The Alpha’s Contract by Taylor West

Chapter 0002

Neah, don't make a sound. Don’t make a sound.

I knew Alpha Dane was studying me. They all did; no one could ever quite believe how someone could do something so disgusting as poisoning their own parents. I stood there with my head hanging low, wishing for the ground to open up and swallow me.

There were movements around me. He was standing directly in front of me. With a rough finger, he tilted my face up towards his, forcing me to look at him. Slowly, his hand latched onto my throat, but he didn’t squeeze. “You poisoned your parents?”

“I was six,” I spluttered. “I just made them lemonade.” My voice came out all squeaky as I tried to defend myself. I could barely remember my parents, but I could remember all the guilt I had been made to feel since that day.

His crimson eyes flashed to my brothers. “Hardly seems fair to blame a six-year-old.”

“A six-year-old should know the difference between plants,” Alpha Trey snapped.

“Sounds to me like she was set up,” Alpha Dane shrugged his shoulders, letting go of my throat. "We all know that standard wolfsbane doesn’t affect us anymore. We evolved from that shit centuries ago.”

What? What did he mean? Wolfsbane wasn't lethal. It had been drummed into me since I could walk.

“Which only leaves Blood of Wolfsbane,” Alpha Dane muttered.

“You weren't there, Alpha Dane,” my brother muttered through gritted teeth as his eyes narrowed to slits. “It was wolfsbane.”

He nodded his head. “You are right. I was not present.”

Great, now there was someone else who could remind me of something I had done by accident years ago.

“But tell me this, where would a six-year-old get Blood of Wolfsbane?”

my slave!” Alpha Trey spat. “Or

grabbed his leather jacket from the chair. Unlike other alphas, he seemed to dress more casually. A simple black tee and jeans covered his huge frame. And unlike other alphas, his arms were bare of tattoos; not a single bit of

I have

agreed,”

Now I

my brother and Beta Kyle rounded on me. “What

Well, he just asked me why I

I hated him so much that I had

yelled when I didn't immediately respond and smacked me across the side of the

and down. “But I didn’t say it was you.” I tried to sound strong and confident, but it just came out as a whisper. If

hair as he yanked my head back, sending shooting pain through my skull. “If

down the hallway towards the basement door. “Please...” I begged. “He was an alpha... I... I had to answer him.” My cheeks burned

wall with his arms folded, staring out at us. My brother's hand fell from my hair, relieving the

you had left,” Alpha

found the door, but instead, I find a basement, riddled

responsible for the death of my parents,

keep your nose out of other packs’ business!” Beta

“If I agree to this deal, everything about your business becomes my business. So tell

“We don’t

a

roamed over me. “She is underfed, bags hover under her tired blue eyes. For a sister of an alpha, she is certainly

did do it!" Alpha Trey seethed. “And she has nothing

eyes flickered around the hallway. “Where is your mate? I would be interested to know how she feels about this.” I closed my eyes, silently begging my brother not to call his Luna. Luna Cassandra was

why bother her. I'm certain she is just as vile as