BRAYDEN
“Come on, son. It is time.” My father barges into my room with his head held high. However, my stomach sinks at his words while dread washes over me.
I can’t do this.
I look up from my phone and shake my head. “I don’t want to.”
His calm expression instantly disappears as he grinds his teeth and glares at me. “Son, we have talked about this. You are going to sign the alliance agreement today and the three of you have all agreed to the terms of it.”
I shake my head and tuck my phone back into my pocket. “No, dad. You didn’t even ask me. You went ahead and decided for me. I have never agreed to anything.”
When I was younger, I always did what my father wanted. However, now that I’m about to turn 18, I know better. I’ve seen what he really wants.
A low growl fills my room as he marches towards me. His feet pounds against the floor and echo against the walls, almost as loud as my pounding heart.
I’m not afraid anymore. But I still find myself sliding backwards on my bed against the headboard while my heart races.
Through gritted teeth, he growls, “You WILL COME to the meeting, and you WILL AGREE to the terms of the alliance contract. I will not have you disobey me. Not now. Not ever.”
Disobey. This isn’t disobeying. This is sticking up for what’s best for me, which is something he isn’t doing as my father and the alpha of the Moon Earth pack.
Before I can throw back a rebuttal, he lunges at me and grabs my arm. Pain shoots through me as his jagged fingernails dig into my soft skin, but I don’t say a word as he yanks me off the bed and out of my room.
My eyes sting as I fight back the tears. I’m not going to let him see me as someone weak. I must always look and appear like an alpha, and alphas don’t cry.
I repeatedly try to rip my arm from his grasp, but he only clamps his hand tighter around me as additional waves of pain shoot through me.
He finally loosens his grasp a little when his office comes into view. Unfortunately, it is already too late. I’ve lost.
My heart twists as the alliance agreement swirls around in my mind. Did the other two really agree to these crazy terms? Granted, we have been friends since we were young, but this goes so far beyond our friendship. If they go through with this, we will cross a line which we can never come back from. Do they really want that?
As we get closer to his office and the meeting room, right next door, my father hisses, “You WILL go through with this agreement. There is NO choice. This will not only secure your safety, but it will allow the pack to grow and prosper.”
His two favorite words. Grow and prosper.
When I don’t respond, he tightens his grasp around my arm again and growls, “You WILL do this. There is NO other way to keep your secret.”
I instantly tense.
I can’t have anyone finding out my secret. It will put not only myself at risk, but the pack too.
Reluctantly, I stop fighting and let him guide me to the meeting room. He pauses briefly outside the room and quickly runs his hand through his short black hair with specks of gray, trying to comb his hair back into place.
I, on the other hand, stand there and stare at the door.
Everything will change after the document is signed. My life will never be able to go back to what it was, nor will my friendship with my two friends.
My heart aches while my stomach sinks like a lead balloon. A cold sweat breaks out across my back, as I wish there is another way.
My father plasters on a smile and opens the door. As he pulls me inside, the others turn towards me while my father chimes, “Welcome, everyone. I hope everyone has read the contract.”
I try to hold my head high and proudly walk beside him. However, pride isn’t what I’m feeling right now.
I glance at my friends, almost begging them to refuse to go along with this. But they don’t pay attention to me or my pleas. Unfortunately, I’m not able to tell whether it is because they want this agreement or their fathers won’t let them refuse, just like mine.
I politely nod to the two older men as I’m pulled down to the chair beside my father. The conversation turns into incoherent mumbles as I sink deeper within myself. After some time, my mind finally clicks and starts working again when my father asks, “Does anyone have additional clauses they would like to be added to the document? We can handwrite them at the bottom.”
Heck, yes. I do.
I bolt up out of my chair and look at my friends. With a conviction I didn’t have earlier, I confidently reply, “We can’t mark each other until we are 30 and haven’t found our true mates. If we find our mates, this contract relationship is void and ends immediately.”
A wave of heat flows off my father as his fingers tighten around his pen.
I quickly look at my friends and, with my eyes, beg them to agree.
Luckily, the other alphas nod and in unison say, “I agree.”
I rejoice is my only victory for today. The low growl rolling out of my father says he isn’t happy, but I have a feeling everyone will thank me for this later.
Even though there is no chance for me to ever find my mate, I can’t live with myself if I know I’ve blocked my friends from finding and claiming their mates.
Reluctantly, my father adds the clause to the multiple identical contracts and grunts, “Is there anything else we need to add?”
The corners of my mouth curl slightly upwards, but I quickly stop myself from actually smiling. It will only enrage my father more if he sees it.
I slowly sit back down in my chair. Within minutes, I’m signing my life away. My heart aches, but if this is the only way to keep my secret and to protect my pack, I will learn to live with it.
I breathe a sigh of relief when my father puts his pen down on the table and announces, “The alliance agreement is finalized.” He looks at the other two alphas and adds, “Why don’t we leave our kids to talk out some of the finer details while we go discuss some pack business?”
The three older men get up and leave the room. As soon as the door shuts behind them, I push myself away from the table and stand up. I have nothing to say to them right now. I still can’t believe they didn’t try to stop this.
As I turn to march out of the room, my feet stop and my breath hitches.
“Bryanna. Why…”
I whip back around and glare at them. “You aren’t to use that name in public. Only when we are in private and alone.”
Jacob flashes me a crooked smile. His eyes sparkle as he waves his finger around in the air. “We are alone. It is only us three in here.”
He rests his arm on the table and gives me a cheesy grin, almost daring me to slap it off him. His t-shirt stretches tight against his broad chest and accents his well-defined muscles. He has a true alpha body.
The sparkle in his light brown eyes shimmers as he leans forward. In a deep, husky voice, he adds, “We know all your secrets. Plus, we can see your true self. The one nobody else can see because of the magic spell. Should I go on?”
My heartbeat echoes in my ears as I stumble forward. How could he act like this?
Hunter slides next to Jacob and rests his arm on Jacob’s shoulder. His t-shirt also stretches tight and clings to every muscle. Just like Jacob, he gives me a cheesy grin while something mischievous swirls in his dark brown eyes.
He points to a copy of the alliance agreement on the table and, in an almost seductive voice, he adds, “We were the ones who suggested to add the contract relationship to the alliance agreement. It wasn’t our fathers.”
I stumble forward again and fall back in my chair.
What? How could they do this without asking me first?
Brayden ** Seven years later ** “Bry, baby, we have a situation to attend to.” I look up from the computer monitor as Jacob struts into my office with a folder in his hand. His devilish grin is the first thing to greet me, but the sparkle in his light brown eyes warns me it isn’t all business that he is after. I raise an eyebrow. “Why do you always start a sentence with Bry, baby, when you want me to do something for you?” I motion my hand for him to continue. “Tell me what you want me to do.” My eyebrow raises even higher at the mischievous look in his eyes as he sits down in front of my desk. “I got a phone call from a pack way out along the edge of the werewolf territories. They need our help.” Ah. There it is. I sigh. “So, you want me to go out to the territory for you, since you can’t go. Why can’t you go?” He slides to the edge of his chair. His eyes shimmer even brighter as he replies in a deep and sexy voice. “Baby, you know I have the outing with my fathe
Brayden I sigh and grumble under my breath as I fight to keep my eyes open. How could those two idiots not let me sleep? Well, we got a few hours this morning, but clearly it wasn’t enough. I can’t argue too much though. I was screaming for more last night, which they did as I requested. However, the next time I talk to them, I’m going to give them an earful. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time this morning. But when I finally corner them, they will wish they didn’t pull a stunt like that. I ease up to the front of Yellow Moon’s pack house, which is about average for its size. However, the white paint is chipping, and the flower beds need to be weeded. I can’t tell what flowers are even in there with all the weeds hiding them. If this is any sign of how they run everything else, I’ve got my hands full. As I step out of the vehicle, a tall, dark-haired man walks out of the building and calls out, “Alpha Brayden. I’m so glad you could come on such short notice. I
Brayden Jacob’s deep voice spills from my phone and sends a warm shiver through my body. “Baby, I miss you and Hunter. I wish you two were here with me.” Ah, an image of him with his plump pouty lips and his puppy dog eyes pops into my mind. I shake my head and stare out the window at the dark night sky. The clouds were building earlier, and storms will rumble through here in the night. However, right now, it is silent, but you can’t see anything except a pitch-black night sky. I shake my head. “You were the one who sent me here. Now live with it. Plus, you had really wanted to go on this trip with your parents.” That annoying feeling returns. There is something more to this trip than what he is telling me, but I’m not in the mood to fight and push it away. Hunter quickly chimes, “Yeah, Jake. You were the one to send our gorgeous mate away. Now you have to suffer.” My eye twitches at the word mate. I’m not their destined mate, but only a contract one. When they fi
ZACKWith a scowl on my face and my foot tapping on the hard tile floor, I glance at my watch and sigh. Where is he? I told him to be here at 8am sharp and it is now 8:30.He is nowhere to be found. Don’t tell me he is stilling sleeping like a baby up in his room.Ugh… I hate working with irresponsible people.The echo of footsteps stumbling down the stairs bounces around the lobby area.Yes. It is about time.I whip my head up and glare up the stairs.I take a deep breath and get ready to blast Brayden with my anger. How could he be this irresponsible? He is the alpha of his pack. People rely on him to do a lot for the pack. However, as soon as my eyes land on him, all the harsh words running through my head along my anger instantly disappears.His perfectly combed blonde hair from yesterday is gone.
ZACKI shake my head.Something I’ve been doing a lot of today, as I look across the table at Brayden. I didn’t think it would be safe for him to eat supper with everyone since he can barely keep his eyes open today.His eyelids slowly slide down as his long eyelashes flutter slightly before his eyes finally close. His head bobs slightly and his blonde bangs fall down over his forehead.Before his head can fall forward and into the last few bites of his food on his plate, I quickly reach across the table and gently grab his cute face. My heart skips a beat as I get up and, while still holding Brayden’s gorgeous face, I carefully walk around the table.He had been hesitant to finish our conversation over a meal in his room, but I figured this would happen. It is better for him to be here than in the dining hall. At least he ate most of his food before he fell asleep.I sc
BRAYDEN Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. No. Not yet. I groan as I roll over and turn off my phone’s alarm on the nightstand. However, my hand stops in midair right afterwards and my eyes pop wide open. I slowly scan my outstretched arm. What happened last night? How did I get into bed? Wasn’t I sitting and eating a meal? I quickly rake through my memories, but nothing comes to mind. Towards the end of the meal, everything goes blank. Wait. Did I fall asleep while eating? No. This can’t be happening to me. I throw myself backwards onto the bed and kick my feet. Again, I halt everything in mid-kick. Please tell me I’m wrong. This can’t be happening. As I whisper a silent prayer to myself, I slowly lift up the sheets. Shit. I’m not wrong. I’m only in my boxers. I brea
ZACKI look up from my tablet and glance across the table at Brayden, who has his eyes locked on the various documents and the files on his laptop, completely ignoring me. My focus instantly goes to his luscious lips and the burning question which I still don’t have an answer to. Do his lips taste good?No. I have to stop thinking about it.I press my lips together and shake my head before I turn my focus back to my tablet.This is crazy.Suddenly, my dream from last night pops into my head as my throat suddenly goes dry.Heat rushes through me as the image of his soft plump lips pressing against mine has my body coming alive.Gulp.My pants tighten as my manhood springs to life.Shit. I can’t be sitting across from him and thinking about that.I move around on the chair, trying to find a comfortable spot while I discreetly pull my
BRAYDEN I stare at Zack’s back as he storms out of the conference room. What in the heck has got him all worked up? However, his subtle jab with his words earlier still irritates me. My eye twitches as I turn my attention back towards Blake. “I was going to say he has been very professional and helpful, but after seeing his little tantrum, I may change my mind.” Blake glances over his shoulder at the empty doorway and sighs. “He has his moments. I’m hoping he can find his omega soon. He needs to get in his alpha position before his frustrations and waiting eat him alive.” My heart twists while I fight to keep a blank face. However, I quickly push this strange feeling out of my mind. “Well, he is old enough. I have to admit that I’m surprised he hasn’t found his mate yet. Maybe his mate is a lot younger than him, which is why he hasn’t found her. I’m sure it will only be a matter o