The Alpha's Debt

CLARA'S POV The heavy steel doors of the mountain estate slammed shut behind me, which sent the sound of crashing metal echoing through the massive foyer. Two armed mercenaries stepped away from my side and walked back toward the entrance without saying a word, leaving me standing entirely alone in the center of the room. I held the nylon strap of my duffel bag tightly, which eventually turns my fingers turned white under the pressure. The air inside the house was freezing, which caused goosebumps to rise on my arms. Deep footsteps sounded from the dark corridor to my right and Julian Hayes walked into the dim light of the entryway. He wore a plain black shirt and dark jeans. Thick, raised scars covered his forearms and tracked up the left side of his neck. He stopped ten feet away from me, his eyes scanning my face and then dropping to the small bag in my hands. His expression did not look welcoming, instead it looked furious. "What is this?" Julian demanded in an incredibly harsh tone. "The debt payment," the lead mercenary answered, stopping near the front door. "I demanded a wire transfer for five million dollars," Julian stated, taking a slow step toward the guards. "The southern pack owes me money and yet they sent me a defective omega." "The elders signed the contract," the mercenary said, pulling a folded legal document from his tactical vest. He tossed it onto a glass table near the door. "Her name is Clara. She belongs to you now and the ledger is officially clear." The two men opened the front door and walked out into the freezing night, pulling the heavy steel shut behind them. The deadbolt clicked into place automatically. Julian stared at the closed door for several seconds. Then he turned his head slowly to face me and locked eyes with me. I could feel my heart racing in fear, I forced myself to take a deep breath and lock my knees together to prevent my legs from trembling. He walked over to the glass table and picked up the folded document, scanning the text quickly before dropping it back down. "Why did they send you?" Julian asked, walking directly toward me. "The pack is bankrupt," I answered, keeping my voice completely leveled. "They do not have five million dollars, so they offered me as collateral to satisfy the agreement." Julian stopped five feet away from me. He crossed his massive arms over his chest, looking down at my worn clothes and my old shoes. "You are worthless to me. A wolfless girl does not pay for my destroyed investments." "I know," I replied quietly. "They sent you here to die," Julian told me, his tone entirely devoid of sympathy. "Your elders know my reputation. They know I am exiled. They assumed I would tear you apart the second you walked through my front doors, effectively erasing their problem and their debt at the exact same time." My stomach dropped, cold sweat began forming on the back of my neck. I already suspected the elders wanted me dead, but hearing him state it as a verified fact made my blood go cold. I did not bother arguing with him or cry for mercy. I simply stood there, waiting for him to make his decision. "Are you mute?" Julian questioned, tilting his head slightly. "No," I answered, shifting the heavy duffel bag to my other shoulder. "You are not crying," he pointed out, stepping a bit closer to me. "Most humans and weak wolves break down the second they see my face. And you are just standing there." "Crying will not change my situation," I stated, staring directly at the center of his chest to avoid his eyes. "You own the contract. You make the decisions. I have absolutely nowhere else to go." Julian watched me for a while, and throughout that while, the silence in the massive house was suffocating. I suddenly became hyper aware of everything, I could hear the wind howling violently outside the thick windows, battering against the mountain. "If I send you back down this mountain, your pack will execute you for failing to clear the debt," Julian said. "Yes," I agreed. Julian dropped his arms to his sides, his hands balling into large fists. "I am not a charity. I do not want a roommate, and I do not want a mate. I live in isolation for a very specific reason." "I can work," I offered quickly, taking a small step forward. "I cleaned the main packhouse for five years. I can cook. I can maintain this estate so you never have to hire outside help. I will earn my keep." Julian analyzed my face, his expression completely closed off. He turned his back to me, walking toward the grand staircase at the edge of the foyer. He stopped at the bottom step and looked over his shoulder. "You are a servant," Julian declared, his voice carrying absolute authority. "You are not a guest in my home. You will sleep in the small room behind the kitchen. You will clean the common areas when I am not present." "I understand," I said, nodding once. "You will cook my meals and leave the plates on the small table outside my office door," he continued, turning around to face me fully. "You will never knock on my door. You will never ask me for anything. You will stay completely out of my way." "I will stay out of your way," I repeated, committing the rules to memory. Julian walked back toward me, moving with predatory speed. He did not stop until hisboots almost touched my sneakers. I stumbled backward as my shoulders hit the cold plaster of the wall behind me. He placed his hands on the wall on either side of my head, trapping me instantly. I felt my soul escape from my body, I pressed my back against the wall, trapped by his massive frame. "My final rule is absolute," Julian whispered, leaning his head down until his face was inches from mine. "You will never cross the threshold into the west wing of this house. Ever." "I won't," I breathed as my l hands shook violently by my sides. The next minute I heard a deep, unnatural growl came directly in the center of his chest. It did not sound like a normal wolf. It sounded feral. Julian closed his eyes and his facial features contorting as if he were in sudden physical pain. His massive hands gripped the wall enough to c***k the plaster. "My wolf is completely unstable," Julian warned, opening his eyes and glaring down at me. "The affliction makes me violent. If you break my rules and provoke me during an episode, I will not stop myself from tearing you apart." He pushed off the wall abruptly, creating immediate distance between us. He turned around and walked straight down the dark corridor to the right, stepping through a heavy wooden door. The heavy deadbolt clicked loudly, locking him safely inside the west wing and leaving me entirely alone in the dark.