Page 9 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
Luna, wait. Please.
But she couldn’t, she wouldn’t hear him until she disappeared, leaving him alone in the darkness.
His body was drenched as he jerked awake.
Luna.
He hadn’t dreamed of her in years. Hadn’t allowed himself to.
Dominic splashed cold water on his face in the bathroom, his reflection staring back in the mirror.
Why now?
He felt regret for just a moment. Regret for the words he’d said to Luna, for the life they might have had if things had been different.
Then, as if on command, the feeling was replaced by a familiar numbness. His expression hardened, the vulnerability disappearing as quickly as it came.
It didn’t matter now. She was gone. And he had a job to do.
Dominic returned to his bed, but didn’t sleep again. When dawn came, he started preparing for the mission, packing weapons and equipment into a black duffel bag. He changed into civilian clothes—dark jeans and a charcoal Henley.
He clipped his silver pendant around his neck, engraved with runes that bolstered his natural resistance to magic.
He did a final check of his weapons. He was ready.
Dominic’s mind was focused solely on the mission ahead as he shouldered his bag and headed for the compound’s garage to his vehicle. The witch was a threat that needed to be taken care of. His wolf may be uneasy, but his path was clear.
He would capture her. He would bring her back for the binding ritual. And he would end whatever connection she had to the demons infiltrating their ranks.
No matter what his wolf thought. No matter what dreams haunted him.
This witch would fall like all the others. And nothing would stand in his way.
Chapter 2 - Luna
Luna tried and failed to catch the book. It hit the floor with a thud that echoed through the quiet library. She quickly picked it up, checking for damage before sliding it back onto the shelf.
“Everything okay over there, Lily?” Jenny called from her desk in circulation behind the tall oak bookshelves.
“Fine!” Luna replied, smoothing the creases in her blue cardigan. “Just butterfingers today.”
She forced a light laugh. The book cover had surprised her, a black wolf with piercing silver eyes, standing majestically against a moonlit forest backdrop.
Get it together. It’s just a children’s book.
Luna took a deep breath and continued shelving, her fingers lingering just a bit longer than necessary on each spine. She had always loved books, and her repetitive task usually calmed her. But today, her mind refused to settle.
In the six years since she fled the Silverlight Valley Pack with only the clothes on her back, she had not had a more confusing day.
Six years.
It had been six years of her pretending to be just a regular human. She had dyed her silver hair brown when she arrived here and began the process of becoming Lily Coleman instead of Luna Mitchell.
“Hey, Lily. Sorry, can you help set up for story time?” Jenny’s voice put a pause to her thoughts. “The kids will be here soon.”
Luna was grateful for the distraction. “Okay, I’m coming.”
She made her way to the children’s section, tucking a stray strand behind her hair. This section was more colorful, with rugs and miniature furniture chosen to create a cozy reading nook.
