The Alpha's Rejected Mate

Contract Love

Gideon immediately came to check, so I hurried back to my room. The events of the day had left me drained, and the thought of the arranged marriage added to my confusion.

Who was the girl Gideon mentioned?

Was that girl me?

Why did Finley know me and Gideon would be each other's second chance mate?

Filled with confusion, I eventually succumbed to sleep, determined to find answers in the light of the new day. I was naive. People like Gideon wouldn't give me time to dig out all the mysteries. I barely had a moment to finish changing when I was told to go to his study.

I stood in front of the tall and heavy wooden door, wondering how this cruel man would torture me again this time. I took a deep breath and then knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in," Gideon sat behind the wide black desk. He sat straight, yet his red eyes revealed that he had a long sleepless night.

"You know it's impossible for me to like you," he stated bluntly.

Right to the point. That's Gideon.

"I know," I sat in front of him. I also don't like someone like him, but I appreciate his honesty.

"I want to avoid misunderstanding here. There would be no affection between us. This marriage is solely for the sake of my pack. Therefore, I propose a contract for you. The terms include: One, Fulfill all responsibilities as future Luna. Do not bring shame or harm to my pack."

"WELL BEHAVED," He put emphasis on the two words and looked up at me deliberately as if he was blaming me for my embarrassment last night.

What a rude man!

"Two, refrain from seeking emotional or physical intimacy, including s****l relations."

Thank Godness. That’s exactly what I wanted. He continued without emotion, "Three, do not initiate physical contact without my consent. Four..."

"Wait," Finally, I had enough and interrupted him, "why should I comply if you're the one who wants this marriage?"

"You're a part of our pack now. Your father agreed to our proposal yesterday. I wonder how can you refuse?"

Suddenly, he looked at me, but there was no emotion in his eyes, "I hope you don't need me to remind you who saved you from your mate."

Thinking of Corey, I bit my lip hard, trying to keep the tears from falling.

"Don't act like you don't want to marry me," he glanced at me, "we all know you're desperate to be Luna."

His words cut deep as he threw the thick, book-like contract onto the table in front of me, cold and unyielding.

"Sign it," he said.

"I..." When I was just about to restate my stance, a maid knocked on the door and stopped me.

"Sir, Miss Eleanor's father and sister are here. They are waiting for you in the lobby."

Father?! What is he doing here?

Gideon put down his pen, "Well, since your family is here, let's see if it is your free will or my pack's power matters. Miss Eleanor."

He smiled at me for the first time since I saw him, as if he had already tasted the sweetness of victory.

My heart tightened uncontrollably, nervously sensing that some bad news was approaching.

Following him to the lobby, I found the grandeur of the hallway as usual, but I was not.

"Mr. Sinclair, Miss Amelia," Alpha Gideon acknowledged them with a nod.

"Alpha Gideon, glad to see you again," In return, Amelia sidled closer to Alpha Gideon, with her flirtatious smile painting across her lips.

"My pleasure." Gideon's response was a mere quirk of his lips, devoid of any genuine emotion. His gaze flickered over to me briefly. It was as if he knew the game they were playing, and he was a player who had seen it all before. I wanted to shrink away and disappear from this humiliating tableau.

After greetings with each other, Amelia talked to me with insincere amusement, "Isn't this exciting, Eleanor?Staying at Alpha Gideon's house!"

I could even sense Gideon's disdain without looking at him. I would never forget how my own family intended to hurt me in the past. But I just realized that what hurt even more was the mere presence of my own family members, who stood beside me with an air of detached expectation.

The very people who were meant to care for me had instead become the ones who humiliated me the most.

And then it was my dad, "Eleanor, my dear, this is an opportunity for you to secure your future. A chance to elevate our family's status."

His face was a mask of feigned concern, trying to cover that he actually only regarded me and my life-long marriage as a mere transaction.

I wanted to protest, to remind them how unfair they were to trade my happiness for their wealth, but the words were trapped in my throat, suffocated by the weight of embarrassment. No wonder Gideon saw me that way.

Just as the heavy silence threatened to crush me, the grand doors were open. Alpha Finley strode in with his Beta Generals, exuding an aura of power and authority.

"Please take a seat," Alpha Finley cleared his throat. My father, a man I had once looked up to with admiration, now sat beside me with a calculating glint in his eyes.

"Alpha Finley, we appreciate your hospitality. We've come to discuss an arrangement that could be beneficial for both our families. I'm sure your pack will understand the advantages of this union. Eleanor comes from a respectable family, and her loyalty to the pack is unquestionable."

Loyalty, I thought bitterly. My loyalty had been twisted and manipulated into a tool for their gain.

"Of course. I have never doubted that, Mr. Sinclair." Alpha Finley faced my family with a polite smile. His presence commanded respect, and the grandeur of his home only emphasized his status.

My father took a deep breath, his fingers fidgeting nervously.

"Well, considering our loyalty," my father continued, "We were hoping for an advantageous arrangement. A match that could cement our ties even further."

Amelia's gaze flickered towards me, and I could practically hear the unspoken words: beneficial for the family, but not for you.

"We've heard of your aspirations, Alpha Finley. Your plans for expansion, for power. We believe that by offering Eleanor's hand in marriage, you will find a willing partner in us," My father leaned in slightly, his tone dropping to a conspiratorial hush, "this is also our Alpha's wish."

Alpha Corey? He was also part of this "deal"?

My father was essentially selling me to the highest bidder. My hands clenched into fists at my sides. In that moment, I felt a surge of anger – anger at Corey and my family's betrayal, anger at the system that allowed them to treat me this way.

Alpha Finley's face remained unreadable.

Finally, Alpha Finley spoke, his voice measured. "I appreciate your proposal. However, I believe that any union should be built on mutual respect and genuine connection."

"I cannot entertain the idea of a transactional arrangement. But I would not miss a good girl like Eleanor to mate with my son."

As they continued to converse, I felt anger and humiliation. But amidst it all, a newfound determination began to take root.

With a trembling breath, I met Gideon's gaze.

My family had always viewed me as a mere bargaining tool, then and now. At that moment, I silently vowed to myself that I wouldn't let their cruelty break me. I wouldn't allow myself to be defined by their greed. I would find a way to forge my own path, even within the confines of this unwanted marriage. Gideon's eyes spoke volumes.

It was as though he was saying, "See, I was right. You and your family, and the one you love, Alpha Corey, are all opportunists."

In sorrow and anger, I acknowledged that I could never return to that frigid household. Even if the new pack felt scarcely better, it was still preferable to the place I once called 'home'.

And Corey… Maybe it was time to let everything go.

Later that night, a compulsion led me to knock on Gideon's study door, and he appeared to have anticipated my arrival.

Seated calmly at his desk, he observed me.

I looked at him in the eye, cold as stone.

"I'll sign the contract, as you wish."