The Alpha’s Contract (Contract by Alpha’s #3)

Chapter 0141

Raven

Crap. Crap. Crap.

My feet pace back and forth along the hospital corridor. As usual, the place is eerily quiet, giving me too much time to think.

"Will you relax?" My wolf, Midnight, huffs in exasperation.

"Relax? I'm mated to a Lycan! How am I supposed to stay calm?"

"Neah is a Lycan."

"She’s different. I trust her. But this guy? He’s friends with Mallory. That alone is a red flag. And look at the rest of them—they’re all insufferable! We’re caught in some kind of Moon Goddess nonsense!"

Midnight chuckles at my frustration. I rarely let anyone see how much I panicked on the inside, but thankfully, she was clever enough to help me appear composed.

"We could talk to her," Midnight suggests.

"Mallory? Absolutely not. That would make it look like we’re not on Neah’s side. And I’ve already made it crystal clear that she’s not welcome here."

"It might be our only chance to learn about our second-chance mate."

"And what if he’s nothing like Salem? What if he’s cruel? What if he hates us?"

"Then we deal with it when the time comes. The hospital is as dead as ever. Go find her!"

Stepping outside, I spot Neah and my brother engaged in what looks like a heated argument. Dane should know better—Neah was supposed to be resting.

"She’s definitely become more assertive since getting pregnant," Midnight observes.

"Hormones and past trauma," I reply. "Dane better be ready because it’s only going to get worse."

"Hey!"

Eric’s voice startles me, making my heart jump. I need to start paying more attention instead of zoning out whenever I talk to Midnight.

"Eric," I exhale. "Do you need something?"

"Yeah, have you seen Klaus?"

I shake my head. "No, but he was with Neah for tutoring earlier, so..." I motion toward the arguing pair. "He’s probably gone home by now."

"Got it," he nods.

Before he can walk away, I stop him. "Have you seen Mallory?"

He raises a brow. "She was at her house earlier."

"Her house?"

Eric nods. "Dane set her up with one."

That was unexpected. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that he brought her here after what she did to Neah. It wasn’t like him.

Eric walks with me, pointing out which house is hers before heading off to find Klaus.

I stand at the door, hesitating. Three times, I knock. Three times, I turned to leave. Just as I’m about to give up and walk away for good, the door swings open.

Mallory glares at me. "What?" Her voice is sharp. "I’ve been watching you through the window since you got here. You’ve made it pretty clear you don’t want me around, so why are you here? Ready to hurl insults at me? Tear me apart?"

I glance at her, realizing something. His scent is gone. She must have showered—his presence washed away along with the water.

"The man—the scent that was on you. Have you heard from him?"

Mallory’s expression shifts, a knowing smirk curling her lips. "Now it makes sense. The questions about him. You’re mated to him, aren’t you? You caught his scent on me, and that’s why you’re here."

"Apparently," I mutter, clicking my tongue in annoyance.

"The last I heard, yes, he’s still alive."

"He was hunting Lycans?"

She nods. "Rogues." Then she steps aside. "You want to come in and ask all these questions? I’m cooking, and I don’t plan on burning my dinner for this conversation."

I glance around to make sure no one is watching. The last thing I need is for Neah to think I’m betraying her. I’m not here for Mallory—I just want to know more about my mate.

"Fine," I say, stepping inside.

She gestures toward the small kitchen table, pouring me a cup of coffee before sliding it over.

"Damien is my best friend," Mallory tells me. "We met a few months after he was turned. By then, I’d already been a Lycan for almost a year—a very lonely year."

"He was bitten too?"

"By the same monster that turned me," she mutters, bitterness lacing her words.