The Price of an Heir

Zaire's POV

I slammed the heavy car door shut, trapping the chill outside. Gripping the steering wheel, I let out a harsh breath. That was the most frustrating, complicated meeting I had ever endured, especially considering I was dealing with a she-wolf. I expected Luna Freya to jump at my offer. I knew she had suffered multiple heartbreaks, so I assumed extending a lifeline would bring her relief.

Instead, she threw Veda in my face. Yes, I loved Veda, but my pack had no future without a pup. What assurance did we have that Veda and I would be able to conceive a child when we got married? Too many Alphas suffered childlessness, so how could I let go of a pup from my own seed?

Additionally, abruptly breaking off the engagement with Veda would raise major eyebrows across the territories. It had only been a few weeks since we hosted that massive, opulent engagement party, an event attended by the most elite pack leaders. The political fallout would be severe. For Luna Freya to have my child and secure the bloodline, we would have to wed in the most glamorous, public way possible. But making such a sudden switch meant I would be branded as a cheater by the very society I led. We couldn't let the world know she got pregnant by artificial means. Other Alphas would see our marriage as insincere. This situation was harder on me than on her, and I was trying to find a way to make things work.

My phone vibrated in the cup holder. I glanced at the caller ID.

Veda.

For the first time in my life, my heart skipped a beat with heavy dread. How was I going to break this news to her? Luna Freya might have thought I gave her three days to figure things out for herself, but I bought that time to figure things out between myself and Veda.

One thing was certain: Luna Freya was going to be my wife, whether she liked it or not.

However, I knew I had to face my relationship with Veda. I made a promise to a powerful Alpha, and now I had to go back on my word. Keeping two women was not an option. I loved Veda, but Luna Freya was accidentally pregnant with my pup.

I swiped the screen to answer, merging onto the dark road out of the Cobalt pack territory. "Veda. I'll have to call you later."

Veda, true to her nature, refused to let me end the call. "Zai!" Her voice pierced the quiet cabin, high-pitched and bubbling with frantic excitement.

This was the reason I had to hang up on her earlier that morning. I knew her endless chatter was due to her excitement over the wedding preparations, but her timing was infuriating.

"I finally received the engagement present! The customized Porsche is here!" There was so much shrill excitement in her tone that I hesitated to drop the bomb on her. I bit my tongue and let her speak.

"You are so sweet," she cooed, oblivious to my silence. "How about I spend the night at your pack? I thought you were pulling away from me, but you were just planning something nice."

I rubbed my temple. She thought I was unhappy with her because she didn't receive a gift on the exact day of the engagement. I had ordered a top-tier Porsche, paying extra to have the interior customized down to the stitching to match her specific, demanding taste. The international shipment took much longer than expected, causing her to throw multiple tantrums over the past month. I was only relieved the damn car had finally arrived so I wouldn't have to hear about it anymore.

"I'm glad you like the gift," I kept my voice steady. "But it is not a good idea for you to come to my pack. I'll be at yours tomorrow."

I didn't have the heart to face her. Whenever we were together, she constantly pushed for intimacy. My father had taught me a golden rule: to be a great leader, always keep your zipper closed until you get married. That strict discipline earned me unwavering respect among all she-wolves. I maintained that reputation because I never started what I couldn't finish. Horny creatures like us lacked the self-control to stop once the fire was lit. Veda’s insecurities prevented her from understanding that, no matter how many times I explained it.

"What's the point of being at my pack when you're always so busy?" she whined, her mood flipping instantly. "I wanted to show you the decor pictures for the wedding. The caterer informed me that you haven't made the payment yet."

A frustrated sigh escaped my lips as I pressed hard on the accelerator. I was about to make that transfer after speaking to her father, right before I got hit with the news about Luna Freya. How could I explain that to her?

I opened my mouth to give a reasonable excuse, but Veda wasn't finished.

"Also, can you get me another car?"

My jaw locked. "What?"

"I already have two from Dad, and you sent me one," she rambled. "But I plan to use a different luxury car every day of the week when I'm the Luna of the largest pack." She giggled.

My grip on the steering wheel tightened until the leather creaked under my palms. I loved luxury cars as much as the next Alpha, and I always believed that once we married, half my wealth would be hers to enjoy. But hearing her petty, superficial demands right now, while the fate of my unborn heir hung in the balance, made my blood boil. The contrast between the two women was staggering. Just hours ago, I sat across from Freya in a dimly lit underground room. She was a woman facing an impossible, life-altering pregnancy, yet she remained composed, calculating, and deeply grounded. She handled pressure like a true, battle-tested Luna. And here was Veda, giggling over the phone about matching her cars to the days of the week like a spoiled child playing dress-up. I took a deep breath, reminding myself that the wedding with Veda wasn't going to happen anyway, so I forced my jaw to relax and let her finish speaking.

"I—" I started, trying to inject some reality, but she cut me off.

"Your pack, plus mine, will make us the most powerful leaders of all time!"

"Veda!" I barked, projecting my Alpha command through the phone to get her attention. It worked.

"You sound upset," she complained, her voice already teary. I didn't know how to deal with a crybaby, but I only had myself to blame.

I sped down the highway, far out of the Cobalt pack. "I'm coming to your pack tomorrow. We need to talk." Knowing what I was going to tell her might hurt, I didn't try to comfort her as I usually would.

Ending the call immediately was the only way to prevent more whining. I rolled down the window, trying to clear my head, when my phone rang again.

Assuming it was Veda calling back, I reached out to decline the call. But my position as an Alpha meant I couldn't switch off my line. I pressed accept. To my surprise, it was a strange number.

"Alpha Zaire," a firm voice echoed through the speakers.

Luna Freya.

"I have a solution," she stated in a confident, calm manner. It was a level of raw maturity I wished Veda had, but regardless, I had to make my intentions clear to her.

"Luna Freya," I answered, my voice dropping into a cold growl. "I have to warn you right now that any solution outside of marriage is not acceptable."

My pup was not going to be born out of wedlock. Her silence indicated she might suggest something else. However, her actual proposal caught me off guard.

"Let's have a contract marriage. After the child is born, you and I will have a duel. If I win, we divorce, and I get sole custody of the child. You can have visitation rights. It's the opposite if you win."

I stared blankly at the dark road illuminated by my headlights. A physical duel? A hand-to-hand battle for the permanent custody of my heir? I honestly wondered if she had been drinking to propose such a wild, suicidal challenge. But considering her pregnant state and the dead-serious tone of her voice, I knew she was dead sober. She might be a tough Luna who knew how to throw a punch, but could she really defeat a prime Alpha male in a brutal, physical battle? My wolf roared with laughter in my mind. The sheer, unadulterated arrogance of her challenge sent a dark thrill of amusement coursing through my veins. I had spent decades training, fighting, and dominating rivals to secure my position. Taking down a she-wolf in a ring would be effortless. Her naive proposition just made this whole ordeal incredibly easy for me.

"Alright," I said, a dark smirk pulling at my mouth. "You have three months after the birth of our child to train. Let's get married in three days, and I won't take no for an answer."

Silence fell over the line. When she spoke, the defensive edge in her voice proved she was still fighting back. "It's going to be a contract."

I wondered how long she would remind me of that detail. I had to make it clear. "But I doubt you want anyone to know it's not real."

"Fine, we can meet at the werewolf conclave," she suggested quickly. The werewolf conclave was a hidden gathering where marriages outside the mate bond were legalized or dissolved. Luna Freya had it all wrong.

"Who said that?" I countered smoothly, projecting unwavering dominance. "I'm talking about a wedding."

I expected her to yield to my logic, but her response revealed that this situation was more complicated than either of us had anticipated.