Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers-Chapter 557: Alpha Grey’s Condition

Evaline:

The moment he said the words, something inside me went still.

Not tense. Not angry.

Just... resigned.

Any fragile spark of hope I’d let myself feel died quietly in my chest. I didn’t need to be a genius to see it for what it was. Elion Grey never gave anything freely. Every answer had a weight, every truth a price.

And here it was.

Another trap.

I straightened on the couch, already preparing myself to end this conversation right now. I could walk out of this office with my dignity intact. I could wait another week. I’d done it before. I could do it again.

My fingers pressed into the cushion beside me as I shifted forward, breath parting to tell him exactly that...

"You don’t need to label me a manipulator so quickly."

I froze.

My eyes snapped back to him.

He was watching me with that infuriatingly calm expression, one brow lifted slightly, as if he had just caught me mid-thought.

I didn’t look embarrassed.

I didn’t look guilty.

Instead, I arched my eyebrows slowly, meeting his gaze head-on. "Was I wrong?"

The corner of his lips curved, subtle and knowing. "You are... predictable," he said lightly. "But not wrong often."

He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands loosely in his lap. "If it reassures you, my condition does not violate our agreement. Not in spirit. Not in letter."

I studied him closely.

Every line of his posture spoke of control. Not dominance, but control. The kind that came from being certain of one’s ground. From knowing exactly where the boundaries lay and how close one could step without crossing them.

"And yet," I said slowly, "you didn’t ask me outright."

"No," he agreed easily.

"Which makes me wonder," I continued, "if this is something we already discussed during the agreement... why use my lack of answers as leverage?"

The question hung between us.

He didn’t deflect it, didn’t evade.

He considered it, before answering. "Because I want your help," he said simply. "And because I had a feeling you might say no if I asked without incentive."

At least he was honest.

"And before you ask," he added smoothly, "it’s nothing bad. Nothing unethical. Nothing that would put you at risk."

I remained silent.

Not because I didn’t have a response.

But because I was weighing him.

Truth be told, he had never given me a concrete reason to distrust him. He was secretive, yes. Calculating. Always three steps ahead. But he hadn’t lied to me. He hadn’t broken our agreement. If anything, he’d honored it more strictly than I expected.

And yet...

Trusting him completely felt like stepping onto ice without knowing how thick it was.

Finally, I spoke. "Say it."

He inclined his head slightly. "Pardon?"

"Your condition," I clarified. "Say it out loud. Then I’ll decide."

He didn’t answer immediately.

Seconds passed. He glanced toward the window, then back at me, as if ensuring the words he was about to speak were the right ones.

"I want you," he said at last, "to accompany me to a business party next Friday evening."

I blinked.

Once.

Twice.

A business... party?

That was it?

No ancient ritual. No morally questionable request. No dangerous errand or political landmine disguised as a favor.

Just... a party.

But the understanding hit me almost instantly.

Of course.

I exhaled slowly, leaning back again. "So that’s why you framed it as a condition."

"Yes."

"You didn’t want to ask."

"No."

"And you didn’t want to give me the option of refusing."

"That," he admitted, "as well."

I shook my head, a soft huff escaping me despite myself. "You are unbelievable, Alpha Grey."

His smile deepened, unbothered. "You agreed to such instances during the deal."

"I did," I acknowledged. "But you also said they would be rare."

"They are," he replied calmly. "This one simply arrived earlier than expected."

My gaze narrowed. "Convenient timing."

"Efficient timing," he corrected.

I studied him again, this time with clearer understanding. He wasn’t wrong. We had discussed it. Occasions where I might need to attend events with him, observe, assist, blend into his professional world.

Still, the fact that he was invoking it on only my second weekend as his assistant was... bold.

"Why me?" I asked. "You have two highly trained secretaries. A beta who follows you everywhere. And if you need a female presence, your secretary could easily fulfill that role."

Elion didn’t hesitate.

"I know," he said. "And yet, I asked you."

"Why?"

He reached for one of the files still sitting on the coffee table, flipping it open casually. "Because I read your internship report."

I looked down at the file.

"It highlighted your observational skills," he continued. "Your ability to read people. To adapt socially without drawing unnecessary attention. To speak when needed and remain silent when not."

His gaze held mine steadily. "Alpha Thorne thought highly of you in those settings and that’s why he had you accompany him in such events."

"So," he concluded, "I want to see it for myself."

For a moment, I said nothing.

There was nothing inappropriate in his request. Nothing unprofessional. If anything, it aligned perfectly with my role as his assistant.

What made it feel wrong was only the way he’d presented it.

As a condition.

As leverage.

I sighed, rubbing my temple lightly. "You could have just asked."

"Yes," he agreed. "But this way, I was certain of your answer."

I shot him a look. "That’s manipulative."

His lips twitched. "Strategic."

I let out another sigh, but the edge was gone now.

I thought about it properly this time.

A business party. One evening. Observation, social navigation, assistance if required. No lines crossed.

And in return... knowledge I desperately needed. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

I met his gaze. "I’ll do it," I said slowly. "On one condition of my own."

His brows lifted, interest sparking. "Go on."

"You don’t just give me the name of the book," I said. "You tell me how to get it. Where it is. Whether it’s accessible to me at all."

There was a pause.

Then, to my surprise, he nodded immediately. "Agreed."

Just like that.

No negotiation. No counter.

Which told me more than he probably intended.

I studied him carefully. "You agreed too fast."

"I value fairness," he replied smoothly.

I didn’t comment on that.

Instead, I nodded once. "Then I’ll accompany you to the party."

His expression softened into something almost... satisfied.

"Excellent."

He straightened in his chair, fingers interlacing again, gaze sharpening with renewed focus.

"Then," he said calmly, "it’s my turn to fulfill my part of the bargain."