Contractually Yours, Alpha by Giftemmy

Chapter Six

(Riley’s POV)

It didn’t make sense.

That Alpha Thain of the Nightshade pack had chosen me; I had so much to gain—my mother’s freedom, ‘my freedom’, and wealth—lots of it. It felt almost too good to be true. He had told me that he never made any deals in which he had nothing to gain, but I can’t imagine what he had to gain from being mated to me.

Yet, his promises had been mouth-watering, every single word, and I knew he was right. I knew I would agree to his terms, whatever they might be, as long as my mother was free.

He was not a gentleman; he had told me just that, and that was the one thing I believed. After the little conversation, he had left me here all alone, to think about his proposal. No, he didn’t bother escorting me back to the ball where he had taken me; he was letting me know, even from the little gestures, what kind of a man he was.

When he meant he wanted me as a mate for a period of time, did that involve intimacy? Maybe it didn’t; maybe I just had to play the perfect actress, and that was it.

Even as I thought about it, I knew they were all lies. I was lying to myself, and I saw the look in his eyes.

“I am

But he didn’t deserve it; he had put

Everyone hung there looking tense; some had left the hall. I didn’t think I was that important to the pack, but again, everyone wanted to know what truly was going on between I and Alpha Thane, not that they really

me;

like the others, she did believe this was real; it didn’t make sense for Thane to lie; he couldn’t announce me to the crowd when he knew I wasn’t his mate—that was what they thought, but they were all wrong. I couldn’t tell my mother the truth; I couldn’t tell anyone the truth, and a part of me knew that telling anyone would not only put me in danger but would endanger them

her by the arms and leading her out. I felt the gazes of my fellow pack members piercing into me, one that seemed to

.

second chance mates was a very rare thing, but not impossible; it had happened in the

room. My mother

up with such a man as a mate. He had caused you so much pain, but he… he is nothing compared to the demon in human skin, Alpha Thane. He would

we’ve judged him

to me. I know his father, but Thane, he is worse than his father; he is a

knew she was telling the truth, but this was the last thing I needed to hear. If only she knew the truth—that this

I doubted it.

to know something more about the Nightshade Pack—something she wasn’t

to me if I did not

I do not mind if I have to give my life, but you can’t be with