Page 50 of The Baby Contract

"Stay back-"I turned around facing my warriors, who were equipped and ready. "I will handle this myself."

I turned, looking at the train tracks, covered with green moss. The tracks were old and rusty, evidence of its antiqueness. It was the only train that ran through the Eclipse borders.

This part of Eclipse was sparse and empty with only the sounds of the wind blowing through the trees and the occasional chirping of a bird.

It was eerie.

"We will be right behind you if you need us, Alpha."

I continued without them, the forest becoming denser and more closed off from the outside world. It was humid and sticky in the air.

I let my wolf take over to see if we could catch a scent, but I smelt nothing. So, I kept walking, waiting for the sound of a whirring train.

After a few minutes, the train lit up the dusk sky with its dim, yellow, lights in the distance. The horn sounded, warning those around of its arrival.

I watched from behind a tree as the train chugged along fast on the tracks, blowing its last bit of energy. The wind hit me in the face as it passed with the loud clicking of its wheels.

Slowly, I approached the train, before breaking into a sprint, getting faster and faster as the train passed me.

Grey said Orion would be here. I needed to be discreet.

I jumped onto one of the last cable cars, holding onto the rusty ladder. I reached one hand over to try and open the door, but it was locked.

My wolf took over, my fist turning into steel as I slammed the door, effortlessly ripping it off and tossing the piece of metal into the woods. I slipped in, finding this car empty.

There was nothing but old, faded blue seats. They looked as if they hadn't been used in years, given their state. Even the plastic that was once white, was now a slight shade of yellow.

There was a door on the end to the next passenger car. It opened with a few pushes of a button.

I walked and jumped onto the next car, briefly feeling the passing wind. This one was the same, empty and quiet with no signs of life.

This repeated with each car I entered. The train rumbled below, the wheels loud as they rolled over the rusty tracks. It sounded like it was holding onto its last breath.

That's when I smelt him.

My wolf and I were on alert, keeping our hands on our weapons. Maybe he had heard we were coming and prepared for it.

Orion was sitting alone in this car on a large blue "U" shaped sofa. A small table sat in front of him held bottles of whiskey and an unfinished cigar sitting in an ashtray.

"Stormblade-"He finally said, carefully reaching in front of him to grab the lit cigar in his hand. "Never thought I would see you in these parts."

I walked in slowly, inspecting him. Something was off.

Orion put the fat cigar between his lips as he leaned back slowly, taking in a big breath, and then blowing smoke in the air.

"The all-powerful and rich Alpha Stormblade in Eclipse?" he laughed, his eyes finally raising to survey me. "Never thought I would see someone like you here."

His eyes were shot with red.

"Come-"Orion patted a seat next to him on the sofa. "Come have a drink with me. And, maybe a cigar?"

I didn't move, but instead, I studied his eyes. Something was weird about them.

"Come on!" He ushered again, smiling. "Take a load off." He put the cigar between his lips again. "Tell me, those babies stressing you out already? It can be quite stressful to be a father."

"You're drunk."

Orion laughed loudly, causing him to cough between breaths. "For your information- "he shook his head. "I'm drunk and high."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I scoffed, looking down pitifully at the poor man. He was an Alpha, and right now, the members of his pack were fighting in the ring. His Beta even died.

And yet, he was here, sitting in a cloud of his own smoke and drinking his life away.

Orion shook his head, before leaning back on the couch. "Did you come here just to criticize me?" he scoffed. "Why are you even here? To chastise a poor man?"

"You know why I'm here- "I walked over slowly. "You know what I want."

Orion took a deep breath. "Actually I don't-"he shrugged. "You have everything you want now, don't you?"

"I mean, you should be happy- "he held up his fingers. "Your mate is back from the dead; you have your offspring- "

"How do you know about that?" My heart thumped. "How do you know about Ember?"

Orion tapped his chin. "Maybe you can get out of this dump and go somewhere more to your taste. A vacation might do you good-"he rubbed his chin in thought, ignoring my question. "The whole Kingdom knows how much you love to take Luna Ember's places-"

"Orion-"I cut him off, my wolf pouncing hard at my chest. He remembered Grey's words, his mate. As time passed, he worried about her absence, her lack of scent. "Tell me where Millie is."

"You really like that girl!" he laughed. "She does have that effect on people. I will say, she can be quite a charming little wolf."

"Damn it, Orion- "I pounded my fist on the table, making a glass shatter on the floor. "Cut the bullshit and tell me where she is."

Orion did not flinch. "You are out of line, Stormblade-" he looked up slowly, his red eyes meeting my furious ones. "In fact, you coming here-"he motioned around the car. "on my lands, to ask the whereabouts of one of my pack members. How rude."

"She's not yours-" I growled. "She mine."

"Actually, the last I checked-"Orion leaned forward, pulling a folder out from under the ashtray. "She's not. Not anymore."

"In fact-" he opened up the folder, revealing Millie's picture, her pack photo. It was the same photo I had of Millie on my desk. The one I had studied in detail many times.

I softened when I saw her face again. It dawned on me that this was probably the only picture Millie had of herself.

We hadn't met yet. The Contract hadn't been drafted, and Millie wasn't a mother. She looked just like a simple maid here. But, really she was a Luna all along.

"You seem to have quite a reaction to this girl- "Orion chuckled, flipping the pages. "I will give it to her, she is quite a beauty."

My wolf growled inside of me, angry at this Alpha talking about his mate in such a way only he should.

Orion turned the folder towards me, pointing to a thick, black signature. "Is this not your signature?"

I took a few weary steps forward, inspecting the page. It was the end of the baby contact, the signed agreement between Stormblade and Eclipse.

"Three days after the baby is born, the surrogate is to return to Eclipse within three days..." he read from the page. "Signed in agreement, Alpha Theo Stormblade."

"And the last time I checked, Alpha-"he tapped his wrist. "It's been over a week."

"You will tell me where Millie is or I will kill you- "

"Look-" Orion sighed. "I loaned you the girl. She gave birth to your pups just like you wanted. Now, what else do you want?"

I lurked forward, taking Orion's cigar and putting it out in the ashtray. "I want my mate, dumbass." I seethed, staring him in the eyes. "She mine. Do you not understand that?"

Orion paled slightly, taken aback. "She's- "he breathed. "She's your mate."

"Orion!" Ember busted through the door, her chest heaving in between breaths. "I tried to get here as soon as I could, I had to warn you that Storm-"

Ember looked up, catching my scent. Her face paled like Orion's, her nervous gulp audible. "Oh, Theo!" she laughed nervously. "What, what are y-" she stumbled. "You doing-"

My eyes widened at the scene in front of me. "Ember-" I shook my head. "What are you doing here?"

I pointed at the intoxicated Orion, who seemed to be getting pleasure in this interaction. "How do you know him?"

Orion took a sip of whisky in entertainment. "Yeah, Ember. Did you come to visit your mate?"

"Shut up, ass!"

"Ember, what is he saying-" I took a step back. "Why is he saying that?"

Ember's eyes flooded with fearful tears. "I, I-" she stumbled, looking between us both. "I have no idea, Theo. I, I don't know. He's crazy!"

"The cats out of the bag, sweetheart-"Orion grumbled, looking between us. "There's no way around this. Maybe you will finally tell the truth?"

Ember huffed, looking away from him towards me. "Theo-" she ran into my arms, burying her wet cheeks in my chest. "I had no idea, he was, he-"

I shoved Ember away, pushing her off me in disgust. "Ember Howling." I seethed. "You better tell me what's going on. Now."

Ember upset at my roughness, threw herself on her knees before me in tears. She was uncontrollable, her head at my feet, as if she was begging for forgiveness.

"This is pathetic-"Orion scoffed. "Get up, mate."

"Mate?" I stared down at the sobbing figure. "Mate? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Ember struggled to lift her head, her mouth covering her sobs. "No-"

"Yes." I stumbled back. "It's true, it's true. Isn't it?"

Orion let out a loud sigh, relaxing on the couch as he watched the scene unfold. "Of course, the little princess was always too good for me." He rolled his eyes. "You see-"

"How she's begging for your forgiveness and not mine?"

Ember screamed at him. "Shut up, Orion!"

My body tingled up to my mark, which now burned in betrayal. "No- "I grabbed my neck. "I felt the bond with Ember. That can't be true."

"Just like how you felt the bond with Millie?" Orion asked. "Hm?"

"Don't listen to him, Theo- "Ember begged on her knees. "He's a liar. Let's just go home, let's go see the babies- "

Orion stood slowly. "Give up the act," he scowled, pulling Ember up by her shirt. "Where's Levi? Did you leave him again?"

"Levi?"

"Ugh- "Ember tried her best to break away from Orion's grip. "Why do you say things like that? He's fine."

"Oh really?" Orion pulled her closer. "Then why didn't you bring him to see his father? Just because I'm not worthy to be your mate, I also can't see my son?"

Orion shoved her into the wall. "You see, Stormblade-" he pointed to Ember, who was gasping in pain. "She won't even be a proper mother to her own child. But, to your twins, she would happily be a good little, obedient she-wolf."

"You have a son?" I paled, my chest clenching. "Ember-"

Orion scoffed. "Our son-"he corrected. "Tell him, Ember."

Ember cried in pain. "Don't!"

"You see- "Orion filled his glass up with whiskey. "Ember never wanted a poor, weak, mate like me. She was disappointed when her birthday came and- "

"She found me as her mate."

Ember sobbed in the corner as he continued. "Her parents would never approve of her being mated to someone of such a low status, from the most impoverished pack in the Kingdom."

"She wouldn't even touch me- "his face softened sadly. "She wanted to lose her virginity to someone like you, not me."

"As you can imagine, I was quite distraught at this news, at her rejection- "he swirled his glass. "I was a young wolf, in love for the first time, gifted with a bond from the goddess."

"Deep down she missed me though- "he snarled at her tiny, helpless figure. "She always missed me. She missed me so much that we would meet- "

"Orion!"

"And, I would take her over and over in the woods between here and Eclipse," he smirked lustfully. "Then, she would go home to you and pretend to be a loving, sweet, Luna."

My ears rang loudly in anger. "You were sleeping with him behind my back?"

"Our son is going to be turning six this week," He clenched his jaw. "I bet you forgot that didn't you, Ember? She's always forgotten all of his birthdays."

"What about Jasper?" I asked. "Millie's first mate?"

Orion laughed loudly. "Oh, goddess!" he slapped his leg. "That kid?"

"He's just an idiot like the rest. He was desperate for money, so I hired him to do a little job for me- "he smirked. "He's not my son. Levi is my only child."

"I told Ember one day you would find your real mate," Orion continued over Ember's loud crying. "I just never thought it would be Alpha and Luna Rose's daughter."

"Ember-" I clenched my fists in fury. "How could you do this?"

"I'll tell you why-" Orion walked over to Ember, looking down at her deviously. "She's a gold digger and I was nothing but a peasant who had nothing to offer her."

"Except-"He looked at her painfully. "I was in love. So in love with her and heartbroken, she would choose the young, eligible Alpha Stormblade over me. That's why I made her a little deal. To impress her let's say- "

"When she rejected you was when you turned on Millie's parents," I concluded. "You killed them to take the status as the Alpha."

"Bingo!"

"I guess it's a little too late to keep any more secrets-" Orion said. "I was desperate to impress her. But, even after I poisoned the Roses' and became Alpha, she still didn't think that was enough."

"She only wanted you," he sighed. "She wanted the riches I didn't have. So, she went through with it and bonded your souls with witchcraft."

"Witchcraft?" I breathed, holding my neck. "You fucking tricked me?"

"I'm, I'm sorry-"

Orion silenced her pathetic sobs. "I thought it was over after I heard on the news that you both marked each other," he shook in the memories. "How everyone idolized your relationship!" He cried. "Something that was supposed to belong to me!"

"Are you sorry to me, sweetie?" Orion's eyes teared up. "Or just to him? Because he knows the truth!"

Orion wiped his nose with his shaky hand. "I thought even after this that I could still get you back," he looked down at Ember. "Especially when you got pregnant with our baby."

"So, that night-"I shook my head in disbelief. "You were never really kidnapped, you were just- "

"Pregnant," Orion confirmed. "Pregnant with my child."

Ember kept her head down on the floor. "Tell him what you told me-"Orion grabbed her. "Tell him!"

Ember shook her head violently in shame. "She said-" he scoffed. "She wished it was yours. She wanted so desperately for it to be Alpha Stormblade's child! But, it wasn't."

"And what was once meant to be a happy moment, was well, a catastrophe."

"Why don't you tell him the rest, Ember?" he urged. "Why don't you tell him about our little deal?"

"What deal?"

"Tell him!" Orion scolded, yelling at her. "Tell him what you convinced me to do when he was looking for a surrogate."

"I convinced-"she sobbed. "I convinced Orion to sell Millie to you."

"Because?" Orion ushered. "Tell him why, mate."

"I knew who she was-" she gulped. "I knew she was meant to be a Luna. She was everything I wanted to be."

Orion nodded. "She wanted her children to be strong just like you. And, Millie was the perfect person to do it."

"I can't fucking believe this!" I yelled, pounding my fist into the car. "I gave you everything and you were doing this behind my back?"

My wolf surfaced, ready to take revenge. "You wasted so many years of my life," I stalked toward Ember's cowardly figure. "You took me away from my rightful mate."

"I suffered for years because of your lies!" I grabbed her arm, pulling her up. "I grieved your so-called death. I mourned our mateship, Ember. You almost destroyed me."

"You became weak!" Orion chuckled sadistically, as he threw back another drink. "I should have killed you and became Alpha of Stormblade-"

"Then, she wouldn't have had any reason to not want to be with me!"

"I'm disgusted by you-"I seethed, my canines on full display as I brought Ember close. "I will fucking kill you!"

I pushed Ember down, making her tremble backward as she watched me immediately pick up Orion by the neck and slam him into the glass table. "Ahhh!"

"First, you are going to pay- "I threatened as Orion desperately tried to peel my hand off his neck. His face turned purple as he gasped for air. "You will pay for all the pain you have caused me and my family, but also my Millie."

I threw Orion across the car, and into the door, the glass digging deep into his skin. He stumbled to his feet, breathing heavily until he finally threw up over the floor.

"Fuck you, Stormblade-"

Before I could hit him again, he rushed to Ember. "Ahh!" she gasped, her eyes sparked with fear as Orion wrapped his bloody hands around her neck. "Orion, what are you doing?"

"Look-"Orion choked his struggling mate. "This is the end, mate." He pointed to me, where I had now drawn my knife. "You know there is no way I will defeat him. This is the only way."

Ember shook her head rapidly as my knife approached them both. "Theo, please-"she scrambled against the hands of her mate. "You can't kill me! I'm your mate!"

Orion chuckled. "Oh, she is slow." He tightened his grip, lifting her from the ground. "He's not killing you, my sweetheart- "

"I am."

"If you found a way to sever the bond." They confirmed. "You would both die."

"No!"

That's when a loud revving engine broke over the sound of the train, the door blasted open, Orion got shot, and his lifeless body fell to the floor in a pool of blood.

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