Page 15 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
Reaching for the silver pendant around his throat, he activated the defensive runes engraved on its surface, following an instinct sharpened by years of hunting. Just before Luna let forth another magic pulse, a wall of energy flickered around him.The spell struck his shield, bursting into innocuous sparks that vanished in the rain. Luna’s eyes went wide with surprise.
Dominic made no attempt to conceal the grim satisfaction in his voice. “You’re not the first witch I’ve hunted, Luna.”
Fear flashed across her features, followed by determination. “I won’t be taken like some kind of animal.”
“You have two options,” Dominic replied, continuing to move as she backed away. “Come willingly, and I will make sure you are treated with respect. If you resist, I will have to use any measures required to confine you.”
Luna’s back hit the side of another vehicle, trapping her.
“Why?” she asked, her voice breaking slightly. “Why can’t you just let me go? I’m not hurting anyone.”
For a moment, Dominic allowed himself to consider it. He could file a false report, giving her time to disappear again. But the consequences would be dire, not just for him, but for her as well.
The Hunter Organization didn’t give up once they identified a target. If he failed, they would simply send someone else, and that someone may not hesitate to use more brutal methods.
“It’s too late for that,” he said quietly. “They know you exist now. They’ve been tracking your magical signature for weeks.”
Surprise registered on Luna’s face. “Weeks? But I haven’t used magic until today. Not since I learned to control it three years ago.”
Dominic frowned. According to the intelligence he’d been given, her power signatures had been spiking regularly,powerful enough to trigger alarms. “That’s not possible. The readings were clear.”
“I’m telling you the truth,” Luna insisted, her eyes searching his as if willing him to believe her. “I’ve been careful. Too careful.”
Something didn’t add up. Dominic’s instincts told him she wasn’t lying. But if Luna wasn’t responsible for the magical surges the Organization had detected…
Then who…?
A boom of thunder shattered the sky straight overhead, blocking out all other sounds. Luna dodged under his arm and sprinted across the parking lot, headed for the short alley between the library and the adjacent building.
Dominic cursed and ran after her.
The hunt was on, and despite everything, he felt a rush of excitement run through him. His long-subdued wolf shouted with joy at the chase. The narrow path was dimly lit and obscured by large buildings on either side. Rain from the roofs created a water curtain at the alley’s opening.
Dominic slowed his walk and sniffed the air. Luna smelled of ancient books and lavender, now laced with the keen sting of dread. Her aroma filled his senses. She was close, hiding rather than running.
“I can smell you, Luna,” he called, moving deeper into the alley. “Your heartbeat, your breath—I can hear it all. There’s nowhere to hide from me.”
He was answered with silence, but he caught the slight hitch in breathing from behind a dumpster midway down the alley. Dominic approached slowly, deliberately making noise to let her know he was coming.
“This doesn’t have to be difficult,” he continued, moving closer to her hiding spot.
A sudden movement from behind the dumpster caught his attention—but it was a trick.
As Dominic lunged for the source of the movement, Luna burst from her actual hiding place several feet away, crouched behind a stack of wooden pallets. She sprinted toward the far end of the alley, but her soaked clothes were slowing her down.
Dominic recovered quickly, changing direction fluidly. He overtook her in seconds, seizing her around the waist and swinging her against the library’s brick wall. His body slammed over hers, pinning her in place, while his hands grabbed her wrists and held them firmly against the rough brick. Their faces were inches apart, and they were both breathing heavily.
Her scent now so close, so familiar even after all these years, sent his wolf into a frenzy of recognition and need.
Mate.
Dominic almost lost his grip. He hadn’t allowed himself to acknowledge that possibility in six years, had buried it beneath layers of duty and discipline. But with Luna trapped between his body and the wall, her chest heaving against his, the truth became impossible to deny.
His wolf recognized her as his mate. Always had.
“Let me go,” Luna whispered, her voice barely audible above the rain. “Please, Dominic.”
“I can’t.”
