Contract With My Ex's Brother

Facing the Pack

Vivian’s POV

Lila’s words hit me like a bucket of ice water, freezing me right there with one foot hanging out of Marcus’s truck, staring at her under the moonlight. "The pack’s calling an emergency meeting—tonight," she said, her hazel eyes darting between me and the shadowy trees, as if danger might leap out at any moment. Here was my best friend, standing outside this warded safehouse, and all I could think was how utterly unprepared I was to face the pack again—especially after Clayton’s rejection and the terrifying chase from Marcus’s cabin. My dress was torn, my heart a mess, but time was running out, and hiding was no longer an option.

"Tonight?" I managed to choke out, my voice raw from the running and screaming. "Lila, it’s the middle of the night. What’s happening?"

She stepped closer, her dark curls bouncing slightly as she looked at Marcus, who was leaning against the truck with a tense, unreadable expression. "It’s bad, Viv," she said softly. "Clayton’s losing it—calling everyone to the hall. Something about a threat to the pack. I heard your name come up, and I rushed to warn you."

My stomach dropped, and that mate bond tugged at me like a plucked string; I hated that it still connected me to him. "My name?" I asked, wrapping my arms around myself defensively. "Why specifically me?"

Lila hesitated, her gaze softening. "I’m not sure, but it can’t be good. You need to be there—both of you."

Marcus pushed off the truck, his storm-gray eyes narrowing. "What kind of threat?" he asked, voice low and serious. His shoulder was still bandaged from the injury caused by that creature, but he stood firm, unshaken.

Lila shrugged, clearly uneasy. "No one’s saying much. Just… odd stuff. Strange scents and tracks near the border. Clayton thinks it’s rogue wolves, and it’s got the elders rattled."

I glanced at Marcus, my pulse quickening. Those terrifying ash-scented creatures—tall and wrong, not wolves—flashed in my mind, and I couldn't help but wonder if they were what we were facing. He met my gaze with a question in his eyes, but he kept our story to himself in front of Lila. Not yet.

"Then we have to go," he said, turning to me. "You ready, Vivian? This is our chance to show them you’re not backing down."

"Ready?" I laughed, the sound bitter and shaky, motioning to my messed-up dress. "I look like I crawled out of a ditch, and I feel even worse. But sure, I won’t let Clayton think he’s broken me."

Lila’s eyes brightened, a grin breaking through her worry. "That’s my girl. Come on, I have a spare outfit in my car. Let’s get you sorted out."

Marcus nodded, a proud smile twitching at the corners of his mouth, and I followed Lila to her old sedan parked nearby. She handed me a pair of jeans and a black sweater—simple, but oh so much better than my shredded dress. I changed in the cramped bathroom of the safehouse, splashing water on my face, trying to rinse off the chaos of the night. My reflection was a wreck—smudged makeup, wild hair—but there was a spark in my eyes that surprised me. Sure, I was scared, but the anger bubbling beneath the surface was enough to propel me forward.

We made it back to the truck in ten minutes, where Marcus waited, holding out a fresh shirt. His leather jacket concealed the bandage, and his easy confidence made me feel a little steadier. "Better," he remarked, appraising my new outfit, and warmth crept into his voice, causing my cheeks to flush.

"Don’t get used to this look," I joked as I climbed in. Lila followed in her car, and we sped toward the pack hall, the town’s lights flickering through the trees. My stomach was in knots, but Marcus’s steady presence beside me—his scent of pine and musk, his calmness—kept me anchored.

"You’ve got this," he said, glancing at me as we neared the hall. "Walk in there like you own the place. We’re a team, right?"

"Yeah," I replied, managing a small smile. "Just… don’t let me trip or anything."

"Never," he said, his tone low and firm, sending a flutter through me I couldn’t ignore. My wolf perked up too, nudging me toward him, but I pushed it aside. This was about business, not romance—even though he felt like so much more.

The pack hall came into view, its log walls glowing under strings of lanterns, cars packed tight in the lot. Wolves mingled outside, their whispers buzzing as we parked. I recognized familiar faces—pack members who had witnessed Clayton’s rejection—and my throat tightened, but I lifted my chin and stepped out with Marcus by my side. His hand brushed against mine, a silent vow of support, and we moved toward the entrance, Lila close behind us.

Inside, the hall was packed, the air thick with tension and the scent of too many wolves. Clayton stood at the front, his golden hair catching the light, green eyes scanning the crowd. Kathryn was next to him, her red lips curving in a smirk, and my wolf growled at the memory of her lies. The elders perched on a raised platform, their expressions grave, and I felt the weight of every gaze on me as Marcus and I stepped forward, his arm settling casually around my waist.

Whispers rippled through the crowd—"Vivian, rejected. Who’s that with her?"—and Clayton’s gaze fixed on us, his jaw tightening. I forced myself to meet his eyes, my heart racing, but Marcus’s warmth steadied me.

"Vivian," Clayton said, his voice cutting through the tension with authority. "You’ve got some nerve showing up here."

"Nerve?" I shot back, my voice louder than I intended, and the room silenced. "You threw me out, Clayton. I’m not going to slink away just because you’ve had a change of heart about fate."

A murmur rolled through the pack, a mix of shock and approval. Marcus’s arm around me tightened, urging me to keep going, and I stood taller, ignoring the tug of the mate bond.

Clayton stepped closer, his eyes flicking to Marcus. "And who’s this? Your rebound?"

"Her partner," Marcus said smoothly, a sharp edge in his voice, and the word ignited fresh whispers among the crowd. "Name’s Marcus. Got a problem with that?"

Clayton’s expression darkened, a flicker of recognition sparked in his gaze, but he didn’t connect the dots yet. My stomach turned at the thought of Marcus’s hidden past looming over us, but I pushed it aside. This was about shaking things up—and it was working.

"Enough," Elder Mara announced, standing up with her silver hair gleaming. "We’re here for a threat, not personal drama. Clayton, explain."

Clayton cleared his throat, his earlier confidence slipping. "There are strange tracks near the border, scents we don’t recognize. Rogues, or possibly worse. We need to enhance patrols and secure our territory."

I exchanged glances with Marcus. Those ash-scented creatures haunted my mind, and he nodded slightly as if he shared my concern. Should we speak up? Before I could decide, Kathryn stepped forward, her voice dripping with venom.

"Funny timing, isn’t it?" she sneered, focusing on me. "Vivian disappears after making a scene, and now we’ve got trouble. Maybe she’s the one bringing it."

The crowd murmured, and my blood boiled. "Are you serious?" I snapped, stepping out of Marcus’s embrace. "You framed me last night, Kathryn. I’m not the one stirring up trouble—you are."

"Lies," she hissed, but her smirk faltered as Lila stepped in beside me, glaring at Kathryn.

"I saw you drop that glass," Lila declared, her voice ringing across the hall. "Vivian didn’t touch her."

The buzz of whispers grew louder, and Clayton’s face darkened, caught between Kathryn's deceit and the reality of the situation. I felt a surge of gratitude for Lila, but it was Marcus’s steady hand on my shoulder that kept me from trembling.

"Silence!" Elder Mara commanded, her alpha presence silencing the room completely. "Vivian, if you know anything about this threat, speak up now."

I paused, glancing at Marcus. Those creatures were connected to us, I was sure of it, but naming that connection could expose us. Before I could gather my thoughts, a loud bang echoed from the entrance, and the doors swung open, revealing an unexpected figure.

Clayton’s mother, Elena, stood there, her silver-streaked hair wild, eyes ablaze with fury. "You fools," she shouted, pointing directly at Clayton. "You’ve awakened something ancient, and it’s coming for her."