บททั้งหมดของ The Alpha's Contract Bride: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

"What are you spacing out for? Eat it while it's hot!"Nick's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up and mustered the courage to ask, "Nick, do you still remember three years ago when we—"Before I could finish, the chime of a message notification cut me off.Nick picked up his phone. And in the next moment, a smile spread across his face. His fingers moved quickly across the screen, and he seemed to be uninterested in hearing what I had to say.I silently closed my mouth, feeling a bitter pang in my heart.I didn't even need to look. It had to be Zora. Nick would only smile with such tenderness when he was talking to her.Had he forgotten about the agreement?For the past three years, I counted the days. I was terrified that once the deadline arrived, Nick would leave me without hesitation.But now, he acted as if he had forgotten it altogether.As I watched him text animatedly on his phone, I gave up on reminding him.Forget it. Once the agreement ended, our mat

Nick's POVAfter sending Eva the message, I tossed my phone aside in frustration.Just then, Wayne walked in with several gift boxes in his arms."Alpha Nick, these are the evening dresses you picked out," he said. "Should I send them all to Luna Eva?"I waved my hand and replied, "Yeah, send them all. Let her pick the one she likes."Wayne nodded. Then, he spoke up hesitantly. "There's a woman named Zora Knott asking to see you. Should I let her in?"My hand paused, and the irritation I'd been feeling all day deepened.Yesterday, after my meeting with the elders, I had somehow ended up outside Lycus Restaurant. Through the glass door, I saw Eva chatting cheerfully with a friend.A surge of anger arose in me.Hadn't she invited me for dinner? I'd turned her down, and she actually just went and had a good time with someone else? She was certainly enjoying herself, alright.So she wasn't serious about the invitation after all.Fuming, I turned to leave, but Zora's delighted vo

Nick's POV"What do you mean she went back? Did she leave the Lycus pack and return to the Lunaria pack?" I asked in a daze."Yeah, she took the morning boat. She's probably already there by now. Before she left, she still made sure your birthday arrangements were done perfectly. She loved you that much. And you? How did you treat her? "You were busy flirting around with your childhood sweetheart. Eva has left to make space for your old flame. Shouldn't you be thrilled?" Kitty reproached huffily, looking at me with outright disdain."I didn't!" I denied it immediately, feeling aggrieved that I was being wrongly accused.Even though I always thought there was no love between Eva and me, I had never once planned to sever the mate bond with her. And I certainly hadn't intended to rekindle anything with Zora.But based on what Kitty just said, I kind of gathered that Eva had loved me all along.This realization hit me like a tidal wave, and my thoughts scattered. Everything felt su

Eva's POVAfter Nick was kicked out of my house, he didn't leave. He stood under the big tree outside the yard, still holding the bag of gifts. His shadow, stretched long by the streetlight, looked so miserably lonely.Even by the time I went to bed, he was still there.Guilt tugged at me. I shifted slightly, thinking about going to the window. But before I could, someone yanked the curtains shut.My dad stood there with a grim expression as he scolded me, "What are you staring at? Go to sleep!"The next morning, he insisted on taking me out himself. "You better use your head this time. Don't let anyone out there fool you again!" he reminded.Outside the car window, that familiar silhouette flashed by beneath the tree. I quietly lowered my head, not daring to say a word in reply.Since becoming Mavis' apprentice, I've frequently accompanied her to the training grounds to help with training the pups. The pups adored me, and I found a kind of joy I'd never felt before.But to

Eva's POV"Nick!"Tears welled up in my eyes as I cried his name. I dragged Cloris to safety with all my strength.Nick finally crawled out of the fire—he barely made it. His back was scorched, and his body was covered in burns and embers.I held him up, and together, we escaped just before the entire training grounds turned into a ghastly sea of flames.He was immediately rushed to the healer's hut. Mavis personally oversaw his treatment.As for me, I stood silently outside the door, covered in soot and ash. No matter what anyone said, I refused to leave.My parents arrived soon after receiving news about the fire.My mom took in the state I was in—hollow-eyed, grimy, and shaken. Then, she let out a long, weary sigh. "Maybe Nick's not as awful as we thought," she said. "I've seen how he carried himself over these past days. He's a good kid. Maybe what happened between him and Eva was just a misunderstanding."Dad stood silent for a while before grunting coldly. "Fine. This