Chapter 21
I shrank back, grateful that I was downwind from them. Sofia had explained that werewolves could track scents, and the last thing I needed was for Dominic to catch mine. I’d have to wait until they left before I could sneak away.
“Dominic, please…” The woman’s voice carried on the evening breeze. “We make sense together. What happened last week that suddenly changed your mind?”
“Besides you fucking Duke at the hotel?” Dominic’s voice was cold, laced with sarcasm.
I pressed myself against the tree, suddenly very aware that I was eavesdropping on what seemed to be a private breakup. But I couldn’t move without risking being seen.
“It was only that one time,” the woman–Elizabeth, I would later learn–pleaded. “And you know very well I gave you my first.”
A hot flush crept up my neck. This was getting uncomfortably personal.
“It’s over, Elizabeth,” Dominic said, his voice hardening. “The Luna of the Silver Moon can only bear one man’s mark.”
Luna? I recalled Sofia mentioning that term—the Alpha’s mate was called Luna, the female leader of the pack.
“Dominic, please…” Elizabeth’s voice cracked with desperation. “Give me another chance.”
“I’m leaving now,” Dominic replied coldly. “You’d best not show your face around me again, or I’ll have Beta Marcus deal with it.”
I heard footsteps and panicked as I realized Dominic was walking in my direction. I pressed myself harder against the tree trunk, trying to become one with the bark. He passed by just a few feet away, his back to me, then stopped. I held my breath, carefully shifting to stay hidden.
My phone vibrated in my pocket–a text message notification–and I froze in horror at the faint sound. I watched as Elizabeth stormed off in the opposite direction, shoulders rigid with anger.
“Eavesdropping is an interesting hobby,” Dominic said suddenly, turning around to face my hiding spot. His deep blue eyes locked directly onto mine. “Isn’t it, Rebecca?”
My heart hammered against my ribs. How long had he known I was there?
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Chapter 21
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“I wasn’t eavesdropping,” I said, stepping out from behind the tree, trying to maintain some dignity. “I was here first, actually.”
Dominic’s mouth curved into a knowing smirk. “Quite brave for a human… especially considering you’re standing on my pack’s territory.”
I lifted my chin defiantly. “I’m just stating facts. And I won’t be staying in this place much longer. As soon as I find a job, I’m leaving town.”
He took a step closer, and I instinctively took one back, my spine pressing against the rough bark of the oak tree. The air between us seemed to crackle with tension.
“Let me go,” I said, attempting to step around him. “I need to get back.”
Dominic reached out, his fingers gently encircling my arm. “Wait. I’ll drive you.”
“That’s not necessary,” I said stiffly, trying to ignore the strange current that ran up my arm from his touch. “I can get back on my own.”
“Rebecca,” he said, my name rolling off his tongue like a caress, and something in his voice made me turn to face him.
Before I could process what was happening, his lips were on mine. Electricity shot through my body, radiating from the point where our mouths connected. It was the same sensation I’d felt that first night at the hotel, but stronger, more insistent.
I pulled back, gasping. “What… what was that?”
Dominic’s eyes had darkened, the blue almost swallowed by his dilated pupils. Without answering, he leaned in again, and despite every logical part of my brain screaming to push him away, I found myself meeting him halfway.
The second kiss ignited something inside me, all my sadness and anxiety temporarily evaporating in a rush of unexpected joy. I was shocked to realize that this feeling–this overwhelming, all- consuming sensation–was more powerful than anything I’d ever felt during five years with William.
“Such a pure scent,” Dominic murmured against my ear, and before I could respond, he swept me up into his arms.
“What are you doing?” I demanded, suddenly airborne.
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“Taking you to my car,” he answered simply. “It’s more comfortable there. I can’t wait any longer.”
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