LENA
I couldn't sleep. I had dozed off and on restlessly until Dom returned. He'd stripped and slid into bed next to me, his heat pressing up against me. I'd wanted to sleep then, if only to prevent myself from peeking under the covers to see him, but my mind raced. The past twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind of revelations, and my head spun from the weight of it all.
Werewolves. Alphas. Bonds.
Dominic.
The hits kept coming, but they didn't hurt—not really. No bruises, no scars, just confusion, just this deep-seated fear curling up in my chest, twisting tight every time I thought about what it all meant. I should have been terrified. And I was, in a way. But not of Dominic—not in the way I expected. He didn't hurt me. He took care of me. And that was almost worse because it made me feel safe.
And safety was dangerous.
I pressed my forehead against my knees, drawing in a deep breath. The steam from earlier had faded, the cool air pressing in around me. Dominic had combed through my hair with so much patience, his fingers gentle against my scalp. He had told me to stop running, that I couldn't escape him, that he would always find me. And God help me, a part of me didn't want to run anymore.
But I couldn't stay.
A knock at the bedroom door made me flinch. I wasn't the only one still awake, it seemed.
"Dom."
The voice was soft, lilting, feminine.
My stomach twisted. Dominic snapped to attention, shifting to look at me and then the door. He once more whispered, "Stay." Then he was up pulling a shirt over his head and wrenching open the door.
I barely moved, barely breathed as I strained to hear the muffled conversation beyond the bathroom door. I couldn't make out every word, but the tone was enough. The intimacy in the way she said his name, the way his voice dropped lower in response. I only caught pieces of it, fragments sharp enough to slice through me.
"…she's confused, Dom. You can't—"
"…not like that, Adelaide. You know that."
"I know you, Dom." A pause. "You don't get attached."
Silence.
I squeezed my eyes shut, my nails digging into my palms.
It shouldn't have mattered. I didn't care. I couldn't care. I barely even knew him. And yet, something in me cracked, just a little, just enough for the doubt to creep in, for the humiliation to settle in my stomach like a stone. Because I had started to believe—just for a moment—that maybe he did care, that maybe this pull between us wasn't one-sided. Maybe I wasn't totally insane for still being here.
God, I was an idiot.
I wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
The door creaked, voices fading as footsteps moved away. Adelaide. That was her name, wasn't it? I could picture her perfectly—graceful, beautiful, the kind of woman who belonged at Dom's side. Of course, she knew him. Knew what he was like, what he did, how he operated. And what was I? Some stray, dragged in against my will, clinging to false hope like a fool.
Enough.
The moment their voices disappeared down the hall, I pushed myself up. My movements were quick, quiet. I wouldn't make the same mistake as last time. If I was going to escape, I had to be smart.
I dressed in the first thing I found—a simple pair of sweatpants and one of Dom's shirts that hung too loose on me, swallowing my frame. I found my sneakers in the closet floor and stuffed my feet into them sockless. My heart was racing, my pulse a frantic drum against my ribs. I had to go. Now. Before he came back, before he could reel me in again with those dark, knowing eyes, with that careful touch that made me forget myself.
I cracked the door open, listening. The house was quiet and still now, dark save for the faint glow of moonlight slipping in through the large windows.
I could do this.
I would do this.
I padded out, carefully shutting the door and swallowing down the lump in my throat. The bond tugged at me like an invisible thread pulling me back. But I ignored it. I had to.
Because no matter what Dominic said, I wasn't his.
And I wasn't going to stick around to prove it.
I moved carefully, my sneakers near silent against the floor. My heart pounded in time with each cautious step. Every shadow, every creak of the house felt like a warning, like unseen eyes watching, waiting for me to make a mistake.
Navigating the mansion was harder than I expected. The hallways twisted and turned, lined with doors I didn't dare try. The architecture was old but solid, every surface polished, every detail meticulously crafted. I forced myself to memorize my path, tracking my turns as I wound my way through corridors that felt endless.
Finally, I reached a grand staircase. The entrance hall stretched before me, dimly lit by the moonlight filtering through tall windows. The front door loomed ahead, massive and intricately carved. My pulse hammered as I crept closer, my breath shallow. I reached for the handle, fingers barely brushing the cool metal when—
Locked.
Of course, it was. Dom wasn't stupid.
Panic threatened to creep in, but I pushed it down. I had to find another way. My eyes darted to the side, spotting a narrow hallway leading toward the back of the house. I followed it, my hands skimming the walls for balance as I moved swiftly through the darkness.
Then—
A door. Smaller, less guarded. Maybe a servant's exit.
I pressed my hand against it, heart stuttering as it gave way, opening into the night.
Freedom.
The cool night air hit my skin, and I bolted, slipping out onto the grass. The grounds stretched wide, moonlight casting long shadows over the landscape. I could see the tree line in the distance, the dark promise of the forest beyond. If I could just make it there—
A deep growl rumbled through the silence, freezing me in place.
My pulse lurched.
I turned slowly, my breath caught in my throat.
Eyes—golden, sharp, predatory—glowed in the dark. Low, powerful, Dom's wolf stood at the edge of the grounds, blocking my path, his massive frame outlined in the dim light. His head was lowered, ears pinned back, muscles coiled like he was ready to pounce.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "No, no, no. You have got to be kidding me."
His growl deepened, vibrating through the ground beneath me.
I took a slow step back. "Dominic, let me go."
The wolf huffed, nostrils flaring. And then—just as I dared another step—the air shimmered, the beast twisting, stretching, shifting—
Until Dominic stood in his place.
Naked.
I sucked in a breath, my mind blanking at the sheer sight of him, at the broad expanse of his chest, the sharp lines of his abdomen, the power in his stance. The moonlight cut along his form, every muscle etched in sharp contrast, every scar, every ridge of his body on display.
I swallowed, dragging my eyes up, up, up—to his face, to the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"You were saying?" he asked, voice deep, rough, amused.
I wrenched my gaze away, heat crawling up my neck, cursing myself, cursing him, cursing everything about this impossible situation and how badly my body wanted his.
"Go to hell, Dom."
He chuckled. "Already there, sweetheart."
I turned and stomped back toward the house.