Alpha's Contract Marriage - Silver Mountain Wolves 1

ad at the front desk. In the hospitality business, January was often a slow month. Even in cities lik

was a shining exception to that

ominant females, as every good panther male should. But, like they always did, they were talking out of their rear ends. Sam and I were building an empire together in a quiet way. One that meant w

ouse. About an hour ago, I went around to each table, shook hands, made jokes and compliments, and bought customers desserts or drinks for free her

this table to Suzie." I tapped a second one. "Give that one to Justin. It's a big party, so if you need to, you can give Justin

reflect the changes. "And Justin likes to wigg

n't feel good about. But when the flirting was fun for both the server and

on to bat her eyelashes at me while her date proudly showed her off, not noticing her attention. I wouldn't let her sleep in my bed while she was sort of dating

attached fucks in broom closets, back alleys, and back seats when she was around, and I was always happy to give her what she wanted.

's special, a Lobster Newberg fusion made with bourbon instead of cognac and served in classic French vol a

on his chest and looking very sorry. "I'm sorry to cut you off." He opened his big, blue-gray eyes wide and gave the people sitting around the table his most innocent and charming "scou

s partner could act like a helpless kitten very well, but there

ant Attorney General graciously told

the group very much for understanding. As I turned away, Juno pouted at m

k for a serious one," Sam said in a low voice

away, and I could feel my face folding into a fa

ould now follow. "I hung them on the wall in the party room." He pointed quietly to the U-shap

into a block of ic

The grim salute was like a secret handshake between us. It was a way for each of us

en Sam went back into the kitchen, I straightened my shoulders,

From the start, I made it clear that I didn't want Mother to go to the restaurant unless it was an emergency.

Taste of Magic was beneath her, so she didn't show up very often. I couldn't think of anything I'd done recentl

y room that was already set up for an event tomorrow night. The sparkling silver and glassware gave it a high-end, elegant feel, unlike the

She was talking to Myles, and as I walked in, I felt sick

ere, and my mother turned and handed hi

oper. As I crossed the room, I put my palms up and spread my hands. As a shifter shoul

her arms over her chest and looking at me with a

fore laughing. Nothing else could be

-hu

ly, but she didn't want to waste her breath on my useless, ungrateful hide.Ins

ped me in

de it clear how she felt about it. "She wants to keep the agreement between her pack and our pride.

she was perfectly happy to watch the wolves eat each other alive. What was different now if this new Al

ging my tone, "I don't think she'll be interested in dat

kid. "No, Sebastian, you're not going to date her." Her voice was roug

face. "I already set up the wedding as a condition for us to renew our agreement. She

lpha to marry her in exchange f

be dangerous and who could be helpful. You will steer her toward lenders and lawyers. Her pride already has a hold on her. If t

to, I'll have to step in and take charge, w

of irony that I a

teeth so hard that a sharp p

sharply, cutting me off. "I've already given you

feel it under my skin a

act like I don't know that you like to sleep with less attractive women. If there's any

alive kept my disgusted and angry e

e the matriarchal rules of the pride said that my sister could do whatever she wanted. But god forbid I try as many of

a gravelly voice, trying

elf." She gave me a mean look, and I could see something ugly

I knew how to play this g

w." Every word was short and sharp. "Zane, you, and Sam. If one of you doesn't go

t. I always thought we might get to this point. I just hoped that b

ay the words, but they sounded strange and

a house cat who had just drank a whole

down. Then, he went and got her coat and helped her put it on in a very gentlem

r things. Tomorrow, I'll be e

s alone in the room. Loss had punched a hole through my chest that nothing would ever fill again.Everything I had work

at

mother walked out of A Taste of Magic in a hurry, every sound had been gettin

pened A Taste of Magic, we bought two penthouses in Beacon Hill that were right next to each other. Just down a cobblestone street from the restaurant, our ho

ola, Calamares Fritos, and Gambas al Ajillo, as well as bamboo skewers with prosciutto, chorizo, and chunks of Manchego cheese

ane." He brought them to the nook and put mine on the blocky side

y teeth to pull a piece of chorizo of

urant closed. A chance to talk about how things went, bring up anything that might need to be fixed in the business, and talk about n

sat down in the

Zane because I won't let Mother take p

room, but I didn't want to bring that up. I had never made my friends take

d number, do you?" He didn't mean any harm. He bro

t an artists' retreat of some kind. Somew

ter sauce and laughed. "They might send yo

"God, I sur

ife because he was two minutes younger than me, he was gender-fluid, and he was both crazy and brilliant like an artist. If there was one thing she hated more than a panther who wouldn't accept and follow the role and expectations of their place in

d because I made it clear when Zane first said they were non-binary that my twin and I

mself. I was told that they would be safe as long as I did what Mother wanted. She may hav

e a group to protect them, and Zane's safety was mo

ere done laughing about how we

ane's safety is at stake. Fine. What do you think we shoul

r, they should be able to help you make a prenuptial agreement that protects yo

words out loud made me feel sick, but it was one of the

, bracing his elbows on his knees, and pushed his plate to the side. "Seba

t, she might," I s

wolf w

"Wolves don't have a single leader, right? It won'

not." I stuck out my hand. "Didn't she make a deal with Mother? agreed to take a mate without seeing her fi

s my mother." My stomach hurt from fee

et her anywhere near the business," he said. "But there must be

ut if drinking it would help or hurt my stomach, which was already upset. "From what I can tell, I wo

and leaned ba

yes back to me. "Tomorrow morning, I'll call the lawyers. Get them to start writing something, preferably something rev

I understood, but I wasn't going to let everything we'd

ut if drinking it would help or hurt my stomach, which was already upset. "From what I can tell, I wo

and leaned ba

yes back to me. "Tomorrow morning, I'll call the lawyers. Get them to start writing something, preferably something rev

I understood, but I wasn't going to let everything we'd

n I could never get to do what I wanted. He told them straight ou

ss down. "I know. I should get going, thoug

Mercedes

most of the time. But the SL65 was my go-to car in the winter, so I made sure it had everything it needed. I was

ll. As I turned on the lights in the master bedroom suite, I glared at the bed because it made me think of the way Juno had looked at me earlier tonight, like she was hungry. Whe

threw it on the bed, and then started grabbing clothes. I didn

, in case she wanted something more polished on her arm as she put her pack back together. I probably wouldn't be able to avo

bed in a bad mood. I stewed quietly while staring at the dark ceili