Who Will Be Alpha?

Episode 4

“Zane… I…” I tried to speak, but Leo interrupted me.

“It is my fault,” he admitted, his eyes full of guilt. I stared at him, bewildered. I had no idea what he was up to.

“Oh, so that’s why you made me hire him! To keep sleeping with him right under my roof!” Zane roared, his face contorted with rage.

I had seen him angry before, but never like this. He was a volcano about to erupt.

“No… that’s not…” I denied, my voice weak.

“That’s not it! Tell me that I’m lying,” he challenged, advancing toward me like a hungry lion ready to pounce on its prey.

“Tell me!” He bellowed, his voice so loud that it woke the baby up. I heard his cry echo in the room, adding to the tension.

I was already in tears at that point, my palms clammy and my chest tight. I felt like I needed some fresh air.

“He’s my mate!” I blurted out, amidst all the chaos. He stopped in his tracks, his expression changing from anger to shock.

“What?” He whispered, his voice barely audible. I couldn’t look him in the eye.

I just shivered under his gaze, feeling like a lost child.

“Not anymore,” Leo spoke up, his tone cold and detached. I shifted my gaze to Leo’s face, hoping to find some warmth or love in his eyes. But there was none.

“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice trembling as I felt a knot in my stomach.

He swallowed hard, taking a deep breath. He looked me in the eyes and said the words that broke my heart.

“I, Leo Xanderson, reject you, Ella Sage, as my mate,” he declared, his voice devoid of any emotion. For the first time in my life, I felt betrayed, like I was stabbed in the back with a sharp sword.

My heart felt like it was shattering into tiny pieces, while I started hyperventilating. I felt sweat trickle down my forehead and I began to lose balance and awareness of what was around me.

The world was spinning and my legs started to wobble.

“No, no! Ella!” I heard Zane shout, his voice full of concern. He reached out to catch me before my legs gave way and I collapsed on the ground.

Zane ran to me and started shaking me gently, trying to wake me up. He was calling my name, but his voice seemed to fade away until I blacked out.

……

“These are the contract papers, look at them or not, but I’ll still tell you either way,” Zane said arrogantly, as he tossed the papers at my face, like I was trash.

I hated him from the depth of my heart, but I had to do it for my mom.

“You are required to give me a male child and it has to be your first. I have seen enough girls already,” he stated, his voice harsh and demanding. I glanced at him, feeling a lump in my throat.

I picked up my pen, trying to ignore the dread in my heart.

“Not so fast,” he snapped, knocking the pen out of my hands with a harsh swipe. His voice was cold and commanding, making me flinch. Did he really have to be so annoying?!

“What?” I said calmly but I was enraged.

“I’m not finished and when I’m not finished, you don’t speak,” he ordered, his eyes piercing through me like daggers. I lowered my gaze to the ground, feeling his power over me.

“You’re very beautiful,” he continued, his tone changing to a mocking compliment.

“I expect you to have brains too and be hardworking. So you will attend to all my personal needs. You will cook for me and no one cleans my room but you,” he said, listing his demands as if I was his slave. I rolled my eyes, but he didn’t notice.

“You are not allowed to fall in love with me or develop any feelings whatsoever as this is strictly a contract between us,” he said, his voice becoming serious again.

“Lastly, you will be available and ready whenever I need you in my bed,” he said and I cursed inwardly for allowing myself to get into this situation.

“Is that all?” I asked, trying to sound calm, but I was really hoping he would stop. He flashed me a cunning smirk, as if he knew what I was thinking.

“That would be all. Your duty in my bed starts tonight,” he said, dropping the bombshell.

He left me in the room, stunned and scared, and walked away without looking back.

Living in his home was like walking on eggshells. He had a whole army of maids and house helps, but I was the one who did almost everything for him.

The only time we ever shared any intimacy was at night. One day, I gathered enough courage to do something.

“It’s been five months,” I said, laying on the bed, legs spread wide open. I was trying to catch my breath after he was done with me.

I admired his handsome form while he was getting dressed, his muscles rippling under his skin.

“Five months what?" He asked, snapping his belt into place.

“Five months since I’ve been with you and uncountable days since I’ve had s*x with you but not one day you decided to stay and lay with me for a while after s*x,” I said, pouring out my emotions but still crossed my fingers for the worst.

He spun around to face me, his eyes cold and hard.

"That's what people who are in love do. I don't love you and I never will," he spat at me and I felt a sharp pain in my chest.

I did come to be fond of him. I mean what else did he expect from all that s*x we’d been having?

……

I slowly opened my eyes and expected to be in my cozy bedroom, but instead I was greeted by the sterile white walls and the beeping machines of the hospital.

I felt a strong hand on mine, as I looked to my side and saw that it was Zane. His face was pale and tense, his eyes red and swollen. He had been crying, I realized.

"Where's Leo?" was the first thing that left my lips, and I could see that it pissed Zane off, but for some reason, he didn't show it.

He clenched his jaw and looked away, trying to hide his anger and pain.

“He's gone," he said, swallowing hard, and I shifted my gaze from his face to the window.

The sky was gray and gloomy, matching my mood.

I held back my tears and bit my lips in so much hurt.

How could he do this to me? How could he betray me like that?

I kept asking myself, but Zane squeezed my hand and leaned closer to me, his voice soft and soothing.

"Look, Ella. Don't worry about him. You have me," he said, his eyes gleaming with hope. He smiled faintly, trying to cheer me up.

"You?! You?!! The one time I had a chance with love. The same chance you made it clear that I would never have with you, you ruined it!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, pulling my hand away from his.

He looked so hurt, as if I had stabbed him in the heart.

"Ella... I..." he started speaking, but I wasn't done. I was furious and hurt, and I wanted him to know it.

"We were in a contract! I give you a boy, you let my mother go! We weren't married and I was definitely allowed to love another man since you decided it was a taboo to love you!" I said, my voice trembling with emotions as I sniffled and wiped the tear from my face.

"Ella, please... I..." he started again, but I wasn't done. I wanted to hurt him as much as he had hurt me.

"You are so selfish! So selfish! I'm sure you are the one who sent him away. Goddamn Zane!!" I said in regret of ever knowing him.

"Okay, first of all, Leo left on his own!" Zane thundered, making the entire room go silent.

He stood up and glared at me, his eyes blazing with fury.

"He was going to get married to some other girl, that's why he rejected you, and I found that out after looking into him and told him to leave to avoid hurting you further because I care about you!" Zane continued, his voice trembling and I could see a drop of tear rolling down from his eyes.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, but I couldn't be more hurt than I was already.

"And I don't just care about you! I love you!!!" He confessed, crying like a child. He reached out his hand to me, begging for my forgiveness, for my love.

"I know I treated you unfairly and I know about our contract, but I can't help it anymore," he said in low tones and seeing him like that made my heart melt and made me feel all types of emotions. He looked so vulnerable.

"No. Zane, you only say that because I gave you a son," I said and he stuttered. He shook his head, denying my accusation.

"I don't give a s**t if it was a girl or a boy!" He said, pacing about the room frantically. He looked at me with pleading eyes, hoping that I would believe him.

"Then I have to tell you something," I said, my voice low and cold, trying to summon the courage.

"That baby is not yours," I said and he paused to look at me. His face turned pale, his eyes widened, his mouth opened.

"I know..." he said, finally.