Page 47 of The Baby Contract

My wolf and I ran straight to the rose garden at Mom's suggestion.

He was happy here, in heaven, now that he had his babies. As soon as I shifted, he took us straight to his nest, eager to make it perfect for his babies and Millie. He imagined them surrounded by roses, sleeping soundly under his protection.

Our babies were perfection. The perfect combination of their mother and father.

It made me love Millie even more. Even though she was in pain, she looked like an absolute angel when she was in labor, pushing out our offspring.

My wolf whined when he recalled the memories. He didn't understand why Millie didn't want our pups. Why didn't she want to hold them like he did? It made him extremely panicked.

"Theo! Cassian!" Mom's voice shrieked, raising the hairs on my arms. "Theo!"

Something is wrong. Babies. Millie.

My wolf let out a roar as he stormed back towards the house, dropping his roses. As I ran through the pack house, my pack spread to make room for my wolf. I was rampant, not even bothering to shift back into human form in the house.

They all gasped as I shot up the staircase to the clinic, my heart racing at the possibilities. Mom stood shocked, her hand fighting with the doorknob.

"Theo!" Mom yelled, holding her hand over her heart. "Theo, something is wrong. The door is locked. I can hear Millie, she is awake!"

I gripped the handle where Mom's hand once was, finding it jammed shut. "What the fuck?"

"It won't open," Mom stepped back, shaking her head. "Theo, do something!"

I slammed my fist into the glass without a second thought, causing the window to shatter to pieces. Mom shrieked as I did so, Dad now running down the stairs to find his mate and comfort her.

That's when the babies started to cry.

"Millie?" I labored, my chest heaving up and down. "Millie?"

The babies cried loudly in their bassinets, both kicking wildly in their onesies. My wolf purred to them as I rubbed their chubby cheeks, desperate to comfort them.

When I looked up, I found the machine that was once connected to Millie beeping wildly, with her IV dangling from it. Her monitors which were once on her, wild across the unmade bed. I whipped my head around the room to spot her hospital gown on the floor, right under the opened window.

Mom and Dad both rushed to the babies. "Oh my goddess!" Mom panicked as she looked out the window. "We will take the babies- "Mom said sternly, while she and Dad both grabbed a baby. "We have the babies, go after her!"

"Alpha!" Axel ran up, catching me by the arms as I ran to the door. "Alpha, they left towards the north!"

A group of warriors, now catching on to the commotion, gathered in the family room, waiting for my direction. "Lock down the borders, now! No one is to leave these lands!"

"Yes, Alpha!" They bowed, before running off and commanding their pack mates to do the same. "Alpha's orders! No one leaves Stormblade lands!"

That's when I heard a large engine roaring, fighting for its life as it sped to its limits. "Damn it!" I yelled, running towards the sound of the nose, and the sweet, fading scent of my mate.

"Don't let her leave!"

She couldn't leave me. Millie wouldn't do that. She wouldn't leave us, our babies, our life together.

"Where the hell is Boris?" I growled, pushing through the woody debris. I felt Axel running next to me, struggling to catch his breath. "He should be here!"

Axel panted, struggling to keep up. "He hasn't been around for the last few days, Alpha."

That's when a loud, ear-piercing cry cut through the woods. "Follow me."

"It's okay," Boris' voice shaky and desperate. "Please, please don't cry. It's going to be okay. Please."

That's when we saw him.

He was on his hands and knees, his body shielding a small woman, who shook uncontrollably in his arms. His arms were covered in his wolf's hair, fighting the urge to take over and protect this she-wolf.

"No!" The woman cried, throwing her head to the ground in defeat. "No! Millie!"

Her voice rasped as she sobbed, pounding her fist on the ground. Boris wrapped his arms around her, trying to stop her from hurting herself. "Please, mate. Stop."

"Boris!"

Boris looked up at the sound of our voices, never once loosening his grip on the screaming woman. As soon as his eyes came up, I noticed they were bloodshot red, tears streaming down his cheeks like I had never seen before.

My heart plummeted to my chest.

"She's gone," Boris cried, tightening his grip on the woman. "Millie- "he sobbed. "She crossed the borders, Alpha. She's gone."

"No!" I waved to Axel, pushing forward. "Millie won't leave. She can't I forbid her!" I shook my head, ordering my warriors to follow in my lead. "Come on!"

"Alpha!" Boris shouted, his voice shaky. "You can't. She's gone. I saw her, I saw them. They crossed the borders. You can't follow them."

My body froze in shock. Millie wouldn't leave. She wouldn't leave me. No, I forbid it.

"I'm sorry, Alpha," Boris gripped the woman closer to her chest as he ran his large hand through her wild, dark hair. "I tried to stop them. But, I couldn't."

My wolf and I refused to believe his words. Why would Millie leave? Why would she leave us?

"There you are!" Ember's voice rang as she ran through the woods, her ponytail bouncing happily as she ran. Aspen ran behind her, catching up to her mate. "We were looking for you!"

Ember panted, dramatically putting her hands on her knees. "We heard what happened."

Aspen wiped the sweat from her head as she leaned on Axel. "Where is Millie?" she panted, her face creased with worry. "She didn't make it across, did she?"

The woman cried and pounded her fist again, this time louder than the last as Boris tried to soothe her, his wolf letting out a combination of purrs and whines. "She's gone!"

Ember's lip twitched upwards quickly. "Oh wow," she placed her hand to her chest. "How heartbreaking." She huffed, kicking some dirt up with her shoe towards the woman who was bent over Boris' arm in shambles. "At least Boris caught one of the trespassers."

"She's not a trespasser- "Boris hissed protectively. "She's my mate."

"Hm-" Ember hummed, walking over to me. "So we finally got rid of that bitch from Eclipse, just to get another filthy, poor wolf in the house, huh?"

Ember bent down to where the woman was crying. "How does it feel to be mated to the Beta of the strongest pack in the Kingdom? Do you feel blessed, little wolf?"

My blood boiled in my body as I watched Ember inspect the couple. "So, so sorry for you, Boris. You are a great Beta, with nothing but a weak, poor, maid as a mate. What a curse."

Before Boris could strike her, my hand was around Ember's neck, slamming her against a tree. "Shut the fuck up!" I pounded my fist into the tree behind us, making her jump at my strength. "You are the fucking Luna, so act like it!"

"Mmm, Theo- "she wiggled against my body. "I wish you were this passionate in the bedroom. In fact- "she traced her fingers on my chin. "Maybe we can continue this upstairs?"

I gripped her neck harder, making her face creep up in red. "Now, that the surrogate is gone, of course. I know she had quite a grip on my mate."

The woman struggled in Boris' arms. "She's not a surrogate!" she screamed. "She didn't want any of this or to be involved with any of you!"

"Mate, please," Boris tried to pull her back to his chest. "Please, calm down."

"Did you say, Mate?" Aspen shrieked, her eyes wide. "No freaking way! Boris found his mate!"

Ember scoffed, eyeing the woman down. "It doesn't matter. She's still a criminal!" she groaned, struggling against my hand. "She needs to be prosecuted for trespassing. Throw her in the cells!"

"She's your beta female, Ember," Aspen shouted. "How could you even say that?"

Boris growled loudly. "My mate will not step foot in those cells. Crime or not, she is pardoned by me. I let her stay when she came."

"Well, I'm the Luna and I don't think she should be pardoned," Ember choked. "She has caused much danger to our pack. She deserves to be punished."

I threw Ember against the tree as I let go of her neck. "You know, what?" I shook. "Maybe she does need to be punished. How about you get the hell out of here so I can do it?"

Ember looked satisfied as she struggled to stand. "Hm-"she smiled, massaging her wrist. "Fine. I'll let you handle this peasant, mate."

"Peasant?" the woman shook. "Is that what you called my best friend, too?"

"Best friend?" Boris cleared his throat nervously, turning his mate to face him. "Wait, you-"he looked her up and down. "You're Nova?"

Nova smiled hopefully. "Millie talked about me?"

"Goddess, Boris-"Aspen gasped. "You don't even know her name?"

Boris never took his loving eyes off Nova. "We didn't quite get to that part," he smiled sadly. "It was an eventful night."

"Nova- "he breathed, admiring her name. "My Nova- "his wolf whined loudly. "My Nova tried to leave me."

"Why?" he dropped to his knees, still finding himself up to her chest. "Did I scare you last night? Hurt you? Why did you run away from me?"

Ember scoffed at the scene in front of her. "Ugh, Boris-"she rolled her eyes. "You seriously can't think about accepting this woman as your mate."

Boris leaned his head into Nova's chest, closing his eyes painfully. "I want you, Nova. I accept you wholeheartedly to be my mate and beta-female. I don't want you to run from me. I will do anything for your approval."

Nova's eyes teared up, her small hands caressing each side of his face gently. "Oh goddess-"she sobbed. "Millie said you were my perfect mate, and she was so right!"

"Ugh-"Ember grumbled, looking away. "Theo-"

"Come on, Ember," Aspen grabbed her arm, causing Ember to stumble. "We'll let the Alpha deal with this. Let's go, mate."

Axel was quick to grab Ember's arm, pulling her along to the pack house. "Wait-"she fought, turning her head towards us. "No. Theo!"

Ember struggled in their arms as they took her back to the pack house. I could hear Aspen occasionally scolding her, reminding her that I was the Alpha, and to let it go.

"Wow-" Nova breathed. "She is nothing like the media described her." she scoffed. "I even idolized her. Especially your mateship."

"Nova-" I leaned down, trying to appear as approachable as possible. "You need to tell me where Millie went."

"No."

"No?"

"You heard what I said," Nova breathed heavily in anger. "I said no, Alpha Stormblade."

Boris squeezed her arm, warning her. "Nova- "

"You obviously planned this all," I tried to catch her eyes. "You know where she is going. We can help her, we can get her ba-"

That's when Nova moved her hand back and slapped me across the face. "Nova!" Boris grabbed her hand, horrified. "You can't just-"

"You took Millie away from me-" she scolded, pointing at me. "You took her away from us. You took her to a life she didn't want."

"Nov-"

"She never wanted to come to Stormblade and be your surrogate," she air quoted angrily. "Millie only wanted to be loved, protected and cared for. She would never admit that because she put her pack's happiness first. She was sold by our Alpha to you with no choice."

My heart stopped. My face paled at the news. Millie never agreed to this?

I recalled the first night in my office, the first day Millie came. When I asked her to agree to the rules of the contract, she stumbled, looking down at the desk in pure surrender. I should have known.

Boris let Nova continue this time, not trying to stop her. "That's why she was at the ring fighting for nights on end. She was getting us food, and new clothes. She was the only reason we all survived in Eclipse."

"And, even after-" Nova shuddered. "After-"

"After what?" I pushed, my mind going crazy with possibilities. "What happened?"

Nova took a few steps back. "Never mind."

"Please, Nova-"I begged. "I need to know."

Nova scoffed, turning away. "I promised Millie I wouldn't tell anyone. Especially you."

Boris moved to reprimand her for talking to me that way, but I held up my hand to stop him. I needed Nova to talk. "Your best friend just left to go back to Eclipse. We both know she is not safe."

"Don't worry about her, forget about it," Nova snapped. "It doesn't matter to you anyway. She birthed Elora and Elijah and now she's gone. Just like you wanted."

Elora and Elijah. That's what Millie named them. My wolf purred loudly at his pup's sweet names.

I sighed, falling to my knees in defeat. "Millie is my mate." I cried, pulling at my hair. "I don't know how but she is. She's my mate and I can't let her go. I won't."

"He's telling the truth," Boris soothed his mate. "What he's saying is true."

"It can't be," Nova shook her head. "He's mated to Ember Howling. Anyone can see his mark."

"We don't know how- "Boris said. "But, Alpha is certain of his bond with her."

I sighed, impatient as the time passed. "After what, Nova? What happened to Millie?"

Nova looked pained. "I told Millie I would keep it a secret," she closed her eyes. "I can't. She told me never to tell anyone."

"Not even your mate?" Boris reached out for his mate, causing goosebumps to sprout on both of their arms. "Not even if we could help her?"

Boris looked at me knowingly before leaning down and sucking on Nova's neck. Nova went weak at the feeling of her mate's canines, falling into the pleasure it caused them both.

"I can't-"she shuddered, her eyes rolling to the back of her head in pleasure. "I, I-"

Boris bit down slightly, making Nova gasp. "Oh goddess, she's going to kill me-"

Her knees went weak as she melted into her mate's arms. "Alpha Orion he, he-"

"He what?"

"He killed Millie's Mom and Dad!" she broke away from Boris' grasp. "He planned to have them killed, okay? He killed them!"

"She is the rightful Luna of Eclipse," she admitted. "Her parents were the Alpha and Luna before Orion had them killed. He was jealous of them, of what they had. They were the perfect Alpha and Luna, just like Millie is the perfect Luna."

"Holy shit- "Boris and I looked at each other. "No way!"

Our mate is a Luna. My wolf danced. She is perfect for us.

"And Millie, went back to save her pack," I whispered to myself, concluding. "She couldn't leave them."

I jumped back, my wolf going rabid. "I'm going to get my Luna-"I declared, running off towards the pack house. "Load up, warriors! We are going to Eclipse!"

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