CONTRACT MATE

The contract

"No f*****g way.”

I muttered under my breath.

He took off his glasses and placed them carelessly in the space between us.

“What’s your name?”

He asked, I chuckled. Well, he had clearly forgotten me.

“Velora Gritts.”

I snapped.

He smirked, and the smirk quickly turned into loud laughter, revealing deep dimples on both sides of his cheeks.

“You? Hell nah. Bastian Gritts’ daughter? My father’s favorite Alpha? This is perfect.”

He exclaimed excitedly. Turns out he still didn’t recognize me from my first kill.

Zevran had been among the older wolves who supervised us during it. He had a squad back then, their wolves all covered in black fur.

That was the exact day I began to hate Zevran.

I saw who he truly was. And the kind of leader he would eventually become. A wicked one. I saw something that day. A scene he had clearly buried and made sure nobody witnessed.

“So you’re the girl from the other night. Wow. I thought Bastians were a disciplined, upright, exemplary-status family. Wow. I’m… I’m so amazeddd. And this is perfect. For real.”

He uttered between chuckles. That alone confirmed he was just as annoying as I imagined.

But he still didn’t stop.

“I mean, you were fire that night. I—I can’t get it out of my damn mind. The kisses, the way you grabbed my—”

I slammed the brown file in my hand against the car seat before he could continue. I was already disgusted enough knowing I allowed this animal inside me.

“I don’t know why you wanted to find me so badly, but I’m not here to f**k you again. I’m here strictly for business.”

I thundered. He sniffled with a smirk.

“You sure are a Bastian.”

I ignored him and continued.

“I need you to sign this contract. I need you to act as my mate, but only until I get what I want. Then we divorce. Now tell me how much you want.”

I stated and waited. He laughed before lighting a cigarette.

“I uh… I… well… seems like you didn’t fall victim after all.”

“Victim?”

I cut in.

He nodded.

“Yes. Victim. My mission that night was to find someone, mark her, and present her to my father as my mate. And damn, he would love a Bastian as his daughter-in-law. That man’s nagging sends me to hell and back.”

He paused before smiling mischievously.

“But damn, girl, I only marked you because nobody has ever given me the kind of f**k you gave me—”

“Shut the f**k up!”

I shouted, and he burst into laughter again.

“Anyways, I don’t need payment. Since we’re both here for a reason, we might as well get straight to business.”

He finally said.

Then he bit his finger and pressed the blood against the contract where he was supposed to sign with a pen. He licked the finger afterward and stared at me seriously.

“I expect you to do the same on my contract.”

He licked the finger more, his smile was gone. So was the laughter. He was serious now. He pressed a button, and the divider between him and the driver lowered.

The man in shades sitting in front handed me another file. I took it and read through it.

“I’m not becoming your wife.”

I started again.

“That’s okay, that’s okay. I understand. We divorce after getting what we want. Fine. Wait… what exactly is your aim though?”

He asked.

I dug my claw into my baby finger and pressed the blood against the contract.

“That is not part of the deal. Be at my place tomorrow. That’s the day I get what I want. I’ll text the address to the number in the contract.”

I growled before stepping out and slamming the door shut.

The vehicle drove off almost immediately, leaving dust swirling into my face. I stormed toward the car, got in, and ordered Kaida to drive.

Anger still burned through my head. She didn’t dare ask questions yet. She knew better.

***

When we got home, Monah was in the sitting room trying on outfits for tomorrow. I ignored her completely. Kaida greeted Azila, and we headed upstairs.

“Are you going to tell me who our biter is now?”

She finally asked.

I rolled my eyes.

“f*****g Zevran.”

I muttered.

Her eyes widened instantly.

“Awwwwwww.. oh my daysss, Vel. This is so good. I can’t wait to see Azila’s face when you present the damn Lycan Prince as your mate!”

She squealed.

“Ew. I can’t even stand the thought that I actually had s*x with that disgusting fool…”

“Oh, you better watch your mouth.”, Kaida cut in. “Girls go crazy every night he steps into the club.”, she added

“Exactly. How does someone with actual responsibility spend all his time clubbing, f*****g women, smoking, and doing irresponsible s**t?”

I interrupted.

“Girl, all I know is you got yourself every werewolf’s dream mate, so you better act like it. Besides, you were literally at the Afterlight too in all your holiness.”

She chuckled.

“Oh please, that was one time. And the way girls flock around him? I simply hate him.”

“Yet you f****d him.”

Kaida grinned. She was definitely going to use that against me for the rest of my life.

I dropped onto my bed when suddenly my phone buzzed.

> Hey, will it be big? Will there be girls?? …will I get to have you again?

Zevran.

“Oh, for f**k’s sake.”

I was already frustrated. I just needed this done and that man out of my life. Just then, a knock sounded on the door. I opened it and froze.

“Castro”

I mumbled

“f*****g Castro!”

Kaida immediately stood, brushed past me and moved in front of him.

“Kaida, can you excuse us? I need to talk to Vel—”

Castro looked at Kaida

“Vel? Oh my goodness, the audacity to even call her that, Castro. And excuse us? Wow. I forgot you’re the soon-to-be Alpha of the Midnight Pack. I feel bad for our pack already. Imagine two headless wolves leading our famous—”

“Kaida.”

I stepped in before she could continue.

“Vel, I just want you to know this was my only choice…Remember, you said politics always matter”

Castro started.

“Whatever choice you had, if you brought it to me, I would have made it happen.”

I stared at him.

“You don’t understand, Vel…”

“It’s Velora to you now. Tell me one thing. Tell me you lied when you said you’ve always loved Monah.”

I stared coldly at him and I studied his face carefully. The hesitation. The struggle.The effort to force the words out.

“Velora, I have to do this, okay? It’s the only way—”

I stepped closer until we were face-to-face.

“Now listen carefully, lap dog. Go tell Azila that I won’t let any of you win.”

He stared directly into my eyes without blinking. But I was already over that stare.

“Get lost, Castro.”

I whispered into his ear. Kaida immediately returned and resumed provoking him until he finally left the room.