5 | Beginning the Process

(SIX WEEKS EARLIER)

*** AlphaWatcher's POV

AlphaWatcher sat in his study, the distant hum of the city filtering through the open window. The soft glow of the screen reflected off his face, illuminating the room with a faint, steady light. His fingers hovered above the keyboard, the weight of his next message heavy with significance. This wasn’t about dominance, at least not in the way most understood it. He was a Guide, and that distinction mattered, even if he did demand obedience.

His mind was sharp, calculating. He hadn’t seen enough of Lilliana to fully understand her, but the way she’d approached writing that ad suggested she was new to this dynamic. There was potential there—potential that needed to be nurtured, not controlled.

He typed the first message, his words deliberate.

……… >> AlphaWatcher: “It’s important you understand the difference between what one might expect and what I offer. My role is to Guide you. You, as the Follower, will learn to trust in that guidance, to find strength in it. This is a process.”

He paused, his thoughts drifting to past Followers. It was never about power for power’s sake. For him, it was about feeling alive and connected in a world where he hid his true self in the shadows. Leading someone to discover parts of themselves they never knew existed often opened his own locked doors. He wasn’t just searching for someone to follow his lead; he was searching for something more, a sense of fulfillment. He wanted—no—needed purpose.

He continued, setting the ground rules that would define their interactions.

……… >> AlphaWatcher: “There are rules you’ll need to follow. First, no more self-gratification. Your desires are mine to control now. Second, take down the ad, I shouldn’t have to explain why. Third, we will meet here daily—same time.”

His eyes flicked to the screen, watching the cursor blink as he awaited her response. There was a tension in the air, a thrill in laying the foundation for what was to come. This was the start of something different, something more.

Finally, the notification of her response appeared on the screen, and he leaned forward to read it.

***Lilliana's POV

Lilliana sat on the edge of her bed, the coolness of the sheets beneath her grounding her thoughts. Her phone rested in her hands, the latest message from AlphaWatcher still unread. Her heart raced—not from fear, but from anticipation.

She opened the message, scanning the words. Something about his words resonated with the part of her that had always sought deeper understanding.

Guide and Follower.

The terms were new, but the concepts weren’t foreign. She’d spent years advising others, guiding them through complex cultural landscapes, teaching them how to navigate a world that often felt at odds with their instincts. This was different, yet somehow it wasn’t. The idea of being a Follower, of letting someone else lead her through this journey, felt... right.

……… >> ok4us2do16: “I understand.”

She typed the words with a steady hand, but her mind was racing. No self-pleasuring, no other DMs. It was a test, a challenge to see how much she could trust him, trust herself—trust a process. It was oddly comforting, knowing that someone else was taking control, allowing her to focus on the experience rather than the logistics.

Her thoughts drifted to her work. In her world, trust was everything. It was the foundation of every successful negotiation and every meaningful interaction and strategy. And now, here she was, placing that trust in a stranger. But he didn’t feel like a stranger. Perhaps it was because she was feeling less like a stranger to herself already.

She paused before sending the next message, reflecting on the unexpected connection she felt with him. This was about more than just following orders—it was about finding a new path, one that she hadn’t known she needed until now.

She deleted the post.

……… >> ok4us2do16: “Done. Until tomorrow.”

As she hit send, a wave of calm washed over her. She had been guiding others for so long, it was a relief to let someone else guide her. She could feel the shift inside herself, the subtle change in how she viewed the world around her. This wasn’t just about pleasure or control—it was about something deeper. Something she was only beginning to understand.

   

***Third Person POV

The messages traveled through the digital space, setting a new dynamic in motion. AlphaWatcher’s role as Guide was clear, and Lilliana’s acceptance of her role as Follower was now certain.

AlphaWatcher smirked as two notifications popped up: her response and a system notice that one of his saved posts had been deleted. "Good girl," he said aloud. He paused, then thought, Eamon, what will we do with her? He stared at the screen for a moment before going into his inbox and blocking all other conversations. Tonight’s developments were enough.

Lilliana snapped the laptop closed as soon as she hit send. She was spent, mentally. Her body, though—that might need a cold shower. Deciding against it, she set the laptop aside and settled in for the night, letting sleep take her.