Chapter 6 The Pricetag

Alpha Jaxon's POV

I looked back at the woman who would be my surrogate very soon.

How dare she question me? She needed to know her place.

Leaning in, I grabbed her chin roughly making her gasp out in surprise. So far I had been nice and considerate but I was an Alpha and I didn't accept challenges from anybody.

"No one questions me, pet." I whispered in her ear, feeling her stiffness against me.

My hand shifted to her neck placing just enough pressure to not hurt her but enough to show her that if I wanted to I could.

"Most especially not you."

Astrid's pale green eyes widened with fear and I was surprised that a part of me wanted to take that fear away but I ignored it.

It was better for both of us if she was afraid of me. We didn't need this arrangement to be anything other than what it was. A much-needed arrangement.

I pulled away from her feeling angry at her, myself and this whole blasted situation.

"Alpha, the car is ready." My Beta, Caleb said bowing as I exited the apartment building and approached the car.

"Could you have gotten a more submissive one?"

My voice was a guttural sound and barely audible beneath the trial of my wolf that had been agitated since I saw Astrid.

Caleb stood straighter, his tone full of apology

"She was the best they had to offer and you know what she said—"

Caleb's words were cut off by my hands wrapping around his throat as my wolf began to wrest control from me at the mention of the woman who had sent us here to start with.

"I know what she said," I growled at him.

How could I forget when my entire life was dependent on this?

I released him and Caleb bowed even lower waiting for my judgment.

It wasn't a stretch to say that I never forgave a misstep so he was right to be afraid. But today, he was not the one at fault but me.

I didn't want to take my anger out on one of my most trusted people.

"I will spare your life because you are my Beta. You know I have a lot riding in this. You will prepare her for this journey. If she will not be cut out for it then dispose of her and get me a new surrogate."

Caleb raised his head sharply at my words, he knew what that meant. If she was going to be problematic, the decision would need to be made quickly.

Or the witch would have to find someone else.

Caleb lowered his head once more.

"Yes, Alpha."

One might say that I was ruthless but I would never deny it. As long as I got what I wanted in the end.

As I sat in the car waiting, the phone call came in.

****"

Astrid's POV

I touched my neck still feeling the pain of Alpha Jaxon choking me.

He has confirmed that all the rumors about him had been true. Earlier when he had laid out his cards for me, I had the hope that maybe he was reasonable and maybe I could even do this.

Just until I gave him a child but now I was no longer sure. He refused to clarify whether or not he would let me go.

What if I became his surrogate but he still kept me? What would I do then?

The door to the room opened and Beta Caleb walked in. He looked flustered or maybe it was just because his face was red now.

He glared at me.

"Why aren't you dressed yet?"

Beta Caleb didn't wait for me to respond before reaching for some arranged clothes that were on top of the dresser that I was just noticing. He threw them at me.

"Put them on."

If I agreed to do this now, the goddess knew what they would force me to do next. I couldn't cave to their wishes.

My hands were free and so were my legs. Even if I couldn't win a fight against a full-grown wolf, I would try my best to defend myself.

"No."

Beta Caleb paused at the intensity of my voice and I found the courage to keep speaking.

I wrapped the bedding around my torn clothes and stood facing him.

"You already know I was kidnapped. How can you expect me to just accept whatever you say without a guarantee—"

He didn't let me finish before grabbing my arm roughly.

"Look silly girl, you don't have anything. No clothes, no money, nothing." I swallowed thickly at the rage in his eyes. "Even if we were to leave you here, you have nowhere to go so stop being so fucking difficult! If you keep fighting like this, you will die."

I froze at his words. What did he mean I would die if I kept fighting?

He seemed to notice that I was listening to him now and the pressure of his grasp on my arm eased slightly, something akin to mercy but not quite mercy in his eyes.

He spoke finally. "Alpha Jaxon has a short fuse,"

I recalled earlier when he had been cool one minute and violent the next.

"If you want to keep your neck, you will follow me quietly." Beta Caleb said finally as though it wasn't a threat but an eventuality.

I sagged, all my strength leaving me.

"I…I just want to know if after I am done being his surrogate, he'll let me go. I have a life to live."

That was the entire reason that I had left the Moonshadow pack. So that for the first time in my life, I would be able to breathe.

So that I would find my father. But even that was denied to me, knowing my fate was the least I deserved.

Beta Caleb let go of me.

"You don't have to worry about that, he will. He will even pay you 50,000 USD as compensation for your troubles."

I blinked at him, certain that I had misheard.

"Really?"

Beta Caleb didn't look like he was. joking as he regarded me seriously.

"I would not lie about something like this. You just have to keep a smile on your face instead of talking so much and spread your legs for him."

My cheeks burned at his words and I felt instantly mortified. It would be like selling my body but the difference was that I had already been sold to them already.

They could just force this on me anyway without giving me anything but they hadn't done that. That amount of money would be more than enough money for me to travel to the Capital City to find my father.

Enough to keep me afloat for a long time during the search.

Beta Caleb gave me an impersonal once-over as though confirming what he already knew.

"You are beautiful as well so that should help you as long as you don't ruin it."

I felt like a piece of meat or possession being objectified like that. If he was telling the truth then I would at least get something out of this.

I looked away from him disheartened by my impossible situation.

"Alright. Please excuse me so I can change."

He turned to go but he paused at the door turning back to look at me.

"I know this is not the life you want and conceiving might be harder than you think but I think you are the best fit for this."

I was surprised by his somewhat warm words. Beta Caleb had been cold since, what had changed?

"Why do you say that?"

He shrugged. "You are a fugitive and the Crimson Pack is deadly. Stay with Alpha Jaxon and no one will dare touch you."

I had not really thought about that even if Alpha Jaxon had mentioned something along the lines of that as well.

"Thank you."

Beta Caleb's face hardened again. "Get dressed. You have two minutes."

Then he left me alone and I washed my face in the bathroom, rinsed my mouth and began to dress up. As I dressed, my mind whirled.

If I let the bounty hunters catch me and end up in the hands of the Moonshadow pack, I would return to my life of being a helpless omega.

I didn't want that. Alpha Jaxon might have shifty moods, be volatile and want to use me but I would also be using him in return.

Pulling on the oversized shirt, I headed to the car.

I had to sit next to Alpha Jaxon in the back seat. The moment I entered, the car was off. I thought that I would at least be able to get my bearings on where we were but the windows were tinted and there was a divider between the front and back seats so that we couldn't see into the front and they couldn't see us in the back.

Before I could blink, Alpha Jaxon had my back pushed up against the locked car door, his arms caging me in on all sides and his eyes dark.

"Why is the Moonshadow pack after you? What is your relationship with Xavier?"