Contract With My Ex's Brother

Ghosts Of The Past

Marcus’s POV

My mother’s voice slices through the pack hall like a knife, freezing me in place. “You idiots,” Elena declares, her silver-streaked hair untamed and her eyes ablaze as she points at Clayton. “You’ve awakened something ancient, and it’s coming for her.” The crowd parts, wolves glancing in shock, but all I can focus on is the woman who raised me, who disappeared after Clayton’s betrayal three years ago. She’s here, alive and real, and her words aimed at Vivian hit me like a freight train. My wolf is growling, fueled by protective instincts, while my mind reels, caught between memories of the past and the chaos around us.

Vivian’s hand brushes against mine, her fingers shaky, pulling me back to the present as I find comfort in her warmth. She’s fixated on Elena, her face ashen, and I can feel the weight of the pack’s stares on us—on her, the rejected mate, and me, the stranger with hidden depths. Clayton stands paralyzed at the front, Kathryn smirking beside him, and I know everything is about to change. My secret—being Clayton’s brother, the rightful alpha—feels like a ticking bomb, and Elena’s return just lit the fuse.

“Mother?” Clayton stammers, his voice cracking, and the hall buzzes with gasps. Most of the pack believed Elena was dead, driven out or worse after Clayton’s takeover. I thought that too, for a time, until I caught whispers of her survival last year. Seeing her now—fierce and unyielding—fills me with both relief and dread.

“Quiet,” Elder Mara commands sharply, her alpha presence silencing the murmurs. “Elena, explain yourself. What is the threat? And why Vivian?”

Elena steps forward, her long coat sweeping the ground, her gaze flickering to me for a brief second—was it recognition or a warning? My stomach knots. Does she know I’m back? I maintain a neutral expression, my arm wrapping around Vivian's waist to both support her and maintain our facade. Her scent—jasmine mixed with nerves—soothes my wolf even as my thoughts race.

“Vivian’s rejection,” Elena explains, her voice low but powerful, “broke a sacred bond. The magic of the pack, tied to the land, doesn’t react kindly to such things. It’s stirred something ancient—creatures of ash and shadow that are bound to the forest. They’re drawn to her, the scorned mate.”

Vivian stiffens, her breath catching as she leans into me, seeking protection. “Me?” she whispers, loud enough for the front rows to hear. “I didn’t do anything! It was Clayton who—”

“Exactly,” Elena interrupts, her gaze softening as she looks at Vivian. “It’s not your fault, child. But the land doesn’t care; it seeks balance, and you’re its target.”

The pack buzzes with whispers, and Clayton steps forward, his face flushed. “This is ridiculous! Rogues are the real danger, not some fairy tale. Vivian’s just making drama, as always.”

“Drama?” Vivian retorts, pulling away from my grasp, her voice sharp and fierce. “You humiliated me, Clayton. If anything is after me, it’s because of you.”

The crowd murmurs, some nodding in agreement, and I suppress a grin. She’s standing her ground, and it’s an impressive sight. But Kathryn’s smirk widens, as if she’s reveling in the tension, and my wolf growls, sensing her scheming.

“Enough!” Mara snaps, rising to her full height. “Elena, if these creatures are real, what can we do?”

Elena’s gaze shifts between Vivian and me, lingering for just a moment, as if she can see through my disguise. “Protect her,” she says firmly. “These creatures won’t stop until the bond is severed—or she’s gone. A ritual can break it, but it requires the pack’s strength…and Clayton’s consent.”

Clayton's jaw drops, and the hall hums with chatter. Vivian clutches my hand, her grip fierce, and I can sense her panic, her hope, her everything. Severing the bond could mean freedom, but it's also a risk and Clayton isn’t likely to help.

“Consent?” Clayton scoffs, eyes darting between Vivian and me. “Why should I assist her? She chose to run off with him.”

“Him has a name,” I interject, stepping forward, my voice steady but firm. “Marcus. And Vivian is not your property. You lost that right when you pushed her away.”

The pack gasps, and Clayton’s expression hardens, suspicion flaring in his eyes. He’s close to uncovering my identity, and I need to be careful. Elena observes closely, her expression unreadable, and I grapple with what she might reveal.

“Bold words,” Kathryn interjects, moving closer. “But who exactly are you, Marcus? I don’t recall anyone mentioning you, yet here you are, close with our little outcast. Sounds suspicious, don’t you think?”

I clench my jaw, but before I can respond, Vivian jumps in. “Suspicious is you setting me up last night,” she snaps, glaring. “What’s your game, Kathryn? Are you trying to keep Clayton on a leash?”

Lila chuckles nearby, and the crowd begins to murmur, some even chuckling at Kathryn’s expense. Her smug expression falters, and I squeeze Vivian’s hand in pride. She’s holding her own, flipping the pack’s sympathy into respect.

“Silence!” Mara interjects again, her patience wearing thin. “Clayton, will you consent to the ritual?”

Clayton hesitates, eyes locked on Vivian, and I can sense it—regret, jealousy, maybe. The mate bond still tugs at him, and my wolf bristles, hating how it connects them. “I’ll… think about it,” he finally replies, his voice tight. “But we need to focus on the threat first. Patrols, defenses—now.”

The elders nod in unison, and the meeting shifts to logistics, but my attention remains on Vivian. She’s shaking, her hand still clutched in mine, so I lean closer, lowering my voice. “You were amazing up there.”

“Was I?” she whispers, searching my eyes. “Because I feel like I’m going to be sick.”

I chuckle softly, brushing my thumb over her knuckles. “You faced him down, captured the pack's attention. That’s no small feat.”

She offers a small, shaky smile, and I long to pull her close, reassure her everything will be fine. But Elena approaches us, her presence palpable, making me sit up straighter, instinctively drawing my guard.

“Vivian,” Elena says, her tone softer now, “you’re stronger than you realize. But you must tread carefully. The creatures won’t wait for rituals.”

Vivian nods, swallowing hard. “Why me? Why not Clayton?”

Elena’s gaze flickers to me, and my heart races—she knows. “Because you’re the one who’s suffered,” she explains, returning her attention to Vivian. “The land senses your pain. Stay close to him—” she nods towards me—“he will keep you safe.”

Vivian looks at me, questions brewing in her eyes, but before she can ask, Clayton strides up, his expression a mix of anger and something softer. “Vivian,” he says, ignoring my presence. “We need to talk. Alone.”

My wolf growls, but Vivian grips my hand tighter, her voice steady. “Whatever you have to say can be said in front of Marcus.”

Clayton’s gaze sharpens, but he doesn’t push back, and I feel a swell of pride for Vivian standing her ground. Kathryn hovers nearby, her previous smirk replaced by a calculating look, and it’s clear she’s not finished creating chaos.

As the pack begins to disperse, Elena pulls me aside, her grip surprisingly firm. “We need to talk, son,” she whispers, her eyes searching mine. “You can’t hide forever.”

A wave of dread washes over me, and I glance at Vivian, who’s engaged in conversation with Lila, blissfully unaware. Elena might expose my cover soon, and I’m not prepared for that—not with the pack, and especially not with Vivian.

But before I can reply, a sharp howl pierces the night outside, followed by a blood-curdling scream from the direction of the patrol line—something is attacking the pack hall.