Five

Cameron’s POV

This charade had been exactly what I'd expected. A near failure.

I'd sat through three she-wolves reciting rehearsed answers about duty, honor, and their commitment to pack alliances. Coached gestures and practiced smiles. Fake, all of it.

Until Lisa walked in.

Catherine had told me she worked as her personal shopper and knew her family well. Not sure why Catherine flagged this particular person to me, but the final decision had still been mine.

My twin, Nadia, glanced up from where she was standing by the window. She had insisted on being present for the interviews, claiming she wanted to meet the woman who'd be standing in for my mate, Evangeline. I'd agreed only because arguing with Nadia when she was determined was pointless.

I was tired, irritated, and ready to make a decision so I could go back and deal with actual problems. The rogue attacks were escalating. My cousin was getting bolder in his challenge for leadership. And then there was my mate, Evangeline.

I pushed that thought away when Lisa walked in.

She was simpler dressed than the rest. Beautiful. Fresh-faced, maybe little makeup. Her file said she had just turned 20 last month. Beta blood. Light auburn hair pulled back in a bun. Hazel eyes. She was wearing a green dress that looked understated. She was nervous but trying to hide it.

When I asked why she'd volunteered, I expected another variation of what the other girls had said.

But her honesty and bluntness sent something sharp through my thoughts. She was only interested in the money.

Nadia had been surprised, even saying it through the mind link. My beta, Franklin's mouth twitched. 

Lisa didn't apologize or backtrack. And then the flicker of interest grew. Honesty was rare and I liked that.

Nadia immediately knew I was going to choose her.

/She's barely the most qualified one of all of them. I think you should choose Brianna Castellan. She would sit well as the temporary queen./

I wondered why my sister couldn't see past this delusion. 

/Brianna would expect something out of this arrangement. Political leverage or connection to my pack. She would see opportunity, not an end date./

/And Lisa doesn't?/ Nadia asked, letting out a snort.

/She volunteered because she's desperate,/ I said. /I can work with that. At least she wouldn't fall apart when I'm cold to her. The others would either cry or scheme. She'll just handle it./

Nadia crossed her arms. 

/Why do I have a feeling Evangeline is not going to like this?/

I looked away. /She doesn't have a say in this decision./

“She's your mate, Cameron," Nadia said when we were finally alone.” Of course she has a say. How do you expect her to react when everyone she trusts is doing this behind her back? Her mother, Luna Catherine, already agreed to the idea in principle. And then there's you, her mate, and me, her best friend.”

“I'm doing this to buy her time to heal without the elders forcing my hand, " I said.” It's better this way. And I know she's your best friend, but this is a practical decision. Not one born out of desire to have sex with another woman.” 

“I know, but you need to tell her about the arrangement,” Nadia said.

“I can't. Not yet. Her parents believe this is the best path forward.”

The truth was I was dreading that conversation. 

Evangeline's wolf had been getting worse, draining her physical strength by the day. I had tried healers of all kinds, but there were barely answers. Everyone danced around the same truth. Binding her to pregnancy would break what little stability she had left.

“What if Evangeline heals sooner than expected?” Nadia asked.

I shrugged. “Then the contract ends and Lisa goes home.”

She paused. “And if Evangeline doesn't heal at all?”

I didn't answer because that was the question that kept me up at night.

“Inform Luna Catherine that I've chosen Lisa.”

---

That night, Kade, who was my mate’s younger brother, wanted to speak with me. He seemed agitated as I watched from upstairs, and I gestured for my beta to let him up. 

Then I realized as he was coming up that I had underestimated saying he was agitated. The future Alpha of Crescent Falls looked furious. We'd known each other for years, since Evangeline and Nadia became friends as children. I'd never particularly liked him. Too arrogant and careless with the people around him.

"Alpha Cameron," he said tightly. "Thank you for seeing me. I'll be direct."

I didn't respond. I turned around and lit a cigar.

"I'm asking you to reconsider your choice."

"Excuse me?" I said with the cigar in my mouth.

"The girl you picked, Lisa. She's not suited for this. She's going to be out of her depth in your world and—"

"And you care because?"

He murmured under his breath, looking like he was about to punch my face but couldn't dare to.

I leaned back in my chair. There was something underneath. Something I could already tell.

"Is she your fuck buddy?"

He looked at me like I had said something sacrilegious, but everybody knew Kade's reputation.

"No. Not really." Then he paused. "We had something. I screwed it up. But that doesn't mean I want to see her thrown into something she can't handle."

"She volunteered."

"Because she's desperate and I don't know why. But I know her. She's not built for Lycan politics. Not built for someone like you."

I let out a puff of the cigar.

"I don't need your permission to choose who I want. I don't care about your history with Lisa or your concerns about her well-being. She signed up for this. She understood the terms and she's bound to my pack for the next year."

"You don't get it," Kade snapped. "She's not property. I really like this girl."

"If you cared so much about her well-being, maybe you should have thought about that before you screwed up."

His hands clenched into fists. For a moment I thought he might actually swing.

"I'm asking you to pick someone else."

"I don't care what you're asking. This conversation is over." I turned away, dismissing him. "Lisa leaves with me tomorrow. If you want to say goodbye to her, I suggest you do it tonight."

He stood there for another long moment before leaving without another word.

My beta, Franklin, let out a low whistle. "That was cold."

"But he's not wrong though. She's going to struggle."

"Then she'll figure it out or she won't." I walked away. It was not my problem.

---

Later that night, Evangeline called from the hospital. I didn't even know how to begin breaking this to her. After some encouragement from Nadia, I swiped the phone on.

Her voice came through weak and tired.

"Cameron, what's going on? I hear you visited my father's pack."

There was a brief silence before I said, "I did."

Then there was rustling in the background.

"Don't tell me you went ahead and gave in to your people who want an heir. You're really binding yourself to someone else."

"Eve, my love—"

"I can't believe this," she said, her voice trembling. I shut my eyes.

"Look, Eve, it's just temporary. I wouldn't ask you to go through pregnancy considering your condition. I will always be there for you."

"You can't promise that," she snapped. "Who did you choose?"

"Her name is Lisa. Beta father and Omega mother. Your mother knows her."

Another long silence.

"Who made the final decision?"

That question caught me off guard. "I did."

"Why did you?" she asked. "What was special about her that wasn't in the others?"

"Eve, stop this," I said softly. "I don't have feelings for her. This is a contract. You and I share a bond that illness and pack pressure can't erase."

She went quiet, then asked when I was coming back.

"Tomorrow.

"I want to meet her."

I shut my eyes.

"Please, Cameron. I need to see who you are binding yourself to."

"Fine. Tomorrow."

We said goodbye. I ended the call and sat there in the dark, exhaustion settling into my bones.

This was necessary. Temporary. A solution to multiple problems.

I needed to remember that Lisa was a means to an end, nothing more.