The Alpha’s Contract

Chapter 0237

“Are you sure you weren’t a shrink when you were human?” I muse over my coffee. He always did have this way of seeing things that others couldn’t.

“I’m sure. What I am saying is don’t give up. Not just yet.”

“When you went after Salem, I shared a room with Raven. I thought it might open a path for me, but it just seemed to make her hate me more.”

“Ravens her friend.”

“I know that.”

“It’s possible that she thought she was losing her friend to you.”

I roll my eyes. “What kind of high school crap is that?”

He laughs. “That’s exactly where you are missing the point.”

I frown at his words and blow out my cheeks. Sometimes, it was really frustrating just how right he was. “Can you get her to meet with me? You could be there too.”

“I can ask her, but I’m not making any promises.”

I give him a small smile, grateful that he was at least trying

Once he has finished his coffee, he leaves to check on Dorothy. Once again leaving me alone. How was it possible to feel lonelier in a pack full of Wolves than what it was when we were living in the derelict town?

Refilling my mug with coffee, I take it out to the front door and sit on the cool stones that formed my tiny porch.

People walk past and even when I put my hand up, they don’t acknowledge me, acting like I don’t exist. I did the same thing most days and each day, I lost a little more of the hope that I had found somewhere I could belong.

Klaus leans into my line of sight, waving a hand at me. “You okay?”

“I will be.” I mutter

He walks up to me anyway. His frame shadowing mine as he blocks out what's left of the evening sun.

“Fancy a walk?” He asks, his deep green eyes wide and expectant.

“You don’t need to feel sorry for me.”

He seems surprised by my response and almost a little offended . “I don’t. Now that I’m not really needed, I’ve got some freetime.” I roll my eyes as he fixes his man bun. “If you don’t want to walk, I can keep you company.”

He doesn’t even wait for an answer, plonking himself down onto the stone next to me. “I heard you were watching in the trees.”

“News travels fast.” I mutter, swigging the last of my coffee

“It’s a pack. It’s generally what happens.”

“Is that why you keep yourself to yourself?” I ask, not really interested in his choice of conversation.

“Yes.”

“If I kept myself to myself, they would probably be at my door with pitchforks.”

He nods his head in agreement.

“You are not supposed to agree.” I snap

“I can’t disagree when I agree.” He smirks at me which seems to brighten his deep green eyes. "I know what they are like."

“Did you want to be Beta?” I ask curiously. He had stepped into the role because Eric was drowning himself in alcohol every day. But now Damien had accepted, Klaus seemed to mooch around the grounds more.

“Yes and No. Damien is perfect for the role. He has Neah’s best interests at heart.” He smiles to himself. “He challenges Dane when no one else will. His human past makes him a good asset. If I had been a permanent Beta, I would never be able to research as much as I do.”

“What are you researching?”

He screws his face up, “Lycans.”

“You know you have two right here who you can ask.”

“No offence, but I'm looking for information on Lycans by blood.” He adds. “And Neah can’t answer my questions. After all, it was me who discovered that she is a Lycan.”

“You?”

“No need to sound so surprised.”

“Sorry.” I mumble. “It’s just, even back then, before I was bitten, I knew what Cassandra and the others were. How did she not?”

“She believed she was a Wolf. It’s only when she started sharing information Dane realised things didn’t add up.”

I sigh, feeling the weight of the guilt in my heart.

They were cruel to her and I had just stood back and let them carry on, right up until I attacked her. Betrayed by the very family who were supposed to protect her. It really should not have been a surprise that she wouldn’t forgive me.

“She didn’t trust me to start with.” He adds like he had read my mind.

“She didn’t?”

He smiles again. “Dane brought her to my house for her first tutoring session. She panicked because I stood behind her, helping her with her words. Fear of being hit, fear of the unknown. It put her on edge.”

“What did you do?”

“I gave her a little space. I talked to her. Told her how I ended up in the pack. We have something in common. I was bound when I was a kid too.”

"You were?"

"A long story, but yes. I think knowing that I had something in common with her was what helped her relax."

“I don’t have anything in common with her.”

“Are you sure about that?”