Page 86 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
He stood suddenly, moving to the very edge. The ground here was steep, and the drop to the valley floor hundreds of feet down.
"Coming here was my penance," he continued, his back to her. " It was my punishment for what I did to you."
He heard Luna stand, her footsteps soft as she approached him.
"You didn't you tell me this when you found me," she said, her voice closer now.
Dominic turned to face her. "Now I remember I remember who you were. Who you are." He took a breath. "I remember a girl who sat alone at pack gatherings, but never with self-pity. You brought books and lost yourself in them, creating your own world when the real one shut you out."
He noticed the surprise in her eyes.
"I remember how you would sneak food to much younger pups when they were too intimidated to get their share. How you would defend them when they were bullied, even though you were already a target."
He stepped closer, gaining courage when she didn't back away.
Luna's lips parted in surprise. "You noticed all that?"
"Of course I did," Dominic said. "I noticed everything about you."
He stretched his hand slowly and tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear.
"I noticed you talking to the tress when you were alone, telling them your secrets."
Luna blushed. "So you were spying on me?"
"I was watching over you," he corrected. "There's a difference."
“Tomayto, tomahto.” She looked away, toward the waterfall. "Why didn’t you speak to me? Before my mother died."
"I was afraid," Dominic admitted. "I was being groomed to lead, to take my father's place. The future alpha couldn't associate with the pack outcast."
The sun had started casting long shadows across the clearing.
Luna turned to face the valley, her body just close enough for him to sense her warmth.
She sighed, "It's beautiful here. I can understand why you would come back."
"It reminded me of you," Dominic replied. "Wild and quite amazing. Strong in ways most people cannot grasp.”
She looked at him, a little smile dancing across her mouth. "Flattery will get you nowhere.."
"Are you sure?," he said. "Because I have a lot more compliments where that came from."
"Like what?" she challenged, her dark blue eyes meeting his directly.
In his chest, Dominic's heart hammered. "Your resilience. Your kindness. The way you never let this pack break you, even when they tried their damnedest. I apologize again."
He stepped closer, close enough that her breath caught.
"The way you are with the pack children—patient, understanding. The fierce concentration on your face whenyou're working with the grimoire. The sound of your laugh when you forget to guard yourself."
The impact of his admission lingered between them. Luna's fingers tangled in her hair, revealing her unease.
"I'm at a loss with this," she said at last. "With everything. ."
Dominic nodded his head, grasping her bewilderment. "I'm still working it out as well.."
A relaxed quiet settled over them. The waterfall kept its ceaseless flow, its sound a calming backdrop to their talk.
