All Chapters of One More Hot Contract with the Shadow Alpha: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

CORALINA'S POV After a long time, I sleep without being haunted by dreams. I wake up to silence. The bedroom is filled with bright sunlight, and I realise with surprise that I've slept for almost twelve hours straight. Ignoring the pending messages and calls, I roll out of bed and step in for a shower. I'm making coffee and scrambled eggs for breakfast when my phone screen lights up again. It’s the ‘family’ group chat, with Maximus, Brielle and me– their third wheel. Brielle’s message glows there, posted an hour ago.[Good morning, all! What a beautiful day! I’m craving those delicate lavender shortbread cookies with edible silver leaf. And maybe a truffle omelette, while they bake! Remember, Coralina, I’m allergic to bell peppers! Xoxo]Then another one from a few minutes ago. [Is it going to take long? I'm feeling peckish.]I stare at the screen in disbelief. But then again, I let it happen for so long…I remember, I spent weeks testing that cookie recipe, just for Maximus. I

Coralina“No.”I say, looking defiantly at him.“For Hell’s sake Coralina, Brie is dying! Letting her have this win won’t kill you!”Maximus huffs, running a hand through his hair– his usual gesture to tame his frustration. He softens his tone slightly, as if he's being way more generous than I deserve.“Look… you know how sensitive she is. Why can’t you be more understanding?”I glare at him silently. What kind of world is it, where I'm supposed to be understanding and let others take advantage of me endlessly?“The last two days are enough to prove that you're not thinking straight. Just take a few weeks off, let Brie handle the Western merger. It’ll give you time to get your head right. In any case, everything will go back to normal soon.”I feel a shard of ice pierce through my chest. He still thinks I am throwing a tantrum.For years, I have woken up before dawn to review financial reports. I attended pack council meetings, negotiated contracts and supply lines, returned home to

Chapter 6CORALINA'S POVBrielle’s face goes pale as she sinks to the floor in sheer terror, clutching her swollen cheek.For a few moments, neither of them reacts. Maximus finally finds his voice, and the Alpha scent rising from his body becomes bitter. I see the moment the shock turns into his wounded pride. "Coralina! What the hell was that?”I hold his gaze without blinking.“You slapped her,” he continues with a tone of disbelief. “In front of me! Have you completely lost your mind?”Brielle lets out a whimper from the floor, her fingers still pressed to her cheek as she looks at me with red eyes, just one blink away from letting the tear fall.Maximus turns to look at her, then back at me. For the first time, he looks genuinely confused.“She said I slapped her, so I made it true!”I say in a calm tone, shrugging my shoulders lightly. His face scrunches up. “What!? What kind of twisted logic is that?”“I just didn’t want your innocent girlfriend to dirty her hands with the sin

Chapter 8CORALINA'S POV I'm standing at the threshold of the garden, the gravel biting into the soles of my feet through my ruined heels. Maximus’s fingers are still locked around my wrist, his grip hard enough to leave marks. Music plays somewhere in the background, but the conversation around us has slowed to a tense murmur.My lower back is grinding into dust, the nerves screaming from the way I had to wrench myself free from that rusted iron chair in the basement of God-knows-where.Hundreds of eyes: investors, socialites, and pack members, anchor me to the spot.Brielle tilts her head, staring at me as if I’ve just said the most ridiculous thing she’s ever heard.“Oh my God, Max…” She says with exaggerated disbelief. “She couldn’t even find a convenient excuse for her absence, so now she’s trying to lie to our faces? It's embarrassing for a Luna to behave like this…”​Maximus’ face twists with disgust.“Right. You were the lead once, now you aren’t. So what chief title are yo

CORALINA'S POV I close my eyes and lean against the pillow, finally relaxing after Maximus leaves. Does he really believe a dinner reservation can pave over a broken heart?The sun is about to set when Thomas strides in, standing at the foot of my bed.His posture is straight, holding a leather-bound folder. “We have captured and interrogated the kidnappers, Miss. Coralina. As expected, the men were hired professionals. They had been shadowing you since the morning, waiting for the precise moment you were alone in the Aethelgard garage.”​I watch him, my heart skipping a beat. "Did we find out who it was?"​"Miss Brielle Montrela.”I exhale sharply. “She used a third-party broker to distance herself, but our networks are quite thorough. It's a great thing that Alpha Clyde had already instructed us to stay on high alert, insisting that your safety was the priority.”He pauses before adding quietly;“The Alpha unfortunately had to leave for urgent matters and could not come himself. B