Chapter 5 When the Contract Expires

Three years later, at the Whitecrown pack house.

The beef smelled rich as Freya stirred the stew; she added a final pinch of salt to the pot. She had spent hours preparing this anniversary dinner. She made the roast exactly how Niklaus liked it, selected a bottle of wine from his collection, and had the chocolate soufflé batter ready for the oven.

"Why are you doing this yourself, Freya?" Margaret asked as she walked into the kitchen. "We have plenty of staff to handle the cooking."

"It's our three-year anniversary," Freya replied, her heart raced with anticipation. "I wanted to prepare everything myself tonight."

"That's so romantic, dear," Margaret said with a warm smile. "In that case, I will stay out of your way and give you two some privacy tonight."

Freya smiled as her mother-in-law left the room, her mind drifted back to last night.

Niklaus had come home after midnight, his tie was loose and he looked wiped out. She had been waiting for him, as always.

"You should be sleeping," he said, his voice rough from fatigue.

Instead of going to bed, he pulled her against his chest and breathed in her scent. Soon they were in bed together, his body moving against hers.

Freya's face heated up at the memory, their chemistry hadn't faded one bit over the last three years. Before he fell asleep, he had promised her that he would definitely be home early today.

Three years ago, Niklaus brought her to the Whitecrown Pack with nothing but a contract. No wedding, no party. Their deal was strictly business. She would play the role of his Luna for three years, and in return, he would clear her father's massive debts.

The first year was hell. Pack members whispered about the "disgraced Omega" who didn't belong in their pack. They ignored her orders and looked right through her, but Freya didn't break.

Margaret, Niklaus's mother, became her only ally. The older she-wolf looked at Freya and said, "This one has backbone." With Margaret behind her, Freya gradually earned the pack's respect.

Niklaus was ice-cold at first. He barely touched her until the mate bond became impossible to ignore, but over time, something changed. He knew exactly how she liked her coffee. He texted her if he was running late to tell her not to wait up. He even brought her flowers occasionally. These small things gave her hope.

Like last night. The way he looked at her, touched her, and whispered her name. Surely that meant something?

Today completed exactly three years since they signed the deal. Their contract would expire at midnight, and Freya had no idea what Niklaus was thinking. Part of her hoped he would ask her to stay. She hoped he had developed feelings for her, just as she had for him.

The dining room table was set with their finest china and crystal glasses. She'd placed a small gift box beside his plate. It contained a small canvas she had painted in secret. She knew from Beta Dale that Niklaus had recently become obsessed with the work of a mysterious artist named 'F'.

Freya looked at everything with satisfaction, waiting for Niklaus to come home.

"What if he rejects us today?" Vicki asked, voicing the fear that had kept Freya awake for weeks.

"Then I'll hold my head high and walk away," she answered, though her voice trembled.

Suddenly, Freya received a mind-link from Niklaus.

"Are you almost home? "she asked hopefully.

"I'm not coming home, Freya, " Niklaus said coldly through the mind-link.

Freya felt her stomach plummet. "Why? Is everything okay?"

"Rebekah is back," his tone indifferent. "I'm at the airport picking her up right now."

The silence in the kitchen became suffocating.

Freya stared at the candles she had just lit, overwhelmed with humiliation.

"Oh, "she whispered. "And you're telling me this because you'll be late?"

"No. I want you to meet us for dinner," he ordered." I've already made a reservation at Le Ciel for eight o'clock. Grab a cab and meet us there. I think it's time you two met properly."

"You want me to meet you there? At a restaurant?"

"Yes. Rebekah was an important part of the pack before she left. As my Luna, I think you should be there."

"Of course, "she replied. "I'll be there at eight."

Before he could say anything else, she ended the mind-link.

Freya stood motionless in the kitchen. The stew on the stove bubbled over, but she barely noticed.

Rebekah was back on their anniversary.

She thought of the beautifully set table, the hours she'd spent cooking, the gift she had prepared for so long. All for nothing.

Niklaus had forgotten their anniversary completely. Worse, he wanted her to have dinner with the woman he truly loved.

He's going to reject us, Vicki whimpered. He's bringing her back to replace us.

"It's fine," Freya whispered, though her heart was fracturing. "This was always the plan. Three years, then we go our separate ways."

She moved mechanically to turn off the stove, her mind racing.

The timing couldn't be more obvious. Their contract ended today, and suddenly Rebekah was back in town? Niklaus must have planned this, planning the perfect transition from fake mate to real one.

The dinner at Le Ciel was clearly his way of letting her down easily in public where she couldn't cause a scene. She could already picture it, his apologetic face as he explained their arrangement was over, Rebekah's smug smile across the table.

No. She wouldn't be humiliated in public again.

Freya went upstairs to their bedroom and pulled out her suitcases. If she was leaving, she would do it on her own terms.

As she packed her clothes, a plan formed. She needed somewhere to stay while she figured out what to do next. Somewhere comfortable where she could think clearly.

Once her suitcases were full, she looked around the room that had been hers for three years. Her eyes stopped on the bed where she and Niklaus had spent so many nights, where she'd stupidly started to hope their fake marriage might become real.

"Goodbye," she whispered, blinking back tears.

Downstairs, she grabbed the black credit card Niklaus had given her from her purse. She rarely used it, preferring to live off her modest salary as his assistant, but today was different.

Grabbing her painting, she walked out of the home she'd shared for three years and slid into the black Aston Martin-the most expensive car in Niklaus's garage". The engine roared to life as she drove toward the city.

Twenty minutes later, she walked into the lobby of the Royal Crescent Hotel, the city's most exclusive hotel.

"I'd like the Presidential Suite," she told the receptionist, placing the black card on the counter. "For three months."

"The Presidential Suite is one hundred and fifty thousand for three months, ma'am. There's a 30% penalty if you check out early."

Freya nodded. "Just run the card."

By tomorrow, she expected she wouldn't be able to spend a penny of Niklaus's money. Her lawyer's divorce agreement proposed splitting their assets equally, but Niklaus's legal team would fight to ensure she got nothing.

Which was exactly why she decided to spend big while she still could. Any money she didn't use would probably end up with Rebekah anyway.

After the transaction went through, the receptionist handed over her key card with new respect. "Please enjoy your stay, Mrs. Lockwood. Our concierge service is available 24/7."

In the elevator, Freya caught her reflection in the mirrors. She looked different. Her chin was higher, her eyes sharper. No longer the desperate girl who married for survival.

But as the elevator doors opened to her luxury suite, Freya couldn't ignore the pain in her chest. She loved Niklaus. And that hurt the most.