Page 25 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
The click of the lock made her freeze.
The door opened and Dominic’s imposing figure stepped in.
Luna backed away, her blue eyes narrowing. “Come to check if I’ve broken free yet?”
“No,” he replied, his steel-gray eyes scanning the room. One corner of his mouth quirked up. “Though I see you’ve been keeping yourself entertained.”
She crossed her arms over her chest defensively. “What do you expect? That I’d just sit here waiting for whatever sick ritual you’re planning?”
Dominic walked inside and closed the door behind him. He carried a tray containing a steaming bowl of stew, fresh bread, and a glass of water. Luna’s stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since the day before. “You need to eat,” he remarked, placing the tray on the tiny table near the window.
Luna scoffed. “Why? So I can withstand whatever torment you have planned?”
“No one’s going to torture you.” Dominic seemed stung by the suggestion.
His presence made her skin tingle, and she loathed herself for it. “Eat your food,” he said, standing back. “You’ll need your strength.”
Luna’s stomach sank. “For what?”
“Change of plans,” he murmured, his countenance unreadable. “The binding ceremony will take place at sundown.”
Terror seized Luna’s chest.
“It’s just a ritual,” Dominic explained, but he refused to meet her gaze. “It will suppress your magic permanently.”
“You mean it will kill part of me?” she asked, feeling the blood drain from her face. “My magic is who I am.”
“Your magic is dangerous,” he replied. “The ritual is…necessary.”
Luna shook her head and backed away till her legs touched the edge of the bed. “No. I will not let you do this.”
“You don’t have a choice.” His voice carried a sense of finality that made her blood run cold.
“There’s always a choice, Dominic,” she responded, allowing her anger to overpower her dread. “You choose to betray me. Again.”
His face hardened. “I’m choosing to protect humanity.”
“From what?” Luna demanded. “From women who use their powers to help lost children find their mothers?”
“Your food will get cold,” he said, turning toward the door.
“I’m not hungry,” Luna lied, even as her stomach protested.
Dominic paused at the door, his broad shoulders tense. Without turning around, he said, “You should eat. And stop trying to escape. These walls are warded against magic, and there are guards outside. You’re only exhausting yourself.”
With that, he closed the door behind him and clicked the lock into place. Luna sank into the bed, tears of frustration welling up behind her eyelids. She refused to let them fall. Instead, she turned her emotion into determination and examined the cuffs once again.
Hours passed as Luna attempted all she could think of to get away. She eventually succumbed to exhaustion and hunger, eating the now-cold stew and bread. Just as she completed her last bite, the door opened again. This time, it was not Dominic, but rather a tall, slender man with auburn hair and amber eyes.
He wore similar tactical gear to Dominic’s, but carried himself with a more relaxed demeanor.
“I’m Marcus,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “Dominic asked me to check on you.”
Luna regarded him warily. “You mean make sure I haven’t escaped.”
Marcus’s lips quirked into a half-smile. “Something like that.” He looked at her for a moment. “You’re not what I expected.”
“What did you expect?” Luna inquired, fascinated despite herself.
