Five

The Alpha house felt like I was entering it for the first time. Maids walked past me. Guards were posted at every corner, their eyes scanning the corridors. One thing was clear. Alpha Cameron was in the building.

The four of us were in the main corridor like a line of silent competitors. Brianna had chosen a designer dress. The fabric, a deep creamy white, gave her skin a porcelain sheen. Melissa stood by the railing, dressed in navy blue velvet, her hair pinned up it seemed her neck was in pain. Natasha wore a short black dress and heels that clicked on the floor with each step. I smoothed the green fabric over my hips and kept my hands at my sides. There was no point in comparing. This wasn't a contest.

Brianna turned Melissa, her voice a high-pitched whisper. "Nervous?"

Melissa offered a tight smile. "You should be."

Natasha crossed her arms. "I just want this to be over."

The silence fell again, even heavier.

Luna Catherine approached us, her gaze taking in every detail. She reached out and tugged Melissa's sleeve down, then smoothed a stray strand of hair over Natasha's shoulder. When she reached me, she raised her hand and adjusted the crease in my collar. She stood near me, lowering her voice so that I was the only one who could hear her.

"Remember the exercises," she said. "Don't ramble. If you show them you’re scared, they’ll think you’re too weak for a pregnancy.”

I nodded.

“Lisa,” she added, her fingers lingering on my shoulder. “The others are living in a fairy tale. They think an Alpha will fall for them because they’re pretty. You’re the only one who understands the true nature of the contract. Use that.”

The heavy double doors at the end of the corridor opened. A Lycan guard stepped out. Larger than the warriors in our pack, his chest filled out his dark suit. He held a piece of paper in his gloved hand.

“Alpha Cameron is ready,” he announced. “Brianna Castillian, over.”

Brianna straightened her shoulders, and headed toward the room. We all waited. I watched the second hand of the wall clock tick slowly. The minutes felt like hours. My pulse pounded. When the door finally opened, Brianna stepped out. Her face was composed, but her fingers trembled as she clutched her purse.

"Melissa."

Melissa disappeared inside. She stayed there even longer. When she returned, she looked down, her lips moving as if she were rehearsing each word she had spoken.

"Natasha."

Natasha's interview was the shortest. She walked past us and headed straight for the exit without stopping to say goodbye.

The guard looked at me. "Lisa."

I stood up. My knees felt like they were going to buckle, but I forced myself to move forward. I passed Luna Catherine, who gave me an encouraging nod.

 "Breathe," she whispered.

I opened the heavy door. The room was cold. The walls were paneled in dark oak, and tall windows let in the pale morning light. The air was thick with the scent of expensive tobacco.

Three people surrounded a massive desk. Alpha Cameron sat in the center. He wasn't the man I'd imagined. I'd expected someone older, perhaps with graying hair and a paunch. Instead, he looked young and hard. He was tall, probably six foot four, with shoulders that stretched his dark coat. His hair was black, and his eyes were a piercing gray, marked by fatigue. He looked like a man who had forgotten how to sleep.

To his right stood a giant—his Beta. To his left was a beautiful woman with the same sharp eyes as Alpha Cameron's.

 “Have a seat,” the woman said.

I stepped across the rug and sat down in the leather armchair. It creaked under my weight. All three of them looked at me in silence. Cameron looked at me like a carpenter examining a piece of wood, searching for the slightest crack or imperfection.

“Your medical results are perfect,” the woman said, opening my file. “Why are you here, Lisa? Why did you volunteer?”

I had spent the morning rehearsing a speech about loyalty to the pack. But seeing the coldness in Cameron’s eyes, the lie stuck in my throat.

“My family needs money,” I said. “My father left us penniless. This contract offers a sum that secures my mother’s future. In exchange, I give you a year of my life and a child. It’s a fair deal.”

The Beta glanced at the woman.  

"Is that your only reason?" she asked. "Just for the money?"

"Yes."

"The other girls were talking about duty," the woman said. "They were talking about the honor of serving an Alpha. Doesn't honor matter to you?"

"I want my mother to have a roof over her head. I want my brother to continue his education. Honor doesn't pay the rent."

The Beta lowered his eyes, his mouth tight as if he were holding back a laugh. Cameron didn't speak.

"You understand the conditions," the woman continued. "One year in Silver Creek. You will live in the Alpha's house, under constant supervision. Conception will occur naturally. Once born, the child will remain with Alpha Cameron. You will relinquish all your rights." "You'll come back here and you'll never see the child again. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"There will be no romance," she said sharply. "No dates. No flowers. You're here on a mission. Can you accept that?"

"Yes."

She turned a page from the file. "You're twenty years old. You've never been pregnant."

"That's right."

"This process will change you," she said. "It will be painful, and you'll feel alone. Are you ready to face the isolation?"

I nodded.

She closed the file and looked at Cameron. He spoke for the first time. His voice, deep and raspy, seemed to vibrate in the room.

"The others have better families. They are more educated. They know how to speak to my people. What makes you the right choice?”

I remembered Luna’s words. I gazed into his gray eyes.

“Because I won’t fall in love with you,” I said. “The others want a husband. I just want the contract. I’ll do exactly as I’m told, and when the year is over, I’ll leave without a fuss.”

He stood and walked to the window, his back to me. He gazed at the trees for a long time.

“If he chooses you, you’ll leave tomorrow morning,” the woman said. “There won’t be time for long goodbyes.”

“I’ll be ready,” I replied.

The Beta stepped to the door and opened it. “Thank you for your time. We’ll convey the decision to Luna Catherine this evening.” 

I got up and left. The air in the hallway felt warm, unlike the air in the office. I walked past the other girls without looking at them and went straight to my car. I got behind the wheel and finally exhaled. My ribs ached. I started the engine and drove home, waiting for a phone call that would either save my family or leave us destitute.