Chapter 91

Mira

“He went out with Celeste a few hours ago. I’ll let you know when I see him.”

The message from Wyatt gave me mixed feelings.

When I arrived home that evening I spent the better part of an hour wandering the mansion looking for Dominic. I wanted our first conversation to be in person, but he was nowhere to be found. Finally his Beta got back to me.

Luckily he wasn’t missing, my fear is that last night’s episode was a close call and didn’t lead to anything dangerous.

But he was with her.

“Thanks.”

I rewrote my response to Wyatt several times, but decided to keep it simple to avoid dragging him into my own anxiety over Celeste. I swallowed my pride and told myself I could trust him, that he wouldn’t do anything to upset our new marriage. The Pack relied on his example of loyalty, and he was nothing if not dedicated to the Pack.

I busied myself at home, eventually starting dinner so it would be ready when he came home. If he came home. I fetched a steak from the main kitchen, and the chef, Petra, was happy to oblige my culinary whims. She offered small cooking tips to please the Alpha, and sent me back upstairs with an armful of vegetables and homemade chutney as well.

I was starting to feel normal and at ease again, the aroma of the seared meat triggering a feeling of comfort and pleasure. Forcing myself to be jovial, I put on some jazz music and let myself get lost in the sway of the music.

That was how Dominic found me: in the kitchen, eyes closed as I swayed my hips in time to a smooth saxophone solo. I’m not sure how long he stood there before he cleared his throat, startling me to attention.

For that first moment, my body tingled with excitement to see him again. There was a smile in his eyes, too, and I only wish we had stayed on that track and forgotten about anything else that could come between us.

But then his eyes dropped to the ground, he ran a hand through his thick hair, and seemed embarrassed to be seen by me. My heart fell, and I went back to mixing the salad dressing I’d concocted from scratch.

“I hope you’re hungry,” I said, playing at nonchalance in spite of the tension between us. “Petra insisted I take the best filet mignon, I just hope I did it justice.”

He hesitated. “It smells great.”

I smiled, feeling awkward in my own home. I took a breath and turned back to him, knowing that we needed to speak about last night.

“Dominic, I—“

“I’m going to shower.”

He left the room so quickly I swear I felt the wind of his wake. For someone who was so open and honest, who was so proud to share and stand by his opinions, I was alarmed at how quickly he avoided a confrontation.

Was he still angry with me? Did he blame me for triggering his outburst? Had something else happened since I saw him last?

I shook my head to wipe away an image of Dominic and Celeste, arm in arm and laughing as they walked around the compound. In my twisted fantasy, people cheered when they walked by, the It Couple everyone wanted.

We ate in silence, only occasionally sharing a few words about Pack business. I mentioned the blood drive, and he agreed it was a good idea. He offered to clean the dishes, but wouldn’t let me help.

I sat and watched him, pretending to read a book. He was closed off, physically and telepathically, and my wolf whimpered inside me. She missed her Mate.

As the night drew to a close, we were like virgins again as we got into bed together. I almost thought to ask permission to stay the night, but realized that was ridiculous.

“Good night,” he said to me, turning out the light and closing his eyes.

I ached for him, and thought maybe our bodies could resolve what our words could not. I rolled onto my side, facing him, and let the back of my hand caress his shoulder and tricep. Even at rest his muscles were impressive, and as my flesh met his I felt the undeniable spark between us light up. His breathing changed, but his eyes stayed closed.

I inched slightly closer, my hand moving towards his chest. I planted a small kiss on his shoulder, letting my lips linger for a breath.

He suddenly flinched, his eyebrows knit together, and with a heavy huff he rolled over and turned his back to me.

I felt the tears hot in my eyes, and pressed my face to my pillow to dry catch them as they fell.

Dominic

I dreamed that I was split in two. Not that I was cut in half, but that two sides of my character were spliced and separated. The yin and yang of my being were operating separately, each observing the other.

Memories and experiences of the past flashed in a montage in my unconscious brain. The lab, my mother’s funeral, Celeste, Mira— important moments that shaped me were on display and the two versions of myself were fighting over which were the most valuable.

One wolf howled in pain while the other relished the trauma. I clung to my mother beside her deathbed, and then ripped her photos to pieces. Side-by-side, I was on the forest floor, taking my pleasure from Celeste and Mira simultaneously.

The experience was so jarring that I actually vomited in my dream which finally woke me with a start. I got up to go to the bathroom and made myself throw up for real.

I didn’t have to think too hard to decipher what my brain was trying to tell me, and that my waking self needed to alleviate this duplicity that was pulling me in different directions. Otherwise, I would lose what I loved most.

Carefully crawling back into bed, I noticed how small Mira looked curled up on the other side. She looked like she was hiding, afraid of some unseen threat of an adversary. My throat tightened as I wondered if that adversary was me.

I slid across the sheets, draping an arm over and around her. Her body tensed at the contact then softened as she shifted to press her back into me. I kissed her golden hair, and her fingers interlaced with mine, pulling my arm tighter. I had a feeling she was awake, but I let us both believe otherwise.

We were still in this position hours later when a sharp knock on the door woke us. It was still dark out.

I found Lucas standing in the hallway, that stony expression looking sharper in the dim light.

“What is it?”

“Sorry to wake up, Alpha,” he said, a soldier addressing his commander, “but it is urgent.”

I inhaled to give my brain more oxygen, nodding for him to continue.

“There’s been another Rogue attack.”