The Alpha's Contract With His Human Mate

The lawyer kept talking, but I couldn’t focus, my heartbeat was too loud in my ears.

Ten million dollars.

That’s what they were offering me to marry a total stranger. For just one year. No love, no emotions, and no say in the matter.

I looked at the thick envelope on the table, my fingers shaking as I reached for it. Fear and desperation twisted in my chest. I didn’t know anything about Carlos Clark, except that he was rich, powerful, and cold enough to solve problems with money.

Now, it seemed I was one of those problems.

"Miss Dominic," the lawyer said, fixing his tie neatly, "Mr. Clark wants your answer within an hour. If you say no, the offer is gone for good."

Say no? I wished I could.

But the debt collectors had already shown up at our door twice. My father’s bad choices had left us drowning, and those men didn’t accept late payments. They wanted their money or someone to pay in blood.

I didn’t even get to say goodbye to the old me, because she disappeared the moment I signed that paper.

---

The mansion was the kind of place that felt too quiet. Every step I took sounded too loud, and the air smelled cold and old, like it was hiding secrets.

A butler nodded and led me down a long hallway. I followed without saying a word, just like I had when I signed the contract. I didn’t ask anything. I didn’t look around. I just kept breathing and tried not to think about the man waiting behind those big double doors.

Carlos Clark.

The Alpha.

When I walked in, I thought the room was empty. Then I saw him standing by the window with his back to me. He was tall, with a calm composure, and looked dangerously attractive . He didn’t turn around when he spoke.

“You’re smaller than I expected.”

His voice was so deep and cold that I felt my skin prickle.

“You’re ruder than I expected.”

He turned slowly and looked right at me, like a predator watching its prey. My chest tightened. No one had told me he would be this intense, magnetic, and dangerous.

Carlos walked toward me slowly, each step full of purpose. “This isn’t a fairytale, Miss Dominic. I’m not here to woo you or fall in love. You’re here to follow the contract. One year. No feelings. No questions.”

“And no touching?” I asked before I could stop myself.

A small smirk appeared on his lips, but his eyes stayed cold. “Unless I say otherwise.”

The silence between us grew heavy. I had agreed to this for the money, but Carlos clearly wanted something more.

Power, control and ownership.

“Do you accept my terms?” he asked.

Did I really have a choice?

“Yes,” I whispered.

Carlos stepped closer and reached into his coat, I flinched, but all he took out was a small black velvet box.

“You’ll wear this in public,” he said, opening it to show a silver collar with a single blood-red gem. “It shows you belong to me.”

He didn’t ask for permission. Carlos fastened the collar around my neck with slow, precise movements. The cold metal touched my skin like a mark that couldn’t be erased.

“There,” he said. “Now you look the part.”

I should’ve felt only fear, and I did. But beneath it, something else stirred a strange heat that came alive every time his eyes met mine.

He stepped back. “You’ll meet the pack at the full moon ceremony. Until then, keep your distance. Don’t ask questions, don’t wander around, and don’t fool yourself into thinking this is something more.”

“Fine,” I said, lifting my chin.

But I noticed the way his eyes stayed on my neck, and the quiet growl in his chest before he walked away.

I was taken to my new room, a beautiful room with silk sheets and locked windows. I sat on the edge of the bed, the collar around my neck feeling heavier with every second.

This wasn’t a romance, it was survival.

And deep down, I knew surviving Carlos Clark wouldn’t be easy.

*****

The room they gave me looked like it came from a fancy magazine. White marble floors, shiny silver curtains, and a huge bed that could fit three people. It was pretty, but it didn’t feel like mine. Nothing in this house did.

I sat on the edge of the bed, running my thumb over the silver collar on my neck. It wasn’t too tight, but it still felt like a chain.

There was a gentle knock on the door, and a young woman walked in. She had red curly hair, kind eyes, and carried a tray with tea and small cakes.

“I’m Lily. Mr. Clark asked me to help you settle in,” she said with a soft smile. “You probably have a lot of questions.”

I nodded slowly. “Is it always this quiet here?”

Lily laughed. “Only when the Alpha’s in a mood. Which is… most of the time.”

She placed the tray down and sat on a velvet stool across from me. “You’re the first human bride to ever walk into this house.”

“That’s… reassuring,” I said quietly.

She looked at me for a moment. “Carlos is strict, but he’s not heartless. He just has a lot on his shoulders.”

“I’m not here for his kindness,” I said. “I’m just here to do my part and be done with it.”

Lily’s smile slowly disappeared. “You really think it’ll be that easy?”

“What do you mean?”

She stood up and smoothed her apron. “You signed a contract with an Alpha. That’s more than just a title, it’s his nature. And in this world, everything has a price.”

Before I could say anything else, she walked out.

Later that evening, I was called down for dinner. The dining room was huge, with a long table lit by dozens of candles. Carlos sat at the far end, wearing a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his strong arms. He didn’t smile when I walked in, he just pointed to the seat next to him.

I sat down quietly, not sure what to say. The silence between us felt heavy and tense.

“You’re not eating,” he said after a while.

I glanced at the untouched food on my plate. “I’m not hungry.”

Carlos leaned back in his chair, his eyes hard to read. “You’re not here to skip meals. You’re here to survive.”

I looked at him. “You make it sound like I stepped into a battlefield.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you?”

I didn’t respond. I just poked at a roasted potato with my fork, wishing I could be anywhere but there.

After a long silence, he spoke again. “The full moon ceremony is in three days. Until then, stay inside. Don’t go near the forest. Don’t speak to anyone unless they talk to you first. Understand?”

I stared at him. “You’re serious.”

“Always,” he said.

“And what if I don’t like being treated like this?”

He leaned in, his voice low. “Then you’re free to leave. But the contract and the men your father owes won’t disappear when you do.”

I froze.

He was right. I didn’t really have a choice.

He stood up and pushed his chair back. “You’re safe here, Sarah. But safety comes with rules.”

“And if I break them?” I asked.

A small smirk appeared on his lips. “Then I’ll remind you who you belong to.”

His voice sent chills down my spine. Not from fear but from something else. Heat, confusion. He affected me in ways I couldn’t explain. I didn’t want to feel anything for him… but my body wasn’t listening.

As he walked out of the dining room, I sat there in silence, staring at the food I hadn’t touched. My life had changed in an instant after that one signature and that one deal.

Now, I belonged to the Alpha of the GrayClawed Pack.

Whether I liked it or not.