Bound by Contract to the Alpha Chapter 9

Rebecca's POV

The door opened as a nurse entered, her eyes darting between us, sensing the tension.

"Everything okay in here?" she asked, moving cautiously toward my bed.

William's face smoothed into a mask of concerned fiancé so quickly it was terrifying. "I was just leaving," he said, his voice controlled once more.

As he turned to leave, he paused at the door, glancing back at me. "I'm sorry," he repeated, voice low. "I'm just in so much pain."

For a split second, I felt a pang of remorse. The rejection ritual was known to cause werewolves physical agony. But then I remembered his betrayal, the years of lies, the secret child, and my heart hardened again.

The door closed behind him, and I released a shaky breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

"Are you alright, miss?" the nurse asked, checking my IV and the monitor beside my bed.

"Yes," I lied, still trembling from the confrontation. "Just a disagreement."

The nurse nodded, clearly not believing me but professional enough not to pry. "Well, your vitals look good. The doctor will be pleased. The food poisoning wasn't as severe as we initially feared."

Food poisoning. Of course that was the official story.

"When can I go home?" I asked.

"I believe the doctor will discharge you today," she replied, making a note on my chart. "You're quite lucky, Ms. Brown. You'll be able to resume your normal life."

Normal life. I almost laughed. There was nothing normal about my life anymore.

"Thank you," I managed.

After the nurse left, Sofia collapsed into the chair beside my bed, her face pale.

"That was terrifying," she whispered. "His eyes... I've never seen him like that."

"Me neither," I admitted, my voice shaking. "But it's done now. I've formally rejected him."

Sofia reached for my hand, squeezing it gently. "What will you do now? You can't go back to your apartment."

I hadn't thought that far ahead. The wedding preparations and last night's alcohol had drained my already limited savings. The rental deposit on our apartment was in William's name. I had nowhere to go.

"Maybe I could stay with my parents for a while," I said doubtfully.

Sofia shook her head. "He'll look for you there first. And I don't want to drag them into werewolf drama."

"I don't have many options, Sofia. I spent almost everything on wedding preparations and drinks last night." I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache building. "I can't believe I was so stupid."

"You can stay with me," Sofia offered without hesitation. "How does that sound?"

Relief and gratitude washed over me. "Are you sure? I don't want to drag you into wolf trouble."

Sofia smiled, her expression determined. "Too late for that. I'm already in it up to my neck." She squeezed my hand again. "Besides, what are friends for?"

Tears pricked at my eyes. "Thank you, Sofia. You're always there for me."

---

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!"

Sofia's cheerful voice cut through my dreams three days later. I groaned and pulled the pillow over my head, burying deeper into the comfort of her guest bed.

"Go away," I mumbled. "It's too early."

"It's eleven-thirty," Sofia said, tugging the pillow away. "And you've been in this apartment for three days straight. It's time to rejoin the land of the living."

I squinted up at her, taking in her outfit—a purple blouse tucked into high-waisted jeans, her short curls perfectly styled, makeup already done.

"Why are you so dressed up?" I asked suspiciously.

"Because we're going out," she replied, moving to the window to pull open the curtains. Sunlight flooded the room, making me wince.

"I don't want to go out," I protested, sitting up reluctantly. "What if we run into William or any other Silver Moon members?"

Sofia sat on the edge of the bed, her expression softening. "You need to continue your life, Becca. William won't risk anything in public, especially after you formally rejected him."

I wasn't so sure. The memory of his amber eyes, wild with fury, still haunted me.

"Where would we even go?" I asked, already feeling anxiety building in my chest.

"That new supermarket that opened on Fifth," Sofia said, her tone deliberately casual. "I heard they have amazing coffee beans."

I hesitated, weighing my fear against the cabin fever that had been building during my self-imposed isolation. Sofia was right—I couldn't hide forever.

"Give me thirty minutes," I finally conceded. "Then we can go."

Sofia beamed, squeezing my hand before bouncing off the bed. "Perfect! I'll make some toast while you get ready."

As she left the room, I noticed something on the dresser that hadn't been there yesterday—a small canister of pepper spray. Sofia had thought of everything. My chest tightened with gratitude for her friendship, a bright spot in the darkness my life had become.

---

The supermarket was busy but not crowded, for which I was grateful. Sofia pushed the cart while I followed alongside, nervously scanning our surroundings. Every tall man with blond hair made my heart skip anxiously, but none of them were William.

After fifteen minutes without incident, I began to relax slightly. Maybe Sofia was right—maybe William wouldn't risk making a scene in public.

"See? Not so bad," Sofia said, noticing my easing tension as we browsed the produce section.

"I guess not," I admitted, picking up an apple and examining it. "It's actually nice to be out of the apartment."

We filled the cart with basics—bread, eggs, coffee, and enough snacks to sustain us through movie nights that Sofia insisted would be part of my recovery process. By the time we reached the checkout, I was almost enjoying myself, the weight on my chest temporarily lighter.

As we exited the supermarket with our bags, I felt bold enough to suggest we extend our outing.

"Want to look at some clothes?" I asked. "My treat, as a thank you for everything."

Sofia raised an eyebrow. "You don't need to spend money on me. You should be saving every penny right now."

"I can afford a shirt," I insisted. "Come on, there's that boutique over there."

Sofia seemed about to agree when suddenly her expression changed, eyes widening as she looked past me toward the boutique's entrance. She grabbed my arm, tugging me in the opposite direction.

"Let's go somewhere else," she said quickly. "I don't... I don't like that store."

Her abrupt change of mood confused me. I turned to see what had caused it—and my blood froze in my veins.

William stood outside the boutique, his hand resting possessively on the small of Olivia's back. Beside them, holding Olivia's hand, was a small boy with William's amber eyes and distinctive hooked nose.

The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet. Seeing them together—a perfect little family—made everything real in a way that even the photos hadn't. The boy, just as the documents had indicated. He was laughing at something William had said, his little face tilted up adoringly.

I felt sick, remembering how I'd seen the boy's photo as Olivia's phone wallpaper once. She'd claimed he was her nephew.

Five years. Five years of my life devoted to a man who had another family the entire time.

"You're right," I managed to say, my voice sounding distant to my own ears. "Let's go somewhere else."

Sofia's grip on my arm tightened, guiding me toward the parking lot. We'd almost reached her car when a familiar voice called out behind us.

"Rebecca!"