The Alpha’s Contract (Taylor West) novel Chapter 378

Dane

“Stay here.” I tell Neah, pulling on a shirt

“Who is it?” She asks, already climbing out of bed and heading to the closet.

“It doesn’t matter. You need to stay here.”

She carries on pulling on underwear as though I hadn’t said anything. “I was right.” She murmurs. “My gut feeling was right.” She shimmy’s herself into a pair of jeans. “Is it Cooper?”

“No.”

“Who? Maddie. Did something happen? Has she said something?”

“It’s not Maddie. Please will you just stay here until I know more.”

“Our children are not even in the house.”

“Athena and Sebastian won’t let anything happen to them.” I reassure her.

“Do they need to be kept safe? What’s happened? You are not answering my question Dane!” She plants her hands on her hips and stares at me. She was trying to read my mind.

I shake my head because I knew what her reaction would be when she found out who was at the gate.

“It’s Blair.”

She stops what she’s doing to stare at me.

‘Three, two….’ Aero starts counting down, preparing for Neah to snap. Instead, she sinks into the large chair, her soft blue eyes hovering on me.

“Why is she here?”

“I don’t know, but will you please stay here? Just until I know what she wants. Besides, you are supposed to be staying in the house.”

She doesn’t answer me.

“Neah?”

She puffs out her cheeks, “I will stay.”

I grab my jacket and kiss Neah before leaving. Whether she would actually stay put was another thing.

Down at the gate, Damien is staring at Blair while Ryken is asking her questions. The blonde with her was sitting on the ground, leaning against Blair’s legs, half asleep, clutching an old backpack.

“I was expecting Neah.” Blair mutters.

“Well you have me.” I snap. “Why are you here?”

Her brown eyes dance between us as she tries to come up with a response. She tugs her sweatshirt tighter as though it was going to protect her.

“Well?”

“I don’t know.” She looked genuinely unsure. “I could have left. I wanted to leave. I was ready to go. All I had to do was turn right.”

I see Ryken roll his eyes. I’m guessing he has heard a similar story before.

“Then I decided to come here or maybe it wasn’t my choice.”

“Why?”

My eyes flicker over the possible hiding places, maybe she was lying and someone was waiting, or maybe she was telling the truth. “Bind them both.” I tell Damien and Ryken. “Put her in the dungeon,” I point at Samara, “And bring Blair with us.”

Samara squeaks as she is hauled to her feet by Ryken. Big dark circles sat under her eyes. She seemed confused and she didn't protest immediately. I don’t know how much she had heard, but it would be better to split them up. Make sure their stories are the same.

“No, please, don’t.” Samara begs Ryken. He binds her hands together and throws her over his shoulder like it was nothing and carries her away.

“Don’t hurt her.” Blair pleads.

“Then let’s hope for her sake that she speaks the truth.”

“Where are you taking me?” Blair asks as Damien marches her across the grounds. Thankfully it was quiet but she still got a few stares. It wouldn’t be long until everyone knew she was here.

Damien pushes her onto the chair and reties her wrists to the wooden arms. Her breathing is heavy and she screws her face up while twisting to one side.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“It’s called a stitch.” She mutters. “Sammie said it’s part of being Human.”

“You trust her?” Damien asks

“She helped me.” Blair frowns

“Funny that, isn’t it. She just happens to be just like you and she is the first person you ran into when you escaped.”

Her frown deepens to a scowl. “She has been nothing but kind to me. I never asked for it. I never wanted it.”

“Yet she talked you into coming back here.”