My Contract Mate

The Seal

Chapter 4

The Seal

Ronan’s POV

I sat in my room at the pack house, staring out the window. The sun had just begun to set, casting an orange glow over the landscape. It was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. I was the new Alpha of the Moonlight Pack. The title I had fought for, worked for, was finally mine. But the weight of it didn’t feel as heavy as I thought it would. In fact, it felt hollow. The cheers, the celebrations, none of it felt real. All I could think about was Seraphina.

I couldn’t stop seeing her face when I announced Sophia as my mate. Her look of hurt, of betrayal—it cut deeper than I cared to admit. I tried to tell myself I had made the right choice. Sophia was the better match, the one who would help me lead the pack, but why did it feel like I had made a mistake?

I was snapped from my thoughts when I heard a knock on the door.

“Ronan,” a voice called out, “The elders are here to speak with you.”

I didn’t even have time to respond before the door opened. In walked Elder Aiden and Elder Darius, both of them looking serious as they stepped inside. My gut tightened. Something didn’t feel right.

“Ronan,” Elder Aiden began, his voice grave. “We need to speak to you about something important.”

I stood up from the chair, straightening myself. “What is it?” I asked, though I could already feel the tension building in the pit of my stomach.

“There’s been an issue,” Elder Darius spoke up, his expression just as serious. “We’ve detected an injection in Marcus’s body.”

I blinked, unsure of what he meant. “Injection? What are you talking about?”

Elder Aiden’s eyes locked onto mine. “It seems someone tampered with the battle. Marcus was injected with something that weakened him, making the fight unfair.”

I felt the blood drain from my face as everything started to click. My mind raced, and suddenly, the memory of Seraphina’s warning came rushing back to me. “Don’t drink from the jug.”

I clenched my fists, trying to hold onto my composure. My mind was spinning. Seraphina. She had helped me. The water in that jug, the way Marcus had struggled, the way I had won—Seraphina had done something to help me. She had saved me.

I couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. Anger. Confusion. Gratitude.

“No,” I said, shaking my head, trying to clear the fog. “No, I won fair and square. I beat him.” My voice was tight with frustration. I didn’t want to admit what had happened. I didn’t want to face the truth.

Elder Aiden’s face softened, but his eyes remained firm. “You don’t understand, Ronan. The pack will never accept a leader who didn’t win fairly. The battle was compromised. We cannot crown you as the Alpha unless the fight was legitimate.”

I felt my heart sink. The Alpha seal had not been given to me yet. This was all I had wanted, everything I had worked for. And now they were saying it didn’t count?

I stood up straight, trying to keep my anger in check. “So what do you want me to do? You want me to fight Marcus again? Is that it?”

Elder Darius nodded, his expression unreadable. “Yes. We need to rerun the battle. The pack will never respect you if they think you won by cheating. You cannot be >^?{! The seal the Alpha until this is resolved.”

The blood rushed to my head, and I felt a wave of anger hit me. I knew I had no choice. I had to do this. But the thought of facing Marcus again, knowing how strong he was… it terrified me. I knew I couldn’t win against him on my own.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I wasn’t going to show weakness. I had to keep my composure. “I am already the Alpha, and no battle is holding again”

Elder Aiden stepped closer, his voice low but full of authority. “Seal? You have no choice, Ronan. The battle will be held again in a week. You will have to face Marcus again. But this time, you need to prove to the pack that you are strong enough to lead them.”

I felt the weight of their words crash over me. A week. I had only a week to prepare. Only a week to find a way to defeat Marcus. And I knew—deep down—I couldn’t do it without Seraphina.

I felt a surge of frustration welling up inside of me. “This isn’t fair,” I muttered, my voice a whisper, that no one could hear “I can’t do this on my own. I need her.”

Elder Darius didn’t seem to hear me, or maybe he didn’t care. “The battle will be held next week. You will fight Marcus again, and this time, you must prove you are worthy of the Alpha title. The pack will not give you the seal until the battle is won fairly.”

I stood there, feeling trapped. I had no choice. I couldn’t back down now. I had worked too hard for this. But how could I win without Seraphina?

I had one week. One week to figure it out. One week to find a way to defeat Marcus and prove to the pack I was worthy. But with every passing second, I felt the pressure growing. I couldn’t fail. I couldn’t let everything I had worked for slip away.

“I understand,” I said, my voice firm despite the storm raging inside of me. “The battle will be held in one week. I’ll face Marcus again.”

The elders nodded, their faces unreadable. “We trust you’ll do what’s necessary, Ronan. The fate of the pack is in your hands.”

As they turned and left the room, I felt a cold sweat drip down my back. The pressure was unbearable. I had one week. One week to win the battle and become Alpha.

But how could I win without Seraphina by my side?