Chapter 3 :The Contract
1164 Words
"I won't do it."
My voice echoed through the empty hallway.
The meeting had ended only minutes ago, but my heart was still pounding. Every word Demas had spoken felt like another wound reopening.
He stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets, looking far too calm.
"You don't have a choice."
I laughed, but there was nothing funny about it.
"I always have a choice."
"You can refuse."
"Then I refuse."
His eyes stayed on mine.
"The Moon Council will strip what's left of Ashmoor's protection."
I folded my arms.
"That's not my problem."
"It will become your problem."
"I've been cleaning up your mess for eight years."
Something flashed across his face, but it disappeared before I could name it.
"You think you know everything."
"I know enough."
"You know one side."
"I know the only side that matters."
Silence settled between us.
I hated how his presence filled every space.
I hated that my wolf refused to settle whenever he was close.
She paced inside me, restless and confused.
Mate.
"No."
The word slipped out before I could stop it.
Demas heard it.
His jaw tightened.
"Your wolf feels it too."
"My wolf is wrong."
"No."
"She is."
"You know she isn't."
I looked away.
I couldn't keep staring into those gray eyes.
They reminded me too much of that terrible night.
The night he had looked at me...
...and walked away.
"I will never accept you."
"I didn't ask you to."
"Good."
Another long silence.
Footsteps echoed behind us.
Marcus approached with a thick folder tucked beneath his arm.
He looked from me to Demas before clearing his throat.
"The Council is waiting."
"They can wait," I snapped.
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"They don't usually."
"I don't care."
He gave Demas a look that clearly said Good luck.
Demas nodded once.
Marcus quietly walked away.
The hallway became silent again.
Demas looked at me.
"We're wasting time."
"I'm not going anywhere with you."
"You are."
"No."
"The Council already signed the order."
"I didn't."
"You don't need to."
Anger rushed through me again.
"You really think everyone belongs to you."
"No."
"You certainly act like it."
"I do what keeps my people alive."
"My people died because of you."
His expression hardened.
"We're done discussing the past."
"We've never discussed it."
"We're discussing the future."
"I don't want a future that includes you."
His eyes softened for the smallest moment.
"That isn't your decision anymore."
I stared at him.
The words should have frightened me.
Instead...
They hurt.
Because a small part of me remembered the impossible bond between us.
The part of me I wished would disappear forever.
"Come with me."
"I'm not following you."
He turned without another word.
For some reason, that annoyed me even more.
He expected me to follow.
Expected me to obey.
I stayed exactly where I was.
Ten seconds.
Twenty.
Thirty.
Then Lila appeared around the corner.
"There you are."
"I'm leaving."
She blocked my path.
"No."
"Move."
"You heard the Council."
"I don't care."
"They weren't asking."
"I said move."
She sighed.
"I know you hate him."
"You have no idea."
"I remember that night too."
The words stopped me.
Her eyes filled with sadness.
"I remember everything."
I looked away.
"I can't work beside him."
"You don't have to forgive him."
"I'm not capable of forgiving him."
"I know."
She gently squeezed my hand.
"But if refusing means Ashmoor loses its protection..."
She didn't finish.
She didn't have to.
I knew exactly what she meant.
Too many families depended on the Council's decision.
Too many children.
Too many people who had already suffered enough.
This wasn't only about me anymore.
I hated that.
I hated responsibility.
Mostly...
I hated that Demas had forced me into this position.
Lila smiled sadly.
"You've always carried everyone else."
"I'm tired."
"I know."
"You shouldn't have to."
I hugged her without thinking.
For a second, I let myself breathe.
Then I pulled away.
"I'm still going to tell him exactly what I think."
A small laugh escaped her.
"I wouldn't expect anything less."
The Council chamber was quieter than before.
Only six people remained.
Three Elders.
Marcus.
Demas.
And me.
One of the Elders slid a leather folder across the table.
"The Mate Alliance Contract."
I frowned.
"What is that?"
"The agreement you'll both follow."
"I'm not signing anything."
"You will."
I looked at the Elder.
"I'm sorry?"
"The alliance requires stability."
I crossed my arms.
"I fail to see what that has to do with me."
"The surrounding territories already know about your mate bond."
My stomach dropped.
"What?"
"The news spread quickly."
Of course it had.
Nothing stayed secret among werewolves.
The Elder continued.
"Several neighboring Alphas have questioned whether Black Ridge and Ashmoor are truly united."
"So?"
"So if they believe the alliance is weak, they'll attack."
I looked at Demas.
He hadn't spoken once.
"You planned this."
"No."
"I don't believe you."
"You don't have to."
The Elder opened the folder.
"For six months, you will publicly behave as a bonded pair."
I blinked.
"What?"
"You will attend Council gatherings together."
"No."
"You will appear together during ceremonies."
"No."
"You will present a united front."
"No."
The Elder sighed.
"Miss Hart."
"I said no."
"This is the Council's ruling."
I laughed bitterly.
"So now I'm pretending to love the man I hate most."
"No one asked you to love him."
I looked straight at Demas.
"I couldn't even if I tried."
His face remained unreadable.
"Good."
That single word caught me off guard.
Good?
For some reason...
That hurt more than it should have.
The Elder pushed the folder closer.
"Sign."
I didn't move.
Minutes passed.
The room felt smaller.
Finally, Lila's face flashed through my mind.
Ashmoor.
The families.
The children.
None of them deserved another war.
Slowly...
I picked up the pen.
"This changes nothing."
No one answered.
I signed my name.
Blossom Hart.
The ink had barely dried before the Elder smiled.
"It is done."
A strange feeling settled over me.
Like a door had quietly closed behind me.
There was no turning back now.
As everyone stood to leave, another Alpha entered the chamber.
Young.
Confident.
Handsome.
He smiled warmly when he saw me.
"You must be Blossom."
I nodded politely.
"Yes."
He stepped closer.
"I've heard impressive things about you."
"Thank you."
Before I could say another word, the room suddenly felt colder.
Every instinct inside me screamed.
I turned.
Demas was watching us.
His face hadn't changed.
Neither had his posture.
But his gray eyes had become dangerously dark.
The young Alpha noticed too.
He took one step backward.
Without looking away from me, Demas spoke in a calm, steady voice.
"Meeting's over."
No one argued.
No one lingered.
As the room emptied, I realized something that made my pulse quicken.
His wolf wasn't reacting to politics.
It wasn't reacting to the alliance.
It was reacting to another man standing too close to me.
- Writer
