Chapter 4

Anastasia's POV 

Throughout the night, I couldn't sleep, I kept thinking of how to stop Antonio and Stephanie from taking over my father's company that he worked so hard to build and I came to only one conclusion. 

"Alpha Alex." 

The weight of the world pressed down on my shoulders as I stood outside Alpha Alex's office the next day. 

I had no choice but to come here. Antonio and Stephanie were tearing my life apart, and the King's Group, my father's legacy, was slipping through my fingers. I needed help, and Alpha Alex was my only hope.

I went to his castle earlier and I was told by one of his guards that he was in the office.

My heart pounded in my chest as I walked into the sleek lobby. 

I greeted the receptionist who gazed at me suspiciously before asking, ignoring my greetings. "How may I help you?" 

"I'm here to see Alpha Alex." I tried to keep my voice steady as much as possible. 

"Did you book an appointment with him?" she asked and I felt my heart race in my chest. 

"Uhm, yes of course," My voice slightly trembled. I needed to see him and I knew that she wouldn't let me see him if I told her the truth. 

After a brief call, she told me that Alpha Alex didn't want to see me. 

I felt my heart thumping in my chest, Desperation clawed at me. I couldn’t leave. I wouldn’t.

I sat on the chair at the reception, determined to wait but the receptionist coldly asked me to leave. I pleaded with her to let me wait for him but she insisted that I should leave, threatened to call the security on me. 

This drew people's attention to me and I quietly left with a heavy heart.  I went outside the office to wait for him, I was not ready to give up. 

I sat on the wooden bench outside his office, determined to wait. 

Minutes turned into hours without the signs of Alpha Alex, coming out of his office. 

The bustling office became quiet, people cast pitying glances my way as they left for the day. I wrapped my coat tighter around me, trying to ward off the chill.

Finally, Alpha Alex appeared with his hefty, scary-looking bodyguards. His sharp features were set in a hard line, his eyes cold as ice. "Uhm, Anastasia," he said, his voice void of any warmth. "What are you still doing here?"

I stood up, my legs trembling. "Your Highness, please. I need your help." 

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "It's late, and I have no time for this."

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them back. "Please, Your Highness. Antonio and Stephanie are trying to take over Kings Group. They framed me up, linking the photo I have no idea how it came about and had me dismissed." I choked on my words, tears fell down my cheeks as I couldn't hold them back anymore. 

He stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "And what do you expect me to do about it?"

"You're powerful, your Highness. You have influence. You are the only person who can stop them."

He shook his head, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "And why would I do that? What's in it for me?"

His words cut deep, I knew where he was heading, but I was beyond pride. 

"Anything, your Highness. I’ll do anything."

A flicker of something, curiosity, perhaps crossed his face. "Anything?" he repeated, his voice softer now.

I nodded, my throat tight. "Yes, anything."

He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing, making my heart skip a beat. "Marry me. That’s my price." His voice was cold as ever.

I wanted to laugh, to scream, to run. But the gravity of my situation held me in place. 

I felt my world crumbling, my mind racing. Marrying Alpha Alex who was rumored to be disabled was the last thing I ever wanted for myself, But what choice did I have? My father was in the hospital, his health deteriorating. The company was on the brink of collapse. I had no other options. 

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "Okay. I’ll marry you."

A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant. "Tomorrow, then. Be ready early," he said coldly and left without glancing back at me. 

The rest of the night was a blur. I barely slept, my mind consumed by the gravity of what I had agreed to. 

Morning came too soon, and with it, the cold reality of my decision. I dressed in a simple dress, my heart heavy as I waited for Alpha Alex at the front of his company. 

He arrived in a white Lamborghini with his bodyguards, his demeanor as cold and controlled as ever. 

"Good morning, Your Highness." I greeted him with a bow and he nodded in response. 

"Let's go," he said, without a hint of emotion.

We first went to the hospital. My father's condition had worsened overnight, and the doctors were grim. 

"He needs constant care," One of them told me. "The medical bills are substantial."

I nodded numbly, knowing that without the company, I had no way to pay for his care, and marrying Alpha Alex was the only way I could save my father and his company. 

Alpha Alex placed a hand on my back, guiding me out. "We have other matters to attend to."

At the Civil Affairs Bureau, the process was quick and clinical. We signed the papers, exchanged the necessary vows, and just like that, I was Mrs. Alex Harrington, the Luna of Red Moon Pack.

 It felt like a dream, like I was watching someone else’s life.

With our marriage certificates in hand, we walked back to the car.

 Alpha Alex's expression still remains unreadable, his eyes fixed ahead. "Remember, Anastasia," he said as we drove away, "This is purely transactional. Don’t expect anything more." His voice was cold, devoid of any emotions. 

I nodded,  My heart ached in pain as I blinked the tears that were threatening to come out of my eyes. 

"I understand."

Silence filled the car, the reality of my new life sinking in. Just yesterday, I was fighting for my father’s company. Now, I was bound to a man I barely knew,  a ruthless Alpha. 

"Ryan, my assistant will have the contract ready for you to sign this afternoon." Alpha Alex's cold voice jolted me out of my thoughts. 

My stomach churned with anxiety. "What contract?"

He didn’t look at me as he maintained his cold demeanor.

"A prenuptial agreement, among other things. It outlines the terms of our arrangement."

I swallowed hard, the implications of his words weighing heavily on me. "And what are those terms?" I asked in a daze, feeling uneasy. 

He remained silent for a moment, then said, "You’ll see."