Contract With The Alpha King
Contract 52

55%

Chapter 52

"You cannot go there..." King Nicholas's words echoed inside his study as he glared at his son. "Are you even using your head?"

Elijah's fists clenched at his sides, trembling with the effort to control his rage. His breathing came in sharp, uneven bursts, and his normally calm gray eyes had turned an ominous shade, darkening with each passing second. Every muscle in his body was coiled, ready to move, ready to fight.

"She is my wife!" Elijah snarled, barely able to keep his voice from breaking under the weight of his anger. His words were laced with fury, his wolf clawing at the surface. "Fiona is my mate!"

He took a step toward the door, determined to leave and get to her. Every second she was in danger felt like a dagger being driven deeper into his chest. But just as he reached for the handle, King Nicholas's voice cut, through the room, sharp and commanding. "Elijah!" The King's tone was enough to freeze him in place, if only for

a

moment. "You cannot go there."

Elijah turned, his eyes blazing with anger. "You expect me to stand here and do nothing?" His voice was low, and dangerous, every word a barely controlled threat. "They've taken her! She's in the dungeon! I will get her out!"

King Nicholas held his son's gaze, unflinching. He stood tall, his own eyes burning with intensity. "And what will that accomplish? If you go charging in there now, you'll do exactly what they want."

Elijah's jaw tightened, his hands balling into fists. "What are you talking about?"

The King stepped forward, his voice lowering but no less firm. "You go to rescue her now. You will only put her in even greater danger. Do you think your enemies don't already know about Fiona? They've found your weakness, Elijah. If you act rashly, you will only confirm it. You will make her a target."

Elijah stared at his father, the truth of his words sinking in like a blow to the gut. He felt his fury collide with reason, the fire in his chest still burning, but now tempered by something colder-fear. His heart pounded in his chest, but for the first time, he hesitated. King Nicholas continued. "The moment they know how much she means to you, every enemy you have will use her against you. You can't protect her by being reckless. If you rush in now, you will only expose her to more danger than you can imagine." Elijah's breath hitched. He understood the political implications of saving Fiona. His mind grasped the consequences-how his enemies would pounce the moment they realized how much she meant to him, how rescuing her now would only make her a target. He understood it all, but his wolf could barely tolerate the thought of her in danger. The beast inside him raged, clawing to be unleashed, demanding that he protect his mate no matter the cost.

His fists clenched as he looked at his father, trying to restrain the fury boiling beneath the surface. "I'll kill anyone who dares target her," he growled through gritted teeth.

King Nicholas met his son's burning gaze, then let out a dry, almost mocking laugh. "You're strong enough to kill your enemies, yes. But what about Fiona?" he asked, his tone laced with hard reality. "Do you think you can protect her forever?"

Elijah's eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, his father pressed on. "You think constantly shielding her will keep her safe? You believe running to her every time she's in danger will do her any good?" The King's voice cut through the room. sharp and unyielding. Elijah's jaw tightened as his father's words hit home, Deep down he knew there was truth in them. He couldn't always be there, couldn't always stand between Fiona and the threats that lurked around them. As much as his wolf wanted to protect hef, he couldn't cage her or fight all her battles. The thought made his chest tighten, the frustration building.

"She's not a child, Elijah," his father continued, his voice softening slightly but still firm. "She will have to face dangers on her own. If you smother her with protection, you'll only make her more vulnerable in the long run."

1/3

111

16:57 Sun, Dec

Chapter 52

Q

55%

+5

19

Elijah stayed silent, his heart warring with his instincts. His wolf snarled in disagreement, but his mind knew the wisdom of his father's words. Protecting Fiona meant more than just shielding her-it meant giving her the strength and space to face her own battles, even if it killed him to stand back.

Elijah took a deep breath, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. He needed to get out, away from the tension that seemed to fill every inch of his father's study. "I need some air," he muttered, his voice tight. "I'll be back later."

Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and left, pushing the heavy doors open as he stepped into the cool hallway. His body still trembled with barely contained rage, but he forced himself to keep walking, heading toward the garden for some space to calm his wolf.

The fresh air greeted him as he stepped outside, but his brief moment of peace was interrupted when he saw Queen Luna Lyanna standing in the garden. She was accompanied by Carissa, who was whispering something to her. Elijah clenched his jaw. His first instinct was to ignore them, to walk past and pretend they weren't there, but before he could, the Queen's voice rang out.

"Elijah."

He stopped, his muscles tensing as he turned to face her. "Do you need something, Your Majesty?" His voice was measured, but the tension beneath it was unmistakable.

The Queen-took a step forward, her eyes sharp as she studied him. "Yes," she said. "I need you to join us for the questioning."

Elijah's wolf stirred violently inside him, a low, angry growl rumbling in his chest. His aura shifted, dark and heavy, spreading out like a suffocating wave. The surrounding atmosphere grew thick with intimidation, a force so powerful that both Queen Lyanna and Carissa visibly paled. The Queen's composure faltered for a brief moment, her eyes widening slightly in shock as the weight of Elijah's presence settled over them.

But Elijah didn't attack. Instead, a slow, almost unsettling smile crept across his face. "Of course," he said, his voice smooth but edged with something dangerous. "I'll see you at the questioning."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving the Queen and Carissa standing frozen in the garden. As soon as he disappeared from sight, Queen Lyanna's expression hardened. "Follow him," she whispered to Carissa, her voice low but urgent

Carissa hesitated only for a moment before she nodded and quickly moved after Elijah, disappearing into the shadows as she followed his path.

"Your Highness!" Carissa called out as she tried to catch up to Elijah. "Your Highness, please wait."

Elijah halted his steps, the soft rustle of his boots against the garden path falling silent. The air around him seemed to still as if nature itself was holding its breath in his presence. He stood among the vibrant flowers, their colors vivid under the pale light, but none of it softened the sharpness in his expression as he turned to face Carissa.

Carissa slowed her pace, her eyes widening for a split second as she looked at him. For just a moment, she was stunned by how striking Elijah was-the sharp lines of his face, the intensity in his gaze, and the quiet strength that radiated from him. But she quickly steadied herself, reminding herself why she had followed him. She needed to keep her composure.

She took a deep breath, her hands fidgeting at her sides. "Your Highness," she began softly, choosing her words carefully. "I wanted to apologize... for what happened to Miss Fiona." Her voice trembled slightly as she waited for his reaction, expecting to see something- perhaps anger, frustration, or even pain-but Elijah's face remained unreadable.

Instead, he smiled.

It wasn't a warm or kind smile, but something colder, sharper. "Apologize?" he repeated, his tone smooth, almost too casual. His eyes, however, held none of the softness his voice implied. "And why would you apologize, Lady Calyrre? Did you have something to do with what happened to Fiona?"

2/3

16:57 Sun, Dec 1

Chapter 52

9

00 55%

+5

Carissa's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected such directness, and certainly not from Elijah in this way. His voice hadn't risen, he hadn't moved an inch closer, but the weight of his words and the dangerous glint in his eyes made her feel as though she were standing on the edge of a cliff. "N-no, Your Highness," she stammered, quickly shaking her head. "I had nothing to do with it! I... I only meant to express my concern."

Elijah's smile didn't waver, but his eyes narrowed just slightly as if he were reading every subtle shift in her body language. "Concern?" he echoed, his tone still soft, but there was something predatory lurking beneath it.

Elijah's eyes stayed locked on Carissa, his smile never wavering, but the tension in the air grew thicker with each passing second. Slowly, almost lazily, he stepped toward her. His movements were calm, unhurried, but Carissa could feel the danger radiating from him like the heat from a flame. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but her feet remained frozen in place.

Elijah reached out, gently taking a strand of her hair between his fingers, as if he were admiring its softness. His touch was light, but the weight that pressed down on her made it feel as if iron chains were wrapping around her chest. Carissa's breath hitched, her wolf howling in agony inside her, trying to fight against the suffocating pressure.

Her face paled, her lips trembling as she whispered, "Y-Your Highness..." But her voice barely escaped her throat. The overwhelming force bearing down on her made it hard to even speak, let alone think.

Elijah's smile only deepened, a coldness flickering in his eyes as he leaned in just slightly. "Tell me, Carissa," he said, his voice soft but carrying an unmistakable edge. "What do you think would happen if I killed you right here? Right now?"

The question sent a jolt of terror through Carissa. She tried to answer, to form any kind of response, but her lungs felt like they were being crushed under an invisible weight. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. She could barely breathe, her body trembling under the pressure Elijah exerted without even breaking his calm demeanor.

Elijah tilted his head slightly, still playing with her hair as if the thought of ending her life was nothing more than a passing curiosity. "No answer?" he mused, his smile widening. "You're struggling, aren't you? That pressure... it feels like it's breaking you from the inside, doesn't it?" Carissa's knees wobbled, her vision darkening at the edges. The weight was unbearable now, as though her entire being was about to collapse under the intensity of Elijah's power. She couldn't even muster the strength to nod, her chest burning with the effort of trying to suck in air.

Then, just as suddenly as it had started, Elijah took a step back. The crushing pressure lifted, the suffocating weight that had been squeezing her chest vanished in an instant. Carissa's knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as if she had been drowning and had just broken the surface.

Elijah looked down at her, his eyes cold and calculating. "Killing you would be far too easy," he said, his tone still casual, as though the moment had meant nothing to him. "There's no fun in that." Carissa remained on the ground, her body shaking, her heart racing as she struggled to pull herself together. She couldn't bring herself to look up at him, too afraid of what she might see in his eyes. Elijah's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he turned, his expression neutral once more. "Consider yourself lucky," he said over his shoulder as he began walking away. "For now." Carissa stayed where she was, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she watched him disappear down the path.

3/3