Silvia

Alpha Sherman's expression softened, if only slightly.

But the tension between us was thick, like ice that could crack with a single wrong word.

His eyes were locked on me--not just scanning my body, but reading something deeper. Something raw.

"I have to admit," he said finally, his deep voice low and measured, "you've got guts. Not many people would dare pitch a deal like that to an Alpha."

His thumb was still casually drawing slow circles on my wrist, sending a chill up my spine that I hated how much I felt.

"But courage is cheap," he added, eyes narrowing. "Tell me--what else do you have that a hundred other she-wolves don't?"

I swallowed hard, my wolf Keal growling protectively inside me.

This was the moment of truth.

"If you have more conditions," I added, "just say them."

Something flickered in his gaze--something dark.

Maybe interest.

Maybe something more primal.

"I like your honesty," he said, voice dropping a notch. "That's rare. So what I want... is obedience. In every way. " His voice dropped, roughened.

His hand dropped from my wrist, but he stepped in closer, towering over me.

"Including between the sheets."

His scent--woodsy, strong, spiced with rum--hit me like a wave.

I lifted my chin, forcing myself to stand my ground.

"Let's get one thing straight," I said, my voice low but clear. "This deal we're making--it's a public arrangement. Nothing more."

He tilted his head.

I could tell he wasn't used to hearing NO.

A slow, dangerous smile spread across his lips.

"If you want my name, Silvia," he said, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, "you take everything that comes with it."

His meaning couldn't have been clearer.

"No," I shook my head sharply. "That wasn't part of the deal. I'll marry you for one year -- on paper only."

Alpha Sherman's laugh was cold. "Did you really think I'd agree to a sexless arrangement? You're offering me a business transaction, so let's be clear about the terms. You want my money, my protection, my name. I want a wife who performs all wifely duties."

My face burned. "I can't. It would complicate things."

"And why would that be?" His eyes narrowed, studying me.

I looked away. "Because feelings might develop. And that's not what this is about."

"Afraid you'll fall for me?" His tone was mocking.

"No," I said. "I'm afraid you'll develop expectations I can't meet when this ends."

Alpha Sherman moved closer, his fingers tracing a line from my jaw to my collarbone.

I tried not to shiver.

"Here's what I can offer you," he said, his voice like velvet wrapped around steel.

"I'll make sure Zack crawls on his knees. I'll have the world's finest cardiac surgeon fly in for your brother's operation. You'll never have to worry about money again --you can pursue your music, finish your studies, do whatever you desire."

He paused, his gaze intensifying. "But what you can offer me is far too little. I could form a pact with any she-wolf and indulge in carnal pleasure. You're merely a fun bargaining chip for my revenge against my brother. I don't want a Luna who's just for show."

My heart hammered in my chest.

Everything I needed --Noah's life, revenge against Zack, financial security to pursue my dreams --all within reach, but at what cost?

"You're asking me to prostitute myself," I whispered, even as Keal whined in conflict inside me.

"I'm asking you to be my mate in every sense of the word," he corrected smoothly. "The choice is yours."

I closed my eyes briefly.

Noah's pale face in that hospital bed flashed through my mind.

My brother, who had always protected me, who needed me now.

"Fine," I finally said, my voice stronger than I felt. "But if you go back on any of your promises, I will ruin you, Alpha or not."

Alpha Sherman's laugh was genuine this time, almost warm. "You can certainly try, little wolf."

He checked his watch like he owned time itself. "We leave now. My chaplain will have us married by sunset."

My stomach dropped. Now?

Panic fluttered behind my ribs.

"I can't--not yet. Noah needs me at the hospital. And I have to file a leave from university, quit my job--"

Alpha Sherman studied me, his icy blue gaze lingering as though I were a puzzle he'd only just decided was worth solving.

There was something in his expression--not quite respect, but something close to anger.

Then his eyes darkened, as if remembering something unspoken.

Noah.

Alpha Sherman knew more than he let on--I could feel it.

The way his jaw tightened slightly at the mention of my brother's name...

"Your brother comes first," he said, and for the first time, his voice held something almost resembling softness.

"That's... admirable."

Before I could process what felt like a moment of genuine acknowledgment, he'd pulled out his phone.

My breath caught as he dialed, his eyes never leaving mine.

"This is Alpha Sherman Carter," he said, cool and commanding. "Prepare an OR immediately. Bypass surgery. Patient's name is Noah Brown."

My heart stuttered.

He's doing it. Just like that.

"Yes, today. Within the hour. VIP treatment--private suite, dedicated staff, whatever he needs."

A pause.

Then, his voice lowered, deliberate and clear.

"My relation?" He held my gaze, unwavering. "He's my brother."

The world tilted. My brother.

Shock rendered me silent, my thoughts spinning.

Why would he say that?

Was it protection?

Or possession?

He ended the call, a faint, knowing smile playing on his lips.

"How did you--" I started, my voice thin, disbelieving.

"I'm your Alpha, Silvia," he said smoothly, as though that explained everything.

And perhaps it did.

He guided me toward the door, his hand resting firmly against the small of my back.

Silvia

I followed Alpha Sherman out of his office, my mind racing with everything that had just happened.

Was I really ready to be his wife, his lover?

The weight of my decision pressed down on me like a physical force.

As we stepped into the elevator, I found my voice.

"You don't need to come to the hospital with me," I said quietly. "Someone of your position would draw too much attention."

Alpha Sherman pressed the lobby button and leaned against the elevator wall, studying me.

"Family comes first, Silvia. That's something my mother always insisted upon."

The mention of his mother caught me off guard.

Everyone in the werewolf community knew about the Carter family scandal--how Alpha Rooney Carter had flaunted multiple affairs while his devoted Luna wasted away from illness.

"Your mother was a remarkable woman," I offered cautiously.

His blue eyes flickered with something unreadable. "She was. And I've always tried to honor her teachings--even with a pretend wife."

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped into the marble lobby of the Carter Industries building.

Wolves from every department paused to watch us pass, their curious gazes making my skin prickle.

"Though I should warn you," Alpha Sherman added with unexpected self-deprecation, "I'm not exactly what most would consider good husband material."

Despite everything, I found myself smiling. "No one would ever picture you as a good husband. Throwing traitors into the dungeon fits your image better."

"Do you think I'm a brutal, bloodthirsty bastard?" He raised his eyebrows, guiding me toward the parking garage with a light touch at my lower back.

"Maybe we should pick a nice omega to sleep with after the fight ends." I dodged his touch and turned to meet his gaze. "Your reputation with she-wolves isn't any better than your brother's, Alpha."

"I hope those she-wolves' comments satisfy you." He leaned down toward my face, his low voice brushing past my ear, sending a tingling sensation through my spine.

Oh my God, he's insufferable.

"Well, our relationship is just a contract. So it doesn't really matter to me," I reminded him, trying to ignore his actions. "And it's only for a year."

Alpha Sherman's gaze lingered on me for a moment too long, something calculating in his expression. "Right," he finally murmured. "Only a year."

--

At the hospital, Alpha Sherman's influence transformed everything.

The moment we arrived, a team of medical professionals descended, whisking Noah away for immediate pre-op preparation.

The astronomical medical bills that had been haunting me disappeared with a single swipe of Alpha Sherman's black credit card.

"The surgeon will be arriving within the hour," a wolf in medical scrubs informed me, his respect for Alpha Sherman evident in his deferential posture. "We'll do everything possible for your brother, Miss Silvia."

Relief washed through me, so powerful I had to grip the edge of the reception desk to keep from swaying.

Noah would get the care he needed.

He wouldn't die because I couldn't afford to save him.

But as quickly as relief came, grief followed.

The antiseptic smell of the hospital, the beeping monitors, the hushed voices--it all brought back memories of days ago, when I'd stood in a similar hospital, watching as the doctors failed to save my adoptive parents after the car crash.

I sank into a waiting room chair, suddenly overwhelmed.

I'd been an orphan twice now--first as a baby, then when the Browns died.

If Noah didn't make it through surgery, I would truly be alone in the world.

"He's going to be fine," Alpha Sherman's deep voice came from beside me as he took the seat next to mine.

I hadn't even noticed him approach.

"The surgeon I've called in has performed this procedure hundreds of times."

I nodded, fighting back tears.

"I should sign the papers tonight," I whispered. "We can do the actual ceremony later, but I want to make sure everything's official before..."

I couldn't finish the thought.

"That's fine," Alpha Sherman agreed, his tone softer than I'd heard it before. "My lawyer can bring the contracts to you here."

I took a deep breath, trying to regain my composure. "You should go. I could handle things by myself."

I paused. "I don't want to seem ungrateful, but I still have other debts that need taking care of."

Alpha Sherman frowned. "Once we're married, your debts become mine."

I shook my head. "Some things aren't that simple."

I was thinking of the high-interest loan that had led my parents to take that late-night drive in the first place--a desperate attempt to secure emergency funds that had cost them their lives.

It wasn't just money; it was guilt I carried.

"I'll send a car for you at seven," Alpha Sherman said after a moment, rising to his feet. "We'll finalize everything tonight."

Before he left, his hand suddenly closed around my wrist, turning my palm upward.

My breath caught as his fingers found the promise ring Zack had given me months ago.

With deliberate slowness, Alpha Sherman slid it off my finger.

"You won't be needing this anymore," he said, a mocking edge to his voice.

In one swift, dominating move, he pinned my hand against the wall, fingers locking tight between his.

My back hit the cold surface hard, and his body pressed flush against mine--all heat, muscle, and intent.

Keal let out a shaky, confused whine. Fucking traitor.

Alpha Sherman didn't hesitate.

He dropped his head to my neck, breath scorching my skin right where my pulse hammered like I was already his.

Then his tongue--rough, wet--dragged slowly over the spot where my shoulder meets my neck.

I gasped. Couldn't help it.

My body arched into his like some cheap fucking offering, my pussy already throbbing, begging for contact.

He didn't stop there. His mouth moved up, crashing against mine.

His tongue shoved past my lips, deep and possessive, tasting me like I was his to claim.

And fuck, I melted. My knees went weak.

When he finally pulled back, his eyes were pitch-fucking-black with hunger.

He leaned in, mouth brushing my ear, voice nothing but a gravelly growl that went straight to my core.

"See you tonight, Silvia."

Then he was gone. Just like that.

Left me standing there, dizzy, confused, my lips swollen and tingling.

The echo of his words hung in the air, a promise and a threat woven together.

Sherman

The memory of her stunned expression lingered in my mind as I slid into the Bentley.

Relief washed through me, though I couldn't fully understand why I cared so much.

Perhaps it was because Silvia is so different from others -- the red-haired beauty who'd haunted my thoughts since our first encounter.

My wolf, Leo, said. "Mine, "

He growled. "She should have been ours from the beginning. "

I closed my eyes, letting memories of our first meeting wash over me:

It had been six months ago, on the anniversary of my mother's death.

As the only Carter who still honored her memory, I'd stood alone at her grave, placing white lilies on the cold marble while my father and half-brother Zack were probably off enjoying their privileged lives.

After the cemetery, I'd wandered into a small café downtown--the kind my mother would have loved.

That's when I heard it.

Piano music so hauntingly beautiful it made me still.

Following the sound, I saw her for the first time: slender fingers dancing across ivory keys, copper-red curls falling around a face of delicate perfection.

Alphas like me didn't believe in destined mates--those were fairy tales for lesser wolves.

Yet I couldn't deny the immediate pull, the way her lavender scent cut through my usual detachment.

I waited three hours that day, nursing espressos until her shift ended.

When she finally stepped away from the piano, I approached her.

"Your playing is... extraordinary," I said, the word feeling insufficient as I offered her my business card. "I'd pay a considerable sum to hear more of that. Name your price."

Those remarkable golden eyes had widened with surprise, then narrowed with suspicion.

"I'm flattered, but I'm seeing someone," she'd replied, her voice musical even in rejection.

She'd glanced anxiously at her watch. " And now, thanks to this conversation, I'm late for my tutoring job and have missed my bus."

Her dismissal was a physical blow to a pride I hadn't known was so fragile.

No one refused Sherman Carter. Not the Alpha of the Nightfang Pack.

Not the CEO of a billion-dollar empire.

"At least allow me to drive you," I insisted, my tone leaving no room for refusal.

It was not a request.

"No, thank you." She took a deliberate step back, clutching her threadbare bag like a shield.

"I don't get into cars with strange wolves. The cut of your suit doesn't change that."

Then she turned and was gone, swallowed by the city crowd, leaving me standing alone on the sidewalk.

In her eyes, I was just a nuisance who made her miss her bus.

And the most infuriating part? I couldn't get her out of my head.

Little did I know that fate would throw us together again in the most unexpected way.

...

Three months after our first encounter, my father had summoned me to the family estate for one of his tedious pack dinners.

I'd avoided them for months, focusing instead on building my empire while he played happy families with my half-brother.

The moment I stepped into the expansive living room, that familiar lavender scent hit me.

And there she was--my pianist--standing beside Zack, her hand in his.

She didn't recognize me.

Her red curls cascaded down her back, framing a face even more beautiful than I remembered. Golden eyes like a wolf who'd mastered her shift at an unusually young age.

At 5'10", she was tall for a female, but moved with a dancer's grace.

When she smiled, twin dimples appeared, giving her an air of innocence that contrasted with the fierce intelligence behind her gaze.

My entire life had been a story of Zack taking what should have been mine--our father's love, the attention of the pack, business opportunities handed to him on a silver platter while I fought for every inch.

And now, the one woman who had captured my interest was wearing my half-brother's promise ring.

The Moon Goddess had a cruel sense of humor.

I'd learned that night that Silvia was raised by a small, nearly extinct pack after being adopted from an Omega orphanage.

The economy of their pack was poor, so Silvia grew up struggling.

Yet despite her hardships, she'd earned a degree in classical music and taught piano to support her family.

And she had a so-called brother--Noah.

But the way he looked at her... it wasn't brotherly.

Not even close.

Later, Zack told me he'd found his soulmate.

I watched their loving glances at each other and felt sick to my stomach.

"She belongs to us," Leo roared, and I felt the same rage.

Now, months later, the tables had turned dramatically.

Silvia's brother needed emergency surgery, Zack had cheated on her, and she had come to me--her former boyfriend's hated half-brother--for help.

The irony wasn't lost on me.

"Is everything prepared for this evening?" I asked my Beta, Felix, who sat across from me in the car.

He nodded. "The legal team just sent over the finalized contract as you requested. The champagne is chilling in your office."

"Good." I straightened my custom Tom Ford suit. "And the ring?"

"The jeweler delivered it an hour ago." Beta Felix handed me a small velvet box.

Inside was a platinum band set with blue diamonds that would mark Silvia as mine--at least for the duration of our contract.

I closed the box with a snap. "Perfect."

I'd spent the afternoon dictating the terms of our agreement to my legal team.

Some might call the conditions harsh, but I needed absolute control over this arrangement:

1.Complete obedience.

2.Twenty-four-hour availability.

3.Absolute confidentiality and convincing performance as my beloved Luna.

4.Full intimate obligations.

5.One-year term with early termination at my discretion only.

The terms were designed to protect my interests, of course.

The Elder Council's new mandate requiring all Alphas to marry by thirty or face temporary removal from inter-pack councils had forced my hand.

I needed a Luna, and Silvia needed money for her brother's medical bills.

But there was more to it than that.

The opportunity to take something from Zack for once--something he'd valued enough--was too satisfying to resist.

Tonight, Silvia Brown would walk into my office as Zack's ex-girlfriend and leave as my future Luna.

The contract would bind her to me in ways that would make her forget she'd ever been with my half-brother.

I loosened my tie slightly, suddenly feeling warm at the thought of claiming her.