Chapter Five

(Riley's POV)  

Everything about Alpha Thane screamed sexuality: the way he walked, his height, his look, his lips- oh, those very beautiful lips, and the way those lips had formed out my name. Never had I thought my name could sound that sexy and enticing... Also the last thing I should be thinking about right now was how sexy he was.  

.  

He was right though; if he wanted me dead, he wouldn't need to go through all that stress to get it done; he only needed to do it right there in the mating ball. After all, they were known for just that, so it wouldn't exactly be a surprise, and not many would care about the fact that I was killed; my mother would, though.  

"Then what do you want?"  

"I want you to come with me, as my mate," he answered, as if that were the simplest and most obvious thing.  

"What?"  

"I guess you heard me clearly, and you need a while to process it."  

"No, I do not need a while; I am not your mate; I know that; you know that; and I cannot leave my pack and come with you."  

"You didn't seem to like your pack very much."  

"That still doesn't mean that I would want to come with you."  

"Let me make this clearer. You would only be my mate for a period of time issued by me, and for this time you would be paid handsomely. I would give you whatever you want. All you have to do is agree with my rules, and when this is over, you are free."  

"I do not want your money, and I will never trust you."  

"You don't want my money?" He asked, looking surprised, "But you seem like you need it."  

"Are you calling me poor?" I asked, even if that was exactly what I was: poor and wretched.  

"This is an opportunity for you. I know how Ryker treats you..."  

"And would you treat me any better?" I asked, and I know he hated the fact that I had cut him off in the middle of a sentence.  

"Not exactly, but you get your money at the end of the day; isn't that what matters?"  

"No, that's not what matters."  

"Then what does?"  

"There are so many other things... I can never leave my mother here."  

"Then that's fine; she comes with us."  

"You don't understand."  

"Make me," he says, his intense gaze on me, and I can't hold them. I look away.  

"She is a slave here; she had ten years left to serve. If I leave..." I shook my head slowly. "Ryker would make her life a living hell, and I would never allow it," I admitted, feeling stupid for telling him all these things. It was my issue, and he could do nothing about it.  

"There. Something to bargain with."  

"What?"  

"I know must have had dreams of seeing your mother free, and I would do just that."  

"You can't; she still has ten years to serve, and nothing can change that, not even you, Alpha Thane."  

The smirk never left his lips. "I would buy her off."  

"Then what? Would she become 'your' slave?" I asked, the bitterness sipping into my words. I knew I should watch it; I was before Alpha Thane, but I couldn't control myself.  

"I didn't anticipate a spitfire, but I can work with that," he says, and I don't want to understand what that meant. Of course, to everyone, they believed I was the humble submissive type, but I always held my little demons inside, and now they wouldn't stay in anymore. "Your mother would be bought by me, but I would free her; she wouldn't be a slave; I would give her a decent job; she would be both protected and respected in my pack."  

"And why are you doing all these?"  

"I had told you before that I do this because I want you by my side -for a period of time."  

"And after that, I and my mother are free?"  

"Yes, you can remain in my pack if you wish or leave if you also wish to; whatever the case may be, you would be gone a billionaire. How is that for an offer?"  

"It sounds too good to be true; what do you get out of this?"  

"Alot. Have it in mind that I do not make deals that are not beneficial to me; I have something to gain from this."  

"And what is that?"  

"It is none of your business."  

"Then how do I trust you?"  

"You don't. But I would keep to my words, and I would enjoy every single day with you, but you would love it even more, and in the end, you would be begging on your knees to stay," he promises. He sounded so sure of himself.  

"That, Alpha Thane, would be the last thing I would ever do."  

"We would, of course, see about that, Riley."  

He had called my name. Again, I wanted to question him, I wanted to know how he discovered my name, but then he spoke up.  

"Let's just say, I need my father to believe I am mated for the time being," he says with a smirk that told me this was so much more than that, but a question kept ringing over and over again in my mind.  

"Why me?. I mean, there are many other she-wolves in this pack; there are even more in your pack and others. Why me?"  

"Well, I can't answer; I am yet to figure out why," he answered.  

"How long would I be with you?" I asked  

"I think that should be discussed when you arrive," he answers, and though I don't agree with that, I don't argue.  

"What if I don't agree to the term?" I asked  

"You will, but if you don't, I will let you go. But you cannot tell anyone what transpired between us, not even your dear mother or your most trusted friend, understand?"  

There was something about his voice—the authority it carried.  

"Yes, I understand," I heard myself answer. I had one last question, one I was afraid to even ask. "How do I know that I am safe with you?" I finally let out the question, and he turned to me, watching me. He looked every bit a predator.  

"You are not. I am not a very gentle man, Riley, and you should know that about me. I would protect you from every other person but myself."  

"You would hurt me?" I asked.  

His hands trailed down my cheeks. "Yes"