Page 2 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
“Are you not aware that the pack is already awake?” she shot back, not caring that she was talking to an alpha wolf.
Dominic’s mouth curved into a little smile. “You left the east cabin, and I wanted to check in with you—”
“I’m fine,” she cut him off. “All I wanted was some fresh air.”
Instead of leaving her, as she’d intended, he sat down beside her on the rock.
Her heart began to pound, because she could smell him now, a mix of smoke and pine with a hint of something wild.
With his eyes fixed on the water, he softly muttered, “I’m sorry for your loss. Your mother was always a good woman, in my opinion.”
Luna swallowed hard. “Thank you,” she managed.
An awkward silence settled between them. Luna glanced at him again and wondered why he wasted his valuable time talking to someone as worthless as she was.
Somewhere in the bush, a twig broke, and Dominic jerked, his stance changing as he looked around. As Luna observed him, his behavior made her realize how different they were and how quickly he could change from a man to a predator. She, on the however, was unable to even detect her wolf.
When he was certain there was no threat, he declared, “We’re fine.”
Luna nodded, suddenly aware of their isolated surroundings.
“You should leave,” she said. “You and I are aware that the pack would disapprove of their future alpha hanging out with me. If someone sees us together…” she trailed off.
Dominic shrugged. “I don’t care. Like everyone else, you are a part of the pack, Luna, and I will treat you as such.”
Luna looked at his face, expecting to see him burst out in laughter, but all she saw was sincerity.
“Why?” she asked. “I mean, why are you this nice to me?”
For a brief moment, Dominic’s eyes shifted to her lips before swiftly returning to her eyes. “You really don’t know why?”
Luna shook her head and Dominic moved closer.
Her breath hitched in her throat, catching the silver flecks in his gray eyes now that they were close enough.
With a low rumble that left her knees weak, he said, “I’ve always seen you, Luna. Even if you desired to remain invisible.”
A sob erupted from deep within her before she could comprehend what he had just said. She was crying and gasping for air as the grief she had been suppressing since her mother’s funeral exploded.
She gasped in between sobs, embarrassed that she had broken down in front of him. “I’m so-sorry,” she said. “I can’t—I don’t—”
Dominic drew her to his chest without saying anything. Luna tried to pull away from him right away, but the firm warmth of his body overcame her last bit of resistance, and she allowed him to hold her.
“I just miss her so much.” Her shoulders shook with more heart-wrenching sobs. On her back, Dominic’s hand made calming circles. “The only person who ever had faith in me was her.”
“Not anymore.”
Luna drew back a little to look up at him. She imagined how messy she must look with her tear-streaked cheeks and puffy eyes.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice scratchy from her tears.
Instead of answering, he raised a hand to her face, his thumb gently wiping a tear from her cheek.
He abruptly stood up and held out his hand to her, saying, “Come with me.”
After a moment of hesitation and eye contact, Luna put her hand in his.
He pulled her to her feet as his fingers closed around hers. As he guided her farther into the forest and away from the packgrounds, he held onto her hand. Despite the sounds of the forest all around them, they walked in silence.
