Addicted To Her The Alpha'S Irresistible Contract Mate novel Chapter 37

37 Chapter 37 Feeling jealous?

37 Chapter 37 Feeling jealous?

I stood there in the great hall, feeling like a shadow in Elias’s wake, as the family’s eyes bored into me. (1

Uncle Thorne crossed his arms, his bushy brows knitting together. “Why’d you bring the maid along? This is a family reunion. She’s gonna scrub the lodge floors while we’re here?”

I kept my head down, playing the role Elias had forced on me, but inside, resentment simmered like a pot about to boil over.

A maid. Again. As if stripping me of my identity wasn’t enough in his mansion; now he paraded it here, in front of his pack. The bond tugged faintly, a reminder of last night’s kiss in the garden, his hands on my face, pheromones wrapping around me like chains. I shoved the memory down, focusing on the worn wooden floor beneath my feet.

Elias didn’t even glance back at me. He strode straight to Grandpa at the head of the table, his broad shoulders tense under his shirt. The old man sat like a king on his throne, his white hair wild around a weathered face, eyes sharp despite the “sickness” that had summoned everyone.

“How’s your health, Grandpa? You made us all worried.”

Grandpa huffed, waving a gnarled hand dismissively. “Now that I’ve seen your ugly mug, I’m fine. What took you so long to get here? City traffic has rotted your brain?”

Elias sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, the sound heavy with exasperation. “We

came as soon as we could,”

“Rude boy,” Grandpa scolded, his voice gravelly but laced with affection. He pointed a finger at Elias’s chest. “You sigh like that again, and I’ll box your ears like when you were a pup.”

Lucy burst out laughing from her spot at the table, her earlier tension forgotten. “Oh, Grandpa, you tell him! Elias, you walked right into that one.”

The family chuckled, the awkwardness from carlier easing a bit. But Grandpa wasn’t done. He straightened, his eyes gleaming with that alpha authority that made even Elias shift uncomfortably.

“Enough chit–chat. Elias, prepare a grand venue.”

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37 Chapter 37 Feeling jealous?

Elias frowned, crossing his arms. “Why? What’s the occasion?”

Grandpa’s smile was all teeth, predatory and pleased. “For Lucy’s engagement. I’ve

fixed it. The boy’s from the Silverfang pack, strong lineage and good hunter. He’ll make a fine match.”

Lucy’s face drained of color, her fork clattering to her plate. She stopped smiling

instantly, pushing back from the table. “What? Grandpa, no! I don’t want to get

engaged right now. I’m not ready!”

Her parents exchanged glances, her mom reaching out to pat her hand. “Lucy, sweetie, listen to Grandpa. He’s only thinking of your future.”

“Dad, Mom–tell him!” Lucy pleaded, her voice rising. “I barely know anyone from Silverfang!”

Grandpa leaned forward, his voice firm but not unkind. “The boy’s name is Ronan. Solid alpha, twenty–five, already leading hunts for his pack. I’ve invited his family and they’ll be here tomorrow. You’ll have time after the engagement to get to know him. Courtship and all that. But the alliance strengthens us, girl. It’s done.”

Lucy’s eyes welled up, her bubbly demeanor cracking. “But I don’t even know him! This

isn’t fair!”

She shoved her chair back, the legs scraping loudly on the floor, and stormed out of the hall, slamming the door behind her.

The room fell silent, the fire popping like punctuation. Grandpa sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. “Stubborn, like her mother. Everyone, go rest. Long day tomorrow, Elias, handle the venue and don’t skimp.”

We dispersed, murmurs rippling through the family as they headed to their cabins or guest rooms in the lodge. I followed Elias upstairs to the wing reserved for him, my footsteps soft on the creaky wooden stairs.

The hall was lined with faded tapestries depicting pack hunts and lunar rituals, the air cooler up here, scented with pine from the open windows. Elias’s room was sparse–a large bed with fur throws, a dresser, and a small attached bath.

He shrugged off his jacket, tossing it over a chair, and started unbuttoning his shirt, revealing the hard planes of his chest I’d traced with unwilling fingers a few nights ago,

I lingered in the doorway, watching him. Lucy’s outburst gnawed at me, her freedom

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37 Chapter 37 Feeling jealous?

snatched away like that, all for some alliance. It hit too close to home, echoing my own trapped life.

“Shouldn’t you stop him?” I asked, my voice quieter than intended. “Lucy is grown. She should choose her own partner.”

Elias paused, his shirt half–open, and looked at me, his golden eyes piercing in the lamplight. The bond stirred, a warm pull in my chest that made me shift uncomfortably.

“Every one of my uncles who didn’t find their mates on time got arranged into marriages by Grandpa,” he said, his tone matter–of–fact, but with an undercurrent of resignation. “His decision is final. No one can change it, not me, not Lucy. That’s how it

works here.”

I thought for a while, leaning against the doorframe, my mind racing. The pack’s traditions felt like chains, binding everyone to roles they didn’t choose. Like me bound to Elias, no say in it. A spark of defiance ignited in me.

“If he finds a bride for you,” I said slowly, meeting his gaze, “will you marry her too? Just

like that?”

He froze, his fingers stilling on the last button. The room seemed to shrink, tension thickening the air between us. His eyes darkened, searching mine, and for a moment, the bond flared hotter, making my pulse quicken.

“Why? Planning to play matchmaker, Naomi?” His voice was teasing but edged with something sharper, possession, maybe. He stepped closer, his half–bared chest rising and falling, scent enveloping me like smoke.

I swallowed, holding my ground despite the flush creeping up my neck. “I’m serious. If Grandpa decrees it, will you just… obey?”

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