The Alpha's Blood Contract E-Book

Eva Hart

• Herausgeber: Mentality Press LLC
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

After taking her for granted for several years, can a scarred Alpha claim his mate before she walks away forever?
Eleanor Adler has been called many things: the forgotten Luna, the contract wife, the woman who wasn't good enough. For three years, she's stood by Alpha Owen Crawford's side, raising his twin boys and running his pack while he kept his heart locked away.
She's tired of being invisible. Tired of loving a man who sees her as nothing more than a convenient arrangement.
When her contract expires, Eleanor is ready to walk away and start fresh. But Owen isn't ready to let her go.
Owen Crawford built walls around his heart after losing his first mate. He told himself that keeping Eleanor at arm's length was protecting them both. Hey, what was wrong?
Now she's planning to leave, and Owen finally realizes what he's about to lose. The woman who made his house a home. The mother and his sons adore. The partner he never knew he needed.
But some wounds run deep, and trust isn't easily rebuilt.
Eleanor has been hurt too many times to believe in fairy tale endings. She needs more than pretty words – she needs Owen to prove that she's worth fighting for.
With pack politics threatening to tear them apart and enemies using their relationship against them, Owen must choose between the safety of tradition and the risk of real love.
Can a contract built on convenience become a bond built on choice? Or will Owen's second chance at happiness slip through his fingers?

Leseprobe

Eva Hart

The Alpha’s Blood Contract

A Deal Sealed in Fire – Abused Mate Revenge Romance Story

First published by Eva Hart 2025

Copyright © 2025 by Eva Hart

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

First edition

This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy Find out more at reedsy.com

Contents

1. Chapter 1

2. Chapter 2

3. Chapter 3

4. Chapter 4

5. Chapter 5

6. Chapter 6

7. Chapter 7

8. Chapter 8

9. Chapter 9

10. Chapter 10

11. Chapter 11

12. Chapter 12

13. Chapter 13

14. Chapter 14

15. Chapter 15

16. Chapter 16

17. Chapter 17

18. Chapter 18

19. Chapter 19

20. Chapter 20

21. Chapter 21

22. Chapter 22

23. Chapter 23

24. Chapter 24

25. Chapter 25

26. Chapter 26

27. Chapter 27

28. Chapter 28 - Epilogue

One

Chapter 1

chapter-seperator

Eleanor

The contract termination papers felt like ice against my trembling fingers as I stood in Owen’s study, watching him through the tall windows. He was outside in the garden with James and Jacob, his twin sons, their laughter carrying on the autumn breeze. The sight should have warmed my heart—it always had before. But today, it only made the decision I’d been avoiding for months feel more final.

Three years. Three years of being his contract Luna, three years of standing beside him at pack meetings and formal dinners, three years of pretending my heart didn’t shatter every time he looked through me like I was invisible. Like I was just another piece of furniture in his perfectly ordered life.

“I won’t be renewing,” I whispered to the empty room, my voice barely audible even to my own ears. The words tasted bitter, like the coffee Owen preferred—strong, dark, and completely without warmth.

My wolf whimpered in protest, a sound that echoed the ache in my chest. She’d been restless for weeks, ever since I’d made up my mind to leave. He’s our mate, she pleaded. He has to be. Why else would the bond feel so strong?

But that was the problem, wasn’t it? The bond I felt was entirely one-sided. Owen Crawford, the distinguished Alpha of the Crawford Pack, had made it crystal clear from the beginning that our arrangement was purely business. A beautiful burden, as his mother had once called me during a particularly heated pack council meeting. A necessity to appease the council after his official mate, Mia, had died in that terrible car accident three years ago.

I set the papers down on his mahogany desk with shaking hands, right next to the framed photo of Mia. Even in death, she was stunning. Golden hair that caught sunlight like spun silk, bright blue eyes that sparkled with life, and a smile that could light up any room. She’d been everything a Luna should be—beloved by the pack, adored by Owen, and the mother of his children.

I was everything she wasn’t.

The sound of the twins’ laughter grew louder, and I watched as Owen lifted Jacob onto his shoulders while James tugged at his father’s sleeve, demanding attention. Owen’s face was transformed when he was with his sons—softer, more open, actually capable of genuine smiles. It was the only time I ever saw glimpses of the man he might have been before grief carved away pieces of his heart.

“Higher, Daddy!” Jacob squealed, his little hands tangled in Owen’s dark hair.

“My turn next!” James called out, bouncing on his toes.

Owen’s deep chuckle rumbled across the garden, and I pressed my palm against the cool glass of the window. This was what I was giving up. Not just Owen—though leaving him would tear me apart in ways I didn’t want to examine—but the boys. James and Jacob, who’d slowly warmed to me over the past three years, who sometimes forgot themselves and called me “Luna Mom” before quickly correcting to “Miss Eleanor.”

The memory of the first time James had slipped and called me Mom still made my chest tight. He’d been seven, running a fever and delirious from the flu. I’d been sitting beside his bed, reading him a story, when he’d reached out with his small hand and whispered, “Sing to me, Mommy.” I’d started to correct him, but Owen had appeared in the doorway, his gray eyes cold and distant.

“She’s not your mother, James,” he’d said quietly. “Miss Eleanor is here to help, but she’s not family.”

The words had hit me like a physical blow. I’d finished the story with a smile plastered on my face, but later, alone in my quarters, I’d cried until my eyes were swollen and red.

That was two years ago. Nothing had changed since then.

I turned away from the window, unable to watch Owen’s happiness any longer. The study was a reflection of the man himself—meticulously organized, coldly beautiful, and completely impersonal. The only warmth in the room came from the fireplace, and even that felt artificial. Like everything else in this house, it was functional rather than welcoming.

My phone buzzed on the desk, and I glanced at the screen. A text from my sister, Rachel: The job offer in Seattle is still open. Marketing director, great salary, fresh start. Think about it, Ellie. You deserve better than being someone’s consolation prize.

Rachel had never understood my decision to become Owen’s contract Luna. She’d been furious when I’d walked away from my engagement to Thomas three years ago, and even more upset when I’d accepted Owen’s cold, formal proposal. “You’re setting yourself up for heartbreak,” she’d warned me. “He’s not going to love you, Eleanor. He’s just using you.”

She’d been right, of course. She usually was.

I picked up the contract termination papers again, scanning the formal language I’d spent hours perfecting. I hereby notify you of my intention to terminate our Luna contract, effective upon the completion of the current term. This decision is final and non-negotiable. The words looked so sterile on the page, giving no hint of the emotional turmoil behind them.

The pack council meeting was scheduled for tomorrow—their final review before our contract expired. They’d go through the motions, probably praise my performance, and then Owen would have the option to renew our arrangement for another three years. I’d always assumed he would. The pack needed stability, and I’d provided that in spades. I’d handled disputes with neighboring packs, organized charity events, managed the pack’s social calendar, and somehow kept the household running smoothly despite Owen’s emotional absence.

But I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t stand beside him for another three years, pretending to be his partner while being nothing more than a well-dressed assistant. I couldn’t watch him retreat into himself every time I tried to bridge the gap between us. I couldn’t keep hoping that someday he might see me as more than just a replacement for the woman he’d truly loved.

The front door opened and closed, followed by the sound of small feet racing up the stairs. The twins were back inside, probably heading to their rooms to clean up before dinner. Owen’s footsteps were heavier, more measured, and I knew he’d be coming to his study soon. He always did after spending time with the boys, as if he needed to shed the warmth of fatherhood before facing the rest of his responsibilities.

I should leave. I should take the papers and go back to my quarters before he found me here. But something kept me rooted to the spot, staring at that photograph of Mia. She’d been so young when she died, barely twenty-five. The same age I’d been when I’d accepted Owen’s proposal.

“She was beautiful,” I whispered to the empty room, running my finger along the edge of the frame. “Perfect. Everything you ever wanted in a mate.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with three years of accumulated pain. I’d tried so hard to be worthy of the Crawford Pack, to earn my place beside Owen, to prove that I could be a good Luna even if I wasn’t his chosen mate. But it had never been enough. It would never be enough.

The sound of Owen’s approach made my heart race. His footsteps paused outside the study door, and I could almost feel his presence through the wood. My wolf perked up, responding to his nearness the way she always did. It was torture, this automatic reaction to his proximity, this desperate hope that maybe today would be different.

I quickly folded the termination papers and slipped them into my jacket pocket. He didn’t need to find them yet. I wanted to get through tomorrow’s council meeting first, to maintain the pretense of normalcy for just a little longer.

The door opened, and Owen stepped inside, bringing with him the scent of pine and autumn air. He was still in his casual clothes—jeans and a dark sweater that made his gray eyes look almost silver. His hair was slightly mussed from playing with the twins, and there was a small grass stain on his knee. For a moment, he looked younger, more approachable.

Then his gaze found mine, and the familiar mask slipped back into place.

“Eleanor.” His voice was neutral, polite. The voice he used with pack members he didn’t particularly care for. “I didn’t expect to find you here.”

“I was just…” I gestured vaguely at his desk, where papers were scattered from my earlier organizing. “Making sure everything was ready for tomorrow’s meeting.”

He nodded curtly and moved to the desk, his movements efficient and controlled. “The council will be pleased with your performance. You’ve exceeded expectations.”

Exceeded expectations. The words should have felt like praise, but they cut deeper than any criticism. I was a job well done, a task completed satisfactorily. Nothing more.

“Thank you,” I managed, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “I should go. Dinner won’t prepare itself.”

“Mrs. Henderson is handling dinner tonight,” Owen said without looking up from his papers. “You don’t need to concern yourself with it.”

Of course. Another reminder that I was replaceable, that my efforts were convenient but not necessary. I nodded and turned toward the door, my hand on the handle when his voice stopped me.

“Eleanor.”

I turned back, hope flaring in my chest despite my better judgment. “Yes?”

He was looking at me now, really looking, and for a moment I thought I saw something flicker in his gray eyes. Uncertainty? Regret? But then it was gone, replaced by the same cool distance that had defined our relationship for three years.

“Make sure you get some rest tonight. Tomorrow will be a long day.”

The dismissal was gentle but clear. I nodded again and slipped out of the study, closing the door behind me with a soft click. In the hallway, I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes, letting the tears I’d been holding back finally fall.

Tomorrow’s council meeting would be my last as Luna. After that, I’d be free to leave, to start over somewhere else, to finally stop being someone’s second choice. It should have felt liberating.

Instead, it felt like the end of everything I’d ever wanted.

As I walked back to my quarters, I pulled out my phone and typed a quick response to Rachel: I’ll take the job. I’m ready for that fresh start.

The message sent before I could change my mind. There was no going back now.

I was leaving the Crawford Pack, leaving Owen, leaving the only home I’d known for three years. The thought should have terrified me.

So why did it feel like the only way to save what was left of my heart?

Two

Chapter 2

chapter-seperator

Owen

Something was wrong.

I could sense it the moment I stepped into my study, Eleanor’s scent still lingering in the air like a whisper of vanilla and rain. It was stronger than usual, as if she’d been upset, her emotions bleeding into her natural fragrance the way they always did when she was distressed. My wolf stirred restlessly, responding to her distress even though she was no longer in the room.

I moved to my desk, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling that had been growing stronger over the past few weeks. Eleanor had been different lately—quieter, more withdrawn, going through the motions of her Luna duties with mechanical precision rather than the genuine care she’d always shown before. I’d told myself it was nothing, that she was simply tired from the increased workload as the council review approached.

But wolves didn’t lie to themselves for long.

My hand froze above the stack of papers on my desk. There, positioned precisely where I couldn’t miss it, was a single sheet of formal letterhead. The Crawford Pack seal gleamed at the top, and below it, Eleanor’s careful script filled the page with words that made my blood run cold.

I hereby notify you of my intention to terminate our Luna contract, effective upon the completion of the current term. This decision is final and non-negotiable.

The paper crumpled in my grip before I could stop myself. My wolf snarled, a sound that rumbled from deep in my chest. No. The word echoed through my mind, primal and absolute. She can’t leave. She belongs here. She belongs to us.

I forced myself to smooth out the letter, reading it again with growing disbelief. The language was formal, cold, nothing like the woman who’d spent three years bringing warmth to every corner of the pack house. Nothing like the Eleanor who sang softly to my sons when they had nightmares, who mediated pack disputes with patient wisdom, who somehow managed to make my mother smile during her weekly visits.

The Eleanor who’d been slowly, quietly healing wounds I hadn’t even realized were still bleeding.

“No,” I said aloud this time, my voice rough with an emotion I couldn’t name. “This isn’t happening.”

But even as I denied it, memories flooded back—three years of interactions I’d dismissed as simple contract obligations, three years of watching Eleanor pour herself into a role she’d never asked for. I remembered the day she’d agreed to become my Luna, her green eyes solemn as she’d listened to my cold, businesslike proposal.

“I understand this is a contract of convenience,” she’d said, her voice steady despite the slight tremor in her hands. “You need a Luna to satisfy the pack council, and I need… stability. We both know this isn’t about emotion.”

I’d been grateful for her matter-of-fact approach then. After losing Mia, the thought of another emotional entanglement had terrified me. Eleanor’s willingness to keep things professional had seemed like a blessing, a way to give my sons the stability they needed without risking my heart again.

When had that changed?

When had I started looking forward to her soft “good morning” when she brought me coffee? When had I begun timing my return from pack business to coincide with her evening walks through the garden? When had the sound of her laughter with the twins become the highlight of my day?

And when had I become such a coward that I’d convinced myself it was better to keep her at arm’s length than risk losing someone else I cared about?

My phone buzzed on the desk, and I glanced at the screen. A text from my beta, Marcus: Council meeting moved to 9 AM tomorrow. Eleanor requested the change. Everything okay?

I stared at the message, my wolf pacing restlessly in my chest. Eleanor had requested the change. She wanted to get the meeting over with quickly, probably so she could disappear before I had a chance to process what was happening.

The thought of her leaving sent a sharp pain through my chest, surprising me with its intensity. She’d been part of my life for three years, part of my sons’ lives, part of the pack’s daily rhythm. The house would feel empty without her quiet presence, without the way she hummed while organizing my papers or the gentle way she corrected James when he got too rough with his brother.

I pulled up her contact on my phone, then hesitated. What would I say? That I’d found her resignation letter? That I didn’t want her to go? That somewhere along the way, our contract had become something more—at least for me?

The truth was, I’d been taking her for granted. I’d been so focused on protecting myself from potential heartbreak that I’d never stopped to consider what I might be putting her through. Eleanor had given up her previous life to help me, to provide stability for my sons and respectability for the pack. She’d asked for nothing in return except basic courtesy and respect.

And I’d barely managed to give her that.

The sound of small feet thundering down the hallway interrupted my brooding. A moment later, James burst through the study door, his dark hair disheveled and his cheeks flushed with excitement.

“Daddy! Miss Eleanor made cookies, but she said we have to ask you first before we can have any.” He paused, tilting his head with the serious expression that always reminded me of Mia. “Are you okay? You look sad.”

Out of the mouths of babes. I forced a smile and ruffled his hair. “I’m fine, son. Just thinking about boring Alpha stuff.”

“Is it about the meeting tomorrow?” Jacob appeared in the doorway, quieter than his twin but equally perceptive. “Miss Eleanor seemed worried about it.”

My chest tightened. Of course she was worried. She was planning to walk away from the only home she’d known for three years, and she probably thought I’d be relieved to be rid of the burden of her presence.

“The meeting will be fine,” I told them, hoping my voice sounded more confident than I felt. “Why don’t you go ask Mrs. Henderson to give you some milk to go with those cookies?”

“Can Miss Eleanor eat with us?” James asked hopefully. “She’s been eating in her room a lot lately.”

Another piece of evidence I’d been too blind to see. Eleanor had been withdrawing, preparing for her departure while I’d been obliviously going through the motions of our daily routine.

“I’ll ask her,” I promised, though I wasn’t sure she’d agree.

The twins raced off toward the kitchen, their voices echoing down the hallway as they argued about who would get the first cookie. Their easy happiness was a stark contrast to the turmoil in my chest.

I looked down at Eleanor’s resignation letter again, focusing on the phrase that cut deepest: This decision is final and non-negotiable.

Final. As if three years of shared meals, shared responsibilities, shared moments of quiet companionship meant nothing. As if the way she’d seamlessly integrated herself into our lives, becoming not just a Luna but a vital part of our family, was something that could be easily discarded.

My wolf snarled again, more insistently this time. Fight for her, the primal voice urged. She’s ours. Don’t let her go.

But what right did I have to fight for her? I’d spent three years treating her like a convenient arrangement, keeping her at a distance to protect my own wounded heart. I’d never told her how grateful I was for her patience with the twins, how much I appreciated the way she’d taken over the pack’s social functions without complaint, how her quiet presence had slowly made the house feel like a home again.

I’d never told her that sometimes, late at night when the house was quiet, I found myself thinking about her. Wondering what she was reading, whether she was happy, whether she ever thought about me as more than just her contractual obligation.

The truth was, I’d been a coward. I’d hidden behind the contract, using it as an excuse to avoid confronting the growing feelings I’d been determinedly ignoring. It was easier to pretend our relationship was purely professional than to admit that somewhere along the way, Eleanor had become essential to my life in ways that had nothing to do with pack politics or social expectations.

She’d become part of my family. And I’d been too terrified of losing someone else to let myself acknowledge it.

My phone buzzed again. This time it was a text from my mother: Eleanor missed our weekly tea today. She sent apologies but said she wasn’t feeling well. Is everything alright?

I stared at the message, another piece of the puzzle falling into place. Eleanor never missed her weekly tea with my mother. She’d been faithfully attending those sessions for three years, even when she was sick or exhausted from pack duties. The fact that she’d skipped today meant she was probably avoiding goodbyes, trying to make her departure as clean as possible.

The thought of her leaving without proper farewells, without giving the pack members who’d grown to love her a chance to say goodbye, made my wolf rage. She was planning to disappear quietly, to slip away without causing a fuss, because that’s who Eleanor was. She put everyone else’s comfort before her own, even when it meant sacrificing her own emotional needs.

I stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the hardwood floor. This wasn’t over. I didn’t care what her letter said about the decision being final and non-negotiable. Eleanor had spent three years being patient with me, giving me time to heal, never pushing for more than I was willing to give.

The least I could do was fight for her now.

I grabbed my jacket from the back of the chair and headed for the door. If Eleanor thought she could walk away from three years of shared life without a conversation, she was about to learn otherwise.

It was time to stop being a coward and start being the man—and the Alpha—she deserved.

Even if I was three years too late.

Three

Chapter 3

chapter-seperator

Eleanor

The suitcase lay open on my bed like a wound, half-filled with the carefully folded remnants of my life as Luna. Three years of memories reduced to neat stacks of clothing and a few personal items that had somehow made this sterile room feel like home.

I held up the midnight blue dress Owen had bought me for the annual pack gala two years ago. “You need to look the part,” he’d said when he’d presented it to me, his voice matter-of-fact. “The other pack leaders will be watching.” Even then, I’d foolishly hoped the beautiful gown meant something more than just keeping up appearances.

I’d worn it exactly once, standing beside Owen as he greeted visiting Alphas and their mates. All night, I’d felt like a fraud, smiling and making small talk while everyone assumed I was the beloved Luna of the Crawford Pack. No one knew the truth—that I went to bed alone every night, that Owen had never once kissed me except for the formal ceremony that had sealed our contract, that I was nothing more than a beautiful ornament to complete his public image.

The dress went into the donation pile. I couldn’t bear to keep it.

A soft knock on my door made me freeze. “Come in,” I called, expecting Mrs. Henderson or maybe one of the twins.

Instead, Owen stepped into my room, and my heart stuttered. He never came to my quarters—never. In three years, he’d maintained strict boundaries, treating my space as off-limits territory. His presence here felt intimate and wrong at the same time.

“You’re packing,” he said, his gray eyes taking in the chaos of my belongings scattered across every surface.

“I leave day after tomorrow,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “I wanted to get an early start.”

He moved closer, and I caught his scent—pine and leather and something uniquely masculine that made my wolf perk up with interest. She’d never understood why I fought the attraction between us, why I didn’t just throw myself at him and demand the affection I craved.

Because I had some pride left, that’s why.

“We need to talk,” Owen said, his voice gentler than I’d heard it in months.

I laughed, but it came out bitter. “Now you want to talk? After three years of polite conversations about pack business and the weather?”

“Eleanor—”

“No.” I turned away from him, grabbing a stack of books from my nightstand. “You don’t get to do this now. You don’t get to suddenly develop an interest in communication when I’m already gone.”

“You’re not gone yet.”

The quiet intensity in his voice made me pause. When I glanced over my shoulder, Owen was staring at me with an expression I couldn’t read. There was something almost desperate in his eyes, a vulnerability I’d never seen before.

“I found your letter,” he said.

My stomach dropped. “I was planning to give it to you after the council meeting.”

“Why, Eleanor?” He moved closer, and I could feel the heat radiating from his body. “Why are you leaving?”

The question hung in the air between us, loaded with three years of unspoken tension. I could give him the polite answer, the professional one about fulfilling my contractual obligations and moving on to new opportunities. Or I could tell him the truth and finally shed the last of my dignity.

“Because I can’t do this anymore,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“Do what?”

I set the books down carefully, my hands shaking. “Pretend that I don’t love you.”

The words escaped before I could stop them, raw and honest and completely devastating. Owen went very still behind me, and I closed my eyes, wishing I could take them back.

“Eleanor.” My name was a breath of sound, and I felt him step closer. “Look at me.”

I shook my head, unable to face him. “I know what you’re going to say. That our contract never included personal feelings, that you made your expectations clear from the beginning. You don’t need to remind me.”

“That’s not what I was going to say.”

Something in his tone made me turn around. Owen was standing just inches away, close enough that I could see the flecks of silver in his gray eyes. He looked stricken, as if my confession had physically wounded him.

“I’ve been a fool,” he said quietly. “A coward and a fool.”

“Owen—”

“No, let me finish.” His hands came up as if he wanted to touch me, then fell back to his sides. “You’ve been nothing but patient with me, nothing but kind to my sons, nothing but perfect in your role as Luna. And I’ve repaid you by treating you like a stranger.”

“You hired me to do a job,” I said, wrapping my arms around myself. “I understood that from the beginning.”

“Did you?” His voice was rough with emotion. “Because I think I hired you to fill a role, and somewhere along the way, you became so much more than that. You became part of our family, part of our lives, part of…” He paused, struggling with the words. “Part of me.”

My breath caught. “Don’t. Don’t say things you don’t mean just because you feel guilty about me leaving.”

“I’m not.” He stepped closer, and this time when his hands came up, they framed my face gently. “I’m saying them because I should have said them a long time ago. Because I’ve been terrified of losing someone else I care about, so I convinced myself I didn’t care at all.”

Tears burned my eyes. “You don’t care about me, Owen. Not the way I care about you.”

“How do you know what I feel?” His thumbs brushed across my cheekbones, wiping away tears I didn’t realize had fallen. “How do you know, when I’ve never told you?”

“Because you loved her,” I whispered. “You loved Mia, and I’m just the replacement who keeps your house running smoothly.”

Something fierce flashed in Owen’s eyes. “You’re not a replacement for anyone, Eleanor. You’re not second best or a consolation prize. You’re…” He stopped, as if the words were too difficult to say.

“I’m what?”