Page 31 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
Luna didn’t back down. “Or what? You’ll force me into submission like a good little soldier? Or throw me away like you did once before?” Her voice cracked on the last words, betraying the hurt that still lingered beneath her defiance.
The memory of that night hit him with fresh pain and something inside him recoiled at her words.
“I…” he began, but words failed him as another wave of clarity washed over him, stripping away layers of darkness that had clouded his mind for years.
Had he really been so blind?
He had felt a dulling of his emotions after joining the organization; his wolf had grown quieter, his dedication to the hunt had become all-consuming. He’d attributed it to growth, to becoming a better leader and warrior.
But what if it had been something else entirely?
Luna’s expression softened. “It’s not entirely your fault,” she said quietly. “The demonic influence seems powerful. It could have made you believe their manipulations were your own decisions.”
Dominic sank onto the edge of the bed, suddenly exhausted. “If what you’re saying is true…”
“It is.”
“Then I’ve been hunting innocents. I’ve been delivering women like you into the hands of demons.”
The weight of that possibility crashed down on him, making it difficult to breathe. His hands trembled slightly, and he clenched them into fists to hide the weakness.
Luna approached cautiously, like he was a wounded animal. “You were deceived. You all were. The entire organization was built on lies.”
“We’re not safe here,” he said finally, rising to his feet. Decision crystallized in his mind—he needed time, space to think without Xavier’s watchful eyes on him.
“No, we’re not,” Luna agreed.
Dominic crossed to a small cabinet beside the bed and withdrew a set of special cuffs—silver, inscribed with runes designed to suppress magical energy. Luna eyed them warily.
“What are you doing?”
“Making it look like I don’t trust you,” he replied. “If anyone checks, they need to believe I’ve taken precautions.”
Understanding dawned in her eyes, but she still pulled back when he approached with the cuffs. “Those hurt,” she said quietly.
Regret flashed through him. “I know. But they’re necessary for now. I need to go out, clear my head, maybe see what I can discover about the others.”
For a long moment, he thought she might refuse. Then, with obvious reluctance, she extended her wrists. The cuffs closed around them with a soft click.
“I won’t be gone long,” he promised.
Luna didn’t respond, turning away from him to stare out the window. The white dress caught the fading light, giving her an ethereal quality that tugged at something deep within him.
My mate.
His wolf, growing stronger by the minute, urged him to stay, to protect what was his.
Instead, Dominic turned and left the cabin, locking the door behind him. The fresh air helped clear his head as he set off toward the training grounds, somewhere his presence wouldn’t raise suspicion.
The compound bustled with activity, everyone training alone or in pairs. All of it so normal, so familiar.
How could we be controlled by the very thing we claimed to destroy?
And yet…hadn’t there been signs? The growing coldness in his own heart, the gradual distancing from his wolf, the increasingly secretive nature of the Council’s operations.
How many witches had he captured for them?
The thought made his stomach turn. Five? Ten? Each one thinking she was being saved, only to be delivered into darkness.
