The Disabled Alpha's Bride

A Wolf With Sharp Fangs

Valeria's POV

I could hardly believe that my first meeting with Eric would leave me wounded, a harsh scar now stretched along my upper arm. Eric had dismissed it as neither too long nor too short, his voice calm, almost indifferent.

Later, when he brought me to his pack’s doctor, the doctor seemed surprised to learn that I hadn’t yet met my wolf. “I’ll need to stitch this up, Miss Valeria, since your wolf can't help you to heal,” he said gently. “If it hurts, just let me know.” He gave a warm smile, then carefully sewed my wound, over twenty stitches in all, taking every precaution to minimize scarring.

I didn’t flinch once, and by the end, the doctor looked at me, half-impressed. “This one’s a strong one, Alpha Eric,” he murmured, though I could still hear him.

Keeping up my “fragile lady” act, I attempted a faint, delicate moan, “It hurts, Alpha Eric.” But I could tell it sounded insincere, more like a hollow, lifeless whimper.

Eric said nothing, just watched me, his face unreadable as he slightly inclined his head. The light reflected off his glasses, hiding his eyes. “My apologies, Miss Valeria,” he said with a detached politeness. “I’ll make sure to compensate you for the trouble.” Then, he summoned his Beta with a wave of his hand, “Bring her a change of clothes.”

Blood had seeped into my pink dress, staining it in unsettling, dark patches. I’d half-expected Eric to leave me in it, but to my surprise, his car held a brand-new designer dress.

Half an hour later, I emerged in a sleek, single-slit black gown, fitted with delicate straps and a neckline that subtly framed my collarbone. The hem slit open at my thigh, revealing my leg as I walked.

The dress, a rich black, felt like armor more than a dress to me. Black had always been the color of safety for me, so as soon as I put it on, I felt my whole body relax, as if every cell was finally at ease.

I caught Eric’s Beta, Henry, eyeing me. He hesitated, then whispered, “It’s… a bit dark, Alpha Eric. I could fetch something lighter from the villa. Miss Valeria might prefer more options.” He seemed uneasy, casting the dress as almost too somber, bordering on intimidating.

Eric paused, then took off his glasses, cleaning the lenses with deliberate calm. “The black suits her better,” he replied, his gaze lingering on the gown before glancing at me.

My heart skipped at his words. Did he truly think black suited me better? No one had ever said that before. I’d always received weird judgments when I dressed myself in black.

“Don’t comment on her black dress again,” Eric added, his tone steely. “Thought Miss Valeria doesn’t have a wolf yet. She still can make you bleed, Henry.” He turned his gaze on me, a faint smile edging onto his face.

A chill ran through me. What did he mean by that? Had he seen through my pretense? Otherwise, why would he comment on these words when he was supposed to know me as Marcus’s sick daughter?

That night, we drove in silence up to his villa, perched halfway up a quiet mountainside. The boisterous sounds of midsummer faded as we climbed, the world hushed as if swallowed by the sea.

When his Beta opened the door for me, I made one last attempt. “About this… contract marriage,” I ventured. “Perhaps Alpha Eric might reconsider? An unhappy marriage is only a cage for both souls.”

Eric looked at me impassively. “Miss Everhart, do you not want to marry?”

“No…” I stammered, caught off guard.

His cold face softened with a faint trace of amusement. “And if I insist on taking what I want?”

His words like a blade, cutting through the tension between he and I.

For a second, I felt my lashes tremble, struggling to mask my expression anymore. “Why would Alpha Eric trouble a weak lycan girl like that?”

The silence that followed was broken only by the rhythmic tapping of Eric’s finger on his wheelchair’s armrest. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Finally, I broke the silence. “Forgive me if I overstepped, Alpha Eric.” I shifted back slightly, adopting a more respectful tone. As I looked up again at Eric’s eyes, I could see that his gaze started narrowing as if he was studying me, trying to understand the true meaning behind my words.

I can’t blame him. After all, I was the one who called him, saved him, now denied him. It’s lucky enough that he wasn’t angry by now.

I couldn’t imagine what an angry Alpha would look like. And I certainly couldn’t handle one.

He chuckled softly, “Thank you for saving me today, Miss Valeria. My pack owes you a debt. As for marriage… we’ll discuss it later. Now, you should go home and rest. It’s been a long day.”

…

When I returned to Nightveil’s mansion, Mary was already at the door, waiting as she opened the side door for me. She’d done the same thing many times before. The Nightveil had strictly forbidden me from returning at such a late hour.

I thanked Mary quietly and made my way to my room. As I reached the door, my hand froze on it as familiar voices drifted through.

“Ah! Ah…”

“Bella, you smell so good…” Adam’s voice, a low murmur.

“Adam, slow down!” Bella’s voice, half-laughing, half-scolding.

“If I slow down, how will I show you my ability?”

“How come you are so naughty now, Adam? Be careful or Marcus will hear us!”

My hand trembled. I couldn’t stop my mind from reeling. It turned out that Bella hadn’t been lying when she’d told me, “I already have someone I like.” But that “someone” was Adam, the future Alpha of Nightveil.

After considering for a minute, I drew back, willing myself to ignore the fact that my sister was having s*x in the room right now. I was going to walk away, to pretend that I had heard nothing tonight. But their words clawed at me.

“You’re really going to let your sister marry that disabled Alpha?” Adam asked.

“Yes,” Bella replied coldly. “She’ll agree. She’d do anything for me, even marry a monster.”

“But it wasn’t you who called for help when she was being chased that night,” Adam pointed out.

“What difference does it make? As long as she believes it was me.”

Bella’s voice grew softer, dripping with venom. “Adam, do you want me to tell her the truth? Because if she knows, you and I… we’re over. As soon as she knows everything, she won’t help me anymore…and I will become that disabled bastard’s bride.”

“But that disabled Alpha had already lost three wives. Do you really want your sister to step in that fire pit?” Adam hesitated. Clearly, he bought into Bella’s threats.

“I am willing to sacrifice everything, so I can be with you.” Footsteps sounded as someone stumbled from the bed toward the door, but Bella’s cold, ruthless voice stopped that someone.

“Adam.” Bella’s hoarse voice was devoid of emotion. “If she doesn’t marry that disabled Alpha, then it’s my turn. The Shadowridge pack is a den of filthy werewolves. Do you seriously want me to go there?”

Through the door, I could feel the weight of her manipulation. Bella was ready to sacrifice me for her own sake without a moment’s hesitation, coldly sentencing me to a life bound to that “disabled Alpha.”

And for what? To keep her own freedom, her own love with Adam, her happy ever after.

All this time, I was brainstorming about how to get Bella out of that marriage alliance. If not so, I was willing to marry Eric in her place. I thought by doing so, it might somehow bring Bella happiness.

Fuck, how could I have been so naïve for so long…blind to the fact that it was never my choice all along?

It was just a trap, one laid by my own sister.