The Alpha’s Contract Chapter 1

“I want you, but I also need you to want me and not just because of some mate bond.” Alpha Dane said.

“I understand.” I whisper. Resting my head on his shoulder.

He stands up and wrapped his hand around my waist.

“Are you sure?” He asks quietly.

“Yes…..turn me on! I want to you to set me on fire.”

My whole life was hated and bullied by my pack.

I never think that one day I would saved by the most powerful Alpha Dane.

He loves me with all his might and revenges everyone who hurt me, including my brother.

“Where the heck is she?” I hear the Beta scream. I already knew Beta Kyle was talking about me, the only servant of the house. I groan and get to my feet, grabbing the cleaning basket and taking it with me.

The moment Beta Kyle sees me, he strides towards me and his hand slices against my cheek. I don’t make a sound. Years of experience has taught me to keep my mouth shut at all times and only speak when spoken too, even if what they are doing to me hurts.

“Alpha Trey and I are expecting company and you still have not cleaned the office like you were asked.” Beta Kyle spits at me.

I nod my head and my hand tightens on the cleaning basket. If I could just find the courage to swing it at his head, it would make my day. I resisted, he was stronger than me and I didn’t need locking up for another week with no food. My stomach already hurt enough.

“We are trying to make a good impression on Alpha Dane. Do you not understand how important it is for us to join ourselves with his pack?!”

I don’t answer, I know it's a trick, to try and get me to say something so that he can give himself a reason to punish me. I keep my eyes low so that I didn’t have to look at his face.

Alpha Dane, I had only ever heard rumours about him. Words exchanged between the other pack members when I was in the room. From what I gathered, he was a ruthless man, a Wolf feared by others. He didn’t mess around and he had the largest pack.

“He is the Alpha of Black Shadow, the biggest pack in the world, we need him!” Beta Kyle continues. Yet he doesn’t tell me why.

We had never been attacked and we had never attacked anyone, so why did we need another pack to help us?

He places his hands on my shoulders, digging his nails into my thinning skin and turns me around, kicking me in the but as he shoves me towards the office. ”Useless Wolf.” He mutters as he moves away.

Quietly closing the door, I lean back against it, observing the already clean office. There was nothing out of place, it looked perfectly fine for a meeting with this so-called powerful Alpha.

Closing my eyes, I slide down to the floor. I hated this house. I thought that when I turned eighteen, I could finally escape, but four years later, here I still am, a slave in my own home.

Doing all the dirty tasks for my brother, Alpha Trey and the pack. While my ex mate, Beta Kyle waltzes around reminding me of how worthless I am.

Someone clears their throat and I freeze, I thought I was alone. Leaning forward, I see a handsome man sitting in a chair, just around the corner. A foot propped up on his knee as he nurses a glass of drink. His short hair is dark and his eyes are a deep crimson colour, that don’t quite look right.

They suddenly shift to me and I throw myself back against the door as my heart pounded.

“Is this the way you greet all Alpha’s?” His deep voice rumbles through the room, there was an edge of amusement to his tone.

“I’m sorry.” I whisper, getting to my feet. “I…I thought I was alone.” I had no idea who he was but I could feel the power radiating off of him, even without my Wolf. He doesn’t introduce himself either, why should he?

“Come forward.” He orders and I already feel a lump forming in my throat. Alpha Trey was going to finish me.

I step around the corner, doing as I’m told, allowing him to see me properly. I close my eyes, expecting the worst.

“You smell funny. Yet you are a Wolf, correct?”

I nod, though I couldn’t tell how he was going to react. Most laughed when they found out about me.

“I would prefer it if you spoke to me.” He growls, “I’m not in the mood to play games.”

“Yes.” I whisper. I couldn’t help but think of all the punishments I was going to have to endure. A whipping maybe? Starvation for another week?

“Why do you smell strange? And how is it possible for you to not know I was in the room? You should have scented me.”

“I…..” I hated the question.

“Spit it out, I haven’t got all day!” He takes a swig from his drink.

I knew why I couldn’t scent him. I knew why I hadn’t been aware of his presence, but telling people why was not something I ever wanted or liked to do. They never let me tell my side of the story. All they do is laugh and mock me.

“You should open your eyes when you are talking to someone. It’s rude to not look at them. Has your Alpha not taught you anything?” His deep voice sends a shiver through me.

Slowly, I open my eyes and lower them, there was no way I was making eye contact. “My Wolf abilities were bound,” I mutter. Twice, I wanted to add. Twice my abilities were bound. But he probably wasn’t interested in that part.

He leans forward, carefully placing his glass on the small table next to the chair. I could feel him staring at me, “Why would someone do that?”

If this is the Alpha that my brother is supposed to be meeting with, I knew I could screw everything up for him by saying too much. “It was a punishment.” I whisper. It wasn’t far from the entire truth but it was the simplest answer I could give.

There’s a twitch in his cheek. Was he angry to hear of such a punishment? Or maybe, just like the others, he was amused by it. I couldn’t tell.

The door swings open and my brother screeches at me “Neah, what the heck are you doing in my office?” He turns to the crimson eyed man. “I am so sorry that my sister is bothering you, Alpha Dane.”

Crap, it was him.

My brother spins around, his hand stretching out to hit me. I close my eyes, bracing myself, ready to feel the burn.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through the room.

Peeking through slits, I see Alpha Dane has risen to his feet, his hand coiled around my brother's wrist.

He was taller than my brother, more muscly too. “Neah,” My name rolls off of his tongue, “was kindly showing me to your office, Alpha Trey, as you failed to meet me at the front of your house like I requested. I was lucky someone was present, at least someone understands the importance of this deal.”

What? I had no idea what he was talking about. And he had no reason to lie for me.

My brother glares at me, clenching his jaw tight. I was going to pay for this later. I would have to try and steal some food.

“Go and get Beta Kyle.” Alpha Trey seethes. “Tell him that our guest is here.”

I nod my head and hurry from the room, the last thing I wanted was to be caught between bickering men.

“Beta Kyle,” I whisper as I enter the dining hall. He instantly glares at me with his dark eyes. I had spoken without being spoken to. “Alpha Trey is in the office with Alpha Dane. I was sent to inform you.”

He slams the newspaper down on the table and glares at me as he walks by. “You’re lucky that the Alpha sent you to get me, otherwise you wouldn't be seeing sunlight for a few days.”

Pausing behind me, he yanks my head back, locking his fingers in my hair, leaning in close to me, I feel his hot breath on my skin. He doesn’t speak, it was just his way of proving that he could do what he wants when he wants.

I try to keep myself busy so I can stay as far away from the office as possible. My peace doesn’t last long when I hear my brother calling out to me.

Quietly, I pad towards the office and plaster a smile on my face as I open the door.

“Neah, go get the champagne and some glasses, we are celebrating.”

I bow my head and hurry to the drinks cabinet. Quickly finding what my brother has asked for. As I re-enter the office, I can feel Alpha Dane watching my every move, even the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. No one ever watches me this closely.

Approaching the small table by Alpha Danes chair, I start to fill the glasses. He takes the champagne bottle from me, telling me he is more than capable of filling his own glass.

I feel my cheeks flame, not from embarrassment, but because I knew that I would be punished for this. I should have been quicker. I should have filled the glasses before entering the office. I should have…. My brain freezes when I see my brother glaring at me.

“Neah is your sister, correct?” Alpha Dane questions my brother.

“She is.” Alpha Trey mutters with disgust. He looks away from me to focus on the man asking questions.

“Why do you treat her like vermin?” Straight to the point, my brother wouldn’t like that. He only liked sharing information on his terms.

No one had spoken to my brother about his treatment of me because everyone took great joy in beating me. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t move but I knew I had to get out of there. If this deal goes to pot because of me, then that would be my fault too.

“Neah was responsible for our parents' death.” Alpha Trey spits.

I closed my eyes, battling back the tears that were threatening to break free.

“Responsible how?” Alpha Dane’s voice rumbles through me. He was definitely angry.

“She served them Wolfsbane.”

Don’t make a sound. Don’t make a sound.

I knew Alpha Dane was studying me. They all did, no one could ever quite believe how someone could do something so disgusting as poisoning their own parents. I stood there, with my head hanging low, wishing for the ground to open up and suck me in.

There are movements around me. He was standing directly in front of me. With a rough finger he tilts my face up towards his, forcing me to look at him. Slowly, his hand latches onto my throat but he doesn’t squeeze. “You poisoned your parents?”

“I was six.” I splutter. “I just made them lemonade.” My voice comes out all squeaky as I try to defend myself. I could barely remember my parents, but I could remember all the guilt I had been made to feel since that day.

His crimson eyes flash to my brothers. “Hardly seems fair to blame a six year old.”

“A six year old should know the difference between plants.” Alpha Trey snaps.

“Sounds to me like she was set up.” Alpha Dane shrugs his shoulders, letting go of my throat. “We all know that standard wolfsbane doesn’t affect us anymore. We evolved from that thing centuries ago.”

What? What did he mean? Wolfsbane wasn’t lethal. It had been drummed into me since I could walk.

“Which only leaves Blood of Wolfsbane.” Alpha Dane mutters.

“You weren’t there, Alpha Dane.” My brother muttered through gritted teeth as his eyes narrowed to slits. “It was Wolfsbane.”

He nods his head. “You are right, I was not present.”

Great, now there was someone else who could remind me of something I had done by accident, years ago.

“But tell me this, where would a six year old get Blood of Wolfsbane?”

“I didn’t ask you here to talk about my slave!” Alpha Trey spits. “Or what happened to my parents.”

Alpha Dane grabs his leather jacket from the chair. Unlike other Alpha’s he seemed to dress more casually. A simple black tee and jeans covered his huge frame. And unlike other Alpha’s, his arms are bare of tattoos, not a single bit of ink poked out anywhere.

“You’re right and now I have a few things to mull over.”

“I thought we agreed.” My brother exclaims.

“Nothing has been signed. Now I will show myself out.”

The moment he is out of the office, both my brother and Beta Kyle round on me. “What the heck did you say to him?” My brother demands, slamming a hand into my stomach.

“N..nothing. Well, he just asked me why I smelled funny.”

“Did you tell him?” Beta Kyle demands. He was practically spitting in my face. I hated him. I hated him so much that I had vowed to one day get my revenge and rip his stomach out through his mouth.

“WELL?” My brother yells when I don’t immediately respond and smacks me across the side of the head.

My head involuntarily moves up and down. “But I didn’t say it was you.” I tried to sound strong and confident but it just comes out as a whisper. If they weren’t Wolves, they probably wouldn’t have heard me.

My brother's hand locks into my black hair as he yanks my head back, sending a shooting pain through my skull. “If you have ruined this, you won’t see daylight again.”

He drags me by my hair from the office and down the hallway towards the basement door.

“Please….” I beg. “He was an Alpha…I… I had to answer him.” My cheeks burn with my tears as he flings the door open.

On the other side of the door is Alpha Dane. He is leaning against the wall with his arms folded, staring out at us. My brother's hand falls from my hair, relieving the pressure on the back of my skull...

“Alpha Dane, I thought you had left.” Alpha Trey murmurs angrily.

“I said I would show myself out. I thought I had found the door, but instead I find a basement, riddled in your sister's strange scent. Is this how you treat your family?”

“As I said,” my brother holds his ground, “She is responsible for the death of my parents, so yes, this is what she deserves.”

“You should keep your nose out of other packs' business!” Beta Kyle adds.

Alpha Dane laughs. “If I agree to this deal, everything about your business becomes my business. So tell me, what would your punishment be for her? No food, locked away for a week, beatings?”

“We don’t….”

“Really?” He cocks a brow, “You really expect me to believe that you would have just let her sleep? I have already stopped you from hitting her once. " His eyes roam over me. "She is underfed, bags hover under her tired blue eyes. For a sister of an Alpha, she is certainly not treated like one. Regardless of what she allegedly did when she was a pup.”

“She did do it!” Alpha Trey seethes “And she has nothing to do with our deal.”

“That’s for me to decide.” His crimson eyes flicker around the hallway. “Where is your mate? I would be interested to know how she feels about this.”

I close my eyes, silently begging my brother not to call his Luna. Luna Cassandra is worse than Beta Kyle and Alpha Trey together.

“On second thoughts, why bother her. I’m certain she is just as vile as you.” He sneers.

I peer through slits to see his crimson eyes on me. There was no reason for him to defend me and yet he was. I was a nobody, no one special. Just who everyone called a traitor. Only instead of being given a death sentence, my brother had decided to make me spend my life suffering.

“I have a proposition for you, Alpha Trey.” Alpha Dane is smirking at my brother.

“We have already agreed on terms.”

“Well, I’m adding one. And if you don’t agree, you will not get my help. Instead, you will become my enemy. And we both know, you don’t want that.”

“I take it that your new terms have something to do with her?” Alpha Trey mutters through clenched teeth.

“You would be correct. Let me take her away to my pack and then you, Trey will have a deal.”

Me? Why would he want me?

As my brother and his Beta discuss me, Alpha Dane is still studying me. His look made me nervous. What could someone like him possibly want with me?

“Deal.” Alpha Trey sticks out his hand for Alpha Dane to shake. He doesn’t take it, instead his crimson eyes shift from me to my brother.

“I will have paperwork drawn up and will return tomorrow.” He reaches a hand out and cups my face, “Ensure you have everything packed.” He drags his thumb across my bottom lip and strides to the opposite end of the hallway and straight to the front door. He knew exactly where the front door was, so what was he up to?

He pauses at the door. “If I find out any one of you has laid a hand on her. The contract will be the last thing you need to worry about.” He struts out, slamming the door behind him.

“Get out of my sight!” My brother snaps at me.

Hurrying away, I make my way up the stairs and into my tiny bedroom. It was practically empty, the only things I had were a few changes of clothes. It would take me less than a minute to pack.

By morning, I hadn’t slept. Alpha Danes questions were on repeat and why was I so interesting to a Wolf like him. There was a reason he had the biggest pack. They were known for their fighting abilities, that’s why my brother wanted to link Moonshine with Alpha Danes pack, but where did I fit in to all this? And what o earth is Blood of Wolfsbane?

I hide myself behind a corner, waiting for Alpha Dane’s arrival.

“Are you ready?” Alpha Dane calls out.

I step out from my hiding spot, clutching a barely full carrier bag. I drag my teeth across my bottom lip and nod my head.

“Where are the rest of your things? I told you everything needs to be packed.”

“That’s all she has.” Trey snorts as he makes his appearance.

“That’s it?” Alpha Dane stare at him. “That’s all her belongings? She’s what, in her early twenties and that’s all she has?”

“What more does she need? Take her, Alpha Dane. I’m sure she will be as useful a slave to you as she is to us.” It’s Cassandra, my brother’s mate, a terrible woman for me.

“You don’t get to talk about her like that anymore.” Alpha Dane glare at the blonde, “She is not your toy. She is not your slave and I suggest that you, Alpha Trey keep your wife in check. There is only so much disobedience that I will tolerate.”

“Now, shall we go to the office?” Alpha Dane takes out the contract and shove it against Trey’s chest.

Alpha Dane whispers to me, “I think you should sit in with us. It will give me great pleasure in pissing off that mate of your brothers.”

I have to admit that his words piqued my interest. Even though I was afraid, I still choose to follow him.

“Let’s just get this done.” Trey snaps, “The sooner she is gone, the happier I can be.”

“You should read the contract.” I muse.

“I agreed that you could take her as part of our deal.”

“Done.” Trey mutters.

“Good, you can get her out of my house.” Trey’s mate screeches.

Alpha Dane hold a hand out to me, “Come, we are leaving this shit hole before I lose my temper.”

I walk with Alpha Dane without looking back. I hated them as much as they hated me.

Alpha Dane’s house is three times the size of my previous home.

Once we arrive, he takes me to the room and meadsures my body. I try to hide the wound underneath the baggy maids dress, but it was too hurt so I scrunch my face up.

“I know you want to say something, so just say it. I’m not interested in the crap Trey drummed into you. You don’t have to wait until someone asks you a question. You are free to say what you want. Are you injured?"

"No." I am lying.

“You have to say something, Neah. I cannot read your mind. When I mark you, at least I will know what you are feeling.”

“Mark me?”

“Yes, I will mark you.”

I was completely and utterly shocked by the idea. “You….You brought me so that you could mark me.”

“If Trey had bothered reading the contract, he would have discovered that you are to be my bride, not a slave. He would also have read that if he or his ridiculously stupid mate tried doing anything to you going forward, that pack would become mine, or rather, yours. I never bought you, Neah, you were always destined to be mine.”

“I’m a murderer.” I gasps. “Why would someone like you want me for a bride?”

“What’s that? Are you injured? ” He demand.

The sudden appearance of the blood stain on my body interupts the talk.

I cover the stain with my hand. “It’s nothing. It’s just a cut that I keep knocking and it opens up again. I forget it’s there.”

“Show me!”

“It’s fine.” I mumble.

“It’s not optional.” He mutters. “If you won’t show me, I will have to find a way to look, myself.”

My heart skips a beat. I look around the kitchen. “Can.... can we go somewhere more private?”

He takes me to the office, then hit the remote and the blinds start to drop, blocking out the sunlight.

I hesitate and slowly begin to unfasten the buttons of the dress but only where the large blood stain was.

I pull the dress to one side. The wound was about four inches long and already fairly infected.

“See, it’s fine.” I whisper.

“You need to stop saying that.”

I closes my mouth and starts to fasten the buttons.

“No,” He grabs my hands, “Let me see the rest of them.”

I gasp as his fingers rip apart the rest of the buttons.

There was nothing above my chest and nothing below my thighs. My arms were completely bare of wounds too.

They did it to me just for one reason. They didn’t want guests to see. More importantly, they didn’t want Alpha Dane to see.

“You need to see a doctor.”

“It’s …..” I trail off when I see the anger on his face. “It always heals, eventually.”

“Did Trey do this?” He mutters with his teeth gritted and gesture to my body.

I lowers my blue eyes.

“Cassandra?”

I still doesn’t answer him.

“That prick that follows Trey around? All three of them?”

I pull my dress tighter around my and silently nods. I bring my hand up to my face, brushing my cheek, wiping away an escaped tear.

“Anyone else?”

“The pack.” I whisper.

‘I’m going to kill them all.’ He growls.

“They did it because of what you allegedly did to your parents.”

I nod.

“I don’t believe you were responsible.”

I tilt my head up towards him, my brow knits together as my eyes finally find his. “Because of Blood of Wolfsbane?"