Chapter 13: Chapter 13

She hates how see-through she was—how he could just read her by her effects, her expressions. She always tried to stay calm whenever she was around him but it was impossible. It wasn’t because he makes her weak or gives her butterflies, no—he was unpredictable and could do the most unmanageable things.

Her heart was racing, her breathing was shallow. He smirked, still strolling around her room and touching her things—he sensed that she was tensed and his presence was making her perturbed. But he doesn’t seem to care that she wasn’t contented with him being in her room.

She watched as he picked up a bottle of perfume from her dressing mirror and sprayed decent amount on the back of his wrist. He brought it to his nose and sniffed. “Lavender… smells just like you. I love it,” he commented. She furrowed her brows, feeling the urge to pin him down and draw her sharp claws over his fine face. She hates how she just thought he was fine. He has a good-looking face, she couldn’t argue with that fact. He also has a hot body that she had imagined herself being under it even after how much she despised him. Could you romanticize about someone’s body and hate them at the same time? Her… it was possible.

She breaths out slowly and cleared her throat. “What are you doing in my room? Who even let you in here? You are way out of your limits.”  She asked despite knowing the answer. It was her father obviously. He gave him access to her private place—a place even her father has to ask for permission before he comes in, but he foolishly let Dominic in.

Dominic looked at her and gave her a cocky look before he went on with what he was doing. He picked up a jar and opened it. It was her lotion and it also smelt like lavender. He gazes at her and smirked before looking away. “I’m not truly a fan of Lavender, but for your sake, I’d have to get used of the smell.”

‘He has to get used of the smell.’ She scoffed at that comment, rolling her eyes. He paused and looked at her for the third time. He threw her a pointed looking, making her to shift uncomfortably. He chuckled softly and averted his gaze.

“I love how clean and tidy your room is, even with the meltdown you’re going through,” he spoke as he stood by her window and looked out. His back was facing her.

Her throat clogged with anger as the urge to shift fought with her. She was shocked by how calm and collected she was. Maybe because she doesn’t know why he was in her room and she wanted to know. But who cares—Dominic never has anything exciting to say.

She wanted him out of her room but she also wanted to hear his reason for trespassing. It better be good. “If you don’t have anything to say, get the hell out of my room.”

He turned around—his eyes fall on her, and his expression twists with displeasure. He immediately shakes it off and breathes out. She could see how fast the anger vanished and he was smirking at her. He had his hands in his pocket while he took in her appearance. She was wearing a black tank top with a blue denim jeans. He bites down his lip, fixing his eyes on every part of her body. She folds her arms over her chest and raised a brow, waiting for him to speak.

“I came to apologize,” he said, walking toward her, “For wrecking your immature fantasy story with that boy.” He stood tall in front of her. She looks up at him as her eyes narrowed and her teeth clenched together, making her jaw tense.

He chuckled, his breath fanning her face and making her more irritated than she already was. Just another ill word about Aaron and she was going to lose it!

“You should forget about him… those humans are bad news and he’s only going to use you.”

“Fuck off, Dominic. I don’t need your fucking pathetic opinion on who I choose to mate with,” she clamored, shoving her finger on his chest. He didn’t budge—he finds it cute how she assumed that was hurting him.

He still had his hands in his pocket while he stared down at her fuming with rage. She looked more tempting while angry even though she sometimes gets on his nerve and he feels the urge to pin her to the wall. Not in a fierce way, but he had other things in mind.

“Join me for dinner tonight at my place, Alice. I want you to have a look of how my home looks like.” He saw the shock and anger in her eyes of how he thought he could just come into her home and say whatever shit he wanted to spat out. “I’d return you home safely tomorrow morning, I promise,” he added, tallying more grief and wrath to her state.

“You must be sick and out of your mind to think that I was dumb enough to follow you anywhere,” she said through gritting teeth. She didn’t grasp she was standing on tippy toes till he smiled and she could feel his warm breath fanning her face again, and she was dangerously close to his face. Just one move and their lips would be crushed together.

She would’ve ripped his tongue out.

“The Alpha has already given me permission and I don’t think you can go against that.”

“The Alpha is in no right position to make my own decisions,” she hollered irritably. She detested how she let him get to her. She was going crazy and all she could think of was attacking him. It made her madder that he was so calm with everything he was doing to her now. His heart was colder than ice and harder than a dry rock.

“It’s either you get the hell out of my house or…”

“I know where your boyfriend lives,” he said casually as he turned his back on her and made his way back to her window. It was already getting dark and he should be on his way back home now. “I know where he works and I am so familiar with the authorities there. I could report him to the police and have him taken down,” he spoke negligently as he turned to look at her. He rests his back on the wall, crossed his leg on top of the other one and folded his arms, making his shoulder to be broader than they already were.

Her brows shoot up with shock but she quickly masked the fear before he could notice it.

He shrugs and brought out his phone from his jeans pocket. It was the first time she had seen him using it. She never knew he had one. He scrolled through it and shoved the screen on her face. She gasped faintly as her eyes enlarged. She shook her head briskly, putting her hand over mouth.

It was a picture of Aaron and his family, eating dinner in their dining area. They looked so happy and unbothered. Dominic wouldn’t dare destroy that for his selfish reasons.

He swiped the screen and the next picture was Aaron at work with his friend Jake…

“No,” she mumbled under her breath. Her heart was pacing so fast—she could hear it in her ears. Her eyes welled up with tears. She didn’t know why she was about to cry but she wanted to. For a minute, she was happy. She was getting better. She had hope. But in less than a second, she lost it all again. All thanks to Dominic for never failing to make her life miserable.

“Why are you doing this to me?” She mumbled. Her eyes were filled to the brim with tears.

“Oh, my love, you still fail to understand. You still don’t freaking get it, do you? I am in love with you. I love you so much that it hurts. It hurts that you love him instead of me, it hurts that you reject me no matter how hard I try to prove that I’m worthy!” He was now in front of her and gripping on her shoulders.

Tears welled from deep inside and coursed down her cheeks. The streams of tears flowed faster than her heartbeat.

He gently grabbed her neck and forced her look up at him. She was thankful that her vision was blurred with tears and she couldn’t see him clearly. “I love you, Alice. I’m obsessed with you and I can’t help myself but fanaticize how I’m going to make love to you,” he whispered in her ear and kissed it. He lays kisses down her neck, his hands weaving through her hair…

Her breath hitched, making her knees to buckle. He loops his arm around her waist to hold her close…

She opened her eyes, feeling the strength growing in her. She pushed him off her, shaking her head. “I want to be back home before sunrise,” she told him, hugging herself and facing around.

She knew he was smiling, she could feel it. She heard his footsteps approaching her but he walks past her. “I’ll wait for you outside. Fifteen minutes,” he said before walking out of her room.

She stares at her door, feeling the urge to scream and break things but she wasn’t going to. She might one day—with the way she was constantly getting upset and losing it, she might burn down the whole house.

Her knees failed her and she went down, sobbing uncontrollably. The amount of pressure she felt in her chest was making her have suicidal thoughts—not on her, but Dominic. She has never wanted to see someone die like she wished upon him. She wished him death, a painful and miserable death. She wished to be the one to end his life—who knows, she might be doing a huge favor to his people back in his pack.

Knowing he’d come back after she exceeds that time he has given her, she got to her feet and heads toward her closet. She wasn’t even thinking of changing what she was wearing. She only took her pajamas and a dress she’d wear tomorrow morning. She shoved everything she’d need in her backpack including the pepper spray Aaron had given her to use in case she got herself in trouble. She had never thought of using it but it might come in handy tonight if Dominic decides to try something funny.

She swinged the bag on her shoulders and made her way to the door. She halts when she heard Ryan’s voice, yelling. She couldn’t make up what he was saying but he sounded pissed.

“Alice?” She heard Ryan’s voice behind the door. He sounded pissed, worried…

He burst the door open, panting like he had just ran a marathon. “Are you seriously going to follow him?” He growled, approaching her. “Did he do something to you? Why didn’t you tell me he was in your room?” He grabbed her shoulder, taking a look at her as though to check any wounds.

“Ryan, Ryan… I’m fine, I promise. He didn’t do anything,” she said. His eyes narrowed and he knew she was lying. “You don’t have to follow him if you don’t want to,” he mumbled, losing his grip on her arms.

She smiled, cupping both his cheeks. “I know… and you’re so cute, but… I’m going to be fine. He just wants to show me around and that’s it. I’ll be back tomorrow before sunrise.” She kissed both his cheeks and stood on her toes to kiss his forehead.

He smiled, her lips still lingering on his face. It melted in, making his stomach to churn. He loved the feeling of that. He caressed her arms, boring his brown eyes into her ocean-like ones. His heart warms in a way he never knew possible. “I’ll tear his throat open if you aren’t back before sunrise,” he vowed, ready to commit a gory bloodbath.

Alice laughed heartily, taking her hands off his face. He lets go of her as he sighed. He wasn’t convinced with her following Dominic and he knew she’d never agree if he decides to follow her.

“I will be fine, Ryan…” she assured him. She patted him on the cheek before heading out.

She met her parents in the living room. She looked away briskly. It pained her to look at them—especially her father. She went for the door without even bothering to spare them a glance. Her father has done too much and she doesn’t even know if she’d ever look at him the same way after this. She wouldn’t say she hated him but after Dominic, he was the second person she didn’t want to see or talk to now.

“Alice…”

“Don’t. touch. me,” she warned through gritting teeth. He looked remorseful—she doesn’t care that he’s apologetic. He has already ruined her life, what was left?

She was only doing this to keep Aaron safe and keep her pack intact. She knew Dominic had other plans and if he tried to mate with her tonight, she’ll never forgive her father for it.

She slammed the door behind her, causing her father to shut his eyes with agony.

She met Dominic by the gate and they made their way to his home. She looked down at her feet as she followed him behind. The longer they walked, the more her heart aches.

He halts and looked back at her. “It’s a fifteen minutes journey if we run. Do you want to do that?” He asked, his eyes held nothing but desire. She refused to look up. She shook her head, gripping on her backpack like her life depended on it.

He shrugs and continued walking. “I didn’t come along with my pack warriors because I have a thought you wouldn’t like that.”

She didn’t answer him. She doesn’t need to answer him because what he had said now doesn’t make sense to her. She doesn’t care because it was none of her business if he came along with his whole community.

“And I can protect you without anyone here,” he spoke proudly. She glared at the back of his head and ducked her head again. She felt the urge to pick up a stone and jab it on his head till he wasn’t moving.

She breathes out and shook her head when she fathomed how often she has been having massacre thoughts lately.

After more than half an hour, they arrived at the gates of Umbris Pack. She looked up at the large black ironed gates. The moment they spotted him, the gate keeper forced the gate open. Alice was amused by how strong they were to push those tall, heavy gates open.

“Welcome to my pack,” he said, grinning. She hates seeing how excited he was.  How he thinks he has gotten away with everything just because her father has routinely given him access to her home—her freaking room where she sees it as her secluded place and no one dared to trespass without her consent.

She looked around before stepping foot in. She could sense the dappled feeling before she even walked into the place. She has been here before but it wasn’t as crooked as it feels like this time around.