Chapter 2
Caspian entered, having changed into dark jeans and a simple white t-shirt. More casual, but somehow more dangerous. I could feel his Alpha energy filling the space.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. "Even now, you can change your mind. I'll pay for the medical bills, no questions asked."
He was giving me an out. Even at the last minute. God, who was this man?
"I've made my decision." I picked up the vial. "This is a business arrangement for both of us."
I drank the liquid. It tasted bitter, but almost immediately I felt my body temperature rising. My skin became sensitive, and I could smell Caspian's scent more intensely.
"Isla..." His voice turned rough.
It was the first time he'd said my name.
"I know. This is what's supposed to happen."
But what happened next wasn't what I expected.
Instead of approaching me, Caspian walked to the window, hands pressed against the glass.
"I can't. Damn it, I can't do this to you."
The drug was working in my system, making everything more intense. My body ached for Alpha touch, but he was refusing? This went against every instinct, every rule.
"Caspian, the contract..."
"Fuck the contract." He turned to face me, eyes now bright gold—wolf eyes. "You're not some breeding mare. You're..."
He stopped himself, but the damage was done. I could see him fighting his own instincts, see what control was costing him.
Hours passed. I lay in bed, burning up from the drugs, while he sat in the farthest corner, hands clenched into fists.
"Why?" I finally whispered.
"Because when this is all over," his voice was rough with strain, "I want to know that if you ever choose me, it's because you want to, not because you have to."
I woke in unfamiliar sheets with a headache like I'd been hit by a truck. Side effects from the drug. It took me a moment to remember where I was.
Blackthorne Estate. Guest room. Contract.
Caspian.
I turned to the other side and found the bed empty, but the wrinkled sheets showed he had been here. On the floor. I could see couch cushions arranged into a makeshift bed.
He'd slept on the floor all night. To give me space, to not make me feel pressured. I didn't know whether to be grateful or frustrated.
The bathroom door opened and Caspian emerged, hair damp, wearing only a towel around his waist.
Jesus Christ.
I quickly looked away, but not before noticing how water droplets traveled down his chest, not before seeing the scars across his ribs—old fight marks.
"Morning," he said carefully, testing my mood.
"Morning." I sat up, realizing I was still wearing yesterday's clothes. "I should go. The kids will be worried."
"Isla, about last night..."
"Nothing happened. Just like you planned. Your family will be satisfied the contract was fulfilled, I get paid, everyone's happy."
But his expression told me things weren't that simple.
"Actually," Marcus suddenly appeared in the doorway, looking panicked, "we have a problem."
"What problem?" Caspian's voice immediately shifted into Alpha command mode.
"Your grandmother. She's insisting on medical confirmation. Today."
My heart sank. Medical confirmation meant blood tests, examinations, meant they would know nothing had actually happened.
"What does that mean?" I asked, though I was already dreading the answer.
Caspian and Marcus exchanged a look.
"It means we need to make this real, or the whole deal's off."
"Medical confirmation?" My voice pitched higher than I intended. "What exactly does that mean?"
Marcus cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable. "Mrs. Blackthorne Senior is demanding that the family doctor examine for... evidence of consummation. She says too many contracts are fraudulent, and she won't be fooled."
I felt the blood drain from my face. "When?"
"Within the hour."
One hour. We had one hour to decide whether to admit we hadn't fulfilled the contract and lose the money, or... God, I couldn't even complete that thought.
Caspian was pacing the room, his hands running through his hair, making it stick up in different directions. "This is ridiculous. We're adults, not breeding stock that needs inspection."
"Your grandmother doesn't see it that way," Marcus said dryly. "She's already on her way."
I stood up, my legs unsteady. "I should leave. Now. We can say the contract didn't work out, and I'll find another way to pay for Evie's treatment..."
"No." Caspian's voice was pure Alpha command, making me freeze in place. Then he seemed to realize his tone and softened. "Sorry. I mean, that's not necessary. We can handle this."
"How? You spent last night on the floor making sure nothing happened. Now your grandmother will know that in"—I glanced at the clock—"fifty-three minutes."
Marcus coughed. "Actually, about that... there might be a way. Heat accelerator effects usually last twelve to eighteen hours. If you two were to... now..."
He didn't need to finish the sentence. We all understood.
Of course. Of course that was the solution. I should have seen it coming. In the werewolf world, everything came back to biology and instinct. I could still feel the drug in my system, making every nerve ending sensitive, making Caspian's scent more intoxicating.
"Isla." Caspian walked over to me, his eyes serious. "I won't pressure you. If you want to walk away, I'll handle the consequences with my family. But if you stay..."
"If I stay?"
"If you stay, I'll make sure you get every penny we agreed on. Plus more. I'll ensure Evie gets the best possible care—not just treatment, but full recovery support."
I could hear the sincerity in his voice, but there was something else too. Something that made my Omega instincts perk up with attention.
"Why? Why is this so important to you? You could find any Omega willing to do this."
He was silent for a long moment, staring at something over my shoulder. "Because you're not just any Omega. Last night, when the drug was hitting you hard, you still tried to make me comfortable. You asked if I needed anything, if I was cold sleeping on the floor."
I remembered that. Through the haze of artificial heat, I'd been worried about him. It was stupid—he was an Alpha, he could handle a little discomfort. But I couldn't help myself.
"Most people in your situation would be focused on their own needs," he continued. "But you were thinking about mine. That kind of care... it's rare."
Another knock on the door. Marcus again, looking more frantic.
"Ten minutes," he said. "She'll be here."
I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of the decision. Evie's face appeared in my mind—pale and weak in that hospital bed, but still trying to smile when Felix and Ruby visited. Then the kids, trusting me to take care of everything like I always did.
"Okay," I whispered. "But we do this my way."
Caspian's eyebrows raised. "Your way?"