Page 23 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
“Listen to me very carefully,” he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Your life depends on convincing the Council you’re not a threat. That you’re not working with demons. That you’re worth keeping alive.”
Luna’s eyes widened slightly, the first flicker of real fear crossing her features. “Why are you telling me this?”
Because I can’t watch you die.
Dominic pushed that thought aside violently.
“Because I need this process to go smoothly,” he said instead. “Xavier is arriving tomorrow. The binding ceremony is scheduled for the new moon tomorrow. Until then, you’re my responsibility.”
“And after? After I’m bound to some random hunter and stripped of my powers? Whose responsibility am I then?”
“You’ll be relocated,” he said, the words feeling hollow even to his own ears. “Given a new start somewhere safe.”
Luna’s laugh was bitter. “You really believe that, don’t you?” She shook her head, something like pity entering her gaze. “Oh, Dominic. What have they done to you?”
The question hit too close to home. Dominic stepped back, needing distance from her penetrating stare.
“Clean up this mess,” he ordered, gesturing to the broken lamp and overturned furniture. “Food will be brought in an hour. I suggest you use the time to think about how you want to present yourself to the Council.”
He turned to leave, but Luna’s voice stopped him at the door.
“Whom am I being bound to?” she asked quietly. “Which hunter gets the privilege of stealing my power?”
Dominic paused, his hand on the doorknob. “That hasn’t been decided yet.”
“But it will be someone from your hunting squad, won’t it?”
He looked back at her, struck again by how little she’d changed beneath the surface. Six years, and her eyes now held same defiance.
“Yes,” he confirmed. “It’s usually someone from the capturing squad.”
Luna’s gaze never wavered. “Will it be you?”
The question hung in the air between them, charged with implications neither was ready to address.
“No,” he said finally. “I don’t participate in the bindings.”
He left then, locking the door firmly behind him, but failing to shut the turmoil of her questions out.
The truth was, he’d never participated in binding ceremonies because something about them had always felt wrong to him. He told himself it was because alphas had more important duties, that the rituals were beneath his station.
But in the darkest corners of his mind, he knew it was more than that.
He moved to his communications console, keying in the secure code to connect directly to Xavier’s private line. The call connected almost immediately.
“Progress?” Xavier’s face filled the screen, sharp features accentuated by the harsh lighting of his office.
“The witch is secured. Minimal resistance.” Dominic kept his report clinical, detached. “She’s been fitted with suppression cuffs as per protocol.”
Xavier nodded. “Has she shown any signs of demonic influence? Black veins? Unusual strength?”
“No,” Dominic replied. “Nothing unusual apart from her magical signature. It’s…stronger than most witches I’ve encountered.”
That much was true. Even with the suppression cuffs, Dominic could sense Luna’s power humming beneath the surface, barely contained.
“That’s to be expected,” Xavier said, making a note on something off-screen. “We’ve been tracking this one for a while now. Her power growth has been exponential, especially in the last twelve months.”
“You knew this could happen?” Dominic kept his tone neutral despite the surprise he felt. “Why wasn’t I informed of the special nature during the briefing?”
