Page 37 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
Luna stepped closer, acting on instinct. Her free hand rose to his chest, where she could feel his heart pounding beneath her palm. More golden light bloomed from the contact, suffusing the space between them with its glow.
“Luna,” he whispered, his voice rough.
She looked up at him, suddenly aware of how close they were standing. His pupils were dilated as he stared down at her. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, smell the clean, masculine scent of him mixed with the wild and untamed wolf.
This is dangerous.
But her body wasn’t listening to logic right now. It was responding to the pull between them, the mate bond that had formed all those years ago.
Dominic backed her against the wall beside the desk, still holding her wrist, his other hand coming up to brace against the wall beside her head.
“What are you doing to me?” he asked, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down her spine.
“Nothing,” she breathed. “This is happening on its own. If I was doing this, the magic sensors would have caught me.”
The golden light had spread between them, creating a cocoon of warmth that seemed to push back the shadows in the cabin. Luna could feel her magic working, seeking out the darkness within him and slowly, carefully, burning it away.
Dominic’s face lowered toward hers, their breath mingling in the small space between them. For one wild moment, Luna thought he might kiss her—and worse, that she might let him.
He’s the enemy. He kidnapped you. He rejected you.
Common sense continued to fail against the numbing arousal she felt. This close, she could count each dark eyelash, could trace the strong line of his jaw.
Her magic pulsed stronger, responding to her heightened emotions. The golden light between them brightened, illuminating Dominic’s face in its glow.
His expression changed then, and he released her wrist and stepped back abruptly, breaking the connection. The golden light faded, leaving them both breathing hard in the sudden dimness.
“What was that?” he asked, his voice harsh. “Some kind of spell?”
Luna pressed herself against the wall, trying to slow her racing heart. “No spell. Just our mate bond.”
“Convenient,” he said, his tone turning cold. “The perfect way to seduce a hunter.”
“Oh, please.” The accusation stung even more since moments before he’d been looking at her with such heat in his eyes. “That’s not what I’m doing.”
“Isn’t it?” Dominic paced away from her, creating distance between them. “How do I know your magic isn’t affecting my thoughts, making me question everything I’ve believed in?”
“Because that’s not how my magic works,” Luna said, frustration building. “I can’t control your mind. What you’re feeling is the truth breaking through the demonic influence.”
He shook his head, unconvinced. “It’s too convenient. You show up, claim we’re mates, and suddenly I’m supposed to betray everything I’ve stood for?”
“Not betray,” Luna corrected, her voice rising as well. “You are finally seeing clearly for the first time in years! The demons are the ones who’ve been using you, manipulating you, turning you into their puppet.”
“Enough!” he growled, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest.
Luna fell silent, watching him struggle with the conflicting realities battling within him. Part of her wanted to go to him, to offer comfort, but she knew he would reject it—reject her—again.
“You’ll see,” she said finally, her voice quiet but firm. “You’ll see who’s really betraying you.”
Chapter 9 - Dominic
Dominic paced the cabin, every step feeling like torture, his body wound tight with tension he couldn’t release. His mind replayed the moment when Luna’s lips touched his over and over again.
He should have been finding a solution to those demons.
But that was the problem. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Luna.
Her dark blue eyes filled with defiance, her now-brown hair tumbling around her shoulders, the soft curves of her body that his hands itched to explore.
