Page 101 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
"I'm not going anywhere," Dominic said, dragging a chair next to the bed.
Tessa gave him a knowing smile. "I didn’t think you would, Alpha. The pack can handle the rest."
Dominic clasped Luna’s hand in his once the healer left. He muttered near her ear, "I love you, Luna," as he pushed his lips over her knuckles and breathed in her aroma, which was mixed with the harsh remnants of magic.
"I love you and our child and I can’t wait to have a family with you."
Luna didn’t say a word. Her slow, peaceful breaths told him she was sleeping more. Dominic settled in for the long night, his eyes fixed on her chest rising and falling. Every single breath she took filled him with quiet relief.
***
It took three full days before Luna regained enough strength to sit up. Dominic stayed close the entire time, not stepping foot outside her room. He read the pack reports beside her bed and issued commands through his lieutenants. Whenever she opened her eyes, he was there, making sure she had everything she needed before she had to voice it.
"You don't need to hover," Luna said, her voice steadying as the third afternoon wore on. She leaned back against the pillows, dressed in a lavender sweater Dominic had brought from their cabin. Her washed silver hair hung in a braid over her shoulder. "I'm not going to fall apart."
"You did," Dominic said, placing a tray with food on the bed next to her. The bowl of rich stew sent up warm steam. "Even the strongest witches couldn’t handle the magic you pulled off without paying a price."
Luna gave a faint smile. "Am I hearing admiration from the great alpha?"
"It’s always been there," he replied, catching himself off guard with the truth in his words.
A knock broke through the moment before Luna could say anything. When Dominic opened the door, Emma stood there—a member of the pack who had once treated Luna badly when they grew up together in the Pack.
"Alpha," Emma said, staring at the floor. She held out a handmade blanket with wolves and moons stitched into the fabric. "The women made this to keep Luna warm. To use when she feels cold."
Dominic gave her a curious look. "Did they?"
Emma gave a small nod and mustered the courage to meet his eyes. "We all noticed what she did to help us. To stand by you. The pack wants her to know she’s one of us now."
Luna gasped, making it clear that she'd caught every word. He grabbed the blanket and gave a small nod to show he approved. "Thanks, Emma. I know she'll value your kindness."
After a brief pause in which her eyes said more than her words, Emma smiled slightly and took a step back, nodding quickly. Dominic shut the door and turned to see Luna looking at him in disbelief.
She started, "You can't just—"
"I already did," he interrupted, handing her the blanket. He draped it over her legs, his hands resting on the soft fabric for a moment. "The pack has chosen to accept you, Luna. It's not because of what you did in the fight. It's also because you're my mate. You're my equal."
Her eyes were full of something unsaid as she rubbed her fingers over the wolf patterns on the blanket. "I never imagined that I would have this. To feel accepted."
Dominic lowered himself onto the bed beside her moving so he wouldn’t disturb it. "You’ve got more than just acceptance," he said. "You’ve earned respect. Admiration. And not from the pack."
Their gazes locked for a moment, the tension between them growing with every second that went by. Luna was the first to shift her attention to the stew beside her.
"You should eat," she told him, her tone softer now. "It looks like you haven’t rested in a while."
He gave a small, lopsided grin. "I’ve had my hands full," he said. "There’s this witch I’ve been dealing with. She’s a piece of work."
Luna snorted, but it sounded more amused than irritated. "Like you'd ever let someone else handle it."
"Never," he replied, his voice turning serious.
By week's end, Luna could walk around the pack grounds again. Dominic stayed nearby, often placing a hand on the small of her back as they walked together. They wandered to the training fields where younger wolves were practicing their combat techniques while Adrian kept a sharp eye on them.
"Alpha!" the kids shouted when they noticed Dominic. They dropped what they were doing and ran toward him. But when they saw Luna beside him, they froze in their tracks.
A bold girl stepped up front. "Miss Luna, are you okay now? Alpha told us you got sick saving us."
Luna bent down to meet the child's gaze, her dark blue dress spread out over the grass. "I'm feeling a lot better now, thanks to your alpha taking such great care of me."
