Sealed and signed

Chapter 0004: SEALED AND SIGNED

AMARA

I should have felt victorious. After all, I had just forced Xander Sinclair—one of the most ruthless Alphas of our generation—into an agreement that played right into my hands. I had seized control, flipped the power dynamic, and ensured my revenge was set in motion. But as I walked home from the underground fight, my knuckles raw, my ribs aching with every breath, and my mind still spinning from what I had just done, a quiet dread settled in my chest.

Xander Sinclair never made deals without expecting something in return. And whatever he wanted from me, I knew it wouldn’t come without consequences.

But I didn’t care.

Revenge was all that mattered now. My mother’s health, too.

I pushed open the door to my tiny apartment, kicking it shut behind me. It was a far cry from the warrior quarters I once held in my pack. The cracked walls, the persistent chill in the air, the faint scent of damp wood—this was my reality now. A stark contrast to the luxury I had once known, to the power and respect I had lost.

It was suffocating. But it was mine. For now.

The only light came from the streetlamp outside my window, casting long shadows along the worn-out furniture. I didn’t bother turning on the overhead light. Instead, I let my bag drop to the floor and made my way to the bathroom, gripping the sink as I caught my reflection in the cracked mirror.

A fresh bruise marred my cheekbone, dark and angry. My lip was split, swollen at the edges. Blood crusted along my knuckles, and as the adrenaline wore off, the pain set in—a deep, pulsing ache.

This was the price of survival.

I turned the faucet, the pipes groaning in protest before a weak stream of water trickled down. Cupping the cold liquid in my palms, I splashed it over my face, wincing as it stung the open cuts. I reached for a rag, but before I could begin cleaning my wounds, a sharp knock echoed through my apartment.

I froze.

My wolf stirred, a low growl vibrating in my chest.

No one ever came here.

A second knock, harder this time. And then I caught the scent.

I already knew who it was.

Xander.

Steeling myself, I yanked the door open. And there he stood, leaning against the frame with infuriating ease, as if he had all the time in the world.

Gone was the crisp suit he had worn at the underground fight. Now, he was dressed in dark jeans and a fitted black shirt, the fabric stretching over his muscular frame. His dark hair was tousled, as though he had run his fingers through it one too many times. The dim glow from the hallway cast shadows over his sharp features, making him look even more dangerous.

My stomach clenched. Not from fear. From something far worse.

“Are you stalking me now?” I asked, crossing my arms despite the sharp sting in my ribs.

His lips curled into a smirk. “If I were stalking you, you wouldn’t know.”

I scowled. “What do you want, Xander?”

His expression darkened, all traces of amusement vanishing. “You said you had conditions.”

I hesitated. I wasn’t expecting him to follow up so soon. I needed time—to think, to strategize. But Xander wasn’t a man who waited.

“I’m planning a mating ceremony in a few days,” he said. “I need to know them.”

I lifted my chin, hesitated, and then spoke. “First, I want full control over my life. If we do this, I’m not some submissive mate at your beck and call.”

His jaw tightened slightly. “You’ll have your freedom—within reason.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Define ‘within reason.’”

“You won’t undermine me in public,” he said smoothly. “And you will accept the bond in front of the pack.”

I clenched my fists. Of course. He needed me for his power play. A disgraced rogue she-wolf, now claimed by the most dominant Alpha in the region—it sent a message. That he controlled his enemies. That I was no longer a threat but his possession.

I bit back my fury. I couldn’t afford pride right now.

“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Second condition—I want my mother’s medical expenses covered. No limits.”

Xander’s gaze didn’t waver. “Done.”

That was too easy. My stomach twisted with unease.

“Third—” I started but hesitated.

Telling him the real reason I agreed was a bad idea.

Xander’s eyes gleamed with something unreadable. “What do you want, Amara?”

I exhaled sharply, my heartbeat drumming in my ears. The words tumbled out before I could stop them.

“Derek,” I said, my voice cold. “Your brother. And everyone who ruined my life.”

Xander didn’t blink. He studied me for a long moment, as if measuring my resolve. Then, slowly, he smirked.

“Interesting,” he murmured.

I frowned. “What?”

He tilted his head, his gaze burning into mine. “I knew you wanted to survive, Amara. I didn’t know you wanted war.”

A shiver ran down my spine. But I didn’t back down.

“You’re the one who made the deal,” I reminded him. “Are you in or not?”

Xander took a deliberate step forward, closing the distance between us. His scent—cedar, spice, and something darkly intoxicating—wrapped around me, making it harder to breathe.

“I’ll give you your revenge,” he murmured, his voice like silk laced with steel. “I hate him as much as you do.”

His fingers brushed along my jaw, tilting my chin up. My breath hitched.

I should have stepped back. I should have pushed him away.

Instead, I stood there, trapped in the pull of something electric and dangerous.

His touch was featherlight, yet it burned. His gaze flickered to my lips, and for one agonizing second, I thought he might close the distance completely.

“Careful, Amara,” he murmured, his breath warm against my skin. “You might start to enjoy being mine.”

I swallowed hard, refusing to let him see how much his presence affected me.

“I belong to no one,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

Xander’s smirk deepened, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he stepped back, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Pack your things,” he said. “You’re coming with me.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You didn’t think I’d let my future mate rot in a place like this, did you?” His gaze swept over the apartment, unimpressed. “I’ll have my men move your things tomorrow.”

I bristled. “I never agreed to live with you.”

“You agreed to the deal,” he countered. “And as of now, that means you belong under my protection.”

My wolf stirred, torn between defiance and reluctant acceptance. He wasn’t wrong. The moment I agreed to this arrangement, my life was no longer just mine.

But that didn’t mean I had to like it.

I met his gaze, my fists clenching at my sides.

“I’ll come with you,” I said. “But don’t mistake this for surrender, Xander.”

His grin was sharp, all teeth.

“Oh, Amara,” he murmured, his voice dripping with amusement. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

And then—

A sharp ring echoed through the silence. Xander pulled out his phone, glanced at the screen, and his smirk vanished.

For the first time since I met him, something flickered in his expression. Something close to—fear.

I frowned. “What is it?”

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he turned the screen toward me.

A message. A single line.

"You took what belongs to me. Now, I’m coming for her."

The sender?

Derek Sinclair.