Page 38 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
He paused at the window, staring out at the compound bathed in moonlight. The special ops cabins were positioned around a central clearing, with Xavier’s quarters far on the opposite side.
Dominic wore the standard hunter uniform, and for the first time in six years, the uniform felt wrong, as if he were wearing the skin of a stranger.
Was this her magic influencing him?
The rational part of him knew that wasn’t true. The witch he’d married—the mate he’d once rejected—had shown him the truth. Xavier, his mentor and leader of the Council, was a demon wearing human disguise.
Dominic felt the beginning of a headache forming behind his eyes. The mating bond between him and Luna pulsed with every heartbeat, growing stronger despite the distance he tried to maintain. He could feel her fear and uncertainty mirroring his own.
He needed to clear his head.
He left his quarters and stalked across the compound, nodding at the hunters who crossed his path. Something caught his eye, and Dominic slowed his pace and changed direction. He circled around to approach Xavier’s quarters from the rear entrance.
Few would dare enter the Council leader’s private space, but Dominic had privileges most didn’t.
High-level clearance.
He smiled to himself as he remembered Marcus’s jokes.
He silently turned the back door handle and slipped inside. The luxurious quarters were dark except for a sliver of light coming from beneath Xavier’s office door. Dominic’s enhanced hearing picked up the sound of rustling papers and quiet footsteps.
What was going on?
With the stealth that had made him legendary among hunters, he moved toward the office. The door wasn’t fully closed, and through the crack, he saw Adrian bending over Xavier’s desk, rifling through documents.
The blonde hunter’s expression was far from the cool professionalism he typically displayed. His ice-blue eyes were narrowed in concentration, his movements quick and precise.
Dominic pushed the door open. “Interesting reading material?”
Adrian spun around, papers clutched in his hand. For a split second, fear flashed across his face before his features settled into a neutral mask.
“Dominic.” Adrian’s voice was steady, but Dominic could hear his elevated heartbeat. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Clearly.” Dominic stepped into the office, shutting the door behind him. The room smelled of old books and that peculiar scent that always clung to Xavier. “Care to explain why you’re going through Xavier’s private files?”
Adrian’s grip tightened on the papers. “I could ask you the same question. Why are you here, Dominic?”
The tension between them crackled like electricity. Two of the most powerful alphas in the organization, sizing each other up, neither willing to show weakness.
Dominic moved closer, his imposing height giving him a physical advantage. “You first. I found you here with your hand in the cookie jar.”
For a long moment, Adrian didn’t speak. Then he exhaled slowly. “Something’s not right with the organization. I’ve been trying to track down information on the witches we’ve captured and…married off.”
Dominic’s wolf stirred beneath his skin, responding to the unspoken implication. “And?”
“They’re gone.” Adrian’s voice dropped to a whisper. “All of them. No records of where they were taken after the rituals. No follow-up reports. Nothing.”
“How many?” Dominic asked, his voice rough.
“Dozens over the past five years.” Adrian set the papers down on the desk. “Including someone I…knew.”
Dominic caught the hesitation, the hint of emotion that the tech specialist rarely displayed. “A witch?”
Adrian’s jaw tightened. “Her name was Elara. We grew up together in the same pack. She manifested powers when we were teenagers. The Council claimed they were taking her somewhere safe.”
His eyes hardened with his next words. “That was three years ago. I haven’t seen her since.”
The confession hung in the air between them. Dominic took a calculated risk. “I saw something during the ritual with Luna. Something that changes everything.”
