THE CONTRACT
Gabe's laughter echoed through the room, a rare sound that caught Caleb off guard. He laughed until his sides ached, and Caleb stared at him, mouth agape.
Caleb had never seen Gabe like this. Even Gabe himself could not believe it. He was laughing?
"Alpha Gabe, are you alright? This is strange," Caleb eventually approached him, concern etched on his face.
"I am alright, Beta. Just letting go of my pent-up stress," Gabe declared with a smile as he sat back in his chair.
"Alpha, how do we salvage this situation? Your action towards Miss Amby was beyond embarrassing." Caleb began before Gabe interrupted him.
"That was staged to discourage Elara from pursuing me," Gabe explained.
Caleb paused for some seconds, his face squeezed as he tried to remember the recent events. "Indeed. Only it did not look staged to me, Alpha. It looked as if you thoroughly enjoyed kissing Miss Amby."
"What if I did?" Gabe asked, wheels already turning in his head.
"My Alpha!" Caleb exclaimed. "Miss Amby is a human. It is impossible for her to be your Luna. The pack elders will never approve."
"Who cares about the elders when Amby can help me get the Lunar Crystal?" Gabe shrugged in defiance.
Caleb gasped, his face red from embarrassment, as if he was the one in the wrong.
"But you already lost your chance with Amby. She left in anger and, she slapped you," Caleb said, his eyes avoiding Gabe's.
"That was a natural reaction for an offended human female, not previously in love. I take it as her stamp of virtue," Gabe declared, and Caleb nodded, still amazed at Gabe's calmness after taking a slap.
"Still, I need to apologize to her."
"Exactly," Caleb sprang to action. "How do you plan to express your apology?"
Gabe sat back in his chair and looked around for ideas that would be pleasing to humans. That was when his eyes landed on Amby's paintings. She had forgotten them in her anger.
"Put those paintings up in my throne room, and that one that looks like the lunar crystal, put it in my room," Gabe told Caleb, who had hurried to collect the paintings.
"How many are they?" Caleb asked.
"Five in all," Caleb answered.
"Pay her for the paintings and send her flowers with an apology note."
"Good move, Alpha," Caleb said as he began tapping his phone.
"Then, contact Lawyer Barry to draw up a one-year contract between Amby and me. She will act as my fake fiancée while we search for the Lunar Crystal," Gabe said.
Caleb's eyes popped out of their sockets as he searched Gabe's face, probably thinking the Imperium was at work. "What? Gabe Blackwood? Are you serious about this?" Caleb asked, his voice laced with incredulity.
"It is a command from your alpha, and you must obey!" Gabe snarled.
"Yes, Alpha Gabe," Caleb answered, bringing out his notepad. "What are the conditions of the contract?" he asked, his hand poised to type instructions.
"Amby will act as my fiancée in public during the duration of the contract. She will attend all functions and social meetings with me, including interviews and other related meetings," Gabe began.
"Including pack meetings?" Caleb asked.
Gabe rolled his eyes at Caleb. "She is a human, Caleb. How can she attend werewolf pack meetings?"
"Amby will work for me undercover to search for the particular artifact, using her skills and knowledge," Gabe continued.
"The job is now part of the contract?" Caleb asked, still scribbling.
"She will be paid two hundred thousand per month for the period of the contract and an additional reward when the artifact is found. She can choose to work thereafter in any of our branches. Her job is still secured after the contract duration ends. Is that okay, Caleb?" Gabe asked his beta.
"It is okay for a forced relationship and risky job offer, but a real job title will be better. She can work as your secretary or executive assistant for the contract period." Caleb responded, probably still finding Gabe's behavior strange.
Gabe nodded and gave Caleb a thumbs up. “That is why you are my Beta. Include that in the contract, the executive assistant role.”
"Is that all, Alpha?"
"Give her a house as part of the package. What else do I need to add to persuade her?" Gabe asked.
Caleb shrugged. "You are doing a good job already, Alpha. Which of the houses should I put in the package?"
"Let her decide. Just give her a copy of our newsletter. She should choose her preferred location and type of house. She will live there at the end of the contract."
"Yes, Alpha," Caleb finished writing and fixed his eyes on Gabe. "May I ask why you are doing this, Alpha? I ask as your beta, with your best interests at heart, considering your aversion to humans and general invasion of your personal space."
Gabe looked at Caleb without saying anything for some seconds. Caleb had been with him before he became the alpha of their pack. They were childhood friends and had undergone their rites of passage on the same day. Caleb knew about the Lupus Imperium and all Gabe's struggles. Gabe trusted him completely.
"You will not believe if I tell you," Gabe said. "But Amby seems different to me, somehow. It is as if her presence calms me and controls the Imperium within me."
Caleb's expression changed to one of surprise. "That is difficult to believe, truly, but with the change she evoked in you.”
He paused and his expression turned playful. “Gabe, you kissed her! Confess, is that your first kiss?"
It was Gabe's turn to be embarrassed. It indeed was his first kiss. He had been busy training as the future alpha since childhood, being the only child of his parents. He was patiently waiting for his fated mate and did not bother to experiment with the much interested she-wolves within and outside the pack. But, responsibility was suddenly thrust upon him when his parents’ ship met with disaster at sea, as they hurried home from their expedition on his eighteenth birthday.
That was the worst day of his life: he lost both parents and got the Lupus Imperium. Gabe still did not understand the coincidence. Was it the shock of losing both parents on the same day that brought out the disease in him? Was it a sabotage of some sort? He could not say. Since then, he could not get close to any female enough to start a romantic relationship. Even the moon goddess never bothered him with a fated mate, possibly because he never attended mating events.
Yes, it was his first kiss, but Gabe would never acknowledge that.
"Get to work, Caleb. And here," Gabe handed Caleb the report from Detective James. "Investigate this as soon as possible. I want the culprit brought to justice."
"Yes, Alpha," Caleb replied, beginning to dial a number on his phone as he moved toward the door.
"Caleb! Settle Amby's matter first. Pay her ten thousand for the paintings."
"Yes, Alpha," Caleb said.
As Caleb began to dial a number on his phone, Gabe's mind turned to Amby. Would she accept his proposal? And what would happen if she reject the contract?