The Alpha's Contracted Mate

Chapter 3 The Unveiling

Mathew's unabashed and direct nature often led him to be rather harsh when speaking. He firmly believed that there was no need to show respect to his enemies. After all, they had committed unspeakable acts, and he felt justified in scolding them and exposing their evil deeds.

As his words hung in the air, Alex maintained a smile on his face, his apology dripping with hypocrisy, he knew exactly what Mathew meant.

"Mathew, there must be a misunderstanding. My mom and Emily didn't expect her to get so drunk," Alex feigned innocence, trying to smooth things over. Mathew downed the wine that Emily had handed him in one go and grinned, "Everyone looks quite kind from a distance." Alex chose to remain silent, his facade wavering.

Mathew handed the empty wine glass to Alex, giving him a pat on the shoulder as he whispered, "Are you worried that I will compete for the position of the Alpha of Ravenwood pack with you? Don't worry..." He paused, savoring the tension, before lowering his voice and continuing, "I will compete for it with you."

Alex's elegant smile flickered though it was a facade, and he quickly responded, "Mathew, you misunderstood me! If you want to be the Alpha of Ravenwood pack, I won't fight with you."

Mathew straightened himself, stepping back with an arrogant smile. "Really? I do want the position. Could you please go tell Grandpa that you want to withdraw from the competition? I'm sure he will be glad to hear that." His voice dripped with contempt.

Alex's grip on the empty wine glass tightened, and the gentleness vanished from his face. Mathew sneered, "Alex, drop the hypocritical act in front of me!" With that, he turned and strode upstairs, leaving Alex to grapple with his inner turmoil.

Unbeknownst to them, Emily had been silently observing the tense exchange from a corner. When Mathew disappeared upstairs, she cautiously approached Alex, concern etched across her face. "What did Mathew say to you? Your face is pale with anger," she asked, worried about the aftermath.

Alex let out an exasperated sigh and loosened his tie. "He said he wanted the position of the Alpha of Ravenwood pack," he replied, his voice laced with frustration.

Emily's eyes widened in disbelief, "Is he insane? He told you this directly?" Alex's expression grew colder as he responded, "And he knew it was you and Mom who got Isabella drunk that day."

Emily pursed her lips indifferently, her tone nonchalant. "So what? Mom just wanted to stop her from pestering you, but..." Her voice trailed off as realization dawned upon her.

She quickly covered her mouth with her hand, attempting to undo the damage. Panic crept into her eyes as she hurriedly spoke, "I didn't say anything! It's getting late. I'm going to bed now." Alex reached out to stop her, gripping her wrist firmly. In a low, menacing voice, he demanded, "What did you say?"

Emily's fear of Alex was palpable. She knew that while Mathew may appear wicked on the surface, he had a core of integrity. Alex, on the other hand, was a true villain, harboring grudges in his heart. Despite their sibling bond, she was genuinely afraid of him.

Seeing his sullen face, Emily swallowed hard and nervously murmured, "Isabella had a crush on you. Mom was worried that it would have a negative influence on your marriage, so she contrived a plan against her."

She pulled her hand away from Alex's grip, rubbing her wrist, and added, "She didn't plan to involve Mathew, but Isabella ended up in the wrong room and things went south"

Alex snapped, his anger simmering, "Get lost!" Emily's disbelief was evident as she stared at him, but she quickly complied and hurried away, her heart pounding in her chest.

Meanwhile, Mathew returned to the bedroom, shedding his coat and discarding it carelessly. He settled onto the sofa, his mind deep in thought, as the sound of running water emanated from the bathroom.

He knew Isabella was in the bathroom, though always nonchalant towards her, he deeply cared for her and was guilty she got dragged into all of this.

Isabella, who had been silently watching the events unfold, realized that she had forgotten to bring her nightdress into the bathroom. Leaning against the wall, she exhaled and felt the coolness of the tiled surface contrast with the heat of the hot shower, causing a shiver to run through her body.

After a brief pause, she wrapped a bath towel around her chest and lightly knocked on the door. "Mathew, are you out there?" she called out softly. There was no response. She added, "I forgot to bring my nightdress. Could you please fetch one for me from the wardrobe?"

To her relief, Mathew remained silent, seemingly preoccupied. Taking this as a sign, Isabella opened the bathroom door slightly and peeked outside. She saw Mathew fast asleep on the sofa and breathed a sigh of relief.

Carefully, she made her way to the wardrobe, barefoot, and retrieved a nightdress trying not to make a sound to prevent Mathew from coming awake. Turning back toward the bathroom, she closed the door behind her and quietly returned to her solitary sanctuary.

However, unbeknownst to her, Mathew's eyes had snapped open the moment she stepped out of the bathroom. His gaze fixated on her delicate ankles, their softness contrasting with the hardness of his own emotions.

When Isabella emerged in her nightdress, she discovered Mathew still awake, engrossed in his phone. Frowning, she asked, "You didn't fall asleep?"

Mathew lifted his eyes to meet hers and smirked, "What?" Isabella took a deep breath, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Since you didn't fall asleep, why didn't you respond when I asked for your help earlier?"

Mathew rested his hand, still clutching the phone, under his chin and lied, "Really? I didn't hear you speak." Isabella was rendered speechless by his dismissive attitude.

She scrutinized him for a moment before silently turning away, settling onto the bed. Dimming the lights to a soft yellow, she intended to lose herself in her phone before drifting off to sleep.

Just as weariness began to weigh on her, Mathew's phone suddenly rang. He casually answered the call as if he were alone in the room, his voice low and seductive. "What's up?" he murmured into the phone.

The room was so quiet that Isabella could hear a woman's voice on the other end, sweet and alluring. "Mathew, come out and have some fun!" she cooed.

Mathew's grin widened, and he responded, "Why? Do you miss me?" The woman's voice took on a spoiled tone, "Come on! We're waiting for you!" Mathew lowered his voice seductively, relishing the game, and replied, "I can't get out. I'm in... tonight!" After a brief pause, he added, "I need to accompany my wife."

The woman on the other end hung up in annoyance, the sound of the dial tone echoing in the room. Mathew tutted, satisfied with the outcome of his conversation.

As soon as his call ended, Isabella's phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID on the screen, she contemplated rejecting the call. It was Sarah, Mathew's childhood girlfriend.

If it weren't for the accident, Sarah would have been the one marrying him. Hesitant, Isabella chose to answer the call. "Hello, Sarah," she greeted, her voice tinged with trepidation.

Sarah's voice erupted in anger, "Isabella, did you do it on purpose? You know today is my birthday, and yet you deliberately brought Mathew back to Haverhill!" Isabella was momentarily speechless, unsure of how to respond. Sarah pressed on, her voice escalating, "Let him out right now!"

Unable to withstand the onslaught, Isabella finally replied, "Sorry, I can't do that." Sarah's annoyance reached its peak, and she shouted, "You're going too far! You-" Before she could finish her curse, Mathew swiftly snatched Isabella's phone from her hand.

Looking up at him, she saw his disheveled appearance as he stood by her bedside. His shirt collar was slightly askew, and only one of his shirttails was tucked into his dark suit pants.

He addressed Sarah through the phone, his voice calm yet authoritative, "Don't make trouble out of nothing, Sarah." Sarah sniffed, her voice carrying a tinge of sadness, "But today is my birthday."

Mathew's gaze shifted to Isabella's fair-skinned shoulders, his eyes darkening. With deliberate intent, he spoke into the phone, his voice husky, "Happy birthday."