MasukShare
Chapter Two
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2024-08-08 14:58:12Growing up, there are so many stories I hear about rejections, the pain that comes with it, and then the sense of loss, like something was missing. I knew what was coming, and I was prepared, even as I said the words.
"I, Riley Kaidon, accept your rejection," I respond, and that gave him a pause. Of course, he doesn't expect me to accept his rejection so easily; every female is dying to be the Alpha's mate, and I had been one of them till I discovered that he wasn't as charming as my thoughts had painted him to be.
I felt the pain, just as I had anticipated. It's a different kind of pain, one that is deep within, but what I do not feel is the loss.
How could you lose what you never had?
It was over. All my dreams of finding a mate had all come to nothing. I was given the monster as a mate, and he had used me, taken from me, only to dump me like trash. I couldn't stay in this pack any longer; I had to leave.
"Banish me from this pack; I no longer see the use of remaining."
"Oh no, Riley. I want you here, by my side."
"Zara had taken up that duty."
"I want you to be something quite different."
“I won’t be your toy anymore,” I spat. There really was no boundaries to his cruelty.
"Others would be proud to even have such a position, but you ungrateful girl."
"I would leave this pack, whether you want it or not, with due respect, of course, Alpha," I sneered out.
The pain in my chest had built up to the point where I felt completely numb.
"Leave? That's not going to be a very nice thing to do, seeing as your mother cannot go with you," he says, and everything seems to slow down.
How could I have forgotten?
My mother had been nothing but a slave, treated as dirt. Ryker is the only reason she was not in other 'worst' places; how could I have forgotten that so easily?
My heart pounded now, fast. How didn't I think of my mother and what Ryker could do to her, especially when I was gone?
"Leave my mother out of this."
“No, Riley,” he said smugly. “Stay, and she’ll remain in her current position. Leave, and I’ll make her life a living hell.”
I wiped off the tears. This had been one of the reasons I had hung on to Ryker, too slow to let him go. I knew if I was mated to him, then my mother would be free. This was what she had wanted for the most part of her life, what she had dreamt of.
"I'll stay, but I refused to be used by you, Ryker."
"We would see about that, and it's no longer Ryker to you; we are no longer mates, remember? It's Alpha now, and I really hope you don't slip on that again." He says, but the smirk on his face tells me his hoping her I slip, just so he could punish me.
I wouldn't let him see me weak; I would hold in my tears, till when I was alone, crying in front of him would only show him how much he hurt me, it would only show him that he won and I... lost; That would be boosting his already extremely large ego. I wiped away my tears; that would be the last time I would ever cry before him.
"Good," he muttered. "Now I need you to come to the intramating ball celebration with me," he says.
"You are to attend the upcoming ball with your luna, Zara; what do you need me there for?"
"You will be there. I want you to watch as I announce to the whole crowd that she is my mate.
I want you to watch me kiss and touch her just as I did you, but she... she would be the Luna. I want you to watch as she takes your place.
At least I told you early enough to prepare. When the day comes don't you dare be late. Also, I would send your mother in to help you pick something presentable for the occasion. I am sure you have something other than rags in there somewhere" he said before walking away, right through the door he came through, back to Zara, his mate.
The mate ball was in two weeks, I didn't need to pick out a dress yet, but I did need my mother by my side right now.
He hadn't cared about the fact that I just lost a baby and needed medication; he didn't care one bit. If I wasn't wrong, I believed he loved hurting me; he was a sick, twisted person who attained satisfaction in hurting others.
A few minutes later, my mother walked in, and I ran into her arms, letting myself become a child again. I cried in her arms.
"The baby's gone. He cheated on me, and now the baby is gone."
"Shhh, you would be alright," she said, holding me in her arms. "You are the strongest shewolf I know, and I am not telling you this simply because you are my daughter, but because it is true."
"I do not feel very strong, mama."
"Your tears don't make you weak, nor do the mistakes," she said, holding me. Just as she had always done, every single time I had gone to her, broken and in pain, she was always there to comfort me. She thought I was the strongest she wolf, but she was wrong; she was. Even through all she had gone through, she still stood strong, and I made another promise to myself that I would free her. I didn't care how long it took me to achieve that.
"I know the Alpha rejected you," she said.
"How did you know?"
"A mother can tell," she says, "but he was never the best for you; he would only hurt you more and more; you deserve better."
"I don't think I can ever trust anyone again... I just can't be betrayed once more; I don't think I can take it."
"You deserve love; you deserve better than this kind of life, and I wish I could give you that... and that's why I won't blame you if you leave this pack. I want you to know that whatever happens, I would always love you and never blame yourself for anything that goes wrong. I am strong enough to take what comes my way, but I want you happy. You are young and beautiful with a clean heart. You deserve a life, and you should have it."
"No, mama, I would never leave you here with him. Never; we are together in this and will always be. I would stay," I promised.
.
The mating ball ceremony occurs every last day of the month; it was every girl's dream and mostly where mates are paired, but that had been the beginning of my own nightmare.
If Ryker wanted me at the ball, then I would be at the ball, but he got one thing wrong: I didn't care who he ended up with; nothing he did could make me jealous; he was no longer mine, and I was glad he wasn't.
Bab terkait
Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Three
The Mating Ball. (Riley's POV) Ryker sat with his mate, and I was to sit besides him, close enough to hear him whisper the same words he had told me to her, close enough to see him kiss her, close enough to hear her soft moans as his hands disappeared beneath her dress, but that wasn't the worst part of this all; the worst part was having to see my mother, refilling his cup like the servant he wanted everyone to know she was. All I felt was anger, burning fury. I turned away from them, focusing on keeping my breath steady. "You work slugglishly, old woman," Ryker said to my mother, she had pretended not to hear that as she refilled his glass for what seemed as the hundredth time. My mother glanced at me, her eyes a warning, begging me to stay still and not do anything crazy, and it took everything in me to seat still. "You forgot to refill mine," Zara said to my mother, and of course, my mother did refill hers, muttering a silent appology which wasn't even due. Zara
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-08Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Four
(Riley's POV) There was a lot running through my mind, but I couldn't stop myself as I let my lips move against his, his hands raked through my hair, and I let him touch me in more intimate ways. His kiss was unlike anything I had ever felt; it was like a breath of fresh air and, at the same time suffocating. I felt everything and nothing; the electricity rolling down my frame had nothing to do with a mate bond; it did have everything to do with the fallen angel standing before me. No, he was no angel, maybe quite the opposite, but he did have the looks of a Greek god. Finally he pulled away, and I was left panting, wanting more, my lips all swollen. What the hell just happened, and why is Alpha Thane calling me his mate when I was sure I wasn't his? From the look he gave me, he knew that too. "Pretend," he whispered in my ear, low enough for only me to hear. Pretend?. He meant I should go along with this. Why would I do that? , why... My trail of thoughts was cut off.
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(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 a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-08Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Six
(Riley's POV) It didn't make sense. That Alpha Thain of the Nightshade pack had chosen me; I had so much to gain—my mother's freedom, 'my freedom', and wealth—lots of it. It felt almost too good to be true. He had told me that he never made any deals in which he had nothing to gain, but I can't imagine what he had to gain from being mated to me. Yet, his promises had been mouth-watering, every single word, and I knew he was right. I knew I would agree to his terms, whatever they might be, as long as my mother was free. He was not a gentleman; he had told me just that, and that was the one thing I believed. After the little conversation, he had left me here all alone, to think about his proposal. No, he didn't bother escorting me back to the ball where he had taken me; he was letting me know, even from the little gestures, what kind of a man he was. When he meant he wanted me as a mate for a period of time, did that involve intimacy? Maybe it didn't; maybe I just had to play
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-08Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Seven
(Riley's POV) I didn't know what my mother had against Alpha Thane and his father, but she had agreed to come with me after I had persuaded her. I had to tell her what Ryker had wanted me to be—a little pet for him—and that was all she needed to finally change her mind. Though she didn't like this idea and I knew it, we both knew we had no other choices, and I would rather die than leave my mother here. She helped me pack up. I had only a few things; I picked out only the important things, and a single bag was enough to contain my stuff. . Alpha Ryker walked into my room, not bothering to knock. "You know it is very unappropriate to walk into a lady's room without knocking, right?" I questioned, and my mother gave me a questioning look, but this time I didn't listen. "Now the true Riley shows herself; I knew you had all that pent-up anger in you for a long time; I actually expected you to slip in the mating ball last night, and I am totally surprised you didn't." "That's
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-08Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Eight
(Riley's POV) I hadn't realized I stood there, staring at him. Finally recovering from the momentarily drool, I walked into Ryker's office. "I believe you are ready and packed, Riley." "Yes, Alpha," I said, a moment too late. "Call me Thane," he says, his burning gaze on me, and in that moment, I forgot about Ryker in the office with us. "Just as I had promised you, your mother is free, and she will come with us," he says. My mouth fell open in surprise. That quickly? Ten years of slavery had ended in just minutes. He was right; there was only a little he could not do, and I couldn't help but wonder what he had done to make Ryker give in. "I would be waiting in the car; pick up your things and join me; your mother would be transported to my pack tomorrow; and not to worry, she is already a free woman," Thane said, his eyes slipping from mine to Ryker's. I wasn't the only one affected by Thane's piercing gaze; I noticed how uncomfortable it made Ryker too, and I know he
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-08Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Nine
I stared at the document in my hands. Slowly, I opened it—I hadn’t even realized I was holding in a breath.I skipped the introduction and began:“This is an agreement between the ‘contractee’ (Thane Blackwood) and the ‘contractor’ (Riley Kaidon).”I paused, about to ask how he knew my full name, but after one look at those cold eyes, I continued. “The duration of this contract is a year (twelve months), if agreed by both parties." I paused again. “A year is more than I can handle,” I whispered. A lot could happen in a year. The thought that he would have control over me for a whole year sent a chill down my spine. I never really considered what would happen if this went all wrong and things could easily 'very wrong’. “Three months,” I say, and I hated how shaky my voice sounded.His jaw tightened; it was such a small movement, but I noticed it. Thane didn’t like the fact that I was bargaining; I knew what was written down was only there to make me feel like I had a choice—a say in thi
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-09Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Ten
I passed the signed document back to him, but his eyes, they never left me.“Do you know the severity of the contract you just signed?” he asked, the smirk stretching along his lips again. I could hear Ryker’s words in my head ‘you wouldn’t last two weeks with him’, I could remember the panicked look in my mother’s eyes when he proclaimed me as his mate, never had she looked so afraid, not even when I was mated to Ryker – that should be enough to tell me that something was very wrong with this alpha sitting before me, and maybe his whole pack too, but no, I was willing to do anything – to escape my past, even if it meant running head first into danger.“Yes, I know” I answered but I lied, I was yet to understand the severity of what I had just done.Alpha Thane rose to his feet and it took everything in me to sit there and not bolt out of the ‘office’, he walked towards me.“What are you doing?”“Afraid?” he asked and I wanted to say ‘no’, I opened my mouth but no reply came forth. He
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2024-08-10
Bab terbaru
Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Two Hundred and Six
I couldn’t take my eyes off her."Care for a dance?” I asked her and she nodded. It didn't seem like she enjoyed parties much.I took her hand and led her to the dance floor, aware of how people kept their distance. Seriously, what did they think? That I’d take their heads off just for bumping into me on the dance floor?This was getting ridiculous. But I couldn’t dwell on that thought any longer—Kaida was staring.“We match,” she said, motioning to my black tuxedo with its dark blue vest and tie. Maybe that wasn’t entirely a coincidence. “And you look really hot in that tuxedo, but then again, when do you not?” Her cheeks reddened. Kaida could be a badass fighter, but she wasn’t always as confident when it came to... well, other things.I stepped closer, letting her feel the subtle shift of my arousal. “Giving me compliments like that in public is dangerous.”She let out a breathy laugh, her cheeks still flushed. I saw the need flash in her eyes. I had been contemplating leaving wit
Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Two Hundred and Five
The dark blue dress would look beautiful on Kaida. That was the first thought on my mind when I saw it in the store. I knew I had to get it for her..Kaida was on the training field, she’d taken up Aric’s position. I believed it was another way to honor his memory. She trained the soldiers just as he had done… before everything went downhill. I had to admit, she was very good at it. Even the soldiers seemed to be enjoying the session with her."Your weight on this leg," she instructed, adjusting the soldier’s stance. I didn’t miss the way his gaze flickered to her ass for a split second before he quickly looked away, likely fearing he’d be caught staring. The possessive part of me wanted to pry out his eyes for even looking, then drag her into our room and fuck her all day long for looking so damn sexy.The longer I watched, the more something dark stirred inside me. She was too damn close to that guy, and those leathers—hell, they were so tight, her ass was practically on display. I
Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Two Hundred and Four
The Rogue leaders had waited. When the two days were over, I invited them into the meeting room.A maid brought over bottles of beer, and Edna was the first to take a deep gulp, the others following soon after. The maid excused herself.“Edna, Skale, Kev, Gal, and of course, Timothy. Welcome to the Nightshade Pack.”“I didn’t remember keeping you waiting this long when you paid us a visit.” Edna said to me."I’d hoped you’d get impatient enough to leave."Edna chuckled; it was silent and humorless. “Unfortunately, we’ve come to speak on an important matter.”“I assumed as much.”"We allowed a peace treaty with you once, and now we’ve come to discuss the terms.""I made you a promise, Edna. I told you that if you couldn’t keep the rogues under control, there would be war. This time, something tells me you were the brains behind the earlier attack.""Yes. I was. Like the rest, we believed you were gone, and we did what anyone would do—we attacked.""But I guess you were wrong.""Sorely.
Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Two Hundred and Three
ALEXANDER’S POVIt was almost unnerving how similar she had looked to Kaida. Her voice sounded so much like hers—I had hesitated, and in that moment of weakness, Cynthia escaped.It all made sense now. I could recall that incident. When Kaida had walked into the room, looking all seductive, I had given in so easily. And then—she ‘d lifted the dagger to my chest. I hadn’t realized it wasn’t her. For a fleeting moment, I had even thought the weapon was just another tease.But then she’d stabbed me, and too late I realized something different about her—something I hadn’t picked up on earlier. Her eyes. They were different, not because they weren’t the same grey I knew, but because it felt like they belonged to a stranger, not the woman I had known and fallen for.Kaida had taken the blame, but of course, she could never have done such a thing. She’d never have gone through with it, and I couldn’t believe I was just realizing that now."It’s not your fault. Cynthia excels at those kinds o
Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Two Hundred and Two
"I know the truth," I said to Julia, finally speaking up.“What truth? Don’t tell me you still fall for his falsehoods—you should have learned your lessons by now.”"He tried to protect me. He kept me safe. That’s more than you’ve ever done?"“Protect you—you really think you are safe here with him?”“Safer than I ever was back in the castle.”“I taught you better than this, Aliya. I taught you about bad people who would want to taint you, but you were always the curious type; I should have known.” She said, I didn’t miss the fact that she addressed me by my name."I remember everything you taught me, Julia. Thanks to you, I know more languages than I’ll ever have the chance to use in my lifetime. You spoke endlessly about good and evil—you painted yourselves as saints, but you all are far from that. I know the truth now. Your plan was to sacrifice me. That encounter—all of it—was a lie. I was nothing but a vessel to you.""And do you think you mean anything to him?" she asked, her g
Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Two Hundred and One
My thoughts drifted to Ash. Could he have been stupid enough to come back here with Daemon present?Something told me Daemon wouldn’t be pleased about me seeing him behind his back.A small sense of relief washed over me when I realized the footsteps approaching weren’t from a man. There was something feminine, something familiar about them.It was Empress Julia.Of course, I would recognize the sound of her footsteps; I had spent over a decade of my life listening to them.Daemon seemed genuinely surprised. “How did you find this place?” he asked."I can't say. You see, it's a small secret, Trian—I guess that's the name you stole."Daemon’s eyes drifted from her face to the object she held in her hand: the Nexus Amulet. She had somehow gotten it out of the transparent glass container—perhaps that explained the noise that had alerted us we weren’t alone."Give it to me," Daemon all but growled."Tsk, tsk. Not so fast."Daemon looked like he was about to lunge for her."You won’t get t
Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter Two Hundred
I shouldn’t be thinking about Ash’s words, but I was. No matter how many times I tried to shove them out of my mind, they always found their way back."Dinner is served. Come eat," Daemon announced. Staring at him, I could almost forget that he was a demon; he just seemed so… human. But when you looked deeper into those dark blue eyes, that’s when you noticed something off—something that screamed predator.“I’m not hungry.”“That’s a lie. Come with me,” he said. I might be hungry, but I was in no mood to eat, yet I followed him. He had already dished out the food for me and, as usual, none for himself.“Thank you.” I muttered, taking a seat. The smoky scent of spiced grilled meat filled the air. On any other day, it would be enough to make my mouth water and my stomach rumble, but this time, I could barely force myself to eat more than a few small pieces.“Aliyah,” Daemon called, and I looked up at him. “I can make something else if you don’t like this.”“It’s not that. I’m just not h
Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Nine
ALIYAH’S POVI stared at the empty room, once occupied by the human girls. Now, the chains that had been used to bind them were the only sign that they had ever been here.After the incident with Tasha, Daemon wasn’t willing to take any chances. He had let the two cousins return to their homes.When Daemon wasn’t home, I had the whole house to myself.I returned to my room to take a quick shower before his return. I peeled off my clothes and walked into the shower. I was done in less than twenty minutes. I was about to step out of the bathroom when my reflection caught my eye. I paused, staring at the figure in the mirror that was mine.My eyes were the only thing alive; every other part of my body seemed to be fading away. My silver hair didn’t look as healthy, and my pale skin was even paler. I spotted the bite marks marring my skin. I didn’t mind them at all; maybe I was getting just as crazy as Tasha, but I liked seeing those marks on my skin; they reminded me of him, and so I ha
Contractually Yours, Alpha Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Eight
I watched as Aric’s casket was lowered into the ground.All the memories were buried along with him. Guilt ate at me, knowing he shouldn’t be down there.Many who knew Aric were also present. He had once been a beta to the Dawn pack, then a commander to the Nightshade Pack. He was loved by many, but the strangest thing about life was how fast people tend to move on.Two hours later, everyone was gone, back to their lives. A few months from now, some would forget him. In a few years, others wouldn’t even remember that a man named Aric had once lived among us. He’d be just another tombstone like the rest. No one was ever truly too important—life always moved on.I stood before Aric's grave, eyes puffy and red, tears rolling down my cheeks, and Alexander stood beside me. His eyes were on me.“You know, he had a sister. I had no clue about her; she was the reason he betrayed me; he wanted to save her.” I paused when I realized who I was talking to. “Sorry, I know you’d always hated him.”
