Alpha Kael's Contract

Pack runs

You need to see a doctor,” Kael said firmly.

“It’s…” I trailed off, seeing the anger in his eyes. “It always heals eventually… Did Ronan do this?” I asked, my teeth gritted, gesturing toward my body. I lowered my blue eyes.

“Cassandra?” He pressed, but I didn’t answer.

“That little… witch that follows Ronan around? All three of them?”

I pulled my dress tighter around me and nodded silently, brushing a tear from my cheek.

“Anyone else?” Kael asked.

“The pack,” I whispered.

Aero growled in my mind. I’m going to kill them all.

“Calm down, Aero,” Kael muttered, glancing at me. “Because of what you supposedly did to your parents?”

I nodded.

“I don’t believe you were truly responsible,” he continued.

I tilted my head and finally met his crimson gaze. “Because of… Blood of Wolfsbane?” I whispered.

“I… don’t know what Blood of Wolfsbane is,” I admitted.

Kael frowned. “Your brother said you knew the difference between plants.”

“I…” I had no answer. I couldn’t fully remember.

“Blood of Wolfsbane is wolfsbane fed with our blood. The leaves turn red. A child wouldn’t know this, it’s not grown freely. Your brother’s story doesn’t add up.”

“Oh.”

“I won’t stop until I find out who did this to you, Aria,” he said, eyes narrowing. “I will make them pay for the suffering you’ve endured.” He sat on the edge of the desk, studying me. “But right now, you need to see someone about that infection.”

I stayed quiet, still processing that I had been set up. Why had my brother never considered that?

“Come. I’ll show you our bedroom. You can shower before we see the pack doctor.”

I froze. Our bedroom? Did he mean we were sharing a room? The thought sent a shiver down my spine.

Kael watched me silently as I stepped into the hallway, ensuring my dress covered me. No one else was around; the halls were quiet.

His bedroom was huge, with massive windows and thin drapes tied to the bedposts. The bath and shower were inside the room, with the toilet in a small side compartment, almost no privacy. But Kael didn’t seem to care.

He startled me when his warm breath brushed my skin. “Don’t be afraid. He won’t sense you like this,” he murmured.

Crossing the room, he turned on the shower. Steam filled the glass as I hesitated, still unsure what he expected from me.

“Hey,” he said roughly, lifting my chin. “It’s just us, for now. I’ll let you shower in peace.” He pulled out his phone, set the alarm for ten minutes, and left it on the bedside table. “I’ll bring you clothes after. Understand?” I nodded quickly. Ten minutes felt like a dream; most showers I had were rushed, cold, or both.

He paused at the door. “I wish you would talk more, Aria,” he added before leaving.

I dashed into the shower, letting the hot water wash over me. My hair had never felt so clean. The wound on my stomach stung, but it was worth it.

A voice cleared its throat and I froze. “Aria, are you done? The alarm went off five minutes ago,” Kael’s voice echoed.

I had been so absorbed in the freedom of a shower that I hadn’t noticed. “Coming,” I muttered, wrapping a towel around myself.

Stepping out, I saw my ripped dress and sandals removed. Kael sat on the bed with folded clothes and a pair of trainers.

“It’s not much; we don’t have anyone with a waist as small as yours,” he said, handing me a navy blue sweatshirt and joggers. “You’ll have to wait on underwear until tomorrow.” He watched as I pulled them on, removing the towel. I wasn’t used to this kind of attention, and I certainly wasn’t like the women who threw themselves at him.

“Let’s go,” he said, rising. I followed, knowing I needed to get my wound checked before he got upset.

The pack doctor was young and confident, unlike the old, timid one back home. She smiled as we entered.

“Raven, this is Aria,” Kael introduced.

I kept my eyes low. Raven studied me. “Alpha Kael, what’s wrong? Apart from the strange scent she brought?”

I whispered, “I have a wound.”

“And you’re not healing?” she asked, confused.

“My wolf was bound when I was a child,” Kael explained. “That’s why her scent is strange. Her wolf is trapped, waiting to be freed.”

I looked up, meeting Kael’s eyes. I had always believed my wolf was gone, but now I knew she was trapped.

Raven’s dark eyes widened. “Wow. Let’s take a look at that wound.”

Chapter 5

Raven led me into an empty room and asked me to lie on the bed so she could examine my wound.

I slowly lifted the sweatshirt just enough for her to see. Her eyes widened, a flicker of anger passing over them as she took in the infected cut and the bruises surrounding it.

Her fingers pressed gently around the wound. “How long ago did this happen?”

“A few days,” I muttered, though I wasn’t sure. Each beating blended into the next; any day without pain felt like a blessing.

Raven shook her head. “This isn’t a few days old. The infection has been developing for at least a week. Aria, you need to tell us the truth.”

“I… I don’t know,” I whispered.

“Aria!” Kael’s deep voice rumbled through the room, and I closed my eyes, bracing myself. Anger always brought punishment; punishment always brought pain.

“I swear, I don’t know. The beatings… they happen so often, I’m never not bruised,” I admitted.

The room fell silent. I was too scared to open my eyes. Ronan had drilled into me over and over that if anyone found out, my life would become unbearable. And now, here I was, revealing everything in another pack’s hospital.

“Heal her!” Kael shouted after what felt like forever. He stormed out of the room, phone in hand.

“You’ll have to forgive my brother. His temper is short, especially with situations like this,” Raven murmured, inspecting my wound carefully.

“Your brother?” I whispered, opening my eyes.

“Yes,” she said with a small smile. “I’m guessing he didn’t tell you that Jenson is our brother too?”

I shook my head. I assumed Jenson had been one of the men at Ronan’s house.

Raven chuckled. “Jenson is considered our brother’s Gamma.”

“Gamma?” I asked, unfamiliar with the term.

“Yep,” she said, grabbing a small jar of cream from the cupboard. “Alpha Kael has a love-hate relationship with working here. He wants to represent our family, but he knows what I do best. This cream needs to be applied three times a day. It should clear the infection. If it doesn’t improve in a couple of days, I’ll take another look. Your brother is waiting outside.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, taking the jar. I glanced at the label but couldn’t read it; I had never learned.

Raven nodded as I hurried out to find Kael on his phone, snapping at someone. He hung up as soon as he saw me and asked what Raven said.

“Cream, three times a day,” I told him, showing him the jar. He took it from me. “Good. Come.” He strode off, and I ran to keep up, following him through the house and into the office.

“Show me,” he ordered, pulling the lid off the pot.

Slowly, I lifted my sweatshirt. He crouched in front of me and gently applied the cold cream to my wound.

“Don’t lie to me, Aria. Not ever. If you can’t remember something, tell me. Is that clear?”

“Okay,” I whispered. I couldn’t say anything else, too focused on the warmth of his hands. One pressed against my lower back for support while the other rubbed the cream into the wound.

“Stop holding your breath,” he instructed, standing. “I am not going to hurt you.”

It was hard to believe, given my past, but the words and his actions made me want to trust him.

Kael noticed my hesitation. She didn’t trust him not an inch which only made him more curious about my past. He wanted to know everything: who had turned my life upside down and why they had chosen to punish a child.

While Raven treated my wound, Kael called his Beta, Eric, to check on the Moonshine Pack. So far, Eric had found nothing unusual. The pack’s secrets ran deep, deeper than Kael had imagined.

I hadn’t smiled once since meeting him, and Kael noticed. My strange scent never shifted to show even a hint of happiness. He made a mental note: that would need to change, especially if I was to be his mate.

Running a hand across my stomach, he asked, “Are you afraid of me?”

I let my sweatshirt fall slightly, avoiding his gaze. Aero muttered in Kael’s mind: Of course she’s afraid.

“I see it on you,” he said softly. I bit the inside of my cheek, unsure how to answer.

“Everyone is,” I finally whispered.

Kael raised an eyebrow. “You lead a huge pack, gone to war, absorbed other packs, killed multiple Alphas. People ask for your help, you don’t ask for theirs. It would be foolish not to fear you.”

I could feel Aero’s approval. Kael had earned his position through sheer strength and strategy.

“That’s not what I meant,” I said softly. “I know my position in the world. I’m asking about you. Are you… afraid of me?”

My eyes fell to the floor. He could stare into them all day if he wanted.

“I am not them,” he said firmly. “I would never hurt you for my own benefit. Were there others like them?”

I shook my head. “Only me.”

That made it worse. I had endured everything alone, even though I carried Alpha blood.

“You are one person who never needs to fear me,” he said. I watched him as he spoke, pulling the sleeves of my sweatshirt down over my hands to hide more of myself.

By nightfall, I still hadn’t spoken first. Every conversation ended with a nod or shake of my head. I was unreadable, but Kael loved a challenge.

“You need to sleep,” he murmured, guiding me upstairs. Without my Wolf, I couldn’t join the pack run. My blue eyes tracked the large clock on the wall, but I stayed silent, keeping my thoughts to myself.

He helped me apply the cream to my stomach again. This time, I didn’t flinch; I watched him instead of closing my eyes.

“Goodnight,” he whispered, leaning in to kiss my cheek. I tensed, heart racing, but I didn’t move.

“You’re leaving?” I murmured, surprised.

“It’s a full moon tonight. I lead the pack run. I’ll be back in a few hours, but you’ll most likely be asleep.

”

“Pack run?” I asked, brow furrowing.

“When the pack goes on a hunt together,” he explained. My eyes widened. “Moonshine doesn’t do pack runs?”

As far as I knew, everyone did.