Delay 188_Mated by contract to the alpha

Dominic’s POV

 30

 I hardly y dared breathe. In all my years, I’d rarely heard that tone from him—a grudging respect.

 “Alpha,” Mother said, disbelief and betrayal coloring her voice. “You cannot seriously be considering this“.

 “Any Alpha knows, Father replied gravely, “that denying a true mate band brings catastrophic consequences.”

 Relief began to wash through me, but before I could speak, Reba stiffened beside me. Her face contorted in sudden pain, hands flying to clutch her head. A small, broken sound escaped her Ups before she crumpled forward, knees hitting the floor hard.

 “Reba!” Terror shot through me as I dropped down beside her. Her face had gone chalk–white, eyes squeezed shut in agony.

 Father was beside us in an instant, all intimidation gone, reced by sharp concern. dignity. “The mark may be causing a rejection response.”

 Panic wed at my throat as I gathered Reba into my “She needs a doctor!”

 “Her scent is off,” he said, kneeling despite his usuall 

 y arms. Her skin burned against mine, and her breathing came in shallow gasps.

 For the first time in my life, I was grateful for my father’s immediatemand. “Martin!” he bellowed, voice cutting through the walls. “Get Dr. Winters here immediately!”

 Mother rushed forward, her earlier disdain vanished. “Take her to the guest room on the third floor,” she said urgently. “We have medical equipment there.”

 I lifted Reba, her weight nothing in my arms. Her head lolled against my chest, eyes fluttering, Raw fear gripped me–fear for her, for our child, for everything I suddenly stood to lose. As I followed my parents through the manor, I whispered desperately against her hair, “Stay with me. Please stay with me.”

 The pain that wracked Reba’s hody tore at my heart. Each whimper that escaped her lips was like a knife twisting inside me. I ced her gently on the bed, my hands trembling–a weakness I’d never allow anyone but her to see.

 Father moved with surprising urgency, pulling heavy curtains across the windows. “Lay her on her side,” he instructed, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “Humans are extremely sensitive to werewolf markings, especially during pregnancy,”

 I carefully positioned Reba, my touch light, terrified of causing her more pain. Her skin felt feverish, her breathingbored.

 “You seem to know a lot about this,” I said, unable to hide my surprise as I watched my father–the intimidating Alpha–move with the knowledge and care of someone who had faced this situation before.

 He paused, a shadow crossing his face. “…I’ve seen pack members with human mates go through this before.”

 The statement hung between us, loaded with implications I’d never considered. Before I could question him further, he retrieved a cool cloth and ced it on Reba’s forehead with unexpected gentleness.

 “The true mate bond is the most sacred connection in our kind,” he said quietly. “Regardless of species.”

 Reba whispered a thank you, her pain–zed eyes meeting my father’s. Something passed between them–a moment of understanding

 that transformed his usually harsh features into something ainsust kind.

 Dr. Winters arrived within minutes, her efficient movements and calm demeanor bringing the first real relief I’d felt since Reba copsed. After examining her thoroughly, the doctor confirmed my fears..

 “She’s experiencing mark rejection,” she exined, her voice clinical but not unkind. “Her body is fighting against the wolf mark, which is extremely dangerous for the fetus. Humans mothers carrying werewolf children is exceedingly rare.”

 Father’s expression darkened. “If we lose this child, the direct line of Sterling session would be threatened.”

 Anger shed through me at his focus on bloodlines rather than Reba’s suffering, but I swallowed it back. His support, whatever the motivation, was essential right now.

 “The human body isn’t designed to nurture a werewolf fetus,” Dr. Winters continued. The baby requires enormous energy, depleting her resources faster than her body can replenish them. Her human physiology is trying to protect itself by rejecting the foreign elements- your mark, and potentially the baby.”

 Reba’s fingers sought mine, squeezing weakly. The fear in her eyes gutted me. I’d done this to her–my mark, my child. The guilt was crushing.

 “Is there treatment? Father asked, his tone demanding solutions.

 Dr. Winters nodded, opening her tablet. “We need to begin werewolf blood transfusion therapy immediately. Using blood from the blological father for conversion therapy has a sess rate of nearly one hundred percent if started early enough.”

 Without hesitation, I rolled up my sleeve. “Take whatever you need.” My voice came out rough with emotion.

 As the doctor prepared the equipment, she detailed the treatment n. “She’ll need transfusion therapy three times a week until the pregnancy stabilizes. Daily special prenatal vitamins. Six high–protein meals daily with increased red meat. And you,” she fixed me with a stern look, ‘need to limit your shiftingpletely. It releases too many pheromones that can overwhelm her system.”

 I nodded, watching my blood flow through the tube toward Reba. A primal satisfaction filled me–my blood would protect her, strengthen her, sustain our child. The wolf in me was pleased.

 Father’s handnded heavily on my shoulder, squeezing once. “The mate bond is sacred,” he said, his voice carrying the weight of decades of Alpha authority. “And the continuation of our bloodline is our first responsibility as Alphas. From today, she will receive the full protection of the Silver Shadow Moon Pack, as the future Luna”

 I looked up at him, stunned by thisplete reversal. The man who minutes ago had dismissed Reba as a human girl‘ now acknowledged her as the future Luna–the highest female position in our pack.

 As my blood entered Reba’s system, color gradually returned to her cheeks. The lines of pain smoothed from her face, and her breathing steadied. Relief flooded through me so intensely I had to look away, blinking hard.

 approval. “Her body is recognizing

 “The

 first treatment is always the most dramatic,” Dr. Winters exined, checking Reba’s vitals with a and epting the werewolf proteins. This will help her system adapt to both the mark and the baby.”

 ore contemtive. When Reba quietly asked him why he had

 Father paced the room, hismanding presence somehow softer now, more changed his mind so quickly, I held my breath, waiting for his answer.

 “Three reasons,” he said matter–of–factly. “First, the mate mark is genuine. Second, you carry a Sterling heir.” He paused, ncing at me with an expression I’d rarely seen–something almost like respect. “And third… my son has never defied me for anyone before. That tells

 me what you mean to him.”

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 Mated by Contract to the Alpha

 Reba’s POV

17kNovel

Delay 188