Mated by Contract to the Alpha Chapter 39

Rebecca's POV

Elizabeth's face turned an alarming shade of red as she stared at me, her perfectly manicured hand clutching her designer purse so tightly I thought the leather might tear. The VIP room had fallen completely silent, her friends no longer laughing.

Steve hovered nearby, his expression a mixture of shock and unease. His eyes darted between us, hands fidgeting with his tie. It was clear he was torn between enforcing store policy and appeasing a powerful werewolf.

"Ms. Collins," he said, his voice strained, "I apologize for any misunderstanding. Perhaps we could—"

"There's no misunderstanding," I interrupted, my voice steadier than I felt. "The champagne stains on both the shoes and the dress are quite visible."

Elizabeth's jaw clenched as she fished out a platinum credit card from her purse. "I'll remember this," she said, teeth gritted as she thrust the card at Steve. "You have no idea who you've just made an enemy of."

Steve took her card, his hands slightly trembling. "Ms. Collins, we at Silver Collections value your patronage. I'm very sorry about this unfortunate incident..."

Elizabeth ignored him, her ice-blue eyes locked on me. "This bill isn't the end," she said as she aggressively signed the receipt. "It's just the beginning. You'll pay for this humiliation."

As she and her friends gathered their belongings to leave, Elizabeth deliberately bumped my shoulder hard enough to make me stumble backward. The pain shot through my collarbone, but I bit my lip to avoid showing any reaction.

"Watch your back, human," she whispered, her breath hot against my ear. "Your days of Dominic's protection are numbered."

"Oh my God!" Emma rushed over the moment Elizabeth and her entourage disappeared through the front doors, her eyes wide with excitement. "You did it! That was $8,750 in sales! Do you know that's almost my entire monthly sales total?"

I managed a weak smile, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins making my hands tremble slightly. "Honestly, I can hardly believe it myself."

"The commission on this sale alone will cover your rent for the month," Emma continued, practically bouncing. "And you've already exceeded your weekly sales target! Steve can't possibly complain now."

I nodded, trying to share in her enthusiasm, but Elizabeth's parting words kept echoing in my mind.

"Rebecca? Are you okay?" Emma asked, noticing my smile fading.

"Yeah," I lied, pushing away thoughts of Dominic and Elizabeth. My throat felt dry as I spoke. "Just processing what happened."

---

During my break, I sat alone in the employee lounge, staring at Dominic's number on my phone screen. My thumb hovered over the call button, but I couldn't bring myself to press it. I chewed on my lower lip, tapping the screen nervously.

Elizabeth's words kept repeating in my mind: *"Poor Dominic has been so distracted lately. It's a good thing I've been there to comfort him."*

Was she telling the truth? Had Dominic been spending time with her? The thought created a hollow ache in my chest that I had no right to feel. Our arrangement wasn't about exclusivity or love. It was a business deal with benefits.

Still, the idea of him with Elizabeth made me feel physically ill. A wave of nausea rolled through my stomach.

I locked my phone and put it away. If Dominic wanted to talk to me, he would call. I wouldn't chase after him, especially not after how we'd left things. Besides, he was probably still angry about the hospital incident with William.

No, I would handle this situation myself. I'd stood up to Elizabeth Collins and survived. That was something to be proud of.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I straightened displays, assisted a few customers, and tried to ignore the daggers Vanessa was shooting my way from across the store. Every time I looked up, I caught her narrowed eyes watching me, her lips pressed into a thin line. Clearly, she was furious about the massive commission I'd earned from Elizabeth's purchase.

As closing time approached, Emma passed by my counter and leaned in close. "Steve's been watching you all afternoon," she whispered, her warm breath tickling my ear. "And he doesn't look happy. I think he's waiting for all the customers to leave."

I glanced toward the manager's office, catching Steve's gaze before he quickly looked away. My stomach knotted with apprehension, acid climbing up my throat.

The last customer finally left, and Vanessa locked the front door with a decisive click that echoed through the quiet store. As she walked past me, her eyes flashed with a mixture of surprise and contempt. I could tell she was wondering how a human had stood up to someone like Elizabeth Collins.

"Brown," Steve called from his office doorway, his voice booming through the now-quiet store. "A word in my office, please."

---

I knocked lightly on the already open door. "You wanted to see me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual while my heart thumped against my ribs.

"Close the door and sit down," Steve said, his smile not reaching his eyes. His gaze traveled over my body in a way that made my skin prickle with discomfort.

I did as instructed, perching on the edge of the chair across from his desk. My fingers dug into the armrests, seeking something solid to ground myself.

"Your performance today was quite interesting, Rebecca," he began, leaning back in his leather chair. His bulky frame made the expensive chair creak under his weight. Sweat beaded on his forehead despite the cool temperature in the office.

"Thank you," I replied cautiously. "The sale to Ms. Collins will help with this month's numbers."

Steve's smile suddenly vanished, his expression hardening like cement. "You humiliated one of our most valuable VIP customers."

I blinked, caught off guard by the shift. My mouth went dry. "I... I was simply following store policy about damaged merchandise."

"Policy," Steve scoffed, folding his hands over his protruding stomach. His fingers tapped impatiently against his knuckles. "Policies are meant to be applied flexibly, especially with someone of Ms. Collins' status. Do you have any idea who her father is?"

"That shouldn't matter," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the tremor I felt building. "She deliberately spilled champagne on store merchandise and my uniform. I only asked her to pay for what she damaged."

Steve's eyes narrowed, small and pig-like in his fleshy face. "Elizabeth Collins has been shopping here for years. Her family spends more in a month than you'll sell in a year. And you thought it appropriate to embarrass her over a few drops of champagne?"

---

"It wasn't a few drops," I countered, indignation rising. My cheeks burned with heat as I leaned forward. "She deliberately shook the bottle and sprayed it everywhere. The shoes she was wearing are ruined, and so was my blouse."

Steve waved his hand dismissively, his gold rings catching the light. "I'm requiring you to personally visit Ms. Collins to apologize. And I'll be deducting your performance bonus this month."

I sat up straighter, my spine rigid with tension. "That's not fair! Why should I be punished for enforcing store policy?" My voice rose slightly. "Is the policy only for regular customers and not for those with special privileges?"

A cold smile spread across Steve's face, revealing yellowed teeth. "Now you're beginning to understand how the world works, Rebecca." He leaned forward, his chair groaning under the shift in weight. "Some people have privileges others don't. That's just reality."

"It's not right," I insisted, heat rising to my cheeks. My fingernails dug into my palms.

"You think Dominic Sterling will always protect you?" Steve laughed, his eyes gleaming with malice. He pushed himself up slightly, resting his elbows on the desk. "I know about your arrangement. Personal assistant? Please." He snorted. "I know what you really are to him. His latest toy, his little pet. And when he tires of you, which he already has from what I hear, where will that leave you?"

My hands gripped the arms of the chair so tightly my knuckles turned white. "My relationship with Mr. Sterling is none of your business," I said through clenched teeth. "And I refuse to apologize to Ms. Collins for something that was entirely her fault."

Steve stood up and slowly walked around his desk. The floor seemed to vibrate slightly with each heavy step. My instincts screamed danger as he moved behind my chair.

"There is another way to resolve this situation," he said, his voice dropping to a menacing purr. His hands landed heavily on my shoulders, his fingers digging into my flesh through the thin fabric of my blouse. I flinched at the contact, my skin crawling beneath his touch.

"You could apologize to me instead," he continued, his breath hot and sour against my ear, "in a more... personal manner."