THE CONTRACTED MATE

Chapter 6 A FLY IN THE OINTMENT.

Chapter six.

Ryder’s POV.

I stood at the altar, Kali by my side, as the pack gathered around us. Today was the day we would solidify our bond, our union as Alpha and Luna. I could feel the excitement and anticipation in the air, and I knew that this was just the beginning of our journey together. I tried my best to keep a smiley and happy face, but deep down I could only chant one name in my head.

The name that keeps me up for nights.

But just as the ceremony was about to begin, a commotion at the entrance caught my attention. I turned to see Atlas, the alpha of BloodMoon peck, his eyes blazing with rage, striding towards us.

"Kali, my mate!" he declared, his voice echoing through the hall. "You can't do this! You can't mate with him! You are my chosen mate!”

My eyes narrowed, my anger simmering just above the. This was not the first time Atlas and I had clashed, and I knew that our history of beef was far from over.

"Atlas, what are you doing?" I growled, my voice a low throaty growl. "This is not your concern."

But Atlas was unbothered. "Kali is my mate," he insisted, his eyes on hers. "She was always meant to be mine. You're just trying to steal her from me! You must have forced her into doing this!”

Kali's eyes widened in shock, and I could sense her fear and uncertainty. I knew that she was torn between her loyalty to me and whatever it was that Atlas was talking about.

"Atlas, stop this," I warned, through gritted teeth. "You're causing a scene."

But Atlas refused to back down or even listen to me. "I won't let you have her, Ryder," he snarled. "She's mine, and I'll fight to the death to claim her. You have always taken what was mine, but not this time.”

The pack and guests began to murmur, their doubts and mockery obvious. I knew that I had to take control of the situation before it got out of hand.

"Enough!" I roared, my voice echoing through the hall. "Atlas, you will leave now, or face the consequences."

But Atlas stood his ground, his eyes flashing with defiance. I took a deep breath. I knew that our rivalry had just reached a new level. This little mutt in front of me is challenging me, and I am more than happy to give him a good thrashing.

"Atlas, stop this," Kali pleaded, her voice firm, but I could sense her fear underneath. "You're causing a scene. Just leave, please. Please leave; leave like you always do.”

But Atlas refused to back down, his hands balled into a fist by his side. "I won't leave until you see the truth, Kali," he growled. "Ryder and his pack are not what they seem. They're dangerous, and they'll ruin you if you stay with them. I am sure he must have promised you love, but trust me, he is not the person he pretends to be.”

Kali clenched her jaw tightly. "That's not true, Atlas," she argued. "Ryder has been nothing but kind to me. He's protected me, taken care of me... he treated me like a wolf with emotions, with respect, unlike you!”

But Atlas sneered. "That's just it, Kali. He's using you. He wants you, your strength. He doesn't care about you, not really. He will not hesitate to dispose of you the second the need arises.”

I took a step forward, my knuckles white from how tight I clenched my fist. "That's enough, Atlas," I warned. "You're crossing a line."

But Atlas didn't back down. "I'm telling the truth, Ryder," he spat. "You're using Kali for your own gain. You don't love her; you don't even know her. Or? Have you two been meeting in secret?”

Kali's voice became a shout. "How dare you, Atlas?" she snapped. "You have no right to speak for me or to decide what's best for me."

But Atlas just shook his head. "You're blinded by Ryder's charm, Kali. But I know the truth. I know what he's capable of. And I won't let him hurt you."

"Atlas, leave now," I growled. "Or face the consequences."

But Atlas refused to back down; his mouth still continued to spill more words. "I won't leave until you see the truth, Kali," he repeated. "Ryder is not what he seems. He's dangerous, and he'll ruin you if you stay with him."

Just then, a loud voice was heard, and I knew too well who the voice belonged to—the daughter of the Lycan king who ruled the council, Aurora.

“You are causing a scene, Alpha Atlas, and you do not have proof of what you are saying.” Aurora hissed at Atlas.

"Oh, I might not have proof, but keep an eye on these two, and you shall see that I speak no lie.” Atlas said and shot me a deadly glare.

The other alphas began to murmur, and I knew too well just how this would end.

Aurora's eyes narrowed, her gaze matching mine. "Very well. We will not require any specific tests, but we will be watching you, Ryder and Kali. We will be observing your behavior, your interactions, and your decisions. And if we are not satisfied that your union is genuine and that you are truly committed to each other and to the pack... then we will not recognize your bonding

I knew that the council would be watching our every move, waiting for us to slip up.

"We understand," I said, with a flat tone. "We are willing to do whatever it takes to prove our bond."

Aurora nodded, her eyes never leaving mine. "I'm glad we understand each other, Ryder. You and Kali will be under close supervision , starting now. Let us see if your union is truly as strong as you claim."

And with that, she turned and walked away, and soon the rest of the council members followed her lead.

“Ryder…” Kali mumbled in a low voice that was barely above a whisper.

"We'll be fine," I told Kali, trying to reassure her. "We just need to be ourselves and show the council that our bond is real."

But Kali's eyes were filled with unshed tears, and I knew that she was thinking the same thing I was: what if we're not good enough? What if we fail?

“We will be fine, hmm?” I said and held her hand.

I led Kali to our room, my mind racing with thoughts of the council's warning. We needed to step up our game to show them that our bond was real and strong. But first, I needed to make sure that Kali's curse would allow for the level of intimacy that I had in mind.

As soon as we were alone, I turned to her and asked, "Kali, can I ask you something?"

She looked at me, her brows furrowed in confusion, but nodded. "What is it?"

I took a deep breath. "Your curse... does it allow for intimacy? Can we be together, like mates?"