Mated by Contract to the Alpha Chapter 50

Rebecca's POV

I turned to find Olivia Parker standing behind me, her platinum blonde hair falling in perfect waves. She wore a cream-colored dress that probably cost more than my monthly rent, and her signature diamond necklace—William's gift—glittered at her throat.

"Interesting to see you here," she continued, eyes scanning me from head to toe. "I heard you had a little... incident at Silver Collections. Must be sleeping with Dominic Sterling to afford places like this."

Her words hit exactly where intended—right at my insecurities. My stomach clenched. But something had changed in me since our last encounter. Maybe it was surviving Steve's attack, or maybe it was the way Dominic had made me feel last night. Whatever it was, I stood straighter instead of shrinking away.

"At least I'm not the other woman," I replied, meeting her gaze directly. "By the way, does William know about your son? Does he know you've been hiding James from him? I wonder what Dominic would think about you insulting his future mate."

The color drained from Olivia's face. Her lips parted in shock. She was cut off by William emerging from a fitting room, adjusting the sleeves of a new suit.

"Olivia, what do you think of the—" He stopped abruptly when he saw me, his expression darkening. "Rebecca. What are you doing here?"

"Shopping," I replied simply. "Just like you."

William stepped closer, his posture aggressive. I could see his jaw tightening. "You should be more careful where you go. I thought you'd learned your lesson last time."

I felt a flicker of the old fear, my heart racing. But I forced myself to stand my ground. I wasn't going to cower before him anymore.

"I'm not going to let you intimidate me again, William," I said, surprised by the steadiness in my voice. "Those days are over."

He moved closer, and I caught a glimpse of gold in his eyes—his wolf rising to the surface. Then, unexpectedly, he paused and inhaled deeply. His nostrils flared, and I watched his expression change from anger to shock to disgust.

William could smell Dominic on me—not just his cologne or the fact that I'd been in his house, but the intimate scent that only came from sex. The powerful Alpha pheromones that now marked me as claimed.

"You shameless woman..." he hissed, his face twisting.

His words stung more than I wanted to admit. Heat crept up my neck. What Dominic and I had done wasn't exactly conventional, and I knew my actions wouldn't be considered entirely honorable. But I refused to be judged by William.

"That's rich coming from you," I said, hands clenching at my sides. "Aren't you standing here with your mistress while planning to buy a suit with money that should be paying for your son's education?"

William's face paled further. He grabbed Olivia's arm roughly. "We're leaving. Now."

As they hurried toward the door, I heard him muttering to Olivia, "Stay away from her. Don't antagonize Sterling's woman."

I stood there, heart pounding in my chest. I was no longer William's victim. I was Dominic Sterling's... what? Girlfriend? Mate? Employee? The labels confused me, but the power shift was undeniable.

I turned back to the tailor, who was pretending he hadn't witnessed the entire exchange. "I'll pay the deposit now," I said, handing over my credit card. "Please make sure it's ready in time."

---

By late afternoon, I was back at Dominic's villa with my purchases. Diana was in the kitchen preparing dinner when I found her.

"Diana," I said, holding out a beautifully wrapped package. "This is for you. To thank you for all your kindness."

She looked genuinely surprised, her eyes widening as she carefully unwrapped the gift—a pair of elegant gardening gloves made from the softest leather and a set of luxury organic skincare products.

"Miss Brown," she breathed, running her fingers over the leather. "This is... I've never..."

"I noticed your hands are always a little dry from housework," I explained. "And I saw you tending the roses without proper gloves."

Diana blinked rapidly, emotion crossing her face. "No one has ever given me such a thoughtful gift. Mr. Sterling provides well, but he never..." She trailed off, then straightened her shoulders. "Thank you. Truly."

I smiled, a warm feeling spreading through my chest. "You've made me feel at home here, Diana. That means more than you know."

Next, I found Raymond in the garage, polishing the Bentley. His face remained impassive as I handed him his gift, but I caught the slight widening of his eyes as he unwrapped the custom driving gloves and ergonomic seat cushion.

"For all the times you've protected me," I said simply.

Raymond ran his fingers over the leather of the gloves. "These are excellent quality, Miss Brown."

"They're designed for professional drivers," I told him. "The salesperson assured me they're the best."

Raymond's lips curved in the barest hint of a smile—the first I'd ever seen from him. "It is my honor to serve you and Mr. Sterling," he said, his voice less formal than usual.

I'd also purchased a beautiful silk scarf in Sophia's favorite colors and the makeup palette she'd been coveting. I had someone arrange for them to be delivered to her apartment, along with a note expressing my gratitude.

As evening approached, my phone rang with Sophia's familiar ringtone.

"You absolute queen!" she exclaimed without preamble. "How did you know exactly what I wanted? That makeup palette has been sold out for weeks!"

I laughed, genuinely happy to hear her excited voice. "I have my ways. Do you like the scarf?"

"Like it? I'm wearing it right now, and I've already taken about fifty selfies. Seriously, Becca, this is too much."

"It's not nearly enough," I said. "You've been there for me through everything."

Sophia's voice softened. "That's what friends do. Speaking of which, can we do lunch tomorrow? I feel like I haven't seen you in forever, and I have so much to tell you."

"I'd love that," I said, and then remembered the photographer she had fallen in love with at first sight. "By the way, you and the photographer...?"

"I forgot to tell you, we're together." Sophia sounded sweet. "He confessed to me first."

"Really!" I screamed, pulling the sheets from under me, genuinely happy for Sophia. "I'm kind of curious about what kind of person he is."

"Honey, it's easy," Sophia laughed. "How about we meet tomorrow at 12 o'clock at the new restaurant near the Stirling Group? I'll take you to meet my new boyfriend."

"Perfect," I agreed. "I can't wait to see you."

---

It was nearly midnight when I heard the front door open and close. Dominic's footsteps sounded in the hallway—confident, measured, powerful. I sat up in bed, suddenly nervous. My palms grew damp. Would he expect a repeat of last night? Did I want that?

The bedroom door opened, and there he stood. His tie was loosened, his hair slightly mussed. His eyes locked onto mine immediately, and I felt the intensity of his gaze like a physical touch.

"You're still awake," he said, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine.

"I wanted to wait for you," I replied, then gestured to the wrapped packages on the dresser. "I got some gifts today. For Diana and Raymond. And Sophia."

Dominic approached the bed slowly. Each step made my heartbeat quicken. Even tired, he moved with grace that reminded me of what he truly was.

"That was thoughtful of you," he said, eyes never leaving my face.

"Emma called," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. "Thank you for the compensation. It... it helps a lot."

He shrugged off his suit jacket, still watching me. "It was the least I could do. The company failed to protect you." His gaze fell on the nightstand where an empty gift box sat. "I see everyone got a gift except me."

Despite his serious expression, I caught something playful in his eyes. My lips curved upward. "Yours is still being made. I designed it myself."

"Designed?" His eyebrows rose with interest.

"You'll have to wait and see," I teased. "It'll be a few days."

Dominic loosened his tie completely, removing it with a soft swish. "I'm not accustomed to waiting for things I want," he murmured, his voice dropping lower.