The Alpha’s Contract

Dane

Raven had been right about the constant fear. Now I was paying more attention, I could hear it in Neah’s voice but her scent stays exactly the same. The strange scent she carried from our first encounter to now, the only difference was the lavender essence that accompanied her.

I could see her reflection in the window. I could see how she uses her sleeves to wipe away the escaped tears. Barely making a sound.

“For what it's worth. Devon doesn’t sound like a monster.” I mutter. “His priority appears to be you and nothing more. As I said, he is very forthcoming with information.

“You mean you haven't had to torture him.” She speaks the words slowly as though she was talking about herself. I see how she fidgets on the seat. Her head turns over her shoulder to look at the locked door. Talking about torture was a trigger.

“No, it was not needed.” I wanted to get her thoughts onto something else. Turning around to look at her, I see how the tears make her blue eyes bright.

dust tell her.’ Aero moans

Do you really think now is the time? She has just asked me to stop looking for someone to help her. To find out that her mate is right here and she can't even sense me, what do you think it will do to her?!”

He rolls his eyes at me and shuts his mouth. Another tear rolls down her face. I hated seeing her like this.

Moving around to her, I crouch down in front of the chair and cup her face. With my thumb, I wipe away the escaped tear. Her eyes close and she leans into my hand, like it was a comfort to her.

The words tumble from my mouth. “Neah, I am your true mate.”

A little wrinkle appears above her eyebrows as they knit together. Slowly, her eyes open. She keeps her face resting against my hand and just stares at me. Properly staring into my eyes like she had when I landed on top of her at Moonshine.

My heart thuds and I feel a pull to her. I just about hold it together and stop myself from deing something stupid

“My.... my mate?” she whispers while still frowning

“Yes, Neah.”

“I was mated to Kyle.”

“And yet you are mated to me too.” It was definitely not the reaction I was expecting. I thought she would be happy. Or at least feel a sense of relief. She pushes herself back as far as she can in the chair and away from me. “Mated....to you?

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?

“Trust me. I know and so does Aero."

“How....how long?”

“A while.” Something told me that if I said, from day one, she would freak out.

She presses her pink lips into a thin line and once again. looks over her shoulder, at the locked door.

“No.” she mutters again. “You...you....you made a deal with me. Why? Is this what you say to all your brides? Is this... Is this supposed to.... make me feel better?”

The more panicked she became, the more she stuttered. It would be cute if she was happening for any other reason then panic. She really was nothing like any of the other brides or any of the women I would typically go for.

Moving to the door, I slide the lock back and hold the door open. "If you need to leave, go. I know I have sprung a lot of information on you and you probably need some time to think.”

I watch her nod her head, but she doesn’t move from the seat. “You...you didn’t answer my questions.”

I leave the doer open and sit on the

desk direct ys front of her. “Il have

never said itto any of the others. I~ told you Chave been looking for my mate fora ong time. Did I expect it to be-you? o. Am I happy it Syou? Yes; I don't care if you are -atyean or Whatever. That is not important to

me."

She bites her nails, not quite looking at me.

“Is that why yQu were so angry when you found oug what they were doing to me, because of the matebond?’ . She doesn't stutter this time. "Yous are theenly one who didn't joinin: And Lou lied to Trey too, you said met you at the front door. You said that I was the one to shoeyou to his office.”

NS

“If I hadn't lied to him, he would have beaten you. My priority was getting you out of there.

I sigh, this was not going at all like the way I wanted it too. “You can't sense the bend, eah so I understand i that you don't believe - me. I promise you it is there. Think of the smaller things. Think of how you¥éel comfort when I'm holding yorror how you curl up agairist me in your sleep. I know you feel safe when I am around. You can’t deny that.”

Aero was oddly quiet too, because this hadn't gone the way he had hoped.