The Alpha's Contract Luna

Chapter 6: The Missing Daughter

Chapter 6: The Missing Daughter

(Elara's POV)

I gathered my courage and turned to face Rhysand. "Is it true? About the blood oath?"

The dining room fell silent. Everyone's eyes were fixed on Rhysand, waiting for his response.

His jaw tightened slightly before he gave a short nod. "Yes. The oath was made when I was a child."

The weight of his words settled heavily in my stomach. Blood oaths were sacred, unbreakable bonds. Breaking one could lead to devastating consequences for everyone involved.

I took a deep breath, squaring my shoulders. "Then we should end our contract immediately."

Rosalind's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Even Vivienne looked taken aback by my quick capitulation.

The thought of giving up the promised money made my chest tighten painfully. Gods knew I needed that ten million to continue my fiancé's treatment. But I couldn't let my selfish needs potentially harm Rhysand or Eleanor.

"That won't be necessary," Rhysand's deep voice cut through my thoughts.

I blinked in surprise. "But the blood oath-"

"The Crescent Moon Pack's daughter disappeared when she was very young," he explained, his expression unreadable. "They've been searching for her for years without success."

Something in his words made my heart clench. As an orphan, I knew too well the pain of being separated from family. But there was also a bitter twinge of envy - at least someone was looking for her. No one had ever searched for me.

"That doesn't matter!" Vivienne's shrill voice shattered the moment. "Why aren't you willing to cancel it, brother? This arrangement was forced on you by grandmother!"

Her eyes suddenly widened as if struck by revelation. She whirled to face me, her face contorting with rage.

"Now I understand," she spat. "You helped her get that position on Dr. Arthur's research team, didn't you, brother? That's why this... this orphan beat me!"

Her finger jabbed in my direction as she continued her tirade. "You seduced my brother, you manipulative little bi-"

The word died in her throat as darkness suddenly filled the room. Raw power emanated from Rhysand, his Alpha energy pressing down on everyone present.

Vivienne trembled, her face draining of color as she stumbled back a step.

"Enough." Rhysand's voice was deadly quiet. "Elara spent six months conducting her research to earn that position."

I stared at him, stunned by his defense.

"Her results," he continued, his eyes blazing with controlled fury, "could save over a thousand of our pack members who are currently fighting for their lives."

He turned to Vivienne, his expression hardening. "Tell me, sister, besides being the Alpha King's sister, what contributions have you made to our pack?"

Vivienne flinched as if she'd been slapped.

I couldn't take my eyes off Rhysand. How did he know so much about my research? The exact timeframe, the potential impact on pack members - these weren't details I'd shared with anyone except Dr. Arthur.

The realization that he'd been paying attention to my work, enough to know its specifics, stirred something warm in my chest.

The dining room fell into an uncomfortable silence after Rhysand's warning. Both Vivienne and Rosalind kept their eyes fixed on their plates, barely touching their food.

I took small bites of my dinner, hyper-aware of the tension around me. The only sounds were the gentle clink of silverware against fine china.

When the servants finally cleared the last plates, I gathered my courage and approached Rhysand.

"May I... may I use the pack library?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

His eyebrows lifted slightly, genuine surprise flickering across his features. "The library?"

I nodded. "I'm curious about the prophecy Eleanor mentioned. The one about silver eyes."

He studied me for a long moment, his expression complicated. "I didn't expect your first request to be the library."

"Well," I said, attempting to lighten the mood, "you've investigated me thoroughly, haven't you? You should know my academic record was quite impressive."

To my surprise, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Indeed."

His smile transformed his entire face, making him look younger, more approachable. I found myself staring before quickly averting my eyes.

"Go ahead," he said. "But I'll need to take you to a gathering later."

My heart sank a little. Another social obligation, no doubt. But I remembered the contract and the money I desperately needed.

"Of course," I replied. "I understand my duties as Luna."

He gave me directions to the library, his deep voice precise and clear. I tried not to think about how his presence made my skin tingle.

The library was magnificent. Floor-to-ceiling shelves stretched toward an ornate ceiling, filled with ancient tomes and scrolls. The air smelled of old leather and parchment.

I ran my fingers along the spines, searching for anything related to prophecies or silver eyes. Hours passed as I combed through the shelves.

My search for the prophecy proved fruitless, but something else caught my eye. An old, leather-bound book with worn edges.

I carefully opened it, dust dancing in the air. My heart nearly stopped as I read the words on the yellowed page.

"The missing heir of the Crescent Moon Pack - a female pup with distinctive silver eyes..."

My hands trembled as I read the description. Something stirred in the back of my mind - fragments of memory, too hazy to grasp.

A silver pendant... moonlight on water... a woman's soft voice singing...

The memories slipped away like smoke through my fingers, leaving me frustrated and confused.

"Elara."

I jumped at Rhysand's voice, nearly dropping the book. He stood in the doorway, his tall frame casting a shadow across the floor.

"It's time to get ready," he said. "I'm taking you to Lunar Haven."

I closed the book quickly, my heart still racing from what I'd read. Questions buzzed in my mind like angry bees.

But Rhysand was waiting, and I had responsibilities to fulfill.

Rhysand led me not toward the formal gathering halls as I'd expected, but toward the underground garage.

My steps faltered. "The garage?"

He turned, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Were you expecting something else?"

The garage was filled with luxury vehicles, their sleek bodies gleaming under the fluorescent lights. Rhysand moved with purpose toward a stunning red Ferrari, its paint job catching the light like liquid fire.

"I thought Lunar Haven was some kind of treatment center," I admitted, watching as he unlocked the car with a casual press of a button.

He actually chuckled, the sound sending an unexpected warmth through my chest. "Not quite."

We slid into the car, the leather seats butter-soft against my skin. The engine roared to life under his touch, and soon we were racing through the mountain roads, the world outside becoming a blur of moonlit shadows.

Rhysand handled the car with easy confidence, one hand resting loosely on the steering wheel. He'd changed from his usual formal attire into dark jeans and a fitted black t-shirt that did nothing to hide his impressive physique.

The casual clothes somehow made him even more striking - highlighting the powerful muscles of his arms, the broad expanse of his chest, the sharp line of his jaw.

The moonlight filtering through the windows played across his features, highlighting the aristocratic slope of his nose, the subtle curve of his lips, the intensity in his steel-blue eyes.

His dark hair, usually so perfectly styled, had a slightly tousled look that made him appear younger, more approachable.

But even in casual clothes, there was no mistaking the raw power that emanated from him. It was in every movement, every gesture - the natural authority of an Alpha King that couldn't be hidden behind mere fabric.

The car slowed as we reached a spot halfway up the mountain. Bass-heavy music pulsed through the air, and I could see the warm glow of lights through the trees.

"Lunar Haven is a bar?" I asked incredulously as we pulled into a parking spot.

Rhysand's lips curved into that devastating half-smile again. "The pack's best-kept secret. Even Alphas need a place to unwind."

I stared at him, trying to reconcile this version of Rhysand - the one who drove sports cars and frequented hidden mountain bars - with the stern, formal Alpha King I'd known until now.