Chapter 6

*****Erika's POV***** "Father had never stopped talking about your marriage with that Alpha for the past three years" Jace said to me as he continued going through the papers in his hand. We were in the car, currently going back to my pack. Jace had insisted that I return home first, and on the day of dissolving the mate bond, he would gladly bring me back to the Moon forest pack, so that I could leave Alex for good. It did hurt that I left my husband, but I also know that every decisions I was taking right now, is for the best. Alex had hurt me, including the entire pack members, so feeling sad for leaving my problems behind was very unacceptable. "Why would he even be talking about my marriage?" I begrudgingly asked. My father and my brother could be very nosy at times. I hated it when they stalked me, or try to look into my personal life. But I still couldn't deny the fact that they cared for me, deeply. After the argument with my dad three years ago, he shouldn't even be thinking about me. But he still cared and kept an eye on me daily. I was pretty sure he knew every single maltreatments I faced in the moonforest. Whether he planted a spy in the moonforest or not, he would get any information he wanted about me. So I just couldn't hide, even if I wanted to. "You clearly told him three years ago, if I remember, that you would mend your marriage. But we have a result already, don't we?" Jace said and chuckled at the last part. He sure knew how to make mockery of me. I had always kept to my word when it came to making decisions and promises, but my failed marriage was a whole new level of difficult. A loveless marriage would never benefit anyone, Instead it would break you till you become the shell of your own self. "Here, this is the new cotract papers" Jace handed me the papers he had been going through earlier. "What's this for?" I asked, giving him a raised brow. 'The new contract" Jace repeated. "I heard you the first time, what is this contract all about?" Jace sighed with a smile tugging at his lips, "Three years ago when you were about to get tied down by that manwhore, you signed a contract with father, right?" He asked. “Yes, I did” I replied. "Well this is the new one, more like the opposite of the previous contract" he said again and this time, I snatched the papers from him. Cindy was already getting pissed by the contract word that Jace couldn't stop saying. I skimmed through the entire thing exhaustedly and realized it was actually a contract that stated that I wouldn't have anything to do with the moonforest ever again, and I would be the Alpha of the Ironclaw Pack till the day I take my last breath. Seriously? The day I take my last breath? "Why did dad change the rules?" I asked Jace in shock. He smiled in return and said, "you're the first woman to lead the Ironclaw, so he needed to change the rules" I furrowed my brow at his explanation. What has me being the first female to rule the pack, have to do with being the Alpha till my last breath? Jace seemed to have read my mind, because he added, "you are not allowed to get married again, Erika. But you can keep a lover, you just can't mate him." My eyes widened at his words. I felt the world spin as well. "Your father is sure very strict" Cindy chimed in and I growled. "Don't worry Sis, you'll be just fine" Jace encouraged and I had no other choice but to relax. I took the pen from him and elegantly signed my name, accepting the rules my father had brought in suddenly. Jace smiled at me and patted my head softly. "You're not just an ordinary woman, Erika. You are the most powerful woman in this country and more" He said, eyes flashing with something unknown. I smiled at his words and looked down at the papers once again. My thoughts went back to my mother in-law and sister in-law who said they despised me because I was a poor orphan. How would they react if they discovered that I was actually the youngest member of the blackwood family and the next Alpha of the Ironclaw Pack? I remembered when Alex’s sister fell ill from drinking a little amount of wolfsbane mistakenly, I had to stay up late at night to make her every meal she requested for. She would whine and cry, saying she felt pains in her stomach and her wolf was in pain as well. At the end she would ask me to make her some pasta and meatballs. I knew these were all pretenses. When everyone else slept, I would stay awake to make meals for her. I clenched my fist, a trace of mockery flickering in my eyes. Given the opportunity, I would definitely love to teach those two arrogant women a lesson and let out all my pent up anger! Soon the car drove into the estate of the Ironclaw Packhouse and I relaxed a bit. I was finally back home after three long years. The entire place looked the same, security guards flooding the entire estate. The car pulled up at the entrance of the mansion that was twice the size of the Moonforest packhouse. A clear testament to the powerful influence of my pack. The Moonforest was nothing compared to my pack and my pack as the number one in the country definitely lived upto it's reputation. Jace pulled open the door and I stepped out from the car. There were maids at the entrance and once I stepped down from the car, they all bowed in unison. "Welcome back, Alpha Erika!" They chorused and I smiled in response. It felt good to be back home. Jace led me into the mansion and straight to my father's study room. If there was anyone I missed the most, it was my father. We might have had a rift three years ago before I got into marriage, I still had the same amount of love and respect for him. Even more if I may add. "The entire place still looks the same" Cindy said and I hummed a reply. Indeed, nothing changed. Soon, we arrived at the entryway of his office and Jace turned to me with a smile. "Good luck with him, Sis" he said and walked away once I nodded. I took in deep breaths and knocked on the door. His voice rang from the inside, urging me to come in. With determination shining in my eyes, I muttered, "Time to see father" before pushing the door open and walking in.