Contract With The Alpha King by Brey Mitchylle

Chapter 62

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"We should go now," her father said, glancing at the clock on the wall. "I believe the ball is about to begin."

"Father, what do you mean by 'a long time ago?" Elise couldn't let it go, her voice sharp. "How could you say something like that and expect me to ignore it?" Her hands trembled slightly, and she clenched her fists, trying to control the rising panic. What does he mean by that? Was it possible that all members of the Rosenthal Family had the blessing a long time ago? "Does it have to do with the war?" she continued asking.

Thomas Rosenthal turned to face her, his expression unreadable. He exhaled slowly, clearly not wanting to delve into the matter any further. "This isn't the time for a history lesson. Focus on what's in front of you."

But Elise wasn't having it. "I'm tired of you deflecting, Father," she snapped, stepping closer to him. "I demand an explanation. You can't just keep things like this from me. You said all Rosenthals could wield the blessing once. What does that mean?"

Thomas sighed heavily, a weight settling on his broad shoulders. He poured himself another glass of wine, downing it in one swift motion. For a moment, he didn't speak, the silence between them stretching unbearably. When he finally looked at her, his expression had hardened, and there was a coldness in his eyes that sent a shiver down Elise's spine.

"It is not your time to know these things," he said quietly but firmly. "You are not the leader of this clan yet. When that time comes, you will learn what you need to know. Until then, all that matters is this: Fiona needs to die. She has to, or she will bring ruin to us all." Elise felt her entire body stiffen at his words. The ruthlessness in her father's tone was like a slap to the face, jarring her in a way she hadn't expected. She knew he was capable of making hard decisions, but this... this was something else. There was no hesitation in his voice, no flicker of regret. Just cold, calculated intent.

"Father," Elise began, "You can't seriously think that killing her is the only solution. There has to be another way. We can drag her back to the clan."

interrupted, his gaze piercing. "She's already a threat. The council will

knew. She almost couldn't believe how easily he spoke of ending Fiona's life as if it were nothing more than a necessary inconvenience. At the end of the day, Fiona was still his daughter! Was this the ruthlessness required to become the leader of their

composed as ever.

to say something, to ask more, but her father cut her off

to suppress the swirl of emotions inside her. She shot one last

had to ride in his carriage while Lord Rosenthal

Zachariah said suddenly, cutting through Elise's

words sharp, not even bothering to look at

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17:00 Sun, Dec 1

Chapter 62

that way. "You're walking into the ball with me, Elise," he said, his voice firm, as if that fact alone should make her grateful. "With me," he repeated, emphasizing

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to meet his gaze, her eyes narrowing in defiance. "And what makes you think I care about walking with you, Zach? Should I be honored?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, each word cutting like ice. Zachariah snorted, rolling his eyes. "You should be lucky I agreed to take you,"

She never wanted to come to this... place. "Did you really have another choice?" She tilted her head, her lips curling in contempt. "Were you planning on taking that Omega instead?" Zachariah's hands balled into fists at her words, his knuckles white as he fought to keep his temper in check. The tension in the carriage spiked instantly, and Elise felt a small surge of