The Alpha's BREEDER

Chapter 1 Lyria "After you give birth, disappear forever." Those six words shattered whatever little light remained of my heart. The contract trembled in my hands as I stared at the bold signature waiting for mine. Every line on the paper reminded me that I wasn't a woman—not to them. I wasn't someone's daughter. I wasn't someone's future Luna. I was nothing more than a womb. A breeder. The council chamber was silent except for the crackling fire in the massive stone fireplace. The scent of cedarwood and dominance filled the room, making it difficult to breathe. Around the long oak table sat the six Elders of Blackthorn Pack, each watching me as though they were inspecting livestock before an auction. At the head of the table sat the man who had ruined my life without saying more than a handful of words. Alpha Cassian Blackthorn. His tailored black suit hugged his broad shoulders, and the silver wolf crest on his jacket gleamed beneath the chandelier. His expression remained unreadable while his icy gray eyes were fixed on the documents before him rather than on me. He hadn't looked at me once since I entered the room. Not once. "The terms are simple," Elder Rowan said, sliding the final page toward me. "You will bear the Alpha's heir. After the child is born, you will surrender the baby to the Blackthorn Pack and leave. You will never claim the child, the Alpha, or this pack." My fingers tightened around the pen. Never claim the child. The words blurred as tears burned behind my eyes. "You have one minute to decide," another Elder said impatiently. One minute. As if the rest of my life could be measured in sixty seconds. I swallowed hard. Just yesterday, I had been nothing more than an omega struggling to keep my sick younger brother alive. The healers demanded a fortune for the medicine he needed, and every pack I begged for help turned me away. But then the Blackthorn Council found me, they offered me enough money to save my brother's life. All I had to do... ...was become Alpha Cassian's breeder. "I don't understand," I whispered. "Why me?" One Elder scoffed. "Because your bloodline is compatible." Another added coldly, "And because desperate people are easier to control." The room erupted in quiet laughter. I lowered my eyes. Humiliation burned hotter than anger. Finally, Alpha Cassian spoke. His deep voice was calm. Cold. Emotionless. "Sign it." That was all. No explanation. No sympathy. No apology. Just two words. Sign it. I looked up instinctively, hoping—foolishly—that our eyes would meet. They didn't. He was already reviewing another document as though my existence was not worth acknowledging. My chest tightened painfully. This was the most powerful Alpha King on the continent. The man every she–wolf dreamed of marrying. The man mothers prayed their daughters would be chosen by. Yet today, I was being sold to him. Not as his mate. Not as his Luna. But as a breeder. My hands shook violently as different kinds of thought ran through my mind. If I refused, my brother would die. If I accepted, a part of me would die instead. The choice had already been made. And so slowly, I signed my name. Lyria Ashwood. The scratching sound of the pen echoed through the chamber. An Elder immediately snatched the contract before the ink had even dried. "It's done." Another Elder smiled in satisfaction. "The ceremony will begin tonight." Ceremony? I frowned. "What ceremony?" "You'll understand soon enough." A chill crawled down my spine. I turned toward Alpha Cassian for one last time and he finally lifted his gaze. For one brief second, our eyes met. His gray eyes held no warmth. No desire. No curiosity. Nothing. I could have been a stranger. A servant. A ghost. He rose from his chair, buttoned his jacket, and walked toward the massive doors. When he reached me, he paused. Without looking directly at me, he spoke the words that would haunt me for years. "After you give birth..." His voice was as cold as winter. "...disappear forever." Then he walked away. The doors closed behind him with a deafening boom. I stood frozen as the silence felt unbearable enough to even breathe. Disappear forever. A tear escaped before I could stop it but I quickly wiped it away. No. I wouldn't cry here. Not in front of people who believed my tears meant weakness. Not in front of people who had already decided my worth. If they wanted a breeder... Then I would give them exactly what they paid for. Nothing more. Nothing less. But deep inside, a promise took root. One day, I would leave this place. And when I did... No one—not even Alpha Cassian Blackthorn—would ever have the power to decide my fate again. Just then, the chamber doors opened once more to reveal a palace guard who hurried inside with his face pale. "Alpha!" Cassian stopped without turning around. "The Moon Priest has arrived." The guard swallowed nervously before adding, "He says... the prophecy has awakened." The entire chamber fell silent. For the first time that day, Alpha Cassian's expression changed. And every Elder's face drained of color.