~THALIA~

The moment I stepped out of the ward, the ache in my leg made itself known again. I hissed softly, gripping the wall for support before straightening. I couldn't afford to look weak, not now.

Since my aunty was admitted to the same hospital, I forced myself to walk across to the other wing. The hallway felt longer than it should have been, every step sending a dull throb up my head.

By the time I reached her ward, my palms were damp with sweat.

She saw me immediately.

Her face drained of color as she pushed herself up against her pillows. "Thalia!" she gasped, her voice sharp with panic. "What happened to your head?"

Before I could answer, her eyes dropped to my leg. She froze. "Why are you limping?" Her voice cracked halfway through the sentence.

I tried to smile, but it felt stiff on my lips. "I had an accident with my bike while working this afternoon," I said lightly, as though it were nothing. "I've been admitted here since noon."

Her expression shattered.

Tears welled in her eyes instantly, spilling over before she could stop them. She reached for me, her hands trembling. "I'm sorry," she whispered brokenly. "This is my fault. It's because of my illness that you're doing such dangerous work."

"No." I shook my head quickly and stepped closer, ignoring the pain as I took her hands in mine. They felt thinner than I remembered. So fragile. "Please don't say that," I said firmly.

"You've done more than enough for me. You raised me when you didn't have to. You fed me, clothed me, and protected me. This is nothing compared to that."

She searched my face, her tear-filled eyes studying me like she was afraid I would disappear if she blinked.

"You're going to get better," I added softly, squeezing her hands. "I've found a way to get the money for your treatment."

Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean by that?"

I inhaled slowly. "I'm going to sign an agreement with Alpha Cassian. Three years. In exchange for the money."

Her hands stiffened in mine.

"Alpha Cassian Frostclaw?" she breathed, shaking her head weakly. "No, Thalia. Please don't do that because of me. I don't want to be the reason you suffer. You know how cruel an Alpha can be."

I crouched slightly beside her bed so we were eye level. "Don't worry, Aunty," I said gently. "He won't hurt me."

She let out a small, humorless laugh through her tears. "How can you be so sure? How did you even meet him?"

"He was the one who hit me today," I admitted. I tried to swindle him for compensation at first, but he didn't fall for it.So. I begged."

Her eyes widened. "Thalia-"

"I've made up my mind," I cut in softly but firmly. "Even if he does hurt me, it's only for three years. Three years is nothing compared to losing you."

Silence stretched between us.

She stared at me for a long moment, then slowly looked away, her grip loosening.

I knew that look. She understood.

And she knew there was nothing she could say to stop me.

And neither of us uttered another word.

•×•×•×•×•×•×•

Monday came swiftly and I called Alpha Cassian.

He picked up instantly as if he had been expecting my call. He asked me to send my location so he could send a driver to pick me up.

Shortly after, the stylish black car pulled up, and I hopped in. The journey was calm, the engine's hum nearly serene, and I held my hands closely in my lap, attempting to compose my mind.

Upon reaching the destination, I was left speechless. The mansion in front of me was gigantic, featuring lofty ceilings, gleaming marble, and gardens so carefully arranged that they appeared otherworldly.

I had never envisioned entering a place like this, even briefly, as a guest or a maid. Its sheer elegance made my heart race even faster. The interior boasted a spacious and open sitting area, adorned with an elegance that was magnificent and subtle.

An array of drinks was presented to me, but I courteously declined, retrieving my own bottle of water from my bag. I'm not the type that easily eats or drinks anything outside.

Then Alpha Cassian walked in, his effortless presence dominating the space, imbuing the room with a tranquil authority. His Beta trailed behind, holding a document which he handed to me.

My fingers shook a bit as I grasped the folder and unfolded it.

It was a contract marriage agreement.

I didn't bother to read through it. I could withstand anything for three years.

I signed my full legal name with a steady hand and I observed as he signed too.

The agreement was completed.

He told me to move into the beautiful mansion and I asked for permission to bring my Aunty which he accepted.

Then, the money was instantly deposited into my account shortly after, validating that what I had both dreaded and wished for had become true.

I felt relief and anxiety clashing within me.

~THALIA~

What I didn't expect was that Alpha Cassian would not be residing in the mansion with me.

When I discovered that, a wave of relief surged through me so abruptly it nearly made me feel lightheaded.

I didn't need to confront him daily. I didn't have to rise each morning beneath the same roof as a man whose mere presence would unsettle me.

Alpha Cassian uttered it quietly, as though it were a trivial matter.

He wasn't currently based in our city. In fact, he wasn't even anywhere in the country. He was overseas, overseeing the expansion of the Frostclaw family business after they had franchised it abroad.

He didn't mention when he would come back.

But he mentioned something that gave me another sense of partial relief.

'If he didn't return before the three years were over, I'd be free to leave.'

At first, I lived in constant fear, afraid that he might come back at any moment.

However, time moved fast and two years and seven months had passed, yet I never heard from him. The last time I saw him was in a magazine I saw with my coursemate when I was in year one at the University.

I was currently in year three. I paid for an apartment near the campus in year two so I would be able to work and save in order to pay Alpha Cassian. I only went to the mansion once or twice a month.

But it was fucking difficult to save 500,000 dollars. I only managed to save 100,000 dollars for more than two years that I had been working.

It was finally the long holiday before we moved to the second semester of year three and there were also only three months left for my contract with Alpha Cassian to end.

It was the weekend and I booked an Uber to take me home.

When I got home, my Aunty was already waiting for me at the gate. I had only called her to let her know I was on my way home, I never expected her to be waiting for me outside.

The instant I alighted from the car, she rushed to me and gave me a tight hug.

"My pretty Thalia, I miss you," she squealed

This time, I would be spending a whole two months with her at home. I guessed that was why she was so excited and waited outside.

"Aunty, you look beautiful today," I teased.

She held my hands as we walked inside.

Thank Goddess she was perfectly healed and could be her cheerful self again.

When I got to my room, I didn't bother to offload my clothes from the box since I had some in the wardrobe. I always got new allowance, clothes, groceries and other things in the house every month.

Just as I changed into comfortable pajamas, my phone started ringing. I panicked at first as I thought it was Alpha Cassian but when I finally picked my phone and checked, it was my high school mate, Julian.

Then I picked the call.

"Hi Thally, how are you doing?" he said, beaming.

"I'm good and you? It has been a long time," I replied.

"Yeah.it has."

"So.why do you call?"

"Thally, I called because you absolutely have to come to the class reunion tonight. I asked around and you haven't been in touch with anyone since graduation."

"No, I won't be able to come. I don't really have time." I said firmly.

"But the Universities are currently on holiday."

"Yeah. But that doesn't mean I have time to come."

"Thally, please, save my face. Today is also my birthday and I made a promise that I would make sure our goddess attends."

The word goddess made me giggle.

Why was I being called a goddess ?

That was because I was not only beautiful, but also the top student in my grade, always ranking first in exams.

"Alright." I sighed. "I will drop whatever I want to do today and come because it's your birthday and you've put me in a tight spot."

I gritted my teeth.

"Anyways,send the address."

"I will send it right now."

•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•×•

By evening around 7:30pm, I dressed in my short-sleeved wine-colored gown and slipped into my silver platforms. I liked wearing platforms often because they made me walk with confidence.

"Aunty, I need to attend my school reunion. It's impromptu."

"Alright. I trust you'll take care of yourself."

I waved her off as I walked out to wait for the Uber I booked.

A few minutes later, the Uber arrived and I hopped in.

At exactly thirty minutes, we finally arrived at the address. When I walked in, I didn't expect all my classmates to be present. If I hadn't gone, I would have been the only one who did not attend.

The reunion was so fun coupling with Julian, the class governor's birthday.

I didn't want to drink even though my alcohol tolerance was higher than most wolves my age, but Julian kept sliding glass after glass into my hand.

When I finally glanced at the wall clock, it was past 11pm. I knew I had to leave. I grabbed my bag and walked outside.

"Hey Thalia! Why are you leaving?"

~THALIA~

I looked back and I saw Julian following me.

"Because it's already late."

"But I can book a room for you to sleep till tomorrow morning."

"Oh no, don't bother. There's still time. I'll just go home."

"But I really want to talk to you about something."

"Oh, that's not a problem. We can talk on the phone," I assured.

"I will just sit with you in the taxi. By doing that I will be able to discuss with you and also see that you get home safely."

I hesitated, then nodded. "If you insist."

Then he waved a taxi down and we both entered. I gave the driver my address and he began to drive.

"So," I asked, breaking the silence, "what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Hmm.I just want to ask you to be my girlfriend," he whispered. "I've liked you since high school," he added.

I blinked"Julian, you've always been a sweet guy back then in school and you'll definitely pass to be my boyfriend but I'm married. I had a really private wedding a few years ago when I clocked eighteen."

"Are you trying to decline without hurting me?"

"No, it's the truth."

He went silent after that. He didn't say another word until we reached my place. I waved at him as the taxi drove away, taking him back.

As soon as I alighted, I saw Aunty Jasmine standing outside. I quickly rushed over to her.

"Aunty, are you standing here because I didn't come back early?" I asked, feeling remorseful.

"Thalia, why are you back so late? I've called several times but you didn't pick up. And you even drank alcohol!Alpha Cassian will be furious." She spat those words out, her worry clear.

"But he's not around or.is he?"

My voice trailed off as I realized that he was back.

"Yes. He's back. He arrived just a few minutes after you left. He wasn't happy that he didn't meet you at the mansion."

Seeing that I was standing there in a daze, Aunty Jasmine quickly pulled me inside. "Hurry up and go meet him upstairs. I don't want you to be in trouble."

I stopped at the door. I clenched and unclenched my hands at my sides repeatedly before taking a breath and pushing the door open.

He was sitting on the sofa with laptop on his lap.

I took a nervous breath. "Welcome Alpha."

He lifted his eyes and looked at me from head to toe. I bet he was glaring at the short sleeveless gown that I wore.

"You've grown taller than since I last saw you," he remarked.

"Yes and I probably became even more beautiful," I teased to calm the stiffening atmosphere but he didn't smile.

"Did I say you could wear something like that outside?"

~ALPHA CASSIAN~

The smile from the joke she had told earlier was no longer on her face.

Her head was immediately lowered, her hair fell forward, and it covered half her face.

She stood there like a person awaiting a sentence.

I knew by the way her hands clasped together that she knew she was already in trouble.

"No. You didn't. The dress looks beautiful, that's why I wore it," she murmured.

The words grated against my nerves.

I dropped the laptop, stood up, but walked calmly, took a cigarette from the minibar, and sat back down again, not taking my eyes off her, watching her like a prey.

I took a long drag from my cigarette, and then exhaled it slowly after it filled my lungs.

The lights in the bedroom were dim, deliberately so. I wanted her to feel uncomfortable, to feel every breath she took when she was around me.

"Do you know what time it is?" I asked fiercely.

She nodded.

"You have certainly grown bold," I went on, my voice light, but with an edge to it. "Drinking, and coming home this late."

I chuckled, the sound dripping with coldness.

"Tell me, how do you think you should be punished?"

Her fingers shook by her sides.

"I don't think I deserved any punishment," she went on, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was my school reunion, and.our class governor's birthday, you know. Everyone was drinking. I only had a little, and it was fun, and I forgot the time."

She paused, then went on, her voice still very soft, "Besides, I did not know you would come home. You could have called me."

I knew what was feeding her ego. She was certainly calculating the days she had left in her head, the days she had thought she would get away from me.

Only three months remained.

My eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

If only she knew.

Those years, those months, my absence, my silence, did not count. They never had, no matter what I had told her, no matter what I had promised her, no matter what I had told her I had planned to do, I had changed my mind.

The contract had not really started back then. It had just been on hold.

Now, everything was about to start over.