Bound by Contract to the Alpha Chapter 40

Rebecca's POV

I shot to my feet, turning to face him. My chair scraped loudly against the floor. "I think I should leave now," I said, my voice shaking despite my efforts to control it. "We can discuss this tomorrow when we're both calmer."

Steve blocked my path to the door, his large body forming an impenetrable barrier. His cologne was overwhelming, a cloying mix of musk and something that reminded me of wet dog. "Why the rush?" he asked, his lips curling into a smile that made my stomach turn. "Everyone else has gone home. It's just you and me now." His eyes trailed down my body, lingering on my chest and hips in a way that made my skin crawl.

"Please move," I said firmly, trying to sidestep him. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it. "I need to go."

His hand shot out, gripping my wrist painfully tight. His fingers completely encircled my wrist, squeezing until I could feel my pulse throbbing against his grip. "You don't give the orders here, human," he snarled, pulling me closer. "Do you think the police will care what happens to you? You've angered Elizabeth Collins. In this city, that's a death sentence. No one would even question if something... unfortunate happened to you."

I yanked my arm, trying to break free, but his grip only tightened. Pain shot up to my elbow. "Let go of me!" My voice came out higher than normal, edged with panic.

Steve's eyes flashed gold—the telltale sign of a werewolf's anger. The brown irises disappeared completely, replaced by an unnatural metallic glow. "You think you're special because Dominic Sterling took you to his bed?" His lips pulled back, revealing teeth that seemed suddenly sharper. "Do you know how many women have been there before you? How many will be there after?"

Fear surged through me, but so did a wave of defiance. I raked my nails down his forearm, digging in as hard as I could. His skin broke under my nails, drawing blood.

Steve howled in pain and rage, momentarily loosening his grip enough for me to pull away. I stumbled backward, putting precious inches between us.

"You little bitch!" he snarled, all pretense of humanity dropping as his face began to shift. His features contorted, nose elongating slightly, teeth visibly growing longer and sharper in his mouth. A low growl rumbled from his chest, the sound nothing like anything a human could produce.

I lunged for the door, my fingers just brushing the handle before he moved with supernatural speed. His hand closed in my hair, yanking me backward with brutal force. Pain exploded across my scalp as he threw me against his desk. My hip and ribs slammed into the edge, knocking the breath from my lungs in a painful whoosh.

Before I could recover, his weight pinned me down, pressing me against the hard surface. Papers scattered to the floor. One hand remained tangled painfully in my hair, forcing my head back at an uncomfortable angle.

"I'll teach you to respect your betters," he growled, his free hand tearing at my uniform blouse. His claws – actual claws now, not human fingernails – shredded the fabric like paper. The sound of ripping cloth filled the office as buttons scattered across the floor, clicking against the hardwood.

I fought back with everything I had, scratching, kicking, even trying to bite. My elbow connected with his ribs, but he barely flinched. My knee aimed for his groin missed its target. My human strength was nothing compared to his werewolf power.

His hand released my hair only to deliver a backhanded slap that sent my head snapping to the side. Stars exploded in my vision as the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. My cheek burned with pain.

Steve's transformation continued, his features shifting further from human. Coarse hair sprouted along his forearms, and claws fully extended from his fingers. Those claws dug painfully into my shoulder, piercing through skin. I felt warm blood trickle down my arm.

"No one can save you now," he growled, his voice deeper, more animal than human. His weight pressed me harder against the desk, making it difficult to breathe. "No one will even hear you scream."

I spotted the office phone on the desk, just inches from my outstretched fingers. If I could just reach it... My hand inched toward it while I tried to keep Steve distracted with my struggles. I bucked against him, trying to throw him off balance.

Just as my fingertips brushed the phone, Steve noticed and knocked it away with a swipe of his hand. It clattered to the floor, sliding far out of reach.

My vision blurred with tears of pain and fear. My body felt heavy, my movements growing sluggish as the pain in my ribs intensified with each breath. I tasted blood from my split lip. Was this how it would end? In this office, at the hands of this monster?

Dominic's face flashed in my mind – his stern expression, those rare moments when his eyes softened when looking at me. I should have called him. I should have told him about Elizabeth. About this job. About everything.

"Dominic..." I whispered, not even realizing I'd spoken aloud. My voice was barely audible, broken and small. "I'm sorry..."

---

The office door suddenly burst open, slamming against the wall with enough force to crack the plaster. Emma stood in the doorway, her chest heaving, her eyes wide with horror at the scene before her.

"Get away from her!" she screamed, her voice cracking with fear and determination.

Steve turned, momentarily distracted. His weight shifted, giving me a second to gasp for air. "Get out!" he roared, spittle flying from his elongated mouth. "This doesn't concern you!"

Emma didn't run. Instead, she grabbed a heavy crystal vase from a nearby shelf and, with all her strength, smashed it against the back of Steve's head.

Glass shattered, the sound explosively loud in the small office. Water and flowers sprayed everywhere as Steve staggered backward, releasing me as he howled in pain and rage. He spun toward Emma, his eyes glowing a fierce gold, fangs fully extended and gleaming with saliva. "You human bitch!" he snarled, advancing toward her.

Emma screamed and backed away, her hands raised defensively in front of her. Her back hit the wall, leaving her nowhere to retreat.

I seized the moment to slide off the desk, my legs nearly buckling beneath me. I frantically searched for my phone that had fallen from my pocket during the struggle. My fingers trembled as they explored the floor, finally closing around the familiar shape.

My fingers closed around it just as Steve lunged toward Emma. I unlocked it with trembling hands, frantically hitting Dominic's speed dial number. My thumb left a smear of blood on the screen.

"Stop!" I shouted at Steve, trying to distract him from Emma. My voice was hoarse, throat raw from fear. "The police are on their way!"

Steve whirled back toward me, blood dripping from where the vase had struck his head. A shard of glass protruded from his scalp, but he seemed not to notice. "Put that phone down!" he growled, advancing toward me with predatory intent. His shoulders hunched, his movements more animal than man.

The line connected, and I heard Dominic's voice, cool and professional: "Rebecca?"

"D-Dominic," I gasped, my voice shaking, words tumbling out in desperation. "Help me... please..."

Steve lunged forward, claws extended, trying to grab the phone. I scrambled backward, my body screaming in pain as I collided with a filing cabinet. The metal handle dug into my already bruised back.

"Where are you?" Dominic's voice changed instantly, sharp with alarm. I could hear rustling in the background, the sound of movement.

"Silver Collections," I managed to say before Steve knocked the phone from my hand with a vicious swipe. It skidded across the floor, Dominic's voice still audible but too distant to make out the words.

"You shouldn't have done that," Steve snarled, his fully transformed face inches from mine. His breath was hot and rancid, pupils constricted to pinpoints in the sea of gold. "Now I'll have to kill you both."