Alpha's One Night Bride
Alpha’s One Night Bride – Chapter 23

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jonathan asked as we stood outside my childhood home. Erick and Anderson were also nearby. It felt good knowing I was being protected.

“No,” I admitted. “But I have to. If there is a letter here that my mom wrote for me, I owe it to her to read it.”

Jonathan didn’t argue with me; I knew he was just as nervous as I was. Since finding out I was pregnant, he’s been more adamant about protecting me. Not that I minded, there’s no telling what Rock was capable of.

Melissa stood at the doorway with a plastered smile upon her face. It seemed she had another bruise on her upper cheekbone that she poorly tried to cover with a concealer that didn’t even match her skin tone. She still reeked of my mother’s lavender perfume and wore my mother’s jewelry. One was a charm bracelet, with a couple of the charms I got for my mother on her birthday. One was a little silver charm that had the word “mom” engraved on it with a small sapphire gem in the center. The other was a simple red ruby gem in the shape of a heart.

Erick and Anderson sat in their wolf forms on both sides of the doors; once Melissa noticed them, she frowned and looked back at me.

“I wasn’t expecting there to be so many people,” Melissa said, trying to keep her voice steady.

“They’re going to be waiting outside,” I told her.

She stepped aside for Jonathan and me to enter.

The last time I was in this house was for Ronnie’s 16th birthday party. Rock was talking about how he’s going to set Ronnie up with the finest mate and throw her the best wedding. Around that time, I found Melissa’s wine and had a few too many sips from the bottle.

As drunk as I was, I don’t regret saying what I did to them. I said nothing but the truth and if they couldn’t handle it then that’s on them. They’ve spent years trying to erase my mother’s existence and I refuse to stand by while they do that. Before this was Rocks house, this house used to belong to my grandfather.

Rock seems to have forgotten that.

Melissa was quick to wear my mother’s clothing, jewelry, makeup, and perfume. She always pretended that she cared but she’s nothing but a fake. Just like my father.

That was also the night I happened to accidentally call Jonathan. So, no. I don’t regret the events of that night.

As we entered the house, Rock was already seated at the couch; his leg was crossed over his knee and his fingers were laced together. He looked as though he was posing for photos to be in a magazine.

I rolled my eyes at his condescending structure as Jonathan, and I sat at the nearby loveseat across the round wood coffee table. Melissa sat beside Rock, looking uncomfortable.

“So, you have a letter from my mother?” I asked, noticing he had no paper with him. He gave me a smirk.

“I do,” he answered. “But before we get into that; there are some matters we need to discuss.”

I knew it would be too easy if he just gave me the letter.

“Jonathan, Alpha of Sabrebite and my daughter. A pair I was not expecting,” Rock said slowly, staring amongst the two of us. I could feel the heat rising into my face.

“Get on with it, Rock. What is it you want?” I said bitterly.

He frowned.

“Don’t get yourself so worked up, Arina. It’s not good for the baby,” he said.

He knew.

“Surprised?” He asked, a grin forming on his lips. “I have eyes and ears all over multiple towns. You knew this and yet you still try to hide things from me.”

“Our child is none of your business,” Jonathan said from beside me. He was staring at Rock with traces of anger lingering in his eyes.

“Your child is part of my bloodline. I am the business,” he said, keeping his eyes locked on Jonathan’s. “I want no harm to come to either of you. I simply want to make sure my daughter and my grandchild are healthy.”

“I assure you, Arina and my child are nothing but safe,” Jonathan said, taking a hold of my hand and squeezing it gently.

I didn’t buy this “fatherly act” for one second. Rock never cared about me, why would he start caring now?

“As her father, I suggest you allow me to do my part,” Rock said, his voice remaining steady.

“You aren’t my father,” I told him, bringing his attention back to me.

“I’d watch how you speak to me,” he said with zero hesitation. “If you want that letter that is.”

“What exactly do you mean by ‘do your part’?” Jonathan asked, eyeing Rock suspiciously.

“I’m assuming you won’t allow for her to board here during the remainder of her pregnancy?” Rock asked.

“Over my dead body,” Jonathan responded.

“Well, I want her under close surveillance. She doesn’t leave the borders of Ironclaw and Sabrebite without my knowledge and permission. I’m flying a specific doctor in who should be arriving by next week for all her doctor appointments. She will eat and drink only from an approved list of my providing. You won’t stop me from seeing her. She is to stay here Friday and Saturday nights only and return home to you Sunday,” he stated.

“You must be a mad wolf if you think we are going to oblige to those terms…” Jonathan nearly laughed.

“I think you’ll change your mind once I tell you what is on the line,” Rock said, turning to me. “Your mother.”

“Excuse me?” I asked, my voice getting caught in my throat.

“I have a box that contains some of her belongings that she wanted you to have. It includes her journal and videos she’s created. Confessions that not even I knew about…” his voice trailed off for a moment as he thought about it. “Items that meant a lot to her. Not to mention her ashes that I’ve kept from her cremation.”

“Her ashes?” I whispered. I could hardly breathe. He kept all this stuff in this house, and he’s never once mentioned any of it to me. He’s been waiting to use it as bate and to get what he wanted out of me.

The problem was, I had no idea what he wanted.

“Yes,” he responded. “They will be in your possession once the baby is born and healthy.”

“I don’t understand why it matters to you so much,” I said, still in a whisper. I could feel Jonathan’s tension from beside me.

“This is my grandchild. I want to be sure of a healthy birth. I can’t be to blame for that,” he said with fake innocents. “Melissa, grab the contract from the kitchen along with a pen.”

I had forgotten Melissa was still in the room. She sat beside him, still looking uncomfortable. Giving him one look of almost defeat she nodded and walked towards the kitchen.

Looking back at Rock he stared at me as though he had already won.

(Jonathan)

Jonathan felt disgusted.

He wanted so badly to jump across the coffee table and tear out Rock’s throat. He wanted to take Arina and run far away from this hell hole Rock called a home.

But with one look at Arina’s anguished face, he knew he couldn’t do that. Rock had threatened her with the one thing that matters the most to her.

But with one look at Arina’s anguished face, he knew he couldn’t do that. Rock had threatened her with the one thing that matters the most to her.

Her mother.

He would be foolish if he didn’t worry that she was going to sign the contract. She’s signing away her free will. Obliging under Rock’s rules; just as her mother did all those years of being married to him.

One look at Arina’s face and he knew that she already decided.

He hadn’t told her how he spoke to Rock the other day and threatened to turn him into a corpse if he hurt her. That threat still stood; as long as Jonathan breathed, no harm would come to Arina or their unborn werewolf child.

He also doesn’t understand Rock’s motives and why it matters to him so much. He remembered Rock saying something about how much an Alpha cub is worth but that couldn’t have meant what Jonathan was initially thinking it meant.

He didn’t want to worry Arina by bringing it up.

As much as he wanted to Rip out Rock’s throat, he knew that this pregnancy was going to be hard on Arina. Beverly said it herself, with how young Arina is, there’s going to be complications that could end up being fatal. Maybe being under Rock’s radar and obliging under his rules would benefit Arina and help her get through this pregnancy.

Melissa came back shortly after with Ronnie trailing behind her. Ronnie had an expression that Jonathan couldn’t quite read. She glanced between Jonathan and Arina; Arina didn’t seem to notice her presence. Ronnie’s eyes eventually landed on Rock and her frown deepened; it was almost the look of disgust. Which made no sense because he always thought that Ronnie and Rock had a good relationship.

By what Arina had always said about her, it seemed as though Rock treated Ronnie better than he’s ever treated Arina.

What had changed?

“I’m going for a hunt,” Ronnie announced.

Rock ignored her as she headed out the front door.

Melissa joined Rock on the couch once more and handed him a piece of paper along with a pen.

Sliding the paper and pen across the coffee table towards Arina, Rock leaned in as he spoke. “Do we have a deal?”

She scanned the contract quickly and then looked over at me. Questions all over her face; she was worried about what I’d think if she went ahead and signed it. She was afraid of what would happen once she did. She knew she was signing away her rights, but her mother is important to her, and finding out what happened has been her life’s goal. Obtaining that box could put an end to the investigation and achieve that goal.

I gave her a small smile and kissed her forehead to assure her that I was on her side regardless of what she chose to do. But she had to make this decision herself.

Turning back to Rock she took the pen and began adding some things to the contract.

“I don’t come here without Jonathan or someone of my choosing. You do not come to our home without permission and if I choose to leave town, it’s none of your business. I will not ask permission to leave, but I will inform you of my whereabouts,” she said as she wrote that in.

Rock tensed as he watched her write.

Without saying anything more, she signed the contract.