Not yours

Alessia

I stared at the paper in Dante’s outstretched hand. The word ‘contract’ echoed in my ears repeatedly, and my wolf, Salony was already snarling in the back of my mind.

“A mating contract?” I repeated, my voice mixed with sarcasm. “You’re giving me a contract on our wedding night?”

I must give him a point for this. I was prepared for the worst but it exceeded my expectation.

My sarcasm didn't touch him, not even a bit. He remained unfazed while nodding at my words. “It’s necessary to make things clear between us. I’m not interested in a traditional marriage and I assume you feel the same. We are caught in this situation because of our families. For us, it’s just a formality we can’t skip.”

Salony grunted. “No, for me, it’s more like a death sentence.”

I glanced down at the paper in my hands, my mind racing as I unfolded it. The document was neatly typed, the lines cold and precise, just like Dante. My gaze skimmed over the first few lines, and the meaning of the words began to sink in.

“This says… I must give you an heir within a year,” I paused, my voice betraying the shock I tried to conceal. The world seemed to spin around me, yet I remained calm. “And if I don’t, I have to leave?”

“Yes.” Dante confirmed. How ridiculous. “If you fail to fulfill your end of the contract, our marriage will be nullified, and you will leave this pack, leave like you never existed. But in return, I promise you and your family will be protected.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of those words settling on my chest. This wasn’t a marriage, or a young werewolf finding her fated mate; it was a cruel deal that forbade love or any affection to exist. So cold, so calculated—just like him.

“This little brat probably doesn't know that the Blair family will be doomed the moment this marriage or the mating thing ends.” Salony let out bitterly.

Indeed, she wasn’t wrong that my family would be doomed the moment I cut my ties with him but again, no one knew it better than him. He just didn’t care if my family vanished in thin air. Even if I pointed it out, he wouldn’t change his mind.

“An heir within a year. It’s possible, isn’t it?” I asked her mutely in my mind.

“Hell yeah, the average werewolf pregnancy lasts around 3 months.” Salony replied. “So, we are not backing down?”

“We simply can’t.” I whispered under my breath, steeling myself as I lifted my gaze to meet his icy blue eyes. “And what happens if I succeed? It’s not in the contract. What will happen then? If I give you an heir within a year?”

Dante’s brows arched slightly, as if he hadn’t expected me to ask that question. “It’s the other way around. The contract will be nullified. Our marriage will continue. You will remain here, as the Luna and the mother of my child. We will continue as… partners, nothing more.”

Partners. He had drawn the line. No love or commitment would be involved between us even if we have our own child. It was indeed hell. But what choice did I have? This was my only way to protect my family, my bloodline.

Biting my lower lip, I nodded slowly. “Fine,” I said, my voice calm despite the turmoil raging inside me. “I will sign it.”

His eyes flickered with something indistinct when I reached for a pen from the drawer.

“Here, right?” I asked after resting the contract on the table and pointing to the blank space on it.

He just nodded, his face held zero expression.

“Okay.” I could feel the weight of his gaze on me as I signed my name at the bottom of the contract, cursing my own fate with a single stroke of the pen.

After I was done and noticed his signature beside mine, I handed the contract back to him.

He said nothing, just folded the paper with that same detached calm and slipped it back into the drawer. “It’s settled then.” He finally voiced.

Settled. Indeed.

“Yeah settled, my foot.” Salony scoffed.

I smiled, more out of habit than anything else, as I stared into his unbothered eyes. Nothing else to say.

The instant he caught me smiling, he looked away almost too quickly as if he saw something irritable and it hurt his eyes. “You smile too often.” He cleared his throat as he started undoing the buttons on his sleeves, revealing the fine cords of muscle and veins along his forearms.

Because someone has to. I bit back the retort, but another slipped my tongue. “You frown too often.”

By then, his hand was working on unclasping his tie, but his movement stilled upon hearing my words.

“Atta girl, you got this.” Salony snickered. “Back to the form, are we?”

Of course. I wouldn't play a weak damsel with a jerk like him even though I was well aware that there was no point in poking at his icy barrier and even it could be fatal when I had just signed away my life to it. My reckless words might trigger him, pushing my life to newer threats.

But when something like a smirk formed across his lips, my thoughts lost its meaning. He wasn’t enraged, but amused when he looked in my way again, “Do I?”

Oh, you do. From the alter to here, all I saw was you frowning. I almost want to slap a smiley sticker on your stupid frown to lighten up my own mood. And honestly, if I had to spend my life with you, I might need a full-time supply of those stickers.

I internally rolled my eyes and kept all my banter to myself, instead just shrugged a shoulder. He engaged himself in getting rid of his tie and vest before he excused himself and stepped into the shower. I too needed a shower and change into something comfortable. Just as I thought of it, someone knocked on the door. Opening the door, I saw the driver with my luggage. Just in time.

“Thank you.” I said before closing the back.

Taking a comfy nightgown out of the luggage, I secured it beside the huge wardrobe. I would shuffle my clothes in it in the morning. For now, I was too tired and needed rest.

While he was still in the shower, I took the moment to scan the room. Every space of it exuded luxury: the plush carpets and curtains, ornate furniture, the grand couch, and the glitzy chandelier casting a soft glow over the king-sized canopy bed with silk sheets and elegant curtains.

The bathroom door swung open, and Dante stepped out. I turned to him. Holy shit. His hair was all messy and drenched, strands hanging over his forehead. He had slipped off the vest, and the black shirt that clung loosely to his frame made him look even more attractive and irresistible.

“Yeah, irresistible? Sure, he is, but disgusting? That too.” Salony grumbled, trying to shake off the enticement that almost blew my mind.

Fuck, what was I doing? It might be a bad dream. For fuck’s sake, I shouldn’t find him irresistible.

I internally shook my head and slapped myself too many times. “I will use the shower.” Without so much as waiting for his permission, I brushed past him and entered the bathroom, my heart racing, but my face giving nothing away.

The space inside was enormous, like everything else in this house—white marble floors, sleek glass shower doors, and a massive tub that looked more like a pool than something meant for bathing. I didn’t belong here, in this luxury, in this life.

A quick glance in the mirror reminded me that I didn’t have time to stand around gawking. The makeup on my face was already smudging. Stripping off the heavy layers of the wedding dress, I stepped into the shower pulling the sleek glass door open, letting the water run through my hair.

After dressing in the nightgown, I took a deep breath and stepped out of the bathroom. He was there, leaning against the wall by the window, his gaze fixed on the file he had on his hand.

He didn't bother to look up or to acknowledge me as I entered. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or frustrated about that. Well, I shouldn’t even care.

It was already insane that I found him attractive even after all the shit he had put me through. Maybe my brain was not functioning properly due to lack of sleep. I should really get some sleep.

Hold on… about sleeping! Where the hell do I sleep? Would we share the same bed? Or would he prefer us to sleep separately?

“Stop reading so many romance novels, dumbass. Of course, the same bed. He wants an heir, remember?” Salony snarked.

Yeah, that was obvious. But. Still.

I faked cough once to draw his attention and succeeded. “Where do I sleep?” I ended up asking him, almost not ready to hear the answer.

The cold water must have chilled his expression again. “Do you prefer the wardrobe?” Dante deadpanned. I shot him a blank stare that screamed: Seriously? He got the message and amended, “The bed, of course.”

So, we will share the bed. I felt a fire settling through my body but I managed to cool it down.

While I stayed silent, wrestling with my thoughts, he grabbed his laptop and settled on the couch, casually flipping it open as if we were not just stuck in the most twisted deal. He looked so calm, so relaxed like he hadn’t just upended my life with a few cold words, as if he hadn’t just offered me the most cruel contract a while ago. I might be an insignificant woman for him but whatever it was, how could he act like nothing happened and pretend to work?

I took a deep breath, badly wanting to smash his head against the wall. “And when do we start working on bringing the mentioned heir?” I asked without even thinking or blinking once.

Fuck, fuck fuck… why on earth did I even ask that?