Chapter 3

Harper POV:

The heavy doors clicked shut with a solid, electronic lock, sealing out the noise of the cathedral. The air inside the VIP suite instantly grew thick with the dominant cedar scent of the Alpha King.

Jasper tossed his suit jacket onto the leather sofa and loosened his silk tie with one fluid yank of his hand, exuding raw, untamed power.

I stood on the opposite side of the mahogany conference table, keeping the barrier between us.

"Thank you for stepping in out there," I said calmly, breaking the silence. "You saved both of our packs from a media catastrophe."

Jasper walked over to the dry bar, poured amber whiskey into a crystal tumbler, and turned around with a cold smirk. "A catastrophe for your father, perhaps. Not for me. Now tell me, Miss Moore, how do you intend to pay for my performance?"

I unzipped my clutch, drew out a neatly folded document, and slid it across the polished wood.

"This is an agreement for the immediate transfer of the Moore Pack's northern mineral ridge," I stated evenly. "In exchange, we will remain married for exactly three years. After three years, we file for an uncontested divorce under the standard provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and Pack charter. The land will be yours, and our packs will part ways cleanly."

Jasper looked down at the document. The air around him dropped ten degrees.

He set his glass down with a sharp clink and closed the distance between us in three long strides. He planted both hands on the table, leaning over until his face was inches from my veil.

"A three-year divorce clause?" His voice was dangerously soft, vibrating with suppressed anger. "You expect the Alpha King of the Jones Syndicate to be dumped by a wolfless bride after three years? Do you have any idea what that would do to my authority on the High Council?"

"It is a business arrangement," I countered, refusing to lean away from his overwhelming aura. "You need a compliant wife to silence your elders' demands for an heir, and I need capital to clear my pack's debts."

Jasper's hand shot forward. His fingers wrapped around my wrist with iron strength, pulling me half an inch closer.

His breath brushed against the lace over my ear, scorching hot. "Do not mistake my patience for weakness, little wolf. You do not dictate the rules in an Alpha's territory."

I twisted my wrist sharply, using the leverage of an ancient martial grip to break his hold, and stepped back into the open space of the room.

"If you find my terms unacceptable," I said coldly, "I can walk out those doors right now and inform the press that the ceremony was an administrative error."

Jasper stared at his empty hand, then up at my veiled face. The fury in his golden eyes shifted into a deep, calculating intrigue.

He walked back to the bar, drained his whiskey in one swallow, and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Three years. I accept the timeframe. But the terms will be mine."

"Name them," I said, watching him warily.

"First, you move into the Jones Estate tonight," Jasper said, pacing back toward the desk. "You will perform every public duty required of a Luna. Second, you will not question my business or my authority."

"I am not a prisoner," I replied sharply. "I require total freedom of movement, and we will maintain separate private quarters. There will be no physical consummation."

Jasper's golden eyes narrowed as he studied my silhouette for several agonizing seconds. "Agreed."

He pulled a fountain pen from his pocket, made two brisk amendments in the margin of the contract, and signed his name in sharp, elegant strokes. He slid the pen and paper back toward me.

I picked up the pen and signed my name beneath his without hesitation.

Jasper picked up the executed document, a predator's satisfaction settling over his features. "The deal is sealed."

He leaned against the desk, his eyes locking onto my face. "Now take off that ridiculous veil and let me see what I just bought."