#Chapter 6 Arriving to My New Home

Silver’s POV A gold-digger? The last thing I wanted Elliot to think was that I was a gold-digger. “I’m sorry for my family,” I told Elliot later that evening while we were in the car and driving home. “I only wanted to get a rise out of them. Our relationship is… complicated.” Elliot didn’t respond. We remained quiet until we arrived at his luxurious mansion right in the middle of his pack. It was huge and there were a bunch of guards outside the front gate that greeted Elliot as we drove through. Beta Leo was the one driving the car and he stopped right outside of the front doors. We remained silent until we got inside the mansion. We were greeted by a man in a suit, who I assumed was the butler. He bowed to Elliot and then he bowed to me. I smiled at him, feeling a bit awkward. I was intrigued by all the beautiful artifacts inside of the home. He had paintings hung up on his walls that I found myself drawn to. I ran my fingers down the delicate frames, smiling at the beautiful drawings. Elliot watched me curiously. I hadn’t even realized Beta Leo entered the room until Elliot spoke to him. “Did you create the contract like I asked?” “Yes, Alpha,” Leo answered, handing him a piece of paper and a pen. “A contract for what?” I asked him as Elliot looked it over briefly and then signed it. “I am a businessman, Silver. Not a philanthropist,” he told me, his eyes studying my face. “This marriage is strictly for convenience. I had my Beta create a contract for us both to sign.” I was stunned by this, but I shouldn’t have been. Of course, he wasn’t marrying me because he loved me. He didn’t know me; we just met last night. “I don’t have anything to offer,” I confessed, staring at the ground sheepishly. “I’m wolfless and I’m weak. There’s nothing I can offer you in trade.” “As I said last night, you might be wolfless, but you are not weak. Even so, it doesn’t matter. I’m the strongest and richest Alpha in the world. Who I marry won’t change my ranking and I don’t need to marry for gain,” he casually explained. “Then, why marry me?” I asked him, my brows knitting together. “I have my reasons,” he answered. He handed me the contact and I stared at it, puzzled. “You want me to sleep in the same bed as you?” I asked him, looking at the first line before glancing up at him. “Why would you want to sleep with me?” “I like your body, your scent, and your warmth,” he answered. I blushed at his words and continued to read the contract. “I have to attend events with you?” I asked him. “As my wife, it’s expected,” he explained. “And you want me to learn Luna's duties?” “Also expected. My marriage to you isn’t a secret, Silver. The pack will expect you to be their Luna.” I nodded and I quickly signed on the dotted line, right beside his name, but as I did, I said, “If you ever meet your fated mate, you must tell me.” For a moment, Elliot looked puzzled. “I’m not looking for anyone else, Silver,” he told me. I looked up at him, my eyes meeting his. Gavin had said those same words to me before and I’m not going to be foolish enough to believe them a second time. Especially considering this is a marriage of convenience and not love. “I need you to agree,” I told him. He gave me a curt nod. “Alright,” he answered. “But what would happen if I did find my fated mate?” “Then we would get divorced,” I answered simply. “I won't get in the way of true mates.” He stared at me for what felt like an eternity; his Adam’s apple bobbing as he studied my face. “If I ever wish to get divorced, I promise I will tell you,” he finally said. I let out a shaky breath and nodded. “Do you have any other requests?” He asked bemusement in his expression. The question took me by surprise. I looked around the huge mansion before looking back up at him. “Would it be possible to get a private art studio in here?” I asked him. “A space off limits to everyone?” He raised his brows at my request. “You are an artist?” He asked me. My cheeks reddened. “I enjoy watercolor,” I admitted. “It’s the only thing that I really have that’s my own.” “Like the watercolor in your dress? You’ve gotten a lot of compliments on it tonight.” He had noticed? My heart lurched with pleasure at the recognition, and I found myself grinning up at him. “I designed it,” I told him. He looked surprised by this, but then the surprised expression turned into what seemed like admiration. It wasn’t a look I had ever seen on anyone before when addressed to me. That look was always only given to Stella. “A private studio it is,” he agreed. “Thank you,” I said, before handing him the contract. His fingers brushed across mine as he took the contract from me and for a moment, my heart stilled. I felt the electric currents race through me, and I jerked my hand away as if he had just burned me. “Let me show you to our room,” he said, breaking the silence that consumed us. I nodded and I went with him up the grand stairs and towards the bedrooms. He brought me to the end of the hallway and into a large suite. It was so big it looked like an apartment. I was surprised to see that my suitcase was on the side of the bed and when Elliot saw that I noticed it, he said, “I had Leo bring your things here.” “That was thoughtful of you,” I told him. “Make yourself at home; I’m going to hop in the shower,” he told me before retreating to the bathroom. I spent some time unpacking and changing into my pajamas, which consisted of a tank top and shorts. As I looked around the room, admiring the different art on the walls and the big open bay windows that overlooked the gardens in the back of the house, I realized I had been here before. Last night and early this morning. I woke up in this bed and snuck out the door while he was sleeping. I was shocked that he brought me back to his mansion last night. I was too focused on leaving this morning that I didn’t have a chance to look at my surroundings. But I certainly remembered this bed and climbing out of it. I left the room and found another bathroom so I could brush my teeth and wash the makeup off my face. I tied my hair in a messy bun before returning to the bedroom. I noticed the shower was turned off, which meant Elliot would soon be joining me. With a nervous pit in my belly, I got into bed. I was immediately wrapped in the minty scent of Elliot. My entire body relaxed from the scent alone. Shortly after, the bathroom door opened, and Elliot walked out wearing nothing but pajama bottoms. My mouth went dry at the sight of him. His 8-pack abs were evident, and I wanted to run my fingers down each of his pecks. My heart raced in my chest as he grew nearer, his eyes darkening as he took me in. He pulled the covers back and slid into bed beside me. I wasn’t sure what to say or do, so I turned my back towards him. “Goodnight,” I said to him, my voice coming out way breathier than I meant. He turned off the lights and moments later, I felt his arms wrapped around my waist and his front pressed into my back. His hands traced my belly softly causing goosebumps to form on my flesh. “It didn’t say that we had to do anything in the contract,” I reminded him, glad that my voice didn’t come out squeaky as it often did when I was overly nervous about something. I felt a small rumble in his body, and I realized that he was chuckling. “But don’t you want to?” He asked, his fingers tracing the top of my shorts. “It’s not like we haven’t before.” I opened my lips to say something… anything. I wanted to agree and give in to the desires I was feeling. I wanted to touch him in return and have my way with his incredible body. But just as I was about to speak, he withdrew his hands from me. “I’m not going to force you to do anything,” he told me gently as he turned over in bed. My heart sank with disappointment. *** While Eliot went to the packhouse for business this morning, he gave me his gold card and told me to go shopping in town so I could collect things for my private studio. I initially declined the card, but he insisted. One of his warriors, Gamma Erik, acted as my personal driver for the day. He wanted to accompany me into the stores as well, as part of his gamma duties but insisted that he stay with the car. I spent a few hours shopping and getting everything I needed for my studio and just as I was making my way back to the car, I saw a familiar face glaring at me. “Gavin…” I said, freezing in my steps. “So, was this your plan all along?” He seethed. “Get with me so you can get close to my uncle? I bet you’ve been seeing him this entire time.” I narrowed my eyes at him, annoyed by his audacity. “You were the one who cheated on me, Gavin. We could have been happy together, but you threw it all away because you couldn’t keep it in your pants.” I stepped around him to walk away but he countered my step and blocked my path. “Do you really think he loves you? If you think I’m bad, where do you think I learned it from? You are going to regret leaving me!” “Is that so?” A voice came from behind me, making me turn to see who had joined us. Elliot was standing behind me, glaring at a very pale-faced Gavin. “Uncle…” Gavin said, lowering his head. "Looks like I need to send you to the Gammas for three months of training, so you learn not to hassle your aunt with nonsense, Gavin. You are putting shame on the Crown family name." “I—” “You should start packing,” Elliot said dismissively. “I’ve heard enough from you.” Gavin turned red in the face, and I couldn’t tell if it was because of anger, or embarrassment. He stalked away before I could analyze it further. I looked up at Elliot whose face shined with difference and a knot formed in the pit of my stomach. He started to walk away but not before saying over his shoulder, “Come here.” Fear attacked my gut, and I reluctantly followed him. Was he mad at me? If so, how would he punish me?