Sold to the Alpha

by Cara Wylde

There was silence on the other end.

  “And I’ll never be able to have children again.” Avelyn paused for a few seconds. She didn’t want to cry, but it took her by surprise. She had no idea that saying these things out loud would have such an impact on her. Max squeezed her knee again, unsure how to react. “Miss Delacroix, I’m begging you…” her breath hitched, and she struggled to stifle a sob. “Just let me talk to her. I’m putting all my hope in a rumor. I don’t even know if this cure exists. If I am to be honest… God, it scares me to think of it, let alone say it… but, if I am to be honest, it sounds like some kind of urban legend, I have to admit. A Councilor risking his career by working on something the rest of the Council has voted against?” She chuckled lightly between sobs. “It sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Maybe it is. Maybe I am crazy for putting my hope into this, but I don’t have any other choice. Let me… let me follow this through, and if it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t work and I’ll live with it.”

  The headmistress sighed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!” Avelyn almost jumped off the desk, but Max was in her way.

  “Don’t thank me. I can’t promise you anything.”

  “Of course.”

  “I’m just saying that I’ll think about it and see what I can do. Don’t get your hopes too high.”

  “They’re already high, Miss Delacroix. If they tumble to the ground, so be it. I’ll step all over them myself and crush them into small pieces, but I must try everything first.”

  “Oh, goodness! You were never a good poet, were you?”

  Avelyn felt the smile in the woman’s voice, and laughed cheerfully. “No, I guess I wasn’t.” She wiped the tears off her cheeks.

  ***

  Monique Delacroix did more than allow Avelyn and Delyse to speak on the phone; she let them video chat. Avelyn had kicked Max out of the bedroom, promising she’d tell him everything afterward. She completely disregarded his protests. The headmistress hadn’t set a time limit for them, so she knew she wouldn’t only talk business with Delyse. She had every intention to take advantage of this unique opportunity and cram as much girl talk as she could. “And don’t you dare lurk around the room, mister, or I’ll know,” she had told Max. “My hearing is just as sharp as yours.”

  She sat down at her desk and started throwing impatient looks at the clock on the wall and drumming her fingers on the edge of her laptop. The call had been scheduled for 10 AM, and there were ten more minutes until then. She didn’t have to wait more than three minutes, though, because Delyse was just as eager as she was, and called earlier.

  “Hi,” said Avelyn when the blonde’s pretty face appeared on her screen.

  “Oh my God, you look wonderful!” Delyse had a huge smile on her face and, for once, it reached her light blue eyes.

  Avelyn grinned. “Liar. I’ve gained a lot of weight. You, on the other hand, look great.”

  “I can’t believe Miss Delacroix actually let us talk.” She furrowed her brows. “But that means something is wrong, doesn’t it? When she called me to her office last evening, she seemed worried. What’s happened?”

  Avelyn looked down for a second, avoiding her friend’s concerned eyes. She had hoped they could do the “girl talk”-thing first and enjoy half an hour of normality before getting to the difficult part. She missed her long conversations with Delyse so much.

  “Yes, there’s something I needed to talk to you about.”

  “And it is urgent and serious enough to convince even the headmistress to forget about her own rules. And the consequences of breaking those rules. Avelyn, you’re scaring me. Stop staring at your hands and tell me already.”

  Avelyn closed her eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and got ready to spill everything out as fast as she could. Yesterday, talking about everything out loud had turned her into a sobbing mess, and she didn’t look forward to that happening again. It had helped her convince Miss Delacroix of her terrible situation, but now crying wouldn’t have the same effect. It would only worry Delyse even more, and her friend didn’t deserve that. It occurred to her that she had been such a pain to her best friend. Such a burden. She had practically stolen her husband, her future, and now she needed her help to save her child. It wasn’t fair, and for a moment she toyed with the idea of giving up, of telling her it had all been a scheme to convince the headmistress to let them talk for a few hours, just like the old times. But it was stupid. So childish and stupid.

  Delyse’s eyes were growing bigger and bigger with every new detail Avelyn was adding to her story. There was no point in hiding anything from her friend, so she had decided to tell her every single thing starting with the first night she spent at the Schloss. When she got to Sabine, Delyse bit her lip, and Avelyn saw the girl had so many questions. However, she kept quiet, so Avelyn went on to the long month of waiting for the Flower Moon, told her about the discussions she had had with Max’s ex-bride, then got to what happened the moment they got out of the dungeons. Delyse’s shoulders tensed, and she covered her mouth with both hands. By this point, her blue eyes were as big as saucers. What followed was the doctor’s news and conclusions, then the rumor about the cure. Delyse’s blond eyebrows knitted in deep thought, and she didn’t speak for a couple of long minutes after Avelyn finished her story. Finally, she cleared her throat and placed both palms on her desk, the cool wood helping her calm her nerves.

  “Avelyn, I don’t know anything about a cure for the werewolf venom. It’s true I still keep in touch with my brother, but we never talk business. He visits me so rarely that it always seems like a waste of time to talk about his job or about our parents.”

  “I understand that.”

  “Lately, he’s been very busy. He hasn’t come to see me in almost three months, and when either of us calls, we don’t talk for more than ten minutes every couple of days. However, I will call him and ask him to pay me a visit.”

  “Do you think he will? I mean… wouldn’t it be easier to tell him on the phone?”

  “He will come if I insist. I’d rather talk to him face to face. It’s a delicate matter. James would do anything for me, you already know that, but there are things that can’t be solved so easily. Too many complications to this situation… I will have to tell him about Sabine…”

  “Please don’t.” Avelyn’s cheeks flushed red and her heart started beating so hard that it threatened to drill a hole through her chest and jump on the keyboard.

  “Avelyn, I must. I won’t lie to my brother.”

  “He’s the Councilor’s son…”

  “And if there is, indeed, a cure, then he’s in over his head anyway. Don’t worry, I’ll try to make him talk before I tell him about you and your story. Trust me, I can do this. But once I find out Harington Pharmaceuticals has made a breakthrough, I will have to be honest with him. It’s the only way I’ll convince him to help me. Help you. Think about it: we know about the company’s illegal activities, it’s only natural to let him know about a rogue wolf that was part of Clan Blackmane just a few days ago and bit a human.”

  “Blackmail…”

  “No, for God’s sake!” Delyse pushed her chair away from the desk, and herself with it, the small plastic wheels screeching on the floor. She spun a couple of times and stopped when she felt she had her emotions under control. “Don’t say that. I’d never blackmail my brother.”

  “I’m sorry… I’m such an idiot.”

  “Just forget about it. It’s only fair. If we know about his illegal stuff, then he should know about ours.”

  “What if he tells your father?”

  “He won’t. He and dad are not on the best of terms. Dad insists he should go into politics and follow in his footsteps, but all James wants is to finish medical school and work in the Harington laboratories. If there’s been a breakthrough with this cure you’ve told me about, he must know about it. And he won’t tell anyone if I ask him not to. I wish you’d meet him, Ave.” Delyse smiled
. “He’s a good guy, really. He’s the best. I can’t lie to him, especially since I’ll literally ask him to put his own reputation and career in danger.”

  “I understand. I’m sorry for being so… thick.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” The blonde gave her a full, genuine smile. “So, tell me. How is it to be pregnant? Are you horny all the time?”

  “Oh, you can’t imagine.” Avelyn laughed wholeheartedly, happy that the nasty part of the conversation was over. She felt better after telling Delyse all about Sabine and Max, all about her fears and insecurities. She really was her best friend. She had listened patiently, empathized with her, and didn’t judge her once. “But enough about me. How are you doing?”

  “Pretty good. Classes are as boring as ever. Claudia has taken up cooking. She says it reminds her of you.”

  “Awww… such a sweetie.” They both laughed.

  “Amelia’s the same obnoxious bitch. Sometimes I wonder why she’s even hanging out with us.”

  “Oh, give her a chance.”

  “We are. Every damn day. We all miss you.”

  “I miss you too. You’ve no idea how hard it’s been for me… There were days when I’d have given anything to have someone to talk to, someone I could trust. Even bitchy Amelia.”

  “But things are getting better, aren’t they? Now, they don’t have to be careful around you anymore. Val and Rosanna will be more open, you’ll see. I have the impression no one liked the situation and they only stuck with it because the Alphas had made the decision for everyone.”

  “Yeah… I guess. I still miss the hell out of you and Claudia. And Amelia.”

  “I know.” Delyse gave her a reassuring smile. She would have loved to be able to go through the screen and hug her friend. “You’re a strong woman, Ave. You’ve made it so far. I promise you I will get that cure for you if it exists, and then you can have your ‘happily ever after’ with Max and a hoard of adorable pups.”

  “Happily ever after… It sounds so surreal.”

  ***

  Max stepped over the threshold of Alma Venus Boarding School for the second time in his life. The first time, he had been here to find a bride. Now, he was here to save her. It had been difficult to convince Avelyn to stay at the Schloss, but she had eventually understood. They had all been on edge in the past two weeks, waiting to hear from Miss Delacroix. It seemed that it took Delyse quite some time to convince her brother to pay her a visit, but she had managed in the end. Then, it took forever for James Harington to make up his mind. The interesting part was that Max didn’t receive a call from the headmistress, but from James himself. He had asked Max to meet him at Alma Venus because he wanted Delyse and Monique Delacroix to be there. Why? Max had no idea, and he didn’t care either. If James established the meeting, then it meant he had the cure, which was all that mattered. The clock was ticking. One more week until Thunder Moon. Avelyn needed the vaccine now.

  The secretary greeted him and told him he was expected. He went inside the office. The same office where he had interviewed Avelyn. It felt like a century ago. He closed the door behind him as softly as he could.

  “Hello,” he said. “Miss Delacroix.” He nodded his head towards her. “Delyse, Mr. Harington…”

  “Please, call me James.” The young man closed the space between them and shook Max’s hand in a firm grip. He was tall and handsome, and his intense blue eyes and perfect blond hair made it clear he was Delyse’s elder brother. He couldn’t be more than 25 years old. Avelyn’s age.

  “James. Thank you for agreeing to see me.”

  “Well, anything for my dear sister.” He gave Max a quick, tense smile.

  “How about we all sit down?” suggested the headmistress. “I’ll ask Patricia to bring the coffee.”

  “Thank you,” said Max. “You’re too kind.” He sat down on the long sofa, while James took the armchair across from him. “Avelyn would have loved to come.”

  “And I hope she understood why it wasn’t possible.” Miss Delacroix dialed her secretary, told her they were ready for the coffee, then put down the receiver.

  “Yes, of course.”

  Delyse hesitated one moment, then decided to sit down on the other side of the sofa, as far as possible from Max, but still in front of her brother. She gave James a timid smile, hoping he’d understand everything was fine. She was okay, really. She didn’t mind seeing Max after having been refused by him. The headmistress took her place in the leather chair behind the desk. They all exchanged some meaningless pleasantries until Mrs. Jones brought the coffee and left the office. Delyse and Monique Delacroix wanted to know if Avelyn was well, and Max assured them she was doing great, except that she was a little nervous about the approach of the full moon. They all were.

  “I’m glad to hear Avelyn has adapted so well to your family,” said the headmistress. “It’s a relief, really. She’s always been so stubborn and feisty. Wild little thing she was when she was a child. You should have seen her. Adorable, but a serious pain.”

  Max laughed, his heart warming at the cute picture the woman was painting in his mind. “Sounds like her all right.”

  James Harington took a small sip of his coffee and cleared his throat. All eyes turned to him.

  “Max, you might be wondering why I wanted to meet you here and nowhere else.”

  “Yes, I was, actually.”

  James set his cup on the small glass table next to his armchair, and dug his hand in the inside pocket of his elegant, classy jacket. He took out a small phial with a clear, transparent liquid inside it.

  “Is that…” started Max.

  “Yes, it is. The cure for the werewolf venom.” He made a dramatic pause to let the information sink in. He leaned back in his armchair, making himself comfortable while also displaying a position of dominance.

  Max fixed his gaze on the phial for a couple of seconds, then his eyes went to James, and he also leaned back on the sofa. He realized then that this wasn’t going to be easy. The heir of the Harington fortune would not simply give him the cure without asking for something in exchange. Max crossed his arms over his chest and cocked an eyebrow, showing James he was listening, open to negotiations.

  “Harington Pharmaceuticals has been working on this cure for years.”

  “So I’ve heard.”

  James smiled. “Needless to say this is… not to be made public.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Normally, before telling you what I’m about to tell you, I should ask you if I can trust you. But I won’t do that. You know why? Because I’ve decided to trust you the moment Delyse told me about your bride and what she’s going through.”

  It was Max’s turn to smile condescendingly. “Because, of course, that is also something not to be made public.”

  “No, let’s stay positive. This is not about each of us having to lose something if our discussion doesn’t go well. I trust you because Delyse trusts Avelyn, Avelyn trusts you, and I trust Delyse. It’s as simple as that.”

  Max studied his face intently, trying to find any trace of deceit. There appeared to be none. “All right. You wanted to tell me something.”

  “About the cure.” James took a deep breath and looked Max straight in the eyes, a crease of concentration and earnest adorning his forehead. “Twelve years ago, my father began to research the possibility to make a vaccine against the shifter venom, a vaccine that could prevent humans from ever being turned into shape-shifters, and could even reverse the transformation process. He made some fair progress in the first two years, and he figured that it would be easier for him to continue his research and experiments if he had the approval of the Council and the help of some of the best shifter scientists. If the project had been a public, authorized one, then he would have had better access to the basic materials, which were, as you may have guessed, samples of blood and tissue from the five species of shape-shifters. As you know, the project did not receive authorization. All the representatives of the shif
ter factions voted against it, and my father was forced to close the laboratories. After two more years, he decided to take the risk of opening them again, under the most extreme secrecy. You see, Max, I don’t always agree with my dad. He has his flaws and little obsessions. But, I do agree with him when he says that the shifter representatives didn’t look at all the possibilities a cure for their venom might bring. They chose to be blinded by their fear and paranoia, and failed to see the greatest advantage of this vaccine.”

  A long, almost uncomfortable pause. “Which is?”

  “Hybrids, Max. Hybrids.”

  “Hybrids?”

  Even Delyse was now staring dumbfounded at her brother. It was obvious she was hearing this for the first time.

  “Not entirely human, not entirely animal. The shape-shifter genes are so strong that they completely overpower the human genes. This is why the result of the union between a shifter male and a human female will always be a shifter. No exception. But a vaccine, an antidote made of your own venom combined with uniquely human molecules, can turn a shape-shifter into a hybrid. It can make you half human, half werewolf. You would still have the strength, power, and heightened senses of a werewolf, as well as the long lifespan, but you would never have to turn into your wolf form ever again. In fact, it would take away that ability.”

  Max blinked a couple of times in confusion. “And how exactly would that benefit us?”

  “You would be more like us, and we would be more like you. The species would meet half way.” James sat up to take his cup of coffee and take a sip. He didn’t set it back on the table. “And the thing that may interest you most: your female shifters would be able to procreate again.”

  “Wow!” For a minute, Max found it impossible to say anything else. He rubbed his short beard in deep thought, trying to wrap his mind around the new information. He hadn’t expected that. No, he hadn’t expected that at all. “And you’ve managed to prove that, or are you only working with theories?”

  “We’ve tested the vaccine, and it works exactly as I’ve described.”