Chapter 40

Dominic

Mira seemed distant as she prepared for dinner that night.

After finding her on the doorstep with Lucian, I was careful not to pry into what they had been talking about.

I was curious, of course, but I did not want to push her to open up to me. I had to work on patience, and allow her to talk to me when she is ready.

It’s a strange feeling, when you notice yourself adjusting your behavior for the benefit of someone else.

I wanted to change, to be better.

For her.

I held back a growl when she said she and Lucian spoke of “nothing much,” and then she went to her books.

I gave her space, and tortured myself in my thoughts.

Dinner with the Alpha family was arranged in honor of Lucian’s return. I was not looking forward to it.

To be blunt, I do not like Lucian.

I will protect him and honor him as a member of my Pack until the day that changes, but there is no love between us. Growing up together, Lucian had insisted on playing rivals instead of brothers.

And anything Dominic had, Lucian wanted to take from him.

His mother, Irene, married my father, Davos, when I was sixteen years old.

It was the same year my mother died.

“Are you alright?”

Mira had come out of the shower, and stood in the doorway in the rope she wore last night. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, apparently very lost in my own thoughts.

“You went somewhere,” she said, tilting her head at me.

There was something in that tilt, that quirk of hers, that caused a pang in my chest.

“Just distracted, family matters,” I said, brushing it away. I put those feelings back in the box and closed the lid. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” Mira said, her eyes falling to the floor. “I’m okay. I think whatever I took last night is out of my system…”

She looked up at me and blushed.

Did she remember last night? I felt my lip curl slightly, reminding myself some of what she did and said.

Her hands had fallen to her sides, and the top of her robe showed just a hint of her collarbones. She smelled so clean, but still like herself. I was glad she wasn’t one to wear too many scents or perfumes.

It was comforting, her scent, and still slightly mysterious in the hold it seemed to have on me.

I looked into her eyes, afraid that I had been staring at her neck for too long.

Her eyes were on fire as she watched me watch her. For a single moment our eyes locked and time stopped, and there was nothing in the world but us.

She laughed, then, and the tension was broken.

“So, how are you feeling about dinner?” she asked me, and started to shuffle about the room to get ready.

“Hrmph,” I grunted with sarcasm, laying back on the bed with my arms behind my head.

“Not looking forward to family time?” she asked, walking into the bathroom. “Lucian seems alright.”

My head popped up to look towards her, I was instinctively skeptical.

“What do you mean?” I couldn’t hide my disdain. “The boy is a weasel.”

“That’s not a very nice thing to say,” she was chiding, but light-heartedly. “I can’t imagine it was easy growing up in your shadow.”

“I cannot change the fact that I am an Alpha,” I said, louder than I meant to. “It gives me an upper hand in so many things that don’t even matter. It is not my choice, it is my blood, and he wishes our roles were reversed and they aren’t.”

She was quiet, then stepped out of the bathroom, looking at me.

“Do you really think everyone wants to be you?” she asked, her face stern. “He seems to think you enjoy bossing everyone around, and making everything about you.”

There was a change in the air pressure in the room. She was bothered by something.

“I don’t enjoy it, and I don’t think everyone wants—“I defended.

“I’m not really interested in this right now,” she interrupted.

Then she went back to the bathroom, and closed the door.

Arriving at dinner, it had been twenty-seven minutes since she had spoken to me.

“Allow me,” Lucian said, pulling out a chair for Mira.

She took his hand graciously to sit down, and I saw Lucian rub his thumb across her fingertips before letting them go.

My head nearly exploded.

“And I’ll sit here,” I said, walking over to the chair to the right of Mira. This chair was closer to the Alpha and Luna seats.

“You don’t mind switching seats with me for tonight, do you?” Lucian asked me. “I wanted to speak with your father about my studies.”

“Dominic, just sit on the other side tonight it’s fine,” Mira said in response to my scowl.

“I should be seated next to the Alpha and my own Mate” I said, emphasizing it for my step-brother.

“It’s just one night, next to Tessa,” she said without looking at me. “Maybe you two can share some gossip with each other.”

Gossip? I tried to guess at what Mira was talking about but came up short.

Not wanting to cause a scene, I nodded to the new seating arrangement.

“Fine, I will sit across from you.”

The beginning of the meal is painful.

My father had a pleasant face as Lucian regaled him with some stories of university, and I secretly imagined that my father really hated it.

Tessa was next to me, sneaking looks at her phone and sulking because Ward was with his other pack tonight.

I watched Lucian lean over to Mira when sharing a particular anecdote, as if they had a separate sphere of conversation just for themselves.

He would find a way to brush his fingers on her hand or arm. The moment I lost it was when he brushed hair away from her face.

It was happening again, and Mira was the object of Lucian’s desire.

Mira did seem to be getting along with my father, and I watched his face take on genuine interest when she spoke of medicine and helping the community.

She refused to look at me for most of it, which turned out well since she didn’t see me send a message to my Beta.

“Pardon my interrupting,” Wyatt said as he entered the room. “but there is an urgent call for Lucian. I think it might be the university.”

“Oh dear, you’d better go,” Irene was already saying. “You don’t want there to be any issues with your diplomas and all that nonsense.”

Lucian’s face was stony, and he only looked at me once.

“Of course, mother,” he said, rising. “If you’ll all excuse me.”

My step-brother had barely left the room then I took the opportunity to take his seat in between Mira and my father.

“What are you doing?” Mira asked me, looking annoyed.

“I think Lucian has had enough time with my beautiful Mate for the evening,” I said, trying to sound flirtatious in front of the family. “Isn’t she something, father.”

My father put his hand on my shoulder, and I saw pride and relief in his eyes.

“She’s quite the match for you, Dominic,” he said jovially. “I think your life together will never be dull.”

It was a sincere wish from a father to son, and I realized that even my father was fooled by our relationship. He thinks our marriage will be one of love.

I smile at him, just enough to show I share his joy without validating all of it.

Mira, next to me, has gone quiet.

“We do seem to get into quiet a bit of noise, don’t we?” I said to her, quietly.

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” Mira said, rising form her seat. “I’m just going, to the—“

She was walking into the hallway, a hand to her face.

I immediately stood and followed her, not caring what anyone else at the table thought of this lack of manners.

“Mira, wait,” I gasped at her when we were away from the dining room.

“Please, I just need a minute alone, please,” she seemed anxious and wouldn’t stand still. “Let’s just talk about this later, I’m fine, I swear.”

I took by the shoulders to slow her down, with just enough tension to keep her there.

“I don’t know what I did, or said…”

“Please. can we talk about this later?” she seemed more desperate now.

“Sir?”

“You can tell me what’s going on,” I urged her.

“I really don’t want to do this right now,” she said.

“Sir!”

Mira and I froze, and turned toward the voice.

“Sir, there’s been an attack,” Lucas told the Alpha.

“Where?”

“Fifteen miles northwest,” Lucas informed me. “They’re getting closer.”

I let go of Mira and moved toward Lucas.

“Place the call, gather the guards,” I commanded. “We’re going out there.”

“Right, sir,” Lucas said, starting to move.

“What Pack is it?”

Mira’s voice stopped both of us.

“A small Pack, mostly named Brooks,” Lucas responded.

Mira’s face lost its color.

“That’s my old Pack.”