Mated by Contract to the Alpha Chapter 33

Rebecca's POV

The number hit me like a physical blow. My vision actually blurred for a moment, my breath catching. "Two hundred—" I choked out, raising my hand instinctively. "Are you out of your mind? How could you be so stupid?"

Before my hand could connect, my mother appeared between us, grabbing my wrist. "Becca, don't! He's just made a mistake. Please forgive him, just this once."

I stared at her in disbelief, then at Jason, who had the audacity to look wounded, his eyes wide and pleading. The familiar pattern of my mother enabling Jason's irresponsibility made my blood pound in my ears.

"A mistake?" I echoed incredulously, my voice rising despite my effort to control it. "Two hundred thousand dollars isn't a mistake, Mom. It's a catastrophe. And it's not the first time he's done something like this."

Jason's expression hardened. "Not all of us have rich boyfriends to bail us out, Becca."

The comment stung, my cheeks flushing hot with shame and anger. "I earned every penny I have," I retorted, the lie burning my throat like acid. In reality, I had made a deal with Dominic. But even that had been my choice, my sacrifice. "And I can't help you, Jason. I don't have money."

"Don't worry about it," he said, his tone suddenly evasive. "I've already called William. He said he'd help."

The words knocked the air from my lungs. For a moment, I couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. "You did what?" I finally gasped, my voice a strangled whisper. "Jason, William and I broke up. You had no right to contact him!"

Jason looked genuinely confused, his brow furrowing. "Broke up? But he's rich and powerful... Can't you just get back together with him? Say some nice things, and then we won't have to pay back anything."

The casual cruelty of his suggestion left me stunned, a cold emptiness spreading through my chest. Before I could respond, Jason's phone rang. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and then held it out to me with a strange mixture of relief and apprehension. "It's William. He wants to talk to you."

I stared at the phone, my heart hammering against my ribs. Dominic's warning about not contacting William echoed in my mind, the intensity in his blue eyes when he'd told me to stay away from my ex. But the phone kept ringing, insistent, demanding.

"Becca," William's cold voice came through the speaker when I finally answered, my hand trembling. "I'm in the hospital lobby. Come down and see me."

My throat constricted with panic. "I can't—"

"Either you come down now," William cut me off, his tone menacing, "or I'll make sure your dear brother ends up in prison. Your choice, Becca."

The call ended abruptly. I handed the phone back to Jason, my fingertips numb. Going to see William meant defying Dominic, risking his anger. But refusing meant potentially sending my brother to jail, however deserving he might be.

"What did he say?" Jason asked anxiously, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"He wants to meet me in the lobby," I replied mechanically, already walking toward the elevator. "Stay with Mom and Dad."

---

The ride down to the lobby felt endless. My stomach churned with anxiety, sweat beading at my hairline despite the cool air conditioning. My hands trembled as I stepped out of the elevator, scanning the area for William.

I spotted him near the main entrance, immaculate in an expensive suit, his golden hair perfectly styled. Even from a distance, I could see the smug smile playing on his lips, the predatory gleam in his eyes.

I approached cautiously, keeping my arms crossed over my chest, maintaining a safe distance between us. "William."

"Rebecca," he greeted, his eyes traveling over me in a way that made my skin crawl. "Seems like your new Alpha isn't as familiar with your family's problems as I was."

I stiffened, my nails digging into my arms. "What do you want, William?"

His smile widened, revealing perfectly white teeth. "With interest, the total comes to three hundred thousand dollars. Your brother has one week to pay it all back, or he'll face some very unpleasant consequences." He paused, then added with cruel deliberation, "Of course, there is another way. Be my bed companion. Each night with me will reduce the debt by ten thousand dollars. What do you think? Thirty nights, and your brother's debt is cleared."

Disgust and fury rose in me, my stomach clenching so hard it hurt. I fought to keep my breathing even, to not show how deeply his words affected me. "I'll find a way to get the money," I said, my voice quiet but steady. "Now please leave. Stay away from my family."

William stepped closer, his voice dropping to a silky, threatening whisper. "Have you made up your mind yet?" He suddenly stopped, his nostrils flaring slightly, eyes widening with a flash of wariness.

"What's wrong?" I asked, noticing the change in his demeanor. "Suddenly afraid of something?"

Then I felt him before I saw him. A powerful presence approaching from behind me, radiating authority.

My palms instantly went clammy, and I swallowed hard, trying to prepare myself for the dual storm of William's threats and Dominic's anger. The weight of being caught between these two powerful werewolves made me feel impossibly small.

"Moretti," Dominic's deep voice rumbled as he came to stand beside me. "What a coincidence. We were just talking about you."

I didn't dare look at Dominic, keeping my eyes fixed on William instead. My heart pounded so hard I was certain both werewolves could hear it. I wondered how Dominic had found me, whether he'd been following me or if it truly was coincidence. Either possibility was unsettling.

William's attempt to maintain his composure was failing rapidly. His voice grew tight, strained. "Mr. Sterling, this is a private matter between Rebecca and me. It concerns her brother's debt to me."

Dominic moved slightly, positioning himself between William and me. His hand found the small of my back, the touch sending warmth spreading through me despite my anxiety. I couldn't help but lean slightly into his protection, even as I worried about the consequences I would face later.

"You seem to have forgotten your place, Moretti," he stated, his eyes locked on William.

I watched William's transformation from arrogant bully to submissive underling with a mixture of satisfaction and astonishment. Just moments ago, he had been threatening me, making vile suggestions, acting as if he owned me. Now he physically cowered, taking a step back, his eyes lowered in deference. The stark display of werewolf hierarchy left me breathless.

"Three hundred thousand?" Dominic continued, his voice deceptively calm. "For such a trivial amount, you dare to disrespect the future Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack?"

William's face paled further, a sheen of sweat appearing on his forehead. "Mr. Sterling, I meant no disrespect—"

"I'll deal with you separately, Moretti," Dominic cut him off, his tone frigid. "Now leave my sight. Before I change my mind."

William nodded rapidly, no longer daring to look at me. He retreated hastily, almost running in his eagerness to escape Dominic's presence.

My shoulders sagged slightly as the tension of confronting William drained away, replaced by a new anxiety. I wanted to thank Dominic for his intervention, but the words stuck in my throat as I anticipated his anger. The air between us felt electric, charged with unspoken accusations.

As soon as William was out of sight, Dominic turned to me, his expression thunderous. "Explain," he commanded, the single word laced with barely contained anger.