Four

LISA POV

The digital numbers on my alarm clock glowed a steady red. I watched them tick by from 5:59 to 6:00. My skin felt cold, and a dull ache rested at the back of my eyes after spending the night awake. I could hear the muffled sound of the television.

I headed for the door. The living room was bathed in the blue light of the TV. My mother sat in her armchair, huddled under a thick wool blanket. She stared at the screen, even though I knew the images were probably just colored blobs to her. It was an old sitcom we used to watch on Sunday nights, when the house felt so solid.

Now she sat there in the dark, before the sun had even risen. She didn't turn her head as I walked by. She simply pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

I went into the bathroom and turned the shower on to the hottest setting. I stood under the spray until my skin flushed pink. I dressed in dark jeans and a gray sweater.

The drive to the pack's house was punctuated by the sound of the wind hitting the windshield. I gripped the steering wheel so tightly my palms went numb. When I stepped through the front doors of the lobby, the atmosphere was different. The energy of the women from the previous night was gone.

There were only four of us left in the main hall.

Brianna was there, looking like she'd stepped out of a magazine. She was wearing a cream pantsuit that suited her perfectly. Her red lipstick was flawless, and her blonde hair was pulled back into a bun. Melissa and Natasha stood nearby, talking in hushed tones. Brianna's gaze lingered on me before she looked away. She didn't nod. To her, I was just background noise.

Luna Catherine appeared in the side corridor. She held a notepad and pen. She looked at us one by one, her gaze lingering on my tired face before she checked a box on her sheet.

"Medical exam first," she said. "You'll be seen individually. As soon as we have the results, we'll discuss the schedule for the next three days."

She called out names alphabetically. When she reached mine, she indicated a small office with frosted glass. I followed her inside. She closed the door and sat down behind a desk. She didn't offer me a seat.

"I'll be blunt, Lisa. You're at a disadvantage here."

"I know," I said.

She raised her head.

"What I mean is, Brianna has been groomed for leadership since childhood. Her father dines with Lycan dignitaries twice a year. Melissa is fluent in three languages and has spent weeks studying the Silver Creek hierarchy. Natasha's mother is a high-level healer. She knows better than any of you how to handle a difficult pregnancy."

I kept my hands at my sides. I didn't interrupt her. I let the silence settle between us until she spoke again.

"But you've worked for me for three years," she said. "You know when to keep quiet. You know how to keep a secret. You've learned to assess a situation and blend into the background. You understand discretion in a way others don’t."

Luna Catherine opened a manila file. "Alpha Cameron doesn’t want a wife. He wants an arrangement. He needs someone who treats this like a job. Someone who will bear the heir, hand over the child, and leave without a fuss."

She stood up and walked around the desk until she was inches from me.

"Can you do that? Even when the pack judges you? Even alone in a territory that sees you as an outsider? Even when the Alpha looks at you like you don’t exist?"

I thought of the bank statements. I thought back to my mother's near blindness. I thought of my father's cruel unfaithfulness.

"Yes," I said.

"Are you sure?"

I nodded.

She stared at me, then nodded toward the door. "The medical exam is in room three. The Alpha won't waste his time with a candidate who isn't physically perfect. Go."

The examination was clinical. A nurse drew four tubes of blood. My height, weight, and hip width were measured. An ultrasound was used to examine my ovaries, and I was asked about a hundred questions regarding my family's medical history. I felt like a machine being inspected for a malfunction.

As I walked back into the hallway, I almost bumped into Brianna. She was coming out of her own exam. She didn't say a word, but her shoulder brushed mine as she passed me.

I went back to Luna Catherine's office. She looked up from her papers.

"Your results are good," she said. "You're healthy and fertile. There are no genetic markers that would concern a line of werewolves. You're a viable candidate."

I nodded.

"The next three days are for preparation," she added. "Cameron’s pack is in a dangerous position. Some people in his territory want him to fail. If you’re chosen, you won’t just be carrying a baby. You’ll be carrying a political shield. The pressure will be immense."

"I can handle the pressure," I said.

"Cameron isn’t a soft touch," she warned me. "He does it out of necessity. Don’t expect any gentleness."

"The cold doesn’t bother me," I said. "It’s easier to leave when it’s cold."

She managed a smile.

The next 48 hours were a whirlwind of learning. We discovered the borders of Silver Creek, the names of influential families, and the specific laws regarding surrogacy on their lands. I filled a notebook, memorizing every detail.

On the evening of the second day, I picked up my dress from the dry cleaners. It was dark forest green, with a high neck and long sleeves. It was fitted and flowy at the hips. I slipped it on and stood in front of my full-length bedroom mirror. I looked like a determined woman, even though my heart was pounding.

On the third morning, my phone lit up on my nightstand.

Cameron's convoy just arrived. Be at the pack house in one hour. – Luna Catherine

My fingers trembled as I typed a reply. I turned back to the mirror to fix my hair and tie it into a low bun. There was a soft knock at the door. My mother came in. She looked small in her oversized sweater.

"You look beautiful, Lisa. Why are you dressed like that?"

I turned to her. "There's an opportunity with the pack, Mom. A contract that will allow us to buy a house. We'll be able to pay for James's college education. We'll be able to pay for the best eye doctors for you."

She approached, her brows furrowed. "What kind of contract?"

I told her everything. I told her about the five hundred thousand tokens.

"Lisa… no." Her voice broke, and she gripped my arm. "I can’t let you do this. You’re selling a year of your life."

"I’m buying our future," I said. I took her hands. "Dad’s gone, Mom. He’s selling the house. If I don’t do this, we’ll end up as a liability. I won’t let that happen to you."

Tears streamed down her face, wetting her cheeks. "It’s a stranger’s child. This is madness. I don’t want you to waste your life because your father is a coward."

"He's the one who messed everything up. I’m fixing things." I hugged her tightly. I could feel her bones through her sweater.

When I pulled away, James was standing in the doorway.

"Dad’s already gone," he said in a monotone voice. "And now you’re going too."

"James, it’s for a year. I’ll be back before you even graduate."

He let out a harsh laugh. "Is it about the money? Or do you just want to get us apart?"

"It’s to keep us from ending up on the street," I replied sharply. "I need you to stay here and take care of Mom. I’ll be back."

He didn’t reply. He turned and went back to his room, slamming the door.

The noise echoed through the silent house. I looked at the clock. I had thirty minutes left. I grabbed my bag and headed for the door. Somewhere in the pack's house, a man I had never met was waiting to decide the rest of my life.