My Lord Alpha

The Bargain

"Stay away from me!" Candice yelled as she ran to a corner of the room.

After the ordeal at the restaurant, Wayne had hauled her back to his mansion. She had been too shocked to do anything but gaze into nothingness as he carried her back home. Now that she was back in the safety of his room, her sanity had begun to return to her.

"Will do," he calmly said as he watched her scurry from him.

"You ki-killed that man. Wait! He was not a man, he was…they were…" she tried to put into words what she had just seen.

"They are werewolves," he assisted.

"Yes! Werewolves. Half man and half wolf," she agreed "You too are…"

"I am a werewolf, just like I had told you previously," he agreed with her.

She could barely coordinate her thoughts; they were racing through her brain "Do werewolves really exist? I thought they were just a myth."

"Do you think humans were the only beings existing in the universe? How self-absorbed," he mused.

"Are there other beings apart from werewolves?" she asked her eyes growing wild.

"Would you believe me if I said yes?" he asked.

Candice put a hand to her head, as a blistering headache surfaced "So all the myths and legends are true?"

"There's no smoke without fire" he affirmed "There's a whole lot of species, dimensions, realms that the human race is yet to discover. It's best they don't even become aware and continue on their top-of-the food chain ideology."

She sank to the cold ground, clutching her head between her hands "I just want to go home. I want to wake up and see this is all just a dream. I want to talk to Bernice."

"You cannot go home; you cannot leave this house without my permission and an escort. Just as you have witnessed the event at the restaurant, you need my protection If you desire to survive."

"I never wanted this, I never asked for this. You kidnapped me and brought me into this horrifying new world without my permission," she cried.

From her position on the ground, she saw a deep scowl darken his face.

"You wanted my company; you came to me by your own will. You said you would not regret it," he reminded her.

"I thought you were an investor, I wanted to land a major deal," she said as tucked her hair behind her ears.

"Again, with the investor nonsense, you must know I was not born yesterday. I am almost two centuries older than you. I know a w***e when I see one," he said dryly.

Anger replaced her despair and she sprang up from the ground "Don't you dare call me a w***e; I will not continue to take such insults from you."

"Prove it then, prove to me that you are not one," he said mocking her.

"Where the heck is my handbag? All my documents are there, I could give you proof" she countered. Then tried to negotiate "How about if you help me find my handbag, I can help you make a lot of money just by investing. You can become one of the richest animals alive?"

She really just wanted her bag.

"How convenient, your only proof is in some unavailable documents which mysteriously disappeared with your precious little handbag," he said cornily, sarcasm dripping from every word. Then he added "And I have more riches than I know what to do with it. Thanks for the offer though, calling me an animal would not help your situation in any way."

She was at a loss, there was nothing she could do to convince this thick-skulled werewolf. But what was more disconcerting, was the fact that this man or being was decades older than her.

"What about you Mr. righteous? How could you sleep with a woman that you're two centuries older than? Isn't it child abuse?" she folded her arms and drew up close to face him.

"You are my mate and you are of age," he shrugged.

"I am only 29 years old; you are almost two hundred years old. The age gap is mind-blowing, you're like a great-grandfather to me."

"I did not choose this; the universe makes the matches. I would not have picked you out myself if even I was blindfolded," he raked a hand through his locks "There are more deserving wolves, I wonder why it had to be you."

Bile rose up her throat at his plain rejection "I want to go home Wayne, please take me home," she stammered, her voice rife with unfounded disappointment.

What was this thing she was feeling? Was she feeling sad that he was outrightly rejecting her before he even got to know her?

Fine, she didn't even want him either. He had killed a man right in front of her without remorse. He could as well kill her too, who knew what he was capable of?

"You can't go home; you are safer with me than in your world," he refused.

"I was safe before I met you, you are ruining my life," Candice spat out.

"If you go back to your earth plane, my enemies will find you sooner rather than later and you will be taken into captivity. Believe me when I say death will be bliss compared to what torture you will go through," he informed her.

"Was that why you murdered that man? Because death is bliss compared to torture?" she inquired.

"I had to send out a strong message, anyone who touches what's mine and they would die. Regardless, that wolf is known for his notorious ways, I have had it in mind to put him in order. Too bad he picked today to cause trouble," he casually stated.

"What's yours? I don't belong to you," she muttered.

"You have no choice in this matter, you are my mate and you are bound by duty to answer to me," Wayne said taking a step closer to her.

Though his eyes had long returned to its normal shade of golden-brown and his body showed no trace of wolfish attributes, Candice was again reminded of who she was up against by the slightest movement he made. This Hulk of a man had been on the brink of madness a few moments ago, now he seemed so relaxed and collected like he had no care in the world. Calm but deadly, carefree but lethal. Her head could fall to the ground within a split second and she wouldn't even see him move a muscle.

He was that fast.

She knew he had the power to crush her at any moment, but still, she raised her chin and looked him squarely in the eyes "Bound by what or by who? I refuse to be bound to you."

"You do not have a choice in this matter," he emphasized.

"I don't? Will I be forced into a union I don't want? How then are you different from those who want to take me into captivity?"

"I do not want this union either. However, I need a Luna and you may suffice for the time being. I need you to spend six months with me and then I would let you go," his left ear twitched after he spoke.

Huh?

That was new to her. She had not noticed such an expression from him, but then again, she barely even knew him. There must be a lot she was yet to know about him.

Wait.

He said she would suffice for the time being. Her? Candice? She didn't have a lot of experience with men, but she had her fair share of admirers while growing up. Still, she let the insult slide and stayed focused on the topic.

"How can I be out of work for six months? I won't have a job to return to by then!" she exclaimed. Then went on "What of my friend Bernice? She would be searching without end for me. I pay rent monthly; my things would be on the streets if my landlord doesn't get my rent."

"All that can be arranged. You will also be well compensated in gold and silver," Wayne assured her.

"That's not a real figure," she refused.

"I can convert it to money in your own currency. Will fifty million dollars be worth it?" he demanded.

Fifty million US dollars? She couldn't believe her ears. That was a whole lot of money, it would set her up for life. What could go wrong? All she had to do was stay put for six months. Bernice would tell her to jump at this offer, they could open their own company, buy a house, luxurious cars, travel on vacations…

"What would it be Candice?" he asked pulling her out of her wandering thoughts.

She cleared her throat "Six months it is. I would need it in writing, a formal contract stating my terms and conditions."

A twinkle appeared in his eyes and a mischievous smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"As you wish," he said, giving her a slight bow.