Contract Marriage With Alpha Snow novel Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Two Can Play At This Game

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Chapter 12

~Zara's POV~

A shrill ringtone pierced through my sleep, dragging me back to consciousness.

I groaned, reaching blindly for my phone on the nightstand. My fingers finally found it and without checking the caller, I answered the call.

Before I could even say hello, her voice exploded through the speaker, "Zara!"

I pulled my phone back, squinting at the screen through half-closed eyes.

It was Ella.

Yikes!

Pressing the phone back on my ear, her anger continued, "Give me one reason why I shouldn't smash your head right now!"

I bolted upright, instantly wide awake. "What the hell, Ella?" I muttered, still groggy.

"What the hell? Fine then, I guess we have a winner. I'll be smashing your car then."

My eyes flew wide open and I sat up. "Do you have to yell?"

"Oh, you think I'm yelling now?" she snapped. "You just wait until I see you in person! Then you'd prefer the yelling version of Ella."

"El... calm down."

"Don't you dare use those words on me. You disappeared on your wedding day, then nothing. No call, no text, no 'Hey, Ella, guess what? I got married to some stranger!' Just radio silence!"

"Well I texted you twice."

"Yeah, to pick up your mess and to also tell me not to worry."

"See?" I swear I knew she was glaring right now.

"Tell that to the bitch who came banging on my door in search of you this morning."

"Huh?" I wasn't quite following. "What do you mean?"

"Your bitchy cousin, Clari. She came here, blabbering about you and that and Alpha Snow."

My eyes went wide.

"Tell me how you got Alpha Snow in your mess? Except it isn't the same one I know."

I tried not to respond to the last part and focused on something else. Knowing Ella, she'd kill me from keeping such a thing from her.

"Zara!" she lashed out once more. "Tell me what the fuck is going on!"

I winced. She was right, of course. I hadn't reached out to her after everything with Snow and Ivan. I'd been too caught up in my own mess. "Ella, I'm sorry—"

"No!" she interrupted. "You don't get to 'sorry' your way out of this. You're my best friend! I thought you'd be in tears over that jerk Ivan, and instead, you run off with some mystery man? You better spill everything when I come over after work!"

I laughed despite myself. "Okay, okay, I promise. I'll explain everything but don't worry, I'll be visiting you."

"Not really," I replied nonchalantly, buttering a piece of toast. "Just thought I'd dress up. You know, make the day a little more interesting."

His eyes flashed, Glacier surfacing just below. "You're succeeding," he muttered under his breath, unable to tear his gaze away.

I smirked, enjoying the effect I was having on him. "You seem distracted, husband," I teased. "What's the problem? Is the food not to your liking or...?"

He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You're playing a dangerous game, Zara."

I met his gaze head-on, heart racing but keeping my cool. "Maybe..." I shrugged, pushing my cleavage up a little, "just perhaps you failed to consider that I love a little danger."

His eyes darkened further. I could feel his breath quickening. For a moment, I thought he might just reach across the table and pull me to him.

Instead, Snow's hand twitched and I saw Glacier pushing forward, wanting to close the distance.

Good. I allowed Astrid to surface a bit just to taunt them more. If there was one thing I know, Astrid knew how to play this game too.

Snow's gaze dropped to my lips for a split second before he tore his eyes away, shifting in his seat, clearly uncomfortable.

"Finish your breakfast," he suggested in a strained voice. "We have a lot to do today."

I leaned back, satisfied. I could hardly hide my smile, letting it broaden at my victory. "Of course," I said sweetly. "Whatever you say, hubby or oops, Alpha."

His eyes flicked back to mine at the use of his title, most especially in the way I called it seductively, causing a muscle in his jaw to tighten.

I could see his struggle, the way his chest rose and fell a little faster than usual. He wanted me—'badly' and I loved every second of it.

'You're sure gonna want to kill me later for teasing an alpha such as Snow, Ella but yup, your bestie still got it in her.'