5

“What?! Me?” I flinched to my feet without a second notice, my heart flipping scarily in its rib.

He wants me to be his Luna? No way, it must have been a misheard from my end. But he proved me wrong when his response came and it was an affirmative nod.

“That’s the deal. Sparing two lives doesn't come cheap so the price had to be heavy. Or do you have a problem with that?” He arched a pale brow and I swallowed hard, saying nothing.

Of all the things I expected, this kind of proposal wasn’t one of them. And now, all I could think about was how I didn’t deserve a position that powerful, even if I was trading my life for it.

I could feel the tension in the room, as I nervously fiddled with my dress, looking anywhere else but in his direction. I knew my whole life was in my hands, and whatever I chose now could either mess everything up or change things for the better. And yet, the moment I found my voice, I picked the one option that could ruin me— refusing the offer. As tempting as it was.

“I—I’m sorry but I don’t think I am the right person for this. What you’re offering is a position too high for me to claim without being its rightful owner.” My heart beating out of my chest, I blurted out. Only for my breath caught as the temperature suddenly felt too hot.

My head shot up before I even realized it, and I found him standing too closely before me, his sharp eyes inserted into my skull as though he was already thinking of digging my grave.

“Alethea Maddox,” He started, his jaw flexing as he uttered my name. “You don’t get to decide for me who’s worthy of being my Luna. I make my own decision. Now, leave.” He rasped, turning away from me and striding toward his seat, or so I thought. Instead, he halted at the table, snatched the document, and I gasped out loud.

Realization smacked me in the face like a brick and it was all it took for me to snap back into my senses. I was supposed to understand I had to do this. This kind of chance comes only once in a lifetime, and I am in no place to care if I was deserving of the offer or not.

Moreover, the guilt of not signing the contract and getting my sister killed when I could have gotten to save her would forever hunt me.

“No, Alpha. Please, don’t.” I darted towards the entryway, blocking his path and his glare was horrific. “I take back my words. I’ll sign the paper now, please.” I said and tried to act as pitiful as I could. Although I wasn’t entirely sure he was going to give me another chance.

To be honest with myself, there’s nothing more I could ask for other than the Luna position as it was exactly all I needed to exact my revenge. Thinking of Karl and my ex-friend together makes my skin crawl and by every means, I want to give them a taste of their own medicine.

“You just refused it and it couldn’t have been more crystal clear you’re truly not cut for this. So now, I think I'd rather get someone else too.” He clenched his fist beside him as he casually strode to me. “Someone who’s not a fucking coward and at the same time dumb.” He swore, not sparing me a backward glance before he pushed me out of the way and walked past.

I almost stumbled but spun around just in time to balance myself on my feet and also glare at his disappearing figure. My jaw locked, and I swear I could hear my own heartbeat. That’s how mad I was.

Agreed, there possibly could be no one as dumb as me in this whole planet but did he just call me a coward? I have been a weakling all my life and I was tired of the title following me around all my life. Now finally when I thought it could use some break, he’s spelling it out to me?

Understood, he was an Alpha but shouldn’t that make him any less of an asshole?

“If I’m a coward, what the hell does that make you? Acting all high and mighty when you’re the one who crawled in here hoping I’d do you a favour!” I screamed at him, my rage boiling over, even though I knew too well I shouldn’t. He was just one step away from disappearing for good. And just like that, his men might as well finish me off.

I sighed in definite fear, slumping to my knees with tears clouding my eyes. A lot was going through my head and running wasn’t a part of them. His men would come in anytime soon… I can’t escape it.

“You have no idea what you’re signing up for. As soon as you sign this, there’s no getting out of it.” I heard the rough voice say and snapped my head upright to see whom I believed was long gone standing at the doorway like he never left.

“You…” I blinked, stunned. “Even after what I said, you’re still letting me sign it?” I looked at the document in his hand with dismay. For a second, I couldn’t move.

I waited for his response, and a simple nod from him was all it took for me to rise to my feet. I stepped forward and took the document from him, offering a quick smile as I stepped back.

But he was looking at me strangely, like there was something else I didn’t know yet.

That look alone made my heart skip. I lowered my eyes and flipped the pages, suddenly needing to read through it faster.

The moment my eyes caught the contents, my shoulders dropped. I couldn’t stop my fingers from shaking, and before I knew it, the paper slipped from my hands and hit the floor.

Wait—what?

As if being a fake Luna wasn’t insane enough… Now I was supposed to carry his child and be his surrogate too?

I stared at the words, my brain refusing to believe what my eyes were seeing.