Heartbeat [Alec Volturi]

Bitter

Sweet Saffiya. To my knowledge, there was no significance behind the nickname. My father, and only my father, had used it interchangeably with my given name since I could remember. Bastian's use of it could have been a coincidence, and his laughter at my reaction merely a malicious appreciation.

My father never believed in coincidence, and I decided now, it was a shared skepticism.

Alec had gathered his team, including the Reserves and the High Guard, minus Jane and Maliq, to meet with the Kings in the secondary throne room to discuss the phone call and proposal we had received from Bastian. Some of his tension was relieved once Demetri identified Jane and Maliq, presumably returning to Volterra within the hour based on their location. I was grateful to stop listening to the voice informing me that Jane's voicemail box was full and gladly shoved the phone into my pocket.

The moment we entered, Aro beckoned us over to the thrones.

Alec did so obediently, already guiding me in the direction of his Masters as if he expected the request.

It took Alec a second to let go, but under a stern gaze from Caius, he took me straight to his Masters. It was like they were sharing a toy, Alec begrudgingly handing me over – not that he let it show. In fact, he appeared relieved to give me up in an attempt to sell the charade.

Aro stroked my cheek with a pitying expression, absorbing each of my thoughts into his mind. I stared back, observing the dips and curves in age that had been preserved on his skin. Guess vampirism didn't get rid of wrinkles.

Despite likely hearing my last thought, Aro's face morphed into one of thoughtfulness, eyebrows raised in strategic contemplation as if playing a mental game of chess against himself. He dropped his hand and spared his counterparts a glance, one that meant more than the rest of us could ever guess.

I turned over my shoulder at Alec, who had already been watching me with what I knew to be concern. It hadn't exactly changed since I'd broken down in the city. Checking with Aro, Alec reached out for me as if expecting Aro to return me. It was a logical move, especially since the elder vampire had retrieved what he desired from me. He was wrong.

"Ah." The condemnation was sharp, stinging us both despite having done nothing wrong.

The sound made Alec freeze. Not as an instinct like fight or flight but a learned behaviour. He froze like the ice of a glacier, solid and deliberate as it melded into a sepulcher around him, sheltering its core inside layers of an impenetrable structure. His demeanour changed unintentionally, and his presence before me was losing its accessibility. Alec pulled back.

Eccentrically satisfied, Aro took my hand and guided me to sit between his and Marcus' thrones. Caius's stern stare was fixed on Alec, despite the boy being nothing but the epitome of loyalty and obedience. Meanwhile, Marcus had his eyes on me as I tried to brush away the protective instinct, but the vacancy in him was more than I could handle. I shared it too deeply. And for the first time, I looked away first.

It occurred to me that something had shifted over our last few interactions with the Kings. Almost like they were training us to present in a way we had not been. Though, that made little sense. Aro and even Caius had praised my distinct obedience in Alec's presence. And Alec didn't begin acting out until their rules started to change.

There had been no verbal direction or exchange of information to express their wish for a change. If anything, they had relaxed their expectations by having me sit behind the thrones at times. But now, Alec seemed to get a message I did not have the experience to decipher, and the ignorance made the remaining snip of Aro's censure tug at my gut.