The Alpha’s Contract novel Chapter 133

Dane

‘And you are absolutely sure she is okay?’ I ask Eric through mind link.

‘Raven has checked her over. The pups are fine. Your sister thinks it’s stress related and has put her on rest. Neah thought you were dying, she wasn't even aware she was bleeding until I tracked her down. I’m still not entirely sure what she was thinking when she ran.’

‘She wasn't. All she knew is that she needed to find me.’ I mutter back. ‘Keep her safe and we will keep an eye on this Mallory.’

'You are letting her live?'

'Right now, she might be the only one who can help us find Jess.'

'Will you be back tonight?'

'I will try but I can't make any promises. If I'm not, you know what to do.'

'Of course. Dane, just watch yourself around the woman. She sounds bat shit crazy and everyone is a little on edge.'

Of all the people in the world, I couldn’t believe we had ran into another one of my mates abusers. We were hours away from home. Hundreds of miles away.

I look over at my brother who is half asleep. We had agreed to take it in turns resting. Keeping an eye on the Lycan we are sharing a house with.

“Finished linking your pack?” Mallory asks from the stairs.

“I was just checking in with my mate.” I had told Mallory that my mate was a female Alpha, did she know I was talking about Neah. She must do?

'I think she does.' Aero groans

“Is she okay?” She sounds sincere, but she also may have had a lot of practice sounding like she cared.

“Resting.” I smile back. I was only going to give her the bare minimum for now.

“A long conversation for someone who is resting.” Her brown eyes remain on me.

‘She’s suspicious.’ Aero mutters

‘I would be too if the role was reversed!’ I tell him

I give Mallory a reassuring smile, “I checked in with my Beta too. Running a pack doesn’t just disappear because I’m not there.”

She nods her head at me

“Do you live on your own?” I ask curiously, looking around at the rund down house.

Mallory raises an eyebrow at me. Puffing out her cheeks like she was trying to decide how to answer me.

“Mostly.”

“My brother." I mutter, "He said when we crashed, there was another. Are there more of you?”

‘We are playing with fire.’ Aero mutters

“There are a few,” Mallory tells me

“Yes.”

Mallory walks away from me. Leaning against the wall, she half smiles. “She’s really alive?”

“Yes.” I repeat

She sighs, “You know what I did, don't you?”

“I have been told.”

“By the girl in the basement? The one who is your mate?”

“Yes.”

“Then you don’t know everything.” she slides down the wall, landing on her ass as she scowls and picks at the hole in her worn out jeans. “I was told that she was a thief. That they were holding her prisoner until they decided what to do with her.”

She snorts “And of course I was stupid enough to believe them. I had met her a few times before then. She was always in the house, working. I thought she was just some kind of hired help, I didn't even know her name. And then I was bitten.”

She runs her hands through her dirty blonde hair and sighs. “They put her in the basement, the day before I was bitten. Telling me this story about how she had stolen family heirlooms. I was stupid enough to believe it. Stupid enough to trust Cassandra.”

She shakes her head, leaning it back against the wall. “When that btich bit me, something took over. I was so angry. I couldn’t control it. I couldn’t bury it deep down inside like I was used to.”

“She sent me down into that basement and told me to have fun. They told me the female needed punishing.”

I see a tear creep out and roll down her cheek. She wipes it away, acting like it never happened. “Her screams still haunt me.”