The Alpha’s Contract

Dane

The bastard had killed eight men. They all had families. Some were older with children of their own, some were younger, freshly graduated and wanting to prove themselves as warriors. It should have been a simple task, protecting my mate.

None of us knew. It was the down side of shifting under a full moon. We were at our strongest, yet we got caught up in the haze of hunting. Drowning out everything that isn’t related to what we are tracking.

As I sit here, watching her turn her hand over. Her big blue eyes study the smallest of marks, trying to figure out where the claws come from and where they have disappeared too. I couldn't help but feel annoyed with myself. Yes she had protected herself, and it is what I've wanted her to do since the day she arrived. But that niggling feeling I have just won't go away.

And yet she doesn’t seem upset.

Raven had confirmed that everyone had been dead for a while, and I could tell by Neah’s blue tinged toes that she had been out in the cold for a long time. So maybe she had come to terms with it. Or maybe this Nyx had helped her process it. I just knew that she didn’t seem phased which was unsual for someone who had just experienced their first kill.

The bodies have been dealt with,’ Klaus links me. ‘Eric has checked in on all the kids and the elderly. No one has been touched. It just seems to be those who were guarding the house.

"I want both of you in my office in ten minutes.’ I tell him. Neah rub’s her toes with the blanket, trying to warm them up. “What brought Nyx to the surface?” I ask curiously.

“My period.” She answers quickly, no hesitation or stuttering. "She said it's what was needed. She says she should have been present when I turned thirteen, but I never went through full puberty. My body was too weak."

She brushes her tangled hair back from her face. Grabbing her brush off the cabinet, I hand it to her and watch as she rakes it through her long dark hair, smoothing out the knots.

She sighs as she drops the brush on to the bed next to her, rejigging the blanket to cover herself properly.

“I know you are mad, Alpha Dane.”Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.

“I’m not mad at you.”

“I know.” she murmurs. She goes to speak again, but frowns and closes her mouth

She’s talking to Nyx.’ Aero mumbles. 'Look at her eyes.’

I worked that out.’ I reply But as focus on her eyes, I see something that I haven't seen before. A dark ring around the blue “Neah?"

Her eyes flash up to mine and the ring disappears

“I need you to come with me.”

“Where? Am I in trouble’

“Only downstairs to the office, I would leave you here but I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone right now.”

She follows me through the house to the office, keeping the blanket tightly wrapped around her. Parking herself in her usual seat, she automatically pulls her knees up to her chest, hiding her legs under the blanket.

Klaus and Eric appear, arguing about something.

“We all fell for it.” Klaus snaps, “And from what I hear, you were having nightly visits with him.”

They stop when they spot Neah. Eric's arms fold up as Klaus watches her curiously.

“Can we just get past the fact he played us all!" I snap “He kept up this fucking charade for a long time.” “Why would he help me kill Lycans if it was a set up?” Eric scowls

“Because he knew that we would have been on to him. It would have blown his cover. He had to make us believe that he was a good guy, that he was on Neah’s side. He wouldn't have gotten away otherwise, not that he did.”

“He said he was going to call Trey.” Neah whispers. “That he just needed to let them know I was ready for collection. The doting brother, it was all lies.”

Oddly for Neah, there is no emotion in her voice.

“He deserved it.” she murmurs without looking at any of us. That subtle darkness raising its head again “You killed him?” Klaus asks in surprise.

‘I did. I ripped out pieces of his heart and then pushed him over the edge.” She mutters, unapologetically.

“You?” Eric is shocked. And I could see why, she was small, she looked weak. You just wouldn't expect it fram her. But then again, they don't see the darkness, bubbling under the surface like I do.

“I don’t understand.” Klaus mutters. “He looked just like you. Same dark hair, same blue eyes. There are even similarities in the way you bath smile.

The final comment was an odd one. Was he interested in my mate?

“Everything was a setup!” I snap, drawing theicattention to me. “And we fell foxsomething as obvious as that.” It was like Neah had said, I wasn’Hangry with her. I was angry at myself. I had seen all the tricks over thezyears. I had heard all theplans afta still, I fell for it.” to

You should have trusted my instincts!’ Aero grumbles.

He was right. I should have. I fucked up and I lost a bunch of my men tonight, but she was still here and she was still alive. My fist hits the desk, startling the men, but Neah just stares at me. It’s probably the longest she has ever held eye contact with anyone. ‘I'm calling Jenson back!”

Both men cock an eyebrow at me. Neither say anything and Neah just watches me.

“I know what you are probably thinking. I babi ished him, but you both knomas well as I do that he is> skilled irsthe art of war and he probably would have seen all this a mileaway. This is his area of expertise and we are lacking in it”

I had ultimate control, my pack trusted me, but we all had our strengths and we needed him

I look at Neah, “He won't come near you!” I was trying to be reassuring, but it came out as an order. She bobs her head at me. “Nyx said she will kill him if he tries anything.” Her answer is deadpan and both men cock their eyebrows at her

“Who the fuck is Nyx?" Eric demands.

“Nyx,” I mutter, “Is Neah’s Lycan.”

“No, Devon said it wasn’t possible.” He splutters

“Devon also spewed a lot of other shit. All the crap he said about Neah not remembering him, don't you see that it makes sense now. There was nothing.tor her to remember, he didn’texist!” Ishout at him. 2’ Whatever thing he had go ing?on with tbe guy, he needed to get. over it. Devon had screwed us arid that was the end of it.