7

Feyre got to the estate. The estate guards were on guards outside.

"Good evening" Feyre told one of them.

The guard peered at her wondering what a injured soaked girl was doing there at that time.

"yes, what is your purpose here?" he asked.

Feyre felt nervous a little.

"my name is Feyre Johnson, I have an appointment with Master Winchester"

The guard looked at her again. He was a bit suspicious.

"Come with me" he told Feyre. He led her to the main house.

The housekeeper, Tina, answered the door. She looked surprised to see Feyre standing there with the guard, soaked and disheveled.

"She said she has an appointment with the Master" the guard said.

"Whats your name?" Tina asked Feyre.

"Feyre Johnson" Feyre answered.

"Yes, the master told me about you, come in"

Feyre turned to the guard. "Thank you"

The guard nodded and left.

Tina handed Feyre a pair of clean slippers and gently placed a shawl around her shoulders.

“Master Winchester is in his room. He told me you would be coming. Please wait in the living room for a while,” she said kindly. “I'll make you some hot tea.”

Feyre was touched.

She rarely received kindness from strangers.

Tina's warmth immediately made her feel more comfortable.

Feyre looked around nervously at the beautiful decorations in the house.

She didn't even want to sit down.

She was afraid she would dirty the expensive looking chairs.

About three minutes later, Ryder came out of his room.

He hadn't kept her waiting long.

He was dressed casually and looked as though he had just taken a bath. His hair was still damp and slightly messy.

He looked about the same age as Grant, but he carried himself differently.

He looked more dignified like a gentleman.

And, in Feyre's opinion, much more handsome.

Feyre suddenly felt small.

She began to doubt herself.

Why would someone like him want her as his mate?

“Master Winchester,” she greeted softly.

Ryder looked at her soaked and miserable appearance and paused.

“What happened? Did you get into a fight or something? You look like a soaked pup.”

Feyre immediately realized that Ryder probably wasn't the gentleman she had imagined.

“Tina, take her to shower and get her some clean clothes.”

Ryder frowned as he looked her up and down.

“Anyone who sees her would think I picked up a stray pup.”

Although his words sounded harsh, he turned around and picked up some medicine.

He mixed it with water and handed it to Feyre.

Feyre was a little overwhelmed.

Kindness wasn't something she received often.

“Thank you.” she told him.

“Drink it. Take a bath. We'll talk afterward.”

Feyre nodded.

She drank the medicine in one gulp.

Ryder blinked.

He raised his hand as if he wanted to stop her, but it was already too late.

Wasn't the medicine bitter?

She had swallowed everything without even making a face.

This Feyre...

She was kind of interesting, he noted to himself as she walked out.

...

When Feyre came out of the bathroom, she was surprised to see clean, dry clothes waiting for her on the guest bed.

Tina knocked before coming inside.

“Miss, these are clothes that belong to Master Winchester's niece. She stayed here for a few days recently. They are clean. I hope you don't mind.”

Feyre quickly waved her hands.

“No, no, I don't mind. I just didn't want to get them dirty, besides won't she mind? And you can call me Feyre.”

“It's fine. She has plenty of clothes.”

Tina chuckled, placed the tea on the table, and left.

Feyre changed into the clothes and looked at herself in the mirror.

Her legs were long and pale, but the short gown exposed all the bruises and scars from the rogue attack and the bullying.

The sight was depressing.

After hesitating for a while, she dried her hair and walked out.

Ryder was still in the living room, he was talking to a guard.

Feyre stayed behind the wall.

She was too nervous to interrupt him.

Ryder noticed her.

He dismissed the guard and turned to look at her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Feyre nodded.

He picked up a paper on the small table.

“Shall we talk about the contract?”

Feyre nodded and stepped forward.

“Master Winchester, you can go over the terms.”

Ryder placed the agreement on the table.

“Become my mate. The relationship will last till my grandfather passes away and I take over as beta. There will be no physical obligation for you to sleep with me. Our relationship will remain private. You will play the role of my mate in public.

“you will be put on an allowance of three hundred thousand gold coins monthly. Once we separate, I'll give you a house in the pack or anywhere you chose.

Feyre stared at him in shock.

The offer was incredibly generous.

How had an opportunity like this simply fallen into her lap?

A mate in name only.

A very huge monthly allowance.

And a house after the relationship ended.

“Master Winchester, I don't want to deceive you. My wolf is very small and I can't do anything worthwhile in my wolf form.”

“I know. I don't care about that. Anything else?”

“What about studying at the Werewolf Imperial Academy? I would like to further my education there when I graduate from the training center”

Feyre carefully brought it up.

She had to admit that the deal was tempting.

But building a future for herself mattered more.

Money could run out.

Knowledge and skills were what would keep her standing after everything was over.

Ryder studied her carefully.

When he first explained the offer, Feyre hadn't looked particularly excited.

But the moment she mentioned the Imperial Academy, her eyes lit up.

“I can sponsor your studies at the Imperial Academy, but I need to be honest with you.”

He paused.

“The reason I need this relationship is to give my grandfather peace of mind. He wants me to get a mate soon but that is not my wish, I don't have the time for any of that. I want someone who can placate him without expecting anything from me”

Feyre understood.

That was why he wanted someone like her.

An orphan with no powerful background.

Marrying someone from another powerful family would make a future separation complicated.

This wasn't about love.

It was simply an obligation.

Feyre couldn't help thinking that someone like her was probably the safest choice.

She had no powerful family.

No complicated family ties.

No political connections.

No one who could interfere when the contract ended.

From Ryder's point of view, the terms he was offering were already more than generous.

He probably wasn't worried about her causing trouble later.

“The reason I chose you was because I saw how you handled Grant at the party that day. You were patient and attentive. You are exactly the kind of person my grandfather would like.”

Ryder paused.

“And you've turned me down several times. That tells me you're not greedy.”

He spread his hands slightly.

“But if you want to study at the Imperial Academy, you'll have to wait until after my grandfather passes away. After we separate, you can go.”

Feyre's expression fell.

Next year was the best time for her to apply to the Imperial Academy.

If she missed this opportunity, everything could change over the next three to five years.

She didn't want to lose this chance.

“I'm sorry, Master Winchester.”

Her voice was soft.

The title of Ryder's mate and a huge monthly allowance couldn't compare to her desire to build something for herself.

“You don't have to decide right away,” Ryder said.

“Apart from studying at the Imperial Academy during our relationship, every other term is negotiable. My personal servant will contact you again in a week.”

It was clear that Ryder was satisfied with Feyre.

That was why he was giving her another chance.

Feyre remained silent.

She had already made her decision. She couldn't leave one cage and get into another cage. She needed to further her education.

“Well... I'm sorry to trouble you, Master Winchester. I'll head out now. Thank you for the medicine and the clothes.”

She glanced down at herself.

“You...”

Ryder's gaze dropped to her legs.

His expression changed when he saw the bruises and purple marks covering them.

“I was in a rogue attack,” Feyre quickly explained. “It's just a few bumps and bruises.”

Ryder didn't ask any more questions.

“It's late. It's not safe for you to go out like this. I'll have a servant take you back with a horse.”

Feyre wanted to refuse.

But Ryder had already made the call, so she didn't argue.

...

Outside Feyre's apartment, Grant stopped.

He looked at the moon, it was late.

Grant rubbed his temples.

He realized that he might have gone too far today. Maybe he should have come out sooner.

He decided to go get her some apples from the tree outside his estate.

While he was plucking the fruits, he noticed two black horses stopped in front of the estate gates.

A servant came down from one and helped Feyre down from the other horse.

Grant noticed the servant was wearing the uniform of the Winchester estate.

Feyre politely bowed to the driver before limping toward the gates.

Grant's expression immediately darkened.

Where had she been this late? And why was a Winchester servant dropping her off.