AMY'S POV I couldn't believe my eyes as I stood frozen in front of my mate's bedroom. He was driving his dick into some she wolf without even noticing my presence. My heart was wrenching in pain and tears filled my eyes, seeing the man who had promised to give me the world, shamelessly sleeping with another woman in a bed we used to lay and cuddle together an hour after my father's funeral ended. Derek finally finished with his whore before his eyes landed on me. They widened in shock as he jumped away from the she-wolf on the bed. He quickly grabbed the bed sheets to cover himself as he gave an apologetic look. "Amy, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to be with your mom after the funeral." "Really, Derek?" I stared at him in disbelief as I tried to stop the tears from falling. "That's the first thing you are going to say to me?" He rushed forward and tried to hold my hand but I stepped away from him. "I swear, it's not what it looks like." "Oh, okay," I nodded with a sarcastic smile. "Then explain to me what this is since it isn't what it looks like." Derek looked back and forth between me and her as his mouth opened and closed like a fish. "Cat got your tongue?" I raised my eyebrows at him. "Why aren't you explaining yourself?" He went down on his knees and held my feet. "Amy, it was a mistake. I swear I didn't mean to. You are the only one I love, she means nothing to me." Lair. I kicked his hand off me and stepped back. "How can you claim you love me and sleep with another woman?" I shouted at him. "Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" "Come on, Amy. I'm really sorry, let's just forget about this." He looked up at him and I couldn't see any guilt in his eyes. "Forget about it?" I furrowed my eyebrows. He stood up to match my stares. "I know I made a mistake but you are going to be my wife and future Luna in two months, we can't let things like this get in between us." He took my hand in his. "You have always been excited to stand by my side when I succeed my father as the Alpha of the Rainwood Pack, you shouldn't let this ruin that." I yanked my hands away from his. "Get your filthy hands off me." I raised my voice at him. "I can't believe someone as shameless as you is going to become the Alpha of this pack one day. The Pack deserves so much better and I definitely deserve better than this." I didn't care what would happen but there was no way I would marry Derek. Being a part of the Wellington family and becoming the Luna of this pack was every she-wolf of Rainwood's dream but I was the lucky girl who came close to fulfilling that dream when I found out Derek was my fated mate when I turned eighteen and had my first shift. Our relationship has been going well for the past two years and we finally decided to get married in two months. Never in my life did I imagine I was going to catch him cheating on me. There was no way I would marry a man who can't even be loyal to me, his fated mate. Even if we get married, I know his family would always support him because he is their only son and Alpha heir. They won't take the side of an outsider like me over their precious son. But at the same time, I would be a laughing stock among the she-wolves if the wedding got called off. They had always believed a low class girl like me doesn't deserve to be Luna. Either way, I would be the one suffering the consequences. 'What are we going to do?' Lexie, my wolf asked in my head. 'I can't even stand the sight of him right now, not to talk of marrying him and spending the rest of my life with him.' Derek interrupted my thoughts. "Amy, I know your emotions are all over the place because of your father's sudden death. Why don't you go home and rest, then we can talk about this tomorrow?" I glared at him and clenched my fist at my side. "You're right. I can't deal with this right now, and I don't want to deal with it ever. We are done." I turned to walk away from him but he held my hand to stop me. "We are mates, Amy. You can't just end our relationship just like that when our wedding is coming up. I'm sure you'll change your mind when you calm down." Instead of responding to him, I yanked my hand away from him and walked away without looking back. At that moment, all the love and affection I had for him died, replaced with anger and regret for giving him two years of my life. I knew I would face consequences for cancelling the wedding but I rather used my remaining strands of dignity to walk away from such disloyalty and disrespect. On my way back to my parents house, I tried not to break down on the road. I needed to clear my head, so I walked most of the distance for an hour before finally taking a bus for the rest of the journey. I stopped in front of our old house and tears filled my house when I remembered that I won't be seeing my father anymore. The house wouldn't be the same without him. My mother was definitely feeling worse for losing her mate and husband to an unknown sickness. We had spent all the money we had trying to save him but everything was all in vain as he died three days ago. In the midst of these, I thought I would find comfort in my mate but all he did was stab me in my already open wound. As I was about to enter the house, I forced a smile on my face, hoping to comfort my mom. She was already in a terrible state and I was the only one she had left. It was my job to comfort her and be by her side now. "Mom," I called the moment I walked into the living room but there was no response. My senses instantly caught something burning in the kitchen and I quickly rushed inside. The scene before me caused me to freeze on my spot. "Mom!!!!" I screamed when I finally recovered from my shock.

AMY'S POV Attending my father's funeral, walking in on my mate cheating on me and finding my mother unconscious in the kitchen all in one day. I didn't know if the day could get any worse. My face was buried in my hand as I sat in the waiting room in the hospital, waiting for any news from the doctor. I had no idea what to do when I found my mother unconscious on the kitchen floor. The only thing I could think of was calling the ambulance. I was grateful that they came almost immediately. It has been two hours now and I still haven't gotten any news. I raised my head and sighed in frustration. At that moment, the doctor came out, looking somewhat stressed and I quickly jumped out of my seat. "Doctor, how is my mother? What's wrong with her?" I asked with my heart slamming hard against my ribcage. "Miss Hart, Your mother suffered a severe cardiac episode due to prolonged stress and underlying conditions. We need to perform an emergency bypass surgery to prevent further damage." I nodded without thinking. "Then go ahead with the surgery." "The surgery would cost you the sum of sixty thousand dollars," he said and I froze on the spot. Sixty thousand dollars? How was I supposed to get that when we were in a lot of debt because of Dad's illness? We couldn't even afford that month's rent and I was expected to find sixty thousand dollars. "Did you say sixty thousand dollars?" I asked again to confirm that I heard him right. "Yes, Miss Hart," he responded and I swallowed hard. "The money has to be paid in the next twenty four hours so we can proceed with the surgery. Any further delays can cause your mother to be in more danger." My breath hitched in my throat and tears swelled in my eyes. "I need to arrange sixty thousand dollars in twenty four? How I am supposed to do that alone?" I didn't even have a job to support myself financially because Derek's family insisted that it wouldn't look good on them if their daughter in-law does menial jobs for money. They even refused to let me go to college and told me to just focus on being a good Luna. I had been dependent on my family and Derek my whole life and now I was stuck with no one to help me. "Miss Hart, I suggest you look for a way to arrange the money as fast as you can if you want your mother to survive," The doctor said and walked away from me. I sat down back in the waiting room and buried my face in my hand as I began to cry. 'Crying won't solve anything. We need to find a solution as soon as possible,' Lexie said as she quietly whimpered. 'We already lost dad, we can't lose mom too.' 'What do you want me to do? I have no one that can give me sixty thousand dollars in an instant.' She was quiet for a while before she continued, 'There's actually someone.' At first my eyebrows furrowed in confusion before realisation hit me. 'Derek?' 'He's the only one that would easily give us sixty thousand dollars without thinking twice,' she pushed. She was right. Derek was the Alpha's son and also the sole heir to his parent's company. The Wellington family were extremely wealthy, they had both money and power. Just one word from Derek could save my mother's life. But the idea of going back to begging him for money didn't sit well with me. I didn't want to see the smug look on his face when he realized that I couldn't survive a day without him. If anything, my mom would be disappointed to learn that I went back to Derek for help just to save her life. What other options do I have left? Derek and his family are the only powerful family in the entire New York city I could think of right now. I had no connections to the other packs. Just then a name caught my attention from the TV playing in the waiting room. I looked up and there he was. Richard Wellington, the 38 year old hot bachelor, who is also Derek's Uncle and the Alpha of Darkwood Pack. He was currently being celebrated for investing in 300 orphans education in Darkwood Pack. Darkwood pack used to be one of the slum areas of Rainwood Pack. When the former Alpha, Derek's grandfather was about to die, he made Derek's father the Alpha of most of the Rainwood Pack territories and the CEO of the Wellington company. Then he made Richad, his mistress's son, in charge of the factory located in the slums and made him Alpha over the area, so he renamed the place Darkwood Pack and separated it from Rainwood territories. No one expected that Alpha Richard could develop that slum to be one of the biggest Pack in New York city. Even if I couldn't understand how it happened because it seemed like the place changed overnight even though it took years of hard work from the people. Richard now runs all the cooperation in Darkwood Pack, making him the richest CEO and Alpha in New York city. 'Are you thinking of asking him for help?' Lexie asked. 'Do you think he would agree to help so easily?' 'He seems like the best candidate right now.' I shrugged. 'He has more power and influence than Derek and he also hates Derek to the bone. He's perfect.' My mind went back to Derek's twenty-fifth birthday party earlier that year where all their influential friends and families and the Alphas in New York city, including Richard Wellington, were present. Derek had just publicly proposed to me in the middle of the party and I was starting to get overwhelmed by the massive attention I was receiving. I excused myself to the restroom to calm myself only to come out to see Richard Wellington's 6ft figure casually resting on the wall with a flute of champagne in his hand. His dark hair was slicked back and his green eyes bored into mine. My wolf instantly became intimidated and restless from the domineering aura that was oozing off him. I cleared my throat and curtsy. "Alpha," I said before I turned to leave but his voice stopped me. "You seem like a smart girl but it seems you are dumb when it comes to picking men." My eyes widened and I swerved my head to look at him. "What do you mean? Derek is my fated mate, the moon Goddess picked him for me." "Fated Mate?" He scoffed. "Do you think he respects that? Fated mate means nothing in our current world. You should have seen that after spending two years with him, except you are purposely turning a blind eye to his shortcomings. A man who couldn't even take care of himself or stay loyal before meeting his mate is not a good choice for a husband. Even if the moon Goddess gives you a mate, you are to make the final decision on your own." "Derek is not the first man that didn't stay loyal without his mate. I am here now and he has been loyal to me. That's what matters," I said and he scoffed. "Besides, he is the future Alpha of Rainwood Pack. He needs to focus on Pack duties, I can focus on taking care of the both of us." He pushed himself off the wall and took a step closer. "He's also a reckless spender." "It doesn't matter, he's rich anyways." I shrugged. He laughed and took a sip of his wine. "Now I see what's happening. You don't care about what he does because he's rich which means you are with him for his money." He took another step closer. I wanted to defend myself but I had a feeling I would be wasting my time and energy. "Yes, so what?" A smirk formed on his lips as he moved closer. I didn't step back because I didn't want to show any sign of fear. He stopped in front of me with only an inch between us. He had to bend to lean closer to my ears. "If money is what you want, I have more money than Derek," he said and walked away, leaving me to ponder on what he said. As I looked at him on the big screen in the hospital, everything he said to me that night began to make sense. Without wasting time, I stood up and made my way out of the hospital. I hailed down a taxi and told him to drive me to the Wellington Company in Darkwood Pack. The worst thing that could happen was that I would embarrass myself if I had misunderstood Alpha Richard's intentions but nobody would know what would happen if I don't give it a try. 'Amy, are you sure about this?' Lexie asked and I could feel her anxiousness. 'This is the only choice we have to save mom and get revenge on Derek at the same time,' I replied to her. 'I'm ready to do anything as long as I get what I want.' She sighed and withdrew because she knew nothing she said would change my mind. I took a deep breath when I arrived at the Wellington company. The tall glass building was enough to intimidate me but I wasn't ready to back down. I looked down at the black dress I wore from the funeral and smoothed it to look presentable. "Amy, you can do this," I encouraged myself before I walked in. It was my first time coming in there and I had to admit that the interior of the building was far better than that of the Rainwood Wellington company. I controlled myself to stop gawking around and approached the receptionist. "Hello, I'm Amy Hart. I'm here to see Alpha Richard Wellington," I started then I added in a low tone. "I don't have an appointment though." "Welcome, Miss Hart. The Alpha is waiting for you in his office." Wait, what?

AMY'S POV The receptionist handed a key card to me. "Take the elevator up, his office is on the 30th floor. He's expecting you," the receptionist instructed and I nodded still in shock. Did he know what happened between me and Derek? Or about my mom? Did he already predict that I would come to him for help? That was impossible. I nodded slowly, forcing myself to act normal as I took the card and walked toward the elevator. The moment the doors of the lift slid shut, I let out a shaky breath and pressed my back against the cold metal wall. Calm down. Keep it together, Amy. I tapped the key card against the panel. The elevator hummed to life, carrying me higher and higher. Maybe it was just my imagination or nervousness but the air felt thinner the closer I got. 25th floor, 26th, 27th till the lift came to a stop at the 30th floor. A soft chime echoed, and the doors glided open. When I stepped out, I noticed that there was only one office here. A massive, double-door entrance at the end of the dimly lit hallway, and sitting just outside it, a man whose posture was straight as he typed away at his laptop. I concluded it was Richard's secretary and walked closer to him. As soon as he saw me, he stood up and gestured toward the doors. "The Alpha is waiting for you, Miss Hart." He smiled and moved to open the door for me. I nodded, thanking him as I stepped inside, my gaze immediately landing on the man behind the desk. Richard Wellington sat in his massive leather chair, flipping through a file like he wasn't aware of my presence when he had prepared for my arrival even before I decided to come. His forest green eyes flicked up from his papers, locking onto me. The man was unfairly attractive for his age. He looked unbothered and composed. His expensive suit was perfectly fitted, the top button of his shirt undone, revealing a glimpse of tattoos peeking from his collar. He was perfect in every way. "Good evening, Miss Hart," he said smoothly with his deep voice. I took a breath, forcing down my nerves. "Alpha." I bowed slightly. "Have a seat." I did, trying to keep my posture straight and confident despite the storm raging inside me. "Tea or coffee?" he asked. "Neither. I'm fine." Richard frowned slightly before picking up the telecom. "Send in a pumpkin spice latte." My body went rigid and my eyes widened in shock. How did he know my favorite drink? He leaned back, watching me with something close to amusement. "Don't think too much. Derek talks a lot about you." My stomach tightened at the mention of my cheating mate but I didn't show any sense of hurt or anger. Instead, I kept my gaze trained on Richard. "You know what he did, don't you?" He smirked. "I warned you, didn't I? He is a terrible choice for a husband." I clenched my fists ignoring his remark for now. "Why do you hate Derek?" His smirk didn't fade. "Hate? No, I don't hate him. But I dislike him." I raised my eyebrows at him. "He's a spoiled child that has never suffered a day in his life. Never had to fight for anything and only thinks with his dick. But my main reason is that he and his family always looked down on me in the past and ridiculed me because my mother was the late Alpha's mistress. I plan to repay them for all the humiliation they put me through " This was it. This was my chance. I lifted my chin. "In that case, I have an offer for you." His eyes flickered with interest and I took it as a cue to continue. "Marry me. Give me enough money to save my mother. In return, I'll give you a wife on paper and a way to make your little nephew and his family a laughing stock." For the first time, Richard froze. I watched as he leaned back, studying me. Then, his lips curled into a smirk. "You're pretty straightforward. I expected you to take more time to come around." My fingers dug into my lap. "I don't have time for that. My mother needs emergency Bypass surgery. Are you willing to help me or not?" He stood up slowly and walked toward me. "Your offer is very tempting but tell me, Amy what else are you willing to give? Because making Derek and his family a laughing stock is something I can do without marrying you." He was right. He truly didn't need me for that. But I needed him desperately. My wedding with Derek was set for two months from now. If I didn't get married, I would be the one people laughed at. My friends, my high-school classmates, the very people who had seen me flaunt my relationship with Derek on social media for years. The image of Derek sleeping with another woman and him telling me to let it go burned in my mind, making me boil in anger. I wanted him to suffer. That's when I realized that this wasn't just about saving my mother. If I only needed money for that I could just borrow it from him. Not just him, I could go back to the loan sharks and take more money from them. They wouldn't decline me, in fact they would only be happy to see me paying back my debts for the rest of my life. But I wanted to destroy Derek. I wanted to rip him apart from the inside. Make him feel even a fraction of what I had felt when I walked in on him with someone else. I didn't mind getting married to someone almost twice my age to achieve that. I inhaled deeply, staring at Richard. If he wasn't going to marry me, he was useless to me. "I'll give you a wife on paper and nothing more," I said firmly. "I have nothing else to give." That was the truth or so I thought. Silence stretched between us before Richard began to move closer to me again. His eyes narrowed at me and the air between us grew heavy, thick with an intensity I wasn't prepared for. I forced my body to stay still, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. After what felt like an eternity, he stopped directly in front of me and leaned down to bring his lips to my ear. "You want to marry me and have my name, Amy?" His breath grazed my ear, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. "Then you'll take everything that comes with it." My eyes widened slightly. "What do you mean?" He brought his smiling face directly in front of mine with our noses almost touching. "You have to take everything," he murmured. "My money, my status and my body." My breath hitched but I quickly shook my head. No. No, I couldn't do that. "I want a strictly contractual marriage. With a time limit," I said, my voice steady, but my hands clenched into fists. His lips curled into a smirk. "And a contract marriage is what you'll get. No feelings. No strings attached. One year." I narrowed my eyes, "I won't sleep with you." I truly didn't trust myself around a man like him. If I actually slept with him, what if I developed feelings? There was no way I would let myself fall for another Wellington. His next words however knocked the air right out of my lungs. "Oh, no, I need you to understand this, sweetheart. There will be no sleeping. Only fucking." My entire body stiffened and my eyes widened. He continued with his voice, smooth and teasing. "I will marry you, make you my Luna and fuck you whenever i want. If you can accept that, I will make sure Derek grovels at your feet. I'll ensure your mother's surgery is done by the world's best surgeon." He straightened, studying my reaction before he delivered the final blow. "And I'll make sure you go back to school and pursue your dream of making cars." My pulse thundered as I stared at him in shock. He listed everything I needed. Everything I ever wanted. If my mother fully recovered, she wouldn't be upset with this decision. I could go back to school, focus on my studies and graduate without worrying about money. And all I had to do was give myself to the most powerful Alpha in New York city. It would be stupid to decline such an offer. But could I really do this? Could I really sell my body to this man for a year? I bit my lip, his unwavering stare making my heart pound. After what felt like forever, I inhaled deeply, forcing my thoughts to clear. Finally, I met his gaze head-on. "Fine. I accept your conditions."