The Alpha Can Hear Me

Cassian had spent the entire night, thinking about the fact that he could hear Isadora's thoughts.

At first, he had convinced himself, that it was merely a coincidence. He had even told himself, exhaustion was making him imagine things.

But, the more he replayed the previous day’s events, the harder the explanation became.

The poisoned wine, western border, fire, and every strange thought he had heard whenever his Luna was nearby.

He needed proof.

**

That very morning, Cassian decided to put a test on his Luna.

Lana had no idea.

She walked into the dinning room carrying a book.

Then, she stopped.

Cassian was already there.

He sat at the head of the table, dressed in a dark formal coat with different colors of embroidery along its collar.

She looked at him, then at the coat, finally back at him.

'Why does his coat look like a curtain from an expensive castle?'

Then, she snared.

'He looks like a clown... Preferably, a clown dressed in black.'

Cassian said nothing.

She walked to her seat.

“Good morning, Alpha.”

He nodded.

“Good morning, Luna.”

She sat down, and opened her book, while Cassian picked up his tea.

He watched her over the rim of his cup.

Lana noticed.

'There it goes, again.'

'Seriously?.. Does this man ever stop staring?'

He lowered the cup.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

Her response was calm, but her thought wasn't.

'Not really.. Your face kept hunting me the entire night..'

Cassian’s mouth twitched.

Lana glanced at him suspiciously.

“What?”

He shook.

“Nothing.”

She stared at him.

“You just smiled.”

“I didn't.” He defended.

“You did.” She insisted.

Cassian returned his attention to his breakfast.

Lana frowned.

'Why is he acting strange?'

He almost laughed.

He decided to test her with something simple.

“Do you like the weather today?”

She glanced at the window.

“It seems pleasant.”

He waited.

Then, her thought followed.

'Is he blind to see it's raining heavily?.. Asking me, if i liked the weather.. Who the hell likes the weather like this?'

Cassian looked toward the window.

Rain tapped against the glass violently.

He looked back at her.

“You don’t seem convinced.”

Lana’s eyes narrowed.

“I said, it was pleasant.”

He smiled softly.

“But, your expression suggests otherwise.”

“My expression is innocent.” She defended immediately.

He lifted his cup, and took a sip.

“It rarely is.”

Lana stared at him.

'How dare he?.. Who does he think he is to judge my expression.'

He heard the thought, he smiled faintly.

She immediately looked down.

'Is he mentally okay, today?'

Cassian smiled, and decided to push further.

He pointed toward her book.

“What are you reading?”

Lana looked suspiciously.

“History book.”

He nodded, approvingly.

“Interesting?”

“No.”

Lana's response was instant.

Her thought came afterward.

'Terribly boring.. I wish i could get fiction, right away.'

Cassian smiled.

“You don’t seem to enjoy it.”

She looked up slowly.

“How did you know?”

His eyes gestured at the book.

“You’re holding it upside down.”

Lana looked down.

The book was indeed upside down.

She quickly turned it around.

“I knew that already.”

He scoffed.

“Of course.”

She glared at him.

'He’s so arrogant.'

Cassian’s expression changed.

“Am I?”

Lana froze.

“What?”

“You called me arrogant.” He said.

She argued.

“I didn’t.”

“You just did.” He pressed harder.

She disagreed.

“No, I didn’t.”

Cassian took a sip of tea.

“You were actually thinking it.”

Silence surfaced.

Lana stared at him, he calmly continued eating.

She looked around the room, no one seemed to have heard anything.

Her heart beat quickened.

'Maybe he was guessing..'

'Yes, that's just it... There is absolutely no way he could actually know what i was thinking.'

She folded her arms, and stared at him suspiciously.

'Maybe, he’s trying to intimidate me.'

Cassian looked at her.

“You don’t need to be intimidated, Isadora.”

Lana’s mouth fell open, her eyes widened as though it wanted to escape its socket.

“What?”

He repeated the statement slowly.

“I said.. you don’t need to be.. intimidated.”

She frowned.

“I wasn’t intimidated.”

He nodded.

“Good.”

Lana stared.

'Something is wrong... Very wrong.'

She looked at him suspiciously.

'Did he just..'

She shook the thought away.

'Hell no!.. That's impossible.'

She picked up her spoon.

'Maybe he's simply observant.'

She nodded.

'Exactly.'

Cassian watched her closely.

He knew exactly what she was thinking.

She was trying to convince herself that he couldn’t hear her.

He decided to give her another test.

“Isadora.”

Lana looked up immediately.

Cassian smiled.

“Would you like to accompany me to the eastern courtyard?”

“No.”

Her response came immediately.

He raised an eyebrow.

She quickly corrected herself.

“I mean.. perhaps, later.”

Her thought followed immediate.

'Absolutely not.. I’d rather wrestle a bear, than keep you company.'

Cassian’s eyes flickered with amusement.

“Perhaps a bear would be a more pleasant company to you, Luna?”

Lana froze.

The spoon in her hand stopped halfway to her mouth.

She slowly looked at him.

“What did you just say?”

Cassian's lips curved.

“I asked if you preferred the courtyard.”

“No.” She replied.

He picked up his tea cup, and took a sip.

“Then perhaps, the bear would be a better company.”

Lana's eyes widened.

'How did he..'

She stared at him.

He calmly dropped the tea cup.

Her heart dropped.

'No... There's absolutely no way he could have heard my thought.'

She slowly dropped the spoon.

'What if he heard me.'

She shook the feeling away.

'No..That’s impossible.'

She leaned on her chair.

'People can’t hear other people's thoughts.. Can they?'

She glanced around the room.

Elias wasn’t there.

Only Cassian was.

And he was watching her.

She swallowed.

She needed to test him.

So, she thought deliberately.

'Damn!.. He's wearing the most ugliest coat I have ever seen..'

Cassian looked down at his coat.

Lana’s eyes widened.

He looked back at her.

She quickly looked away.

'Someone, please tell me that is a damn considence.'

She sneaked a glance at cassian.

'It had to be... Maybe he had noticed me staring at the coat.'

She tried again.

'His hair looks ridiculous today..'

Cassian reached up, and adjusted his hair.

Lana’s stomach dropped.

'No.. Oh, hell no!'

She stared at him.

His expression was almost smug now.

He had confirmed it, that every thought was reaching him.

Lana suddenly felt exposed.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had been this uncomfortable.

Her mind raced through everything she had thought around him.

The things she had complained about, and things she had secretly called him.

'Oh, no.. It can't be real.'

'He heard everything..'

Cassian watched the color drain from her face.

He almost felt sorry for her.

Lana placed the spoon down slowly.

'Maybe he can’t hear everything.'

She stared at him.

'Don’t think anything.. Don’t think anything.. Don’t think anything.'

Cassian waited.

For a few seconds, Lana felt relieved.

Then, a thought slipped through her mind.

'What if he can hear me thinking about not thinking?'

Cassian’s mouth twitched.

Her eyes widened.

She immediately started thinking about something else.

'Green apples... No, red apples..'

'Definitely apples falling from trees.'

'Ugh!.. I crave apple pie.'

Cassian almost laughed.

Lana clenched her jaw.

'Stop!.. Think of nothing, but the white wall and clouds.'

Then, she frowned.

'Why is he smiling?'

Cassian smiled wider.

'What's so funny?'

Her face went pale.

'So.. He can truly hear me.'

She knew it now, there wasn't any other explanation.

Her hands slowly dropped into her lap.

Cassian said nothing.

She stared at him in horror.

“You…”

Her voice cracked.

He waited.

“You can…”

She couldn’t finish the sentence.

He tilted his head.

“Can what?”

She frowned.

“You know what.”

Cassian’s expression remained innocent.

Lana narrowed her eyes.

“You’re doing this on purpose.”

He stared at her innocently.

“Doing what?”

She scoffed.

“Responding to things I haven’t said.”

“I only responded to everything you’ve said.” He replied.

Lana froze.

There it was again.

That impossible certainty.

She stared at him.

He leaned back comfortably.

Her mind screamed.

'He can hear me.. How the heck did this happen!?'

Cassian smiled.

She covered her mouth.

Then, she realized that wouldn’t help.

He couldn’t have heard her through her mouth, he had heard her through her mind.

She immediately forced herself to think about absolutely nothing.

'We go blank, Mind.. No more thoughts..'

Cassian watched her struggle.

Her thoughts became a ridiculous jumble.

'Blank.. Blank.. Blank.. Ugh! potato chip.'

She frowned

'Can't you possibly survive without thinking of food?'

She straightened.

'Now, stop thinking.. Don’t think about potato chips, you've just eaten.'

She groaned internally.

'Ugh.. I really crave potato fries.. I don't care if i have eaten anymore.'

Cassian finally laughed.

Lana looked horrified.

“What's so funny.”

“You seem quite honest with your thoughts, Luna.” He admitted.

She glared at him.

Cassian met her gaze.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then, Lana remembered everything she had said around him.

Her stomach twisted.

She wanted to disappear.

Or perhaps, move to another kingdom.

Preferably one where Alpha rulers couldn’t read minds.

Cassian watched her panic.

He had never seen her this speechless.

It was strangely entertaining.

She looked as though she wanted to crawl beneath the table.

Finally, she whispered.

“How do you do that?”

Cassian’s expression became more serious.

“I don’t know.”

She frowned.

“You don’t know?”

He nodded.

She raised a brow.

“How then can you hear me?”

“I have no idea.” He admitted.

She stared at him.

“That isn't comforting.”

He scoffed.

“Who said i was trying to comfort you.”

She groaned.

'Of course he wasn’t.'

She looked away.

Cassian studied her for another moment.

He still didn’t understand the connection between them.

But, he knew it was real.

And now, Lana knew it too.

She turned back towards him.

“Promise me, you won’t listen.”

Cassian raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t exactly choose to listen.”

Her face fell.

“That's even worse.”

He smiled.

“Of course, it is.”

Lana closed her eyes.

'I'm doomed.. Absolutely doomed..'

Cassian leaned slightly closer, his expression calm, but amused.

“You should be more careful about what you think around me, Luna.”