Malik took his necklace again. My chance is gone. All I really have to do is stretch and wait. That is until I catch something on the small table of his chaise lounge set.My curiosity is almost too much to bear, as I wander closer, seeing it as a crumpled piece of paper. Picking up the battered parchment, I'm horrified at what it reads. Not because it's contents are all that explicit, it's the fact that something that once belonged to me, now lies in the middle of Malik's room.It's the admission slip Alexa made me sign to apply for this competition. It was months ago now that I threw it into the communal rubbish dump to hopefully never seen it again.
~Aria"Hey...Ah, Aria!"My entire plan comes to a pause. As I turn my head slightly to the left, I catch sight of Zariah in her night clothes, a glass of water in her hands. She looked confused to see me out this late, especially in my clothes.I hadn't planned to say goodbye to her. The thought as I watch her makes me feel painfully guilty, but I shove the feeling down."What are you doing?" she asks, eye dark eyebrows furrowing.I clench the necklace in my fist. I'm so close to getting out of here, I can't ruin this now. Who knows what Fate is capable of when it comes to this, or even what it's importance is to him. Clearly he has been using the rogues to get it, and my curiosity is digging at me to find out. That can't happen if I get caught. "I'm leaving, Zariah."Her frown cuts deeper. She makes slow steps toward me, and I think about matching them back. Close...So close."You can't," she protests, although she keeps her voice hushed. "We haven't figured out what's going on behi
~AriaThe first thing I become aware of is the groan coming out of my mouth.Then the pain. A whole lot of pain.I'm on my stomach, I know that much. The plush feeling of the softest possible bed cradled me, as I slowly blink my eyes open. I remember being attacked by Nikita, her claws running viciously down my back. That's why it feels as though a fire is blazing steadily on my skin.Sunlight streams through the window right in front of my eyes, making me want to yell at whoever may be in the near vicinity to close the curtains. Wait. My room doesn't have a window with a balcony outside. My room isn't even nearly this big either.With another loud groan, I push myself by my arms, my fingers slipping on the silk sheets under me. Biting back through the pain, I use what little strength I can muster to fully extend my arms. I need to get out of this room to find out how I go in here in the first place. However, I don't make it far, before I feel cool leather hit my arms and the soothin