A Broken Contract (Alpha's Secret Regret)

Nick turned his back on me and stomped back to the SUV, parked some feet from the truck. Jake followed quickly behind him. My heart continued to hammer in my chest as I watched them both.

He opened the driver's side and sat down. But he didn't attempt to start the engine. Instead, he seemed to be barking orders at his beta, who kept nodding like a lizard to his every syllable. How I hated them both for showing up here.

I had no doubt that Alex saw his face. He'd strained his neck to see who was calling out my name earlier. I wonder what that meant.

Nick's head was bowed low now as he tapped his phone screen. Then he held it to his ear.

What did he mean to do? He was right when he implied that I couldn't fight him. This was a powerful figure, not just among werewolves but even humans. Why was this happening to me? He'd made it clear that he didn't want me bearing his child back then. What changed?

"C'mon inside, Sara," my father ordered, taking me by the arms and leading me back into the truck. I kept turning around to look at Nick talking on the phone. His eyes did not leave mine as he spoke.

"You both wait here," my dad said once we were in the truck. "I'll go talk to him."

But as he turned around to go back outside, Nick had already started the car. With a reckless u-turn, he drove off into the traffic. The crazed look in his eyes was unmistakable. He was going to come back to take Alex. I was terrified.

My father closed the shop earlier that day and drove us straight home. On the way, I thought about the last few weeks since the rumors started that the town was getting a mall. It hadn't even crossed my mind for a moment that the Reigns might own the proposed project. Why should it? What could a big corporation want in a town like this? If only I watched TV, I would've seen this coming. But I'd slowly developed a strong aversion to it after we left L.A. The cable in the house was strictly kiddies TV for Alex.

The car was quiet on our way home. I recalled my dad's weird behaviour in the last few days and broke the silence.

"You knew he was coming."

My tone was accusatory. "That's why you wanted us to move."

"Jeremy mentioned Reign Corporations in passing," he replied. "So yeah, I knew, but I didn't know for sure that he'd come in person."

"When did Jeremy mention him?" I asked.

"Two days ago. I didn't worry about it at first. It's hard to believe the alpha himself would come all the way out here to oversee this."

I switched to mind-link to keep Alex from hearing my next words. 'I can't let him take my child.'

"He won't," my father replied out loud in a gentle voice.

Alex was watching the both of us. No doubt, feeling so confused by everything that just happened.

I wonder what would happen if Nick and the child come face to face. Though he was only three and a half years old and had merely started talking properly. Would he recognize his father?

He'd never asked me about his dad, but there's still a lot of time. I doubt he understands that one parent was missing in his life at this age. I'd hoped that the presence of his grandpa filled that void enough to prevent his question for many more years to come. Guess I wouldn't have to worry about that anymore. I give a bitter laugh, and my dad regards me with deep worry in his eyes.

****

The next morning at 6.45, I'd decided that I wasn't letting Alex out of my sight. Although, I still haven't come up with what to do to keep Nick away.

We were eating breakfast like a normal morning, even though I didn't plan on letting him go to school. My cellphone rang, making me jerk. We had a home phone. A normal person in the town would ring that at this time of the day, rather than call my mobile phone. When I looked at the number, as expected, it was the one that I memorized long ago. The very number that I was forbidden to call even when I was sleeping with him.

How did Nick get my current phone number?

I stood up to take the call as my dad's eyes followed me. It was better to pretend that I didn't know who was on the line. ""Hello."

"Hello, Sara." He sounded a bit calm. Not as threatening as yesterday, but my heart still thumped at the sound.

"How did you get this number?"

"You and I have some catching up to do," he said, ignoring my question.

"We have nothing to catch up on," I replied.

"I gave you the whole night to come to your senses. If you're really going to choose the hard way, fine! Let's do it how you want then." He hung up.

I looked at the phone in horror. When I turned around, my dad was standing with his hands crossed. I could feel his worry and anger.

"We can go to Fairview or anywhere else this very minute," he suggested. "We'll find a cheap motel and stay there till we find a place. Just disappear from here."

I bit my finger, rolling the thought in my head. It took a few seconds to decide. I nodded in agreement, and within fifteen minutes, we've packed a light luggage. I told myself we'd figure other things out after I hid my son from Nick's reach.

He would never find us to take the child once we leave Orphic Valley.

"Am I going to school with the bags?" Alex asked. I felt awful about the confusion he must feel at this moment.

"Not today, baby. We have to go somewhere today."

My father carried the bigger luggage behind me and Alex. I opened the door and started to lead my son out of the house when that peculiar aura engulfed us. My heart dropped into my stomach.

I lifted my gaze, and Nick stood a few feet away with hands in his pocket like he'd been waiting. His face held no expression.

To my complete shock, my son broke into a wide grin. Lifting his hand, he waved at his father and called out,

"Hello."