Contract With The Alpha King
Contract 62

Chapter 62

3

54% +5 0

"We should go now," her father said, glancing at the clock on the wall. "I believe the ball is about to begin."

"Father, what do you mean by 'a long time ago?" Elise couldn't let it go, her voice sharp. "How could you say something like that and expect me to ignore it?" Her hands trembled slightly, and she clenched her fists, trying to control the rising panic. What does he mean by that? Was it possible that all members of the Rosenthal Family had the blessing a long time ago? "Does it have to do with the war?" she continued asking.

Thomas Rosenthal turned to face her, his expression unreadable. He exhaled slowly, clearly not wanting to delve into the matter any further. "This isn't the time for a history lesson. Focus on what's in front of you."

But Elise wasn't having it. "I'm tired of you deflecting, Father," she snapped, stepping closer to him. "I demand an explanation. You can't just keep things like this from me. You said all Rosenthals could wield the blessing once. What does that mean?"

Thomas sighed heavily, a weight settling on his broad shoulders. He poured himself another glass of wine, downing it in one swift motion. For a moment, he didn't speak, the silence between them stretching unbearably. When he finally looked at her, his expression had hardened, and there was a coldness in his eyes that sent a shiver down Elise's spine.

"It is not your time to know these things," he said quietly but firmly. "You are not the leader of this clan yet. When that time comes, you will learn what you need to know. Until then, all that matters is this: Fiona needs to die. She has to, or she will bring ruin to us all." Elise felt her entire body stiffen at his words. The ruthlessness in her father's tone was like a slap to the face, jarring her in a way she hadn't expected. She knew he was capable of making hard decisions, but this... this was something else. There was no hesitation in his voice, no flicker of regret. Just cold, calculated intent.

"Father," Elise began, "You can't seriously think that killing her is the only solution. There has to be another way. We can drag her back to the clan."

"There isn't," Thomas interrupted, his gaze piercing. "She's already a threat. The council will not stand for her defiance, and neither will I."

Elise shivered, unsure if it was from the coldness in his words or the growing dread in her chest. This wasn't the father she thought she knew. She almost couldn't believe how easily he spoke of ending Fiona's life as if it were nothing more than a necessary inconvenience. At the end of the day, Fiona was still his daughter! Was this the ruthlessness required to become the leader of their clan?

Before she could respond, a knock came at the door, breaking the tension. Elise turned to see Zachariah standing outside, dressed in a pristine white suit, his expression as composed as ever. He glanced between Elise and her father, sensing the tension in the room. "The carriage has arrived," Zachariah announced, his eyes lingering on Elise's troubled expression before shifting to Lord Rosenthal.

Elise opened her mouth to say something, to ask more, but her father cut her off with a sharp, dismissive tone. "We're leaving now."

Gritting her teeth in frustration, Elise turned away from her father, unable to suppress the swirl of emotions inside her. She shot one last glance at Zachariah before following her father out the door.

Since Elise would be Zachariah's partner for this ball, she had to ride in his carriage while Lord Rosenthal would ride with the Alpha of the pack.

"You should smile more," Zachariah said suddenly, cutting through Elise's tangled thoughts.

"I don't think that's any of your business," Elise shot back, her words sharp, not even bothering to look at him. She had never liked Zachariah-his arrogance had grated on her since they were children, and tonight was no different.

1/2

<

17:00 Sun, Dec 1

Chapter 62

Zachariah's frown deepened, clearly not accustomed to being spoken to that way. "You're walking into the ball with me, Elise," he said, his voice firm, as if that fact alone should make her grateful. "With me," he repeated, emphasizing his importance as if she needed reminding. "When I say you smile, you smile."

54%

Elise turned to meet his gaze, her eyes narrowing in defiance. "And what makes you think I care about walking with you, Zach? Should I be honored?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, each word cutting like ice. Zachariah snorted, rolling his eyes. "You should be lucky I agreed to take you," he muttered as if he was doing her a favor.

Elise sneered as she leaned in slightly. She never wanted to come to this... place. "Did you really have another choice?" She tilted her head, her lips curling in contempt. "Were you planning on taking that Omega instead?" Zachariah's hands balled into fists at her words, his knuckles white as he fought to keep his temper in check. The tension in the carriage spiked instantly, and Elise felt a small surge of satisfaction seeing him struggle to hold back. "Go on, Zach," Elise taunted, her tone daring. "Hurt me. Just like you did to Fiona."

That did it. Zachariah's expression shifted, the arrogance draining from his face, replaced with something darker, more dangerous. He didn't respond, his jaw clenched tight, his eyes narrowing as he turned his gaze to the window, refusing to meet her eyes. Seething in silence.

Elise's heart pounded in her chest, but she didn't back down. However, it seemed that her words completely shut the man down, as he never spoke another word until they arrived at the majestic palace.

Soon enough, the carriage came to a halt with a soft jolt. Zachariah stepped out first. The he immediately offered his hand to Elise. For a brief moment, she considered refusing it-her stubbornness still burning from their tense conversation. But then she saw her father standing nearby, speaking with the Alpha, both men's eyes scanning the crowd. Elise swallowed her pride and placed her hand on Zach's, knowing that appearances mattered too much tonight to make a scene.

Zach's grip was firm as he helped her down, his face expressionless. Neither of them said a word as they straightened themselves and started walking toward the large palace entrance, the sound of their footsteps blending with the chatter of the crowd around them. A line of guests had already begun forming at the entrance, waiting for the guards to verify their identity before entering the grand hall.

Elise's eyes darted over the crowd, taking in the lavish dresses, the jewels that sparkled under the glowing lights, and the regal postures of the noble families gathered here. It was all so polished, so elegant, but there was an underlying tension that she couldn't shake. Her father's words echoed in her mind: Fiona has to die.

2/2

SEND GIFT

III