My Boss’ Contract Mate: Bound by Love

Nathan’s Point Of View The heavy scent of pine and earth filled the air as I stood at the head of the long wooden table, surrounded by the pack's most influential members. The flickering candlelight cast shadows on the rough-hewn walls of the old lodge, creating an atmosphere thick with tension. My fingers drummed on the table, a nervous habit I hadn’t been able to shake, even after years of leading my pack. My father, Alpha Richard Ashbourne, sat across from me, his expression as stern as ever. With silver hair framing his weathered features and piercing blue eyes, he was the embodiment of a seasoned leader. The silence stretched uncomfortably as he surveyed the pack, then turned his gaze to me. “Nate,” he began, his voice deep and unwavering, “I’ve called this meeting to discuss the future of our pack.” I straightened, already feeling the weight of his words. I could sense the murmurs of the pack members, their eyes flicking between us. I braced myself, knowing all too well where this was heading. “As you all know,” he continued, “the alpha title has been passed down through our family for generations. But tradition demands a leader who has a mate—someone to stand beside him in unity.” He paused, letting the implications sink in. “It’s time for us to consider the future.” My heart raced. “Are you suggesting what I think you are?” Richard’s gaze hardened. “I will be transferring my title to Beta Marcus. He has proven himself capable and, unlike you, he has a mate.” A ripple of murmurs swept through the room. “No,” I stated, glaring at him. “This is not a debate, Nate. Every alpha needs his Luna and you have yet to find yours,” He sneered. My anger flared. “You can’t be serious. I’ve led this pack for years! I’ve fought for them, bled for them. Just because I haven’t found my mate doesn’t mean I’m unworthy.” His eyes narrowed, disappointment etched on his face. “You think I want to do this? I want what’s best for the pack, and Marcus is ready. You’ve had your chance, son, but you’ve let this opportunity slip away.” I clenched my fists, frustration boiling over. “And what about me? You’re willing to hand over everything I’ve worked so hard for? Just like that?” “Enough!” he thundered, cutting through the tension. “You have one month. If you do not find your mate, the title will be Marcus’s.” The weight of his words bore down on me, my chest tightening. A mate. The one thing I had searched for but never found. I had always believed it would happen when the time was right, but time was running out. “I...” I trailed off and he looked at me. “I already found my mate, but it is a bit complicated right now." The lie almost choked me but I kept my expression stoic. His brows raised in surprise. “When did you find her?” He pressed and I swallowed hard. I continued, my brain on autopilot as I spoke, “For a while, but she's human.” “Well then, you either get on with it or Marcus will be the pack's alpha. We have held off on the ceremony for six years because we have been lenient but we can't do much now,” He stated. I stared at him in disbelief and stood up, kicking my chair back. Buttoning my suit jacket, I looked at Marcus and his gaze shifted to the wooden table. My eyes drifted back to my father. “Hand that title to my beta and we will have a serious problem. I can't control who is chosen to be my f*****g mate or when I find them!” I snarled, shifting my gaze back to the rest of the people seated at the table. "But let me make this clear, either of you make another decision without me I will end you." As the meeting dissolved into hushed conversations, I stormed out, anger coursing through me. I could feel the eyes of the pack on my back, their whispers slicing through me like icy blades. Stepping outside, I took a deep breath of the crisp night air, trying to ground myself. I wandered through the moonlit trees, my thoughts racing. The moon hung high above, a constant reminder of my true nature—immortal, powerful, and yet utterly powerless in this one aspect of my life. “Nathaniel, where are you running off to?” The voice startled me but only one person calls me that. I turned to find Isabelle, my assistant, standing a few paces away, arms crossed, her expression a mix of concern and amusement. The last thing I wanted right now was to talk to her. “What do you want, Isabelle?” I snapped, trying to rein in my temper. “Look, I know you’re upset—” “Upset? That’s an understatement.” I ran a hand through my hair. “My father just announced he’s handing my title to Marcus because I haven’t found a wife yet.” Isabelle raised an eyebrow. “That’s ridiculous. You’ve done a great job running the business. You don’t need a wife to prove that.” She thinks I'm talking about business. Tsk. Oh, I wish. I chuckled bitterly. “Try telling my father that. All he sees is tradition and I only have a month until then.” She stepped closer, her expression softening. “You know what you need to do? You need to pull your head out of your ass and figure this out. You’re better than this, Nate.” Her bluntness shocked me, but I felt a flicker of gratitude. I often appreciated her straightforwardness, especially in a world where everyone else danced around the truth. “Thanks for the pep talk, Isabelle,” I said dryly. “Seriously, though. You have options. There are plenty of women who would jump at the chance to be your wife.” I shook my head, frustration surging again. “None of them are right for the role. They don’t have what you do.” “Are you saying I should step in as your pretend wife or something?” she joked, but her eyes glinted with challenge. I paused, the thought landing like a brick in my mind. “Maybe...” Isabelle laughed loudly, but it didn’t sound entirely dismissive. “What’s next? You want me to help you charm other women too?” “No, I’m serious. I need someone who can handle the business’s dynamics, and you’re the only one who keeps me grounded.” She studied me for a moment, her expression shifting from amusement to contemplation. “And what’s in it for me?” “I’ll give you a promotion,” I said, trying to sound persuasive. “Ew, no. I like being your PA. I want a house, a new car, and some serious cash in my account.” I raised an eyebrow in confusion. “That’s all?” I was expecting something else. “Yep. But I want it on my terms.” I couldn’t help but smile. She was infuriating and brilliant all at once. “So you’re saying you’ll do it?” “If I don’t, you’ll just keep being a pain in my ass.” She sighed, clearly weighing her options. “Fine. Let’s make this official.” “Deal,” I replied, a rush of relief washing over me. This could actually work. But deep down, as I looked at her, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this arrangement would change everything. “If we do this, there is something I need to tell you,” I told her. She started walking to the car. “What, you have a fundraiser to get to later today and I need to get a dress.” “I think it's better to show you.” I grabbed her arm gently and opened the passenger door for her. She turned and looked up at me. “Show me what?” She asked. “We will stop at my house on the way.” She narrowed her brows and got into the car before I shut the door. I looked around the front of the manor before walking around, getting in the car. Driving off, Isabelle started listing what we needed to do before the fundraiser and I was barely paying attention. My mind was preoccupied thinking about what I'm about to do. If she is agreeing to do this, she needs to know the truth. In fact, she will have to know and I'd hate for her to go in blind. Around twenty minutes later, we waited for the big black gates to open before I drove in. She turned and looked at me, a bit confused. "Didn't you say we're going to your house?" She asked me. “This is my house. The penthouse is just closer to work,” I revealed. “Hmm, and how often do you come here?” She took in the scenery and sighed. ”Once or twice a week.” I cleared my throat and parked in front of the garage door. We stepped out of the car and headed to the front door. I opened it, allowing her to enter first and she slowly walked in. Gretchen, my maid made her way to the front door immediately and smiled. “Alp—” She cut herself off as I discreetly shook my head. “Mr. Ashbourne, I wasn't expecting you today.” “We won't be here long,” I assured her. Putting my hand on the small of Isabelle’s back, I led her upstairs and she walked, quickly. Her heels echoed through the room and my heart slammed against my chest. I exhaled deeply and tried taking slower breaths before we reached the upstairs. I let her walk into the master bedroom and I followed, closing the door. “What do you want to show me?” She asked, turning to me. “So, do you believe in the supernatural?” I swallowed the lump in my throat and removed my jacket. “Like ghost or God?” She furrowed her brows. “Werewolves, vampires...” I listed and she laughed. “Nathaniel, don't waste my time please,” She stated. I couldn't help but chuckle at her skepticism. "I'm not joking, Isabelle. Werewolves are real." I took a step closer to her, my eyes locked on hers. "And I'm one of them." She raised an eyebrow, her expression unimpressed. "Save it for the movies, Nate." I sighed, realizing she wasn't going to believe me without proof. "Fine. I'll show you." I started to unbutton my shirt, and Isabelle's eyes widened in confusion. "W-what are you doing?" "I'm showing you," I replied, my voice low and husky. I stripped down to my boxers, and Isabelle's eyes scanned my body, her expression changing from confusion to alarm. "Nathaniel, put your clothes back on." But I didn't listen. I took a step back, my eyes locked on hers, and started to change. My bones began to break and reform, my body contorting in ways that would be impossible for a human. Isabelle's eyes went wide, and she stumbled backward, her hands flying out to the side as she tried to process what she was seeing. "What the...?" Her voice trailed off as she took in the full extent of my transformation. My body hair grew longer and thicker, my senses becoming more acute. My face elongated, my teeth sharpening into fangs. Isabelle's eyes locked on mine, and for a moment, we just stared at each other. She looked like she was seeing a monster, and in that moment, I was. She stumbled backward, her legs giving out from under her, and she fell to the floor with a thud. Her eyes never left mine, even as she scrambled to get away from me. The sound of her heart slamming against her chest rapidly indicated how scared she was. Her eyes filled with tears and she squeezed them shut before opening them again. My transformation was complete now, and I stood before her as a massive, dark brown wolf standing about four feet tall. My fur was thick and luxurious, and my eyes seemed to glow in the dim light of the room. Isabelle's breath caught in her throat, and she stared up at me, her eyes wide with fear. For a moment, we just looked at each other, the only sound the heavy breathing of the wolf that I had become. And then, suddenly, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted, her body going limp on the floor. Shit! I stood there for a moment, my chest heaving, my heart pounding in my chest. I had shown her my true form, and she had reacted exactly as I had expected. But as I looked down at her unconscious form, I felt a pang of guilt. I had just dropped a bombshell on her, and she was still reeling from the shock. I padded over to her, my tail twitching slightly as I sniffed her gently. She was still breathing, still alive. But as I looked at her, I realized that everything had changed. Our arrangement, our friendship, everything was different now. And I wasn't sure if she would ever be able to look at me the same way again. What the f**k have I done? An hour had passed since Isabelle had fainted, and I had been watching over her the entire time. She finally stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she looked around the room in confusion. As she realized where she was, her gaze landed on me, and I could see the fear creeping back into her eyes. I tried to reassure her, speaking softly and calmly, but she was having none of it. "Isabelle, it's okay," I said, trying to sound soothing. "I'm still me. I'm still Nate." She shook her head. "No!" "I am, see." I moved toward the bed but she wasn't listening. She scrambled off the bed, her eyes fixed on me with a mixture of fear and panic. As she backed away, her foot caught on her shoes, which were lying on the floor beside the bed. She tripped, stumbling backward, and I instinctively reached out to catch her. But she flinched away from me, her voice rising to a scream. "Stay... Stay away from me!" I froze, my hands held out in a calming gesture. "Isabelle, please—" She quickly stood up and slipped her heels on, swallowing hard. Her eyes moved from my hand to my face and then all over my body. "Let me explain," I said, softly. But she wasn't listening. She grabbed the car keys from the table by the bedroom door and made a run for it, dashing out of the room and down the stairs. I followed her, my heart sinking as I realized she was gone. I reached the bottom of the stairs just as the front door slammed shut behind her. Gretchen looked up from her work, concern etched on her face. "Is everything okay, Mr. Ashbourne? Should I ask Ivan to go after her?" I hesitated, unsure of what to do. Part of me wanted to chase after Isabelle, to make sure she was safe and to try to explain things to her. But another part of me knew that I had to give her space. "No," I said finally, my voice firm. "Let her be."