Word Count: 2036

~Avila

I sprint upstairs, clutching the folder tightly in my hand.

I'm not sure how much time has passed, but the sun is setting and I've been sitting in my room pouring over the details of the folder. I've found countless instances of invaluable information that I need Vade to see.

I don't find him in his room, so after asking around, I'm told he's down on the beach.

The salt licked air presses my hair back over my shoulder as I pad over the dunes toward the beach. Sharp grass bites at my ankles before my feet delve into the soft embrace of sand.

Vade comes into view, sitting on the beach facing the sea.

The deep sunset colours drench his person, my heart launching into my throat upon seeing him. He glances over his shoulder, hearing me approach despite the gentle lap of the waves against the sand.

He stands just in time. I jump into his arms, which band securely around me. Grabbing either side of his face, I press a kiss to his lips.

"Woah." He smiles against my mouth. "Hello to you too."

I pull away, waving the folder in front of him. I can hardly contain my excitement.

"Okay, you're never going to believe this, but I've found something incredible," I tell him. "Well, a maid gave it to me after the explosion back home. Apparently I told her before I died to hide it for me, and she did."

His eyes widen as they turn to the folder, examining it cautiously.

"What is it?"

"Information." I flip it open, fluttering through the pages to encompass how much that I saved before I passed. "A lot of information about the rebellion, their members, sympathisers and funders."

Genuine surprise crosses his face as he takes the folders from me, passing through some of it.

"Why would you give this information to a maid?" He questions, shaking his head in bewilderment as he confirms what I've told him.
 
"Because I wasn't actually in the rebellion. I mean, I was, but not toward the end. I turned against them when their ideals shifted and I started collecting information to use against them."

I realise I sound breathless and a little insane, but I'm excited and relieved to have this information come to light. It has changed my entire perception about who I was before I died.

All those months spent thinking I was a monster doomed to become that again, only to find out I made the greatest possible sacrifice for my family.

"How to you know?" He asks, shifting through the paper, looking for where I've garnered this from.
 
"I had left journal entries in there. As I was reading them I had a flashback to before I died," I explain. "You were right about my father. He wasn't just absent, he was a monster."

Vade closes the journal, although it's clear once we've finished talking he's going to get back to looking through everything.

"Wait, so you weren't with the rebellion?" He looks up at me, brows furrowed.
 
"No, I was trying to save everyone by ruining their operations and stealing their information," I tell him eagerly. "I never loved Emerick. It was all a ploy to gain his trust."

Vade physically flinches upon hearing that, looking over me as he considers the implications of that revelation.

All this time he's believed he's been unlovable, that I chose someone else over him, my own mate. From what I can tell I wanted to be with him, but I couldn't without putting him at risk.

"Really?" He whispers.

"And I loved you...I felt that love through my flashback, it was real," I breathe, squeezing his clammy hand. "Vade, I only pushed you away to save you. I wasn't some unfeeling monster..."

It feels so good to say, to know deep down that it's true.

I had felt like an imposter, like a monster. But who I was then is who I am now, willing to do anything to save their family. Dark magic truly did bring me back from the dead rather than put someone else in my head as Crimson thought.

The smile that finally cracks Vade's resolve is one of pure relief and elation. His hand sweeps behind his neck as he draws me, kissing me.

I can feel how grateful he is that this has all come to light through the urgent press of his kiss.

He was never not enough for me. He has always been the one fate has gifted to me.

"I should have had faith in you," he murmurs, pulling back to rest his forehead against mine.

"How could you? I was very convincing," I say, laughing softly.

Any previous flashbacks gave nothing away. I seemed so bitter, so cruel. I wish I could look deeper, and see how much I was suffering then.

"You're never going to do anything like that again, do you hear me?" Vade insists, giving me shoulders a little shake as I pull away a touch. "If there are troubles threatening our lives, you're going to bring me in on any plans you have, okay?"

I nod eagerly, not interested in reliving that again. "Of course."

"I don't want you taking your own life for any of us," he says sternly, pinning me with a look that would make me squirm uncomfortably were I not his mate. "I don't want to lose you."

Even back then I knew I wasn't done protecting them, loving them. I'm not sure if it was fate comforting me, or if I truly did have some intuition about returning to this world. Garnering so much from just a flashback alone is virtually impossible.

"You won't, I promise. I'm here forever now," I tell him warmly. Were my heart able to swell from my happiness in this moment, it would overcome me.

Vade kisses my forehead tenderly, and then my cheek, down my jaw and to my neck. "I love you, Avila. I loved you then, and I love you even more now."

"I love you too, Vade." I delve my fingers into his soft waves of hair. "I'm sorry for all I ever put you through."

Seeing his face, so hopeful that I would give him a chance, only to be let down when I turned him away is forever burned into my memory. I want to go back, to tell him I've always loved him, that there is no one else for either of us.

But I can't. All I have is now, these precious moments.

"Saving all of our lives definitely qualifies you for forgiveness, I think." He smiles, and in his eyes, I see nothing but truth in what he is saying. Any resentment has vanished, left truly behind.

For a moment I can remember why I would ever be worried again. That is until Emerick infects my mind, about how we need to destroy him and the entire rebellion and reveal the extent of their harm to garner some trust toward me back.

Then I want to be honest. I may not know much about the dark magic, and who has infected me with it, but once I do, I want to tell the people they have nothing to fear in me leading them.

Trust has to be earned, and if I'm going to eventually be Queen, then that's what I'm going to focus on.

"But we can't be so happy yet. We still need to deal with Emerick," I remind him pointedly.

He sighs, running a hand down his face. The waves behind him are so gentle, so calm in contrast to the turmoil that has now gathered on Vade's face.

"I've thought about it some more, and I think you are the only one who can take him down for good," he concedes. "But I want to be the one to kill him."

My brows raise. "He's your brother..."

"And he's a monster." He looks off toward the sea, the breeze gently ruffling his hair.  "There is something dark in him that I need to extinguish. If we allow him to continue living, even in a secure place, he is only going to fight to hurt himself and others."

I wrap my arms around myself, trying not to shudder. "I suppose."

Despite knowing what Emerick has done, and what he will continue doing if left unchecked, the thought of killing him hurts something in me. Perhaps it's the part of me he manipulated, the part of me he made think should be in love with him, even when my intuition warned me against it.

"And I want revenge," Vade growls lowly, dragging his gaze over me. "For seducing my mate, for destroying my home and for killing countless innocents."

"Then we lure him out," I say finally. "I'll write a letter. Valery will give it to him, and have him meet me in a secure location. Let me speak to him, get him to confess, then strike."

Vade nods, trying his best not to grimace at the notion. "As long as I'm right near."

"You will be. I won't be in any danger," I assure him. "Plus, I have countless information on others working with the rebellion. Getting rid of them may be enough to snuff this out forever."

It will be an arduous task, but it can be done. There will be no more causalities in the name of a rebellion.

"Then we will take to the throne and make a real difference. I don't want the people ever needing a reason to revolt," Vade says.

"I agree completely."

"Vade." A voice calls from up the dunes, drawing our attention. "Avila."

Roel stumbles through the cut in the dunes, his cane sinking into the sand with each step. Seeing him approaching like this, his back hunched, shielding his eyes from the setting sun reminds me of how old he is.

"Roel. Is everything alright?" I ask, rushing to meet him halfway.

He looks up at me with his cloudy eyes, blinking rapidly. Something isn't right. There's a sheen of sweat on his forehead, his clothing is damp and he has a panicked look in his eyes that has my stomach sinking to its deepest depths.

The problem is, the urgency of my situation has become apparent. I need to write this letter so Valery can send it out tonight. It's already getting dark, and I don't want messengers trekking for too long when they should be sleeping.
 
"Avila, there is something that must be said," he says shakily. "May we speak in private?"
 
"Of course. Will it take long?" I ask, nodding at Vade to continue off up the dunes.

He bears his weight onto his cane. "Why is that?"

"It's just...I need to write a letter so it can be sent to Emerick," I tell him, knowing at some point I'll explain the folder, explain what was really going on. "The plan needs to be in motion immediately."

He sighs, rubbing his head in contemplation.

"Oh, right. Well, I suppose it could wait."

I look anxiously up at the dunes and then back at him. "Is it serious?"
 
"It will take much time to explain," he says, backing up a step.

I frown, scanning his face. He's hiding something from me, even if he wants to reveal it. Whatever it is must be fairly serious if he's not telling me now, when we have an entire beach of privacy.

"Roel...what is it?" I push.
 
"Go, write your letter. Once it has been completed, come find me," he insists. "The matter is becoming quite pressing, and needs tending to."

"Sure. I'll meet you in the office downstairs so we may talk. Will that be alright?" I ask, unease creeping over my skin.

He nods, looking away from me. "Certainly."

As I help him walk back to the house, I can't push away the eerie feeling that something isn't right.

🩵••🩵

Want more? You can read the COMPLETED version on Radish! (:

Thank you all for reading! I hope you enjoyed (:

Out now on Wattpad, The Alpha's Mistress!

I hope you check it out (:

~Midika 💜🐼