Contractually Yours Alpha (Riley)

hapter One Hundred and Sevennoveldrama

"You don't have to worry about that; just run." he said and nodded. "You'll have to promise me, Aliya, promise me you will run."

"I will. I am more desperate to escape this place than you think."

"Good. I will leave now, but we will see again, soon." He promised, and just like that, all my fears, everything I had felt, disappeared.

It didn't matter how many eyes would be on me; I didn't care about the encounter either. Maybe I wasn't done fighting fate just yet.

Gasps followed me as I walked down the path. Some fell to their knees, and only then did I realize they believed I was some kind of deity. Julia and the other empresses stood on the platform-lwas meant to join them

I felt like a bride walking down the aisle; in a way, this was very similar to that. The moment a bride gets married, she begins a new life, one she would spend with her husband by her side. The Encounter would have been the beginning of a new life for me.

It took me about ten minutes to reach them. The empresses wore royal blue, high-collared, long-sleeved gowns, while the high regents dressed in dark brown cassocks.

A seat, similar to a throne, awaited me. Julia led me to it, and somehow, I managed to gather the fabric of my gown before lowering myself into the seat. She took her position, standing by my right hand. The people would believe I was someone to be feared, they would think I was powerful, but this was all for show, the Empresses and high regent held the true power, the wise ones knew that.

My eyes scanned the crowd, searching for the familiar blue eyes of Trian. There were too many people; I couldn't find him.