Bound by Contract to the Alpha Chapter 134

Dominic's POV

"Silver Shadow Moon Pack and Sterling Group have both made their decisions, Collins," I stated flatly, taking a seat in one of the leather armchairs. "We don't have anything further to discuss."

Ronald settled into his chair with a practiced smile, straightening his monogrammed cufflinks. "Don't be so rigid, Sterling. I don't hold grudges. After all, we're both businessmen. We understand the value of compromise."

I rotated the obsidian ring on my finger. "Your financial system architecture is two generations behind. Hurst Company's system is not only 30% more efficient but also 15% lower than your quote."

As his smile faltered, I leaned forward, my voice dropping to a low rumble that carried my wolf's authority. "If you continue using insider trading tactics to interfere with my business, I'll ensure you have no standing in financial circles or among wolf packs across the East Coast."

The scent of fear spiked in the room, acrid and sharp. Ronald shifted uncomfortably, his fingers tapping an anxious rhythm on the armrest. Before he could respond, the door swung open without warning, the heavy oak crashing against the wall.

Elizabeth Collins swept in, her blonde hair perfectly styled, but her eyes wild with an intensity that immediately put me on alert. My nostrils flared, catching the chemical scent of medication and something unstable beneath her expensive perfume—a volatile mix of obsession and rage.

"I sensed you were here," she said, her eyes fixed on me with unsettling intensity. "I could smell your scent, Dominic." She inhaled deeply, almost reverently, her pupils dilating as she did.

Ronald stood, clearly displeased by the interruption. "Elizabeth, we're in the middle of business discussions." His voice held a warning tone that she completely ignored.

I felt a ripple of unease through my wolf. "Miss Collins, I don't have you on my schedule today." I kept my voice deliberately cool, maintaining the formal distance I'd established since announcing my bond with Rebecca.

Elizabeth moved closer, her breathing slightly erratic, her designer heels clicking deliberately on the hardwood floor. "Just five minutes. About... about the cooperation proposal my father mentioned." Her hands trembled slightly as she smoothed her silk blouse.

I studied her face, noting the slight dilation of her pupils and the faint tremor in her hands. The faint scent of prescription medication clung to her skin. Against my better judgment, I nodded. "Five minutes. In the library."

---

The Collins family library was richly appointed, with leather-bound books lining the walls and a massive oak desk dominating the center. Crystal paperweights and antique letter openers gleamed on the polished surface. I kept a deliberate distance between us as Elizabeth closed the door, the soft click echoing in the silent room.

"What did you want to discuss, Elizabeth?" I kept my tone professional, watching as she nervously adjusted her hair, tucking and retucking the same strand behind her ear.

"Did you know my emotions have been very unstable lately?" She paced the room, her movements jerky and unpredictable, fingers trailing along book spines without actually seeing them. "The doctor sees me twice a week. I'm taking my medication regularly." Her laugh was brittle, almost manic. "Sertraline for anxiety, risperidone for... other things."

She suddenly grabbed my wrist, her grip surprisingly strong, nails digging into my skin. "But my wolf knows the truth. The connection between us is destined, much stronger than what you have with that human girl." Her voice dropped to a whisper, her face inches from mine. "I can feel it every time you're near. Can't you feel it too?"

I pulled my hand away, maintaining my composure despite the inappropriate contact. "There is no connection, Elizabeth. There never was." The scent of her desperation filled the space between us, cloying and thick.

Elizabeth's eyes flashed with a dangerous light that made my wolf bristle defensively. Her face contorted, beauty giving way to raw fury.

"How could you not want me, Dominic!" Her voice rose, edged with hysteria, bouncing off the library walls. "I've killed for you! Do you understand? To protect what we have! What we should have!" She knocked a crystal paperweight to the floor, where it shattered into countless glittering fragments.

I felt my muscles tense, my expression hardening. "What are you talking about?" A cold dread settled in my stomach as possibilities flooded my mind.

Elizabeth's face was flushed with emotion as she stepped closer, the scent of her perfume overwhelming as she invaded my personal space. "Aria. Remember her? Your ex-girlfriend who died in the forest near Silver Moon Estates." Her eyes glittered with a disturbing pride. "She was never your true mate. Every argument you had was diminishing your wolf. You became stronger after she was gone, didn't you?"

The mention of Aria sent a cold shock through me. Her death had been ruled an accident—a hiking mishap in the forest two years ago. I'd grieved her loss, though our relationship had been coming to an end. The thought that Elizabeth had been involved...

"What did you do to her?" My voice came out as a growl, memories of Aria's smile flashing through my mind.

"I followed her that day," Elizabeth said, a twisted smile forming on her lips. "She was hiking alone—so careless. All it took was one push near the ravine edge. She never saw me coming." She spoke with the casual tone of someone discussing the weather, not murder. "I did it for us, Dominic."

I stood up, my eyes flashing with dangerous blue light, my voice deepening with Alpha authority. "You've completely lost your mind, and you're wrong about one thing—Rebecca and my mate bond is real. Nothing can sever it."

Elizabeth followed me as I strode toward the door, her heels clicking frantically on the hardwood. "You can't leave! Not until you understand!" She grabbed a leather-bound book from the shelf and hurled it at the wall beside my head. "The pack elders won't allow a human to become Luna! Your father will understand eventually."

I sensed the dangerous shift in her scent—the precursor to violence that every predator recognizes, like ozone before a lightning strike. "Miss Collins, you should leave now." My hand reached for the doorknob, muscles tense with anticipation.

Her emotional stability collapsed completely. A guttural snarl erupted from her throat as her transformation began. Her eyes shifted to gold, pupils narrowing to vertical slits, and her manicured nails lengthened into sharp, yellowed claws. The silk of her blouse strained as her shoulders broadened, the fabric tearing at the seams. "If I can't have you, that human carrying your child can't either!"

Instinct took over as I partially shifted, my arm muscles expanding, tearing the sleeves of my suit jacket. My eyes changed to deep blue wolf eyes, vision sharpening as my canines extended. "Stop this, Elizabeth! As the future Alpha, I command you!" My voice resonated with power, a command that should have immobilized any lower-ranking wolf.

She disregarded the Alpha command completely—a sign of how far gone she was—and lunged at me with supernatural speed. Her claws slashed through the air where my face had been a moment before. The bookshelf behind me splintered as I dodged, leather-bound volumes cascading to the floor.

I controlled my strength as I pushed her away, not wanting to cause serious harm. "I don't want to hurt you, but you're violating the most basic pack laws." My voice was distorted by my partial transformation, deeper and rougher than normal.

"You've already hurt me!" she screamed, spittle flying from her lips. "Every day since you chose her!" She charged again, knocking over a reading lamp that shattered on impact.