15; another deal
1866 Words
Kiara’s POV:
He’s back to his beast form.
My grip on my phone tightened and I inhaled sharply. “Is that so? I’m terribly sorry.”
Alex sighed. I could hear the eye roll in that sigh. “You don’t sound so sorry,”
I sighed softly. “What do you want me to say? He’s back to that terrifying beast. Okay? Why are you calling me? What does it even have to do with me?”
“Is that a trick question?”
“No, Alex. It’s a real question.”
He inhaled sharply, the sound laced with impatience. “It has everything to do with you. You left and now he’s mad again. Don’t you think that’s more than mere coincidence?”
I ran my fingers through my hair. It got tangled in a bunch of knots. I tried to pull them out and they only got more wound up. “I don’t have anything else to do with either you and your brother. I fulfilled my part and it’s over. Done. Don’t call me again.”
“Kiara--”
“Don’t. that’s my final answer.”
“Please. Kiara I’m begging, on behalf of my brother. Help him.”
I paused. I brought the phone down and stared at the screen to make sure I was still speaking to Alex. Yup, it was still him. I put the phone back to my ear. “My answer remains no. it’s not my concern. Your brother…he wasn’t even the least bit grateful for what I did. And mind you, I would have f*****g died in there. A simple thank you! Does it kill anyone?!”
“No, it doesn’t,”
“f*****g yeah it doesn’t! instead he accused me of trying to become his Luna! As if I would ever come ten feet within him in my right f*****g mind!”
A woman passing by shot me a dirty look. I paused and inhaled sharply, trying to lighten the atmosphere by smiling at her. She made a disgusted face and hurried off.
“I understand how wronged you feel by this, believe me I truly do. But right now, you’re the one who can--”
“I said no.”
“he was grateful, okay? There’s no way he wouldn’t be after spending so many years stuck in his beast form. He just…he didn’t know how to express it to you.”
A laugh burst out of my mouth, short and bitter. “So now you’re making excuses for him. That’s right, he has a girlfriend, right? Why don’t you ask her to come and save her man? Leave me the f**k alone.”
“That’s not---” he started to say. I ended the call before he could finish.
“Who does he think he is.” I said to myself as shudder wracked through me. As if being stranded and lost with zero dollars to my name wasn’t enough. Some pompous alpha wants me to help his brother. How utterly annoying.
My phone rang again. It hadn’t even been a minute. I stared at the screen hard before I picked up the call.
“You want to hear no in another language?” I snapped.
“You only speak English.”
“Bye.” I ended the call and immediately blocked the number.
He’s such a b***h!
Another call came in. A new number. I rolled my eyes and picked the call.
“Let’s strike a deal,” he said before I had the chance to speak.
“Go on,”
“Anything you want. Anything at all, in exchange for your help. Just name it and its yours. This is urgent, Kiara. I wish I could make you understand how urgent it is.”
I folded my free arm under my elbow. “Anything I want?”
“Yes.”
“if I say I want a billion dollars, in cash, it will be done?”
“Yes. Cash, gold, bitcoin, however you want it. My brother will make it happen once he becomes human again. This time he will only need to bite you, nothing more. He won’t force you to do anything you don’t want, neither will I force you. Is that what you want, a billion dollars?”
It sounds tempting. But cash will only solve a temporary problem. Gregg will still loom over my neck. I need power. But at what cost? Going back to that cage? That beast attempting to kill me?
I straightened my back and cleared my throat. “No.” I ended the call.
I expected him to call back immediately, but he didn’t. I turned my gaze to the busy road. What did I just do? I had an opportunity to turn my sorry situation around and I refused? But what if I died in there? He’ll just bite me? What if he marks me again? I touched my neck where he had bitten before. All I found was smooth, unmarked skin.
Anything I wanted. The faces of Gregg and my sister flashed through my mind. Anything at all. If he could give me a billion dollars in cash then surely, he can make them pay?
A spark of hope ignited in my heart. Perhaps all isn’t lost. Perhaps I can still have my revenge on Gregg.
Anything at all.
The facts stared at me, bold and glaring like a neon sign at midnight.
The king can help me. As much as I hate it, he can get me out of this. All I have to do is go back into that cage and let him bite my neck. And it’s done. He regains his humanity and I get my revenge.
It’s worth it, isn’t it?
Alex called back. For a few tense seconds, neither of us spoke. He broke the silence.
“Two billion? Or ten? Just say the figure, Kiara. Please.”
“I’m at East Sun street, near the library.” I said. I hated how defeated my voice sounded.
“Thank you.” Was all he said in reply.
******
The palace guards arrived ten minutes later. In an hour, I was seated in a lush living room about to sign a contract that I may not come out of.
Alex sat across from me, his demeanor calm and collected but his eyes frantic. He looked like he had been running around and only recently sat down to breathe. Not that I looked any prettier. On the coffee table that separated us was a piece of paper. He had the contract drawn up before I arrived. I didn’t know if he whipped it up immediately or if it was only pulled out as a contingency plan.
“So,” Alex started. His eyes swept over me. “How many billion dollars did you say you needed again?”
I kept my back straight and my chin jutted out. My stomach churned with nerves and I honestly wanted to leave this place. Yet I met his eyes. “I don’t want money.”
His brows shot up. “No? what then do you want?”
“Revenge.”
He stared at me like I had grown an extra head. “Revenge?”
“Yes. I want revenge on my ex. He stole my company, matter of fact he took everything away from me. And I want it all back. I want him ruined, left with nothing. Just as he left me desolate. That’s what I want in return.”
“Did he cheat on you?”
I nodded stiffly. His perfect posture slackened and he sighed. “I’m so sorry. What a shitty thing to do. Does he have no shame?”
I shrugged. Gregg and shame didn’t exist in the same sentence.
“You…”
“I what?”
“You look like you need a hug. I can give you one,”
I moved back and put my hands up in defense. “No thank you. I’m not a hugger.”
He nodded to himself. “Alright. Since we have the terms all fleshed out, you can sign the contract now.”
"Here goes nothing." I whispered and picked up the pen. I noticed that the contract had already been signed with the royal seal. That meant neither of us could back out of his agreement without severe repercussions. I signed my name on the signature line. The moment I completed the last stroke, a heavy weight settled in my chest. My time with the beast flashed through my mind and I shuddered.
Alex plucked the pen out of my hand and signed, oblivious to the turmoil brewing in my head. A suited man, who I assumed was the lawyer, appeared and took the contract away.
"Now that it's done, we should get to it so we don't waste your time." Alex said.
I looked up at him. He didn't look elated for this, and at least that made the both of us. "Sure,"
"Would you like a shower?"
I rose to my feet. "No, thank you. It's just a bite, right? There's no need for a shower or anything."
"Right." Alex said and smiled. "Right this way."
I inhaled a lungful of air for courage and followed behind him. Each step I took felt like a countdown to my own death. My hands trembled so badly that I had to grab the hem of my shirt hard to quell it. A cold bead of sweat rolled down the middle of my back.
I didn't want to go back there ever again.
I have to do this. I signed the contract. I need to see Gregg pay. I need to see him bleed.
I don't want to go.
I don't want to see that beast again.
Why does it have to be me?
But if I don't do this, I may never get another chance like this again. What will I do? How will I get my revenge?
Growls filled the air. I hadn't noticed how close we had gotten to the confinement room till the first deep growls rumbled through my bones.
My body went rigid. A gasp caught in my throat. I couldn't move. My body wouldn't obey.
If I turn my head, I'll see him. Right through the glass walls.
Oh goddess! I don't want this! I want to leave!
"Kiara?" Alex appeared in my line of vision. "We've arrived. Go in now."
I shook my head wildly. "N-no...I..."
He frowned lightly. "No? That's not the agreement. We talked about this. You agreed to this, of your own free will."
Tears blurred my eyes. I was too far gone to worry about pushing them back. "Please don't put me in there with him."
He grabbed both sides of my face, his eyes full of sympathy. "I'm really sorry, Kiara. But you can't back out of a royal contract."
"I know...I—"
I didn't get to finish my words. He grabbed my arm and spun me around. It happened so fast. One moment I was outside the room, the next I was seeing Alex from the inside, those animalistic growls sounding right above my head.
- Writer
