Ch. 61..65: The Alpha Contract Chapter 61-65

Chapter 0061

There was that rare spike in her thoughts. Almost a dark side that was trapped by who she had become over the years. Most people would find it unsettling, but it turned me on. It was enticing and I wanted to bring it to the surface. There's a brisk knock on the door that's accompanied with Raven's scent. Stopping our conversation, and from Neah's thoughts, I could tell she was grateful for the break.

""Come in." I call to my sister

"Hey," Her eyes move between me and Neah, trying to read the situation. "Can I take Neah shopping?"

"Shopping?"

"There's a couple of us going into the city. I thought maybe Neah would like to join us. Or am I interrupting something serious again?"

"It's up to Neah." I look at my mate, still listening to her thoughts.

She shakes her head. "I'm not....I'm not ready for that." her eyes flicker to me,. "It might not be safe."

"Nothing can go wrong. It's neutral territory. No one is allowed to fight there. And I will be there." Raven pleads. "We will keep you safe."

"Who is we?" I ask curiously

"Me, Klaus..." She names a couple of others

"Klaus is going?" Shopping was definitely not his thing.

"He wants to pick up some more books. You know what he's like, he won't have them delivered in case someone has creased the pages." She mocks, "And I assumed you would prefer us to have a chaperone." "So you roped him in?"

"Yep!"

I turn to Neah. "She isn't wrong. The city is neutral. I trust Klaus."

"What about Trey?" She whispers.

"I'm assuming the city is somewhere he wouldn't go." I fix my eyes on Raven. "If there's a problem...."

"We will get her out of there."

Moving to Neah, I pull her around to face me properly, "Raven has been to the city at least once a week since she was a kid. She knows it better than anyone. f you don't want to go, then that is also fine." "You don't....you don't want me to go." She keeps her eyes low. "I can feel it."

"I would prefer you to be somewhere that I can easily reach you at any point of the day. But that is not going to help you get over your fears. I trust my sister, I trust Klaus, they are not going to put you in danger. And if anyone tries anything, they would be fucking stupid." "All the Wolves know who my brother is." Raven adds. "Salem made sure of that."

She claimed she didn't blame me for Salem rejecting her, but certain phrases had me thinking differently. Choosing not to respond to her comment, I keep my attention on my mate. "It's your choice Neah." ""What if I...."

"We will have to trust that you won't."

I could feel Raven's eyes burning into the back of my head. I still hadn't told her that Neah was a Lycan.

"I'm sorry, what??" Raven's eyes immediately go to Neah when I break the news. "Are you seriously telling me that she looks like that thing you killed?" "Yes."

"So she isn't a Wolf?" Raven is glaring at me as she demands answers.

"Technically, from my understanding, they are part Wolf."

"Technically?" She splutters

"Yes."

'Well this is going well.' Aero groans

"Okay, so the guy in the dungeon, claiming to be her brother. He is one too?" Raven asks

"Yes."

"And you are letting him live?"

"For now. Are you challenging my decision?" It was a rhetorical question. A warning to drop the attitude.

She turns to Neah, quickly softening her tone and dropping her attitude. Most likely realising that what she is asking, would apply to Neah. "Are you okay?" Neah shakes her head.

"Then you definitely need to come into the city. Get away from this crap for a few hours. Clear your head and spend a shit load of my brother's money." Neah's blue eyes flash to me.

"It's your choice."

Reluctantly, she agrees to go, though she spends the next hour checking that I was okay with her decision.

She asks me a final time before getting in the car with the others.

"Just try to enjoy yourself." I tell her

Raven pulls her into the car. "I will keep an eye on her. If it's too much, we will come back."

"You don't normally like the clingy ones." Eric mutters as we watch the car drive away.

"This is different."

"Because she is your mate and you marked her?" He cocks an eyebrow at me

"She's clingy based on fear, not because she wants me all to herself. She just needs time."

"How did Raven take the news?"

"She mostly focussed on the news I was letting Devon live. Took her a moment to realise that if she wanted Devon dead for what he is, she would be a hypocrite for not wanting Neah dead." "Raven doesn't usually make new friends so easily. She must like Neah. Especially to invite her shopping. She's never done that with any of the others."

I nod my head in agreement. My sister had never been the greatest at social engagements, it's why she preferred the hospital.

"There's something I need you to do for me." I mutter as the car rounds the bend and it quickly leaves my sight.

"You want me to keep an eye on her?"

"Just as a precaution."

 

Chapter 0062

Klaus smiles at me as I settle into the car. Raven introduces the two other women, but thankfully she doesn't mention the truth about me. I hoped she would keep it a secret, even if it was just for a little while. "You will be fine." Raven keeps her arm linked with mine when I begin to fidget. "We are all here."

"I've never...." I could feel the other women looking at me.

"I know, that's why I suggested it. You can't stay cooped up in the pack all the time. It's good to meet others, to learn that it is not just us out there."

"Though Black Shadow is the superior pack." Klaus winks at me

Raven pulls a small black card out of her pocket and hands it to me. "This is for you from Dane. He figured you wouldn't take it from him so he asked me to give it to you." "What is it?"

The other women giggle, amused by my lack of knowledge and Raven shoots them a glare with her dark eyes.

"It's a credit card."

"Right." I take the black card from her, turning it over in my fingers. I had never seen one up close. I had never needed access to money.

"I will show you how to use it when you buy something."

"I don't need his money."

Raven lets out a snort. "You should enjoy it, it's not like he is short on cash."

For a brief moment, I wondered how he made his money. It wasn't like he went to a workplace.

"Taxes." Klaus mutters as he opens up a book to read.

"Taxes?"

"From contracts." He confirms.

"Plus Dane owns a few of the businesses in the city." Raven adds. "He has deep pockets."

The other women in the car giggle again and I see Klaus roll his eyes.

By the time we got into the city, the scents were overwhelming. Traffic, Wolves, food, others that I couldn't place. I screw my nose up.

"Like I said, it will take you a while." Klaus climbs out the car and stands next to me and scans the area.

There were people everywhere. Some that seemed to be in a hurry while others had a much slower pace. "Welcome to the city." Raven mutters as she links her arm with mine.

I could already feel my body trembling. "Get it together." I whisper to myself, hoping the others are not listening.

Klaus stays a few steps behind us as Raven drags me from store to store, insisting that I pick out a few things and telling me that I can't go home empty handed.

She was enjoying it, but this really wasn't something I liked doing. I wanted to go back to the safety of the pack. I wanted to get away from all the noise and the smells and silently begged to go back to the car.

A hand latches around my wrist as I watch Raven root through another clothing rack. Looking up, I see Klaus.

He lets go immediately, "I know, personal space, but you are not enjoying this, are you?"

I shake my head at him.

"Come to the bookstore with me. It's generally quiet."

Nodding my head, he tells Raven who pouts for a minute but then makes Klaus swear to not let me out of his sight.

"I'm not stupid. Isn't this the whole reason I'm here?"

Raven gives him a location to meet at in one hour. "If you are not back...."

"You will call Dane." Klaus finishes her sentence for her. "I wouldn't expect any less."

Following Klaus out the store, he leads me through a couple of different streets and then down a side alley to a small bookshop. Hidden away from the hustle of the city.

He quickly works his way through the shelves, searching for something as I trail behind observing some of the pretty book covers. It made me wish that I could read, there were so many stories here and I could barely pronounce any of the words.

Chapter 0063

"What kind of book are you looking for?" I ask, thinking that if he gave me a description of the cover, I would be able to help him find it. There's no answer.

Turning around, I don't see him and my heart skips a beat.

"Klaus?"

Still nothing.

Racing between the shelves, I call out to him. There is still no answer, in fact there doesn't seem to be anyone else here,

"KLAUS?" I was desperate. My heart starts to race, my breathing quickened as I weakly call out his name again.

Turning up the final aisle, I freeze. Cassandra stood perfectly still. A smug smile on her face. Her arms folded just under her chest as she grins at me. "So the rat has found her voice."

Just behind her, I see a foot poking out. A large boot that looked like the ones Klaus wears. A thick iron scent was slowly filling the air around me. "Did....did you kill him?"

She turns and kicks him in the side and he doesn't make a sound.

"The Alpha let you out then." Her eyes settle on the mark on my neck.

"I'm not... I'm not alone." I splutter

"Oh I know, but they aren't here with you now, are they?! It's just us." She combs her fingers through her long blonde hair. "And where is the good old Alpha Dane? If you are his contract bride, I'm surprised he let you out with these idiots." "Where's.....where's Trey?"

"That is Alpha Trey to you!" She spits, "And it is none of your business."

"This is neutral territory..... You....they won't like you here." I glance at Klaus's foot which is moving a little. "They have their own rules."

"Do you think I care about that? You are the reason my brother is dead!"

"And you are the reason my parents are dead!" My abrupt response takes me by surprise.

Cassandra's eyes narrow at me and I see Klaus roll onto his back. I was so relieved to see that he was alive.

"Why...why are you here?" I demand, trying to find my confidence.

"Trey wants to see you."

"Why?"

She smirks at me. "He wants to remind you."

Klaus quietly stands up behind her, his hands clamp around her throat. "Remind her about what?"

Before she answers, Beta Eric charges in from nowhere. He grabs hold of me, pulling me behind him.

""Answer me!" Klaus demands.

Cassandra fights against him. Digging her perfectly manicured nails deep into his wrists, yet Klaus refuses to let go, even when his blood trickles down over his skin, dripping into small puddles by his feet. "Let her go, Klaus." Beta Eric orders

"She tried to kill me."

"Tried. Something tells me that is all she can do is try. She has most likely never killed anyone in her life. She sets others up to do her dirty work." He smiles. "Dane is going to have a field day when I take you to our dungeons. I wonder what he will remove first. A finger, perhaps a toe. Maybe your tongue."

"As much as you want to kill her, Klaus." Beta Eric continues. "Dane would much rather see to it, after all she is targeting his mate."

"Bride." Cassandra spits.

She had seen my mark, did she not think it was genuine?

"Mate." Beta Eric mutters. "You have crossed over into a different territory. Cassandra. Not only have you played with fire, you have given yourself the death penalty."

"Trey will come for you!" Cassandra screeches and I cover my ears

"I don't doubt it. And I am very much looking forward to it." He looks up at Klaus. "My van is out the back, take her out to it and lock her in." "Fuck you, you stupid Wolves!"

Klaus scowls.

"Go on then, shift." Beta Eric muses. "I dare you."

Chapter 0064

Neah

Cassandra glares at him. "You don't want that."

Klaus looks confused, he was the only one in here who didn't know what I was, what Cassandra and I were.

I had no idea what Beta Eric was trying to achieve. She would show everyone what I would look like. She would show him the monster that I was.

Cassandra's eyes settle on me. It suddenly dawned on me that she didn't know. She didn't know the mark from Alpha Dane had broken my binding. That was why she was holding back.

Everything that Devon had said about keeping it hidden from me was starting to make sense. They didn't want me to know the truth.

"I will come willingly." She mutters

"Good." Beta Eric and Klaus speak in unison.

"Klaus, I'm taking Neah with me. Clean up the mess in here. If this gets out. We will have even bigger problems."

He nods his head. Grabbing hold of Cassandra. The smell of iron is still thick but I couldn't see where it was coming from.

"She killed the shop assistant." Beta Eric mutters quietly to me, like he was reading my mind. "What you are smelling is a large amount of blood."

Cassandra giggles as Beta Eric pushes her forward. The van was parked at the end of the alley in the opposite direction of the busy high street. Cassandra gets in willingly and something just felt off. Beta Eric slams the doors, locking her inside.

"Come on, you can sit up front with me."

"Some....somethings wrong."

He cocks an eyebrow at me and looks around. "What do you mean?"

I look up and down the alley, trying to make sense of my gut feeling. Beta Eric follows my gaze. "No one else is here."

"Are you...sure?" My stomach ties itself up in knots. Cassandra hadn't tried hitting me, which was a first for her. "They never left the pack without each other."

"What are you talking about? Cassandra was alone when she tried to poison us."

"At the packhouse. But when they left, it was always together."

Devon had fallen out of a tree. I look up to the top of the buildings. There was nothing.

When the door to the bookshop swings open. Trey was dragging Klaus along the ground towards us by his long hair.

"I will give you him in exchange for my mate." He growls, his eyes locking on me.

Beta Eric's hand is latched around my wrist again as he holds me by his side. "Is he even alive?"

"Barely. But if you take him now, he might just recover."

"Why?" I whisper. Looking at the trail of blood that had followed them.

He sneers at me as I ask him the question and refocuses on Beta Eric. "You have a decision to make and I suggest you make it quickly."

"Get in the van, Neah." Beta Eric doesn't look at me.

I do as I'm told and hear Trey mutter something about me actually following instructions. I wanted to say something and hesitate before opening the door. "Van!" Beta Eric calls out.

Reluctantly, I climbed in, closing the door, just wishing that I had a bit more of a backbone.

The van rocks a little and a few moments later, Beta Eric gets in, sighing.

"Did you hand her over?" I ask quietly

"I had too, we don't abandon our own."

"And Klaus, is he....is he alive?" "Yes, just."

"I'm sorry. This is...this is my fault."

"No, you don't need to be sorry. None of us expected Trey to be here. Dane thought it would be too public for him, especially with the area being a nrutral zone." "Why did you come?" I ask as moans come from the back of the van.

"Why do you think?"

I wasn't sure whether to feel pleased or annoyed. But if he hadn't turned up when he did, it might be a completely different story and I might not be making my way back to Alpha Dane. Beta Eric doesn't speak the rest of the way back other than to confirm that Raven is already aware of what has happened.

Alpha Dane is waiting at the packhouse when we arrive. He waits for me to get out of the van when he grabs my face and forces me to look at him.

"Are you hurt?" He demands

"No."

""Don't lie to me, Neah."

"She...she didn't touch me."

He pulls me in against his hard chest, locking his arms around me. "I should have trusted my instincts to not let you go."

"You said....you said I was up to me."

"It was, I should have known better with them both still out roaming the country."

"I don't think she knew." I mumble against him.

"What do you mean?"

"Beta Eric challenged her to shift. She...she looked at me. I don't think she knew that your mark broke my binding."

"She should have scented you. Or maybe she was confused. It's been a long time since you were first bound. Maybe she mistook your scent for Klaus's."

"Make sure Klaus gets seen too." He calls to Beta Eric. "Raven won't be back for a while, but there will be someone else over at the hospital."

Chapter 0065

"Come with me." He mutters, dropping his arms from around me.

I follow him through to his office. I'm not sure what it was, but every time I was brought in here, I felt like I was going to be told off. That everything was going to suddenly crash down around me. "Eric said you had a weird feeling."

I nod. "Before Trey appeared. I... I don't."

"You can't explain it." He mutters as he sits at his desk and leaves me standing in the middle of the room.

"No, it just didn't... it didn't feel right."

"What did she say to you?"

"That Trey wanted to see me. That..." I screw my face up because her words just didn't make sense. "That he wanted to remind me."

"Remind you of what?"

"She didn't say. She didn't really have a chance."

"Klaus interrupted her."

I shake my head, "Beta Eric. He just wanted to protect me, just like Klaus."

He doesn't acknowledge my comment about Klaus.

"I should have killed Trey when I had the chance." He mutters with a frown.

Slipping into the empty seat in front of him, I watch him scribble a few things down. Wondering what he was writing.

"Alpha Dane, how did they know? How did they know where I was?"

"A question for Klaus when he has healed."

"Klaus?"

"I'm not saying he was involved, but he saw Cassandra before you did. I need to know what happened in those few minutes before she attacked him."

He glances up at me. "Are you sure you are not hurt?"

"Confused." I mumble, trying to make sense of it all

"I will handle it." He changes the subject, asking me if I had bought anything nice.

"A few bits and bobs. I think Raven has them." I pull the credit card from my pocket and slide it across the desk towards him.

He picks up the card and smiles. "I tell you to buy what you want and you barely spend anything."

He pauses and his crimson eyes lock on mine. "The city was too much for your senses, wasn't it?"

"The first quiet place was the bookshop. Klaus said it took him almost a year to adjust."

"It did, particularly his hearing. It's why he lives so far out of the centre of the pack. There are a lot less people coming and going about their day and it was just easier for him. Unfortunately, you don't have that luxury." "Because I can't protect myself?"

"Because I want you in bed with me, every night. Not hiding out in a house, somewhere in my pack."

Alpha Dane takes me with him when he's told that Klaus is back to a hundred percent.

He is sitting on the edge of the same bed that I had been on when I thought I was dying. Klaus had taken the band out of his hair, letting it hang loose around his shoulders. And quietly drums his fingers on the bed. His eyes see me first and he quickly jumps up. "Are you okay?"

I nod my head as Alpha Dane gives me a reassuring squeeze. "Are you?"

"That fucking arsehole came from nowhere."

"Which one?" Alpha Dane questions him.

"What do you mean?"

"The blonde, Cassandra, she was the one who knocked you out first, right?"

"She asked me if I could reach a book for her. As I stretched up, she clobbered me across the back of my head with something heavy."

"Have you met her before?" Alpha Dane presses.

"Never seen her in my life."

"And the when they left, that guy came from nowhere, almost like he came down from above me and sliced all the way down my spine." He glances at me. "Don't worry, all healed. I'm a fast healer." "You've never met them, spoken to them before?"

"Are you asking me if I set this up? Dane, why would I risk being almost killed? You know I'm smarter than that. The guy barely missed my heart. And I would be an idiot to try messing with you. I've seen what you do to those that cross you. I would rather be on your side than standing against you."

My eyes flicker to Alpha Dane but he doesn't notice. I had only seen him kill Kyle. How dark could he go?

"Right." Alpha Dane murmurs, turning away.

"Am I clear to go?"

"Sure."

"Are we still having a tutoring session tonight?" Klaus asks me.

"No, not tonight." Apha Dane answers before I get a chance to say anything.

He doesn't sound angry. But he doesn't sound happy either. It made me nervous. Because it made him unpredictable.

Klaus leaves without speaking another word and Alpha Dane just stands there, with an unreadable expression.

"Are... are we going back to the house?" I ask after what seemed like forever.

My question seems to pull him from some sort of trance. He smiles and nods his head. For the rest of the evening, he barely spoke to me, but appeared to be watching my every move to the point he was making me nervous. It was only when I was getting into bed that he asked me if I was accidentally linking them.