Chapter 2

Emma

Either I had had lost my mind or he had lost his.

The mighty Alpha of the Kingsley Pack who had rejected me in front of everyone was standing in my tiny apartment, asking for my help. Surely, I must have gone crazy.

“I need you.”

The words would have made my heart race before the rejection but now I didn’t even want to see him.

I pulled the blanket around my shoulders and stared at him. “Whatever it is, I’m not going to help you. How about you find another person?”

“You don’t even know what I’m asking.”

I got out of bed and grabbed a towel to wrap around myself. What was the use in being shy around him when he rejected me without even getting to know me.

“You rejected me in front of everyone. Do you think that I’m so desperate that I’ll help you after what you did?”

“You told the entire pack I wasn’t good enough to stand beside you. Get out of my apartment”

“My wolf is gone.”

“What do you mean gone?”

“I woke up this morning and couldn’t feel him or shift. The physician couldn’t explain it. The elders searched through old records and said it’s because of the rejection. There was an alpha who rejected his mate and woke up with his wolf gone as well. His fated mate’s touch healed him.”

“The elders asked me to come and touch you. They say that if my wolf returns after the touch, I may have been cursed. Which means I’ll be needing touch from you until it returns fully. Apparently, it will be appearing and disappearing for the first few times.”

“I’ve never heard of that. Are you sure you’re not making this up?”

“I have no reason to make up things to be close to you. I rejected you, remember. Somehow my wolf didn’t like it so ran off, or the Moon Goddess didn’t like it so decided to curse me. I want to know if it’s true or if your touch actually works.”

I just stared at him, amazed. But then again, there was no need for Alpha Xander to lie.

“I need you to touch me, Emma.”

This was ridiculous.

“I don’t know what kind of game this is but I want no part of it. Please leave because I want prepare for class”

“I wouldn’t ask if I had another choice.”

“Then find one because you’re nothing to me. I have no reason to help you.”

“He’s our mate,” my wolf said, as if forgetting he had rejected us a few hours back.

“I’m your alpha,” he said coming close. “You will do as I say.”

“Are you seriously going to force me?” I chuckled.

He shook his head. “No. I’m sorry. Can you just touch me for a second?”

Now he looked desperate. I knew he was not going to leave without me touching me so I decided to do it anyway.

Slowly, I reached out. My fingers touched his hand and my wolf immediately woke up.

Mate.

It felt a deep longing for Xander so I let my hand linger.

Suddenly, Xander gasped and his entire body tensed. A powerful energy of a strong wolf spread around us and his eyes widened.

“Orion...”

I could feel his wolf returning to his body. Xander stumbled back, staring at his hands with wide eyes.

“He came back.”

I slowly pulled my hand away and the emptiness returned.

After thirty minutes of me intermittently touching his hand, he left to report to the healers. He promised to come back in the evening for another session in case his wolf disappeared again.

When he was gone, I sat at my kitchen table with a notebook and a calculator. I had my problems too. Tuition, rent, books, food and transportation.

I needed a lot of money to stop working three jobs and sleep more than four hours a night. I wrote all the numbers down and then I stared at the final amount. It was a lot.

I sighed, thinking of the plan I had in mind. Xander had rejected me in front of everyone, I was not about to help him without gaining anything.

When he returned that evening, I opened the door with a smirk.

He narrowed his eyes in confusion. “You seem quite happy this evening. Why are you so happy?”

I stepped aside and let him enter. I walked to the table and picked up the paper I had prepared.

“What is that?” He asked.

“Terms and conditions.”

His eyebrows drew together. “What?”

Did he really think I’d help him out of the goodness of my heart after humiliating me? Surely, that would be delusional of him.

I handed the paper to him and his eyes skimmed through the page silently.

“I can’t believe you made an actual contract,” He said after finishing. “You’re something else, Emma Hart.”

I crossed my arms. “It’s a solution. You need my touch and I need money.”

He stared at me. “This is now about money?”

“What? You think I suddenly care about you? Don’t be ridiculous. You rejected me. I don’t want you anymore so I’ll only give you what you want if you do the same for me.”

I pointed to the numbers.

“I’ve been working three jobs just to stay in school. If you need my touch,” I looked into his eyes. “you’ll have to pay for it. I have three jobs. I don’t have time to be touching you all day.”

He stayed silent for a while, just looking at me like I was an alien. After some time, he spoke.

“How much?”

I looked at him and smiled. “How much are you willing to give me?”

For the first time since he rejected me, I felt like I had some control of the situation.

“Fine. I’ll give you whatever you want. Just help me get my wolf back. He disappeared again.”

Xander stared at the contract. Then slowly picked up the pen and signed.

“So, when do we begin?” He asked. “I’m dying for your touch.”