Chapter 30: Chapter 30

She couldn’t believe she had already spent a month at Umbris Pack. The time just went by in a blur and she was already in her fifth week without feeling the need to go back home anymore.

Dominic made her feel like this is her home. He makes her feel like she belongs here and she has gotten to believe that she does belong here. This will be her home. She still felt skeptical about being his mate but the moment she lay eyes on his beautiful face, every doubt comes out running out of her. He makes her feel so safe like she’s the only thing that mattered to him. He wouldn’t mind cancelling a pack run just to lay in bed with her for hours without getting tired of it. And he has been such a gentleman—he doesn’t push her to do anything she wasn’t pleased with. He’s so tender and thoughtful. She has grown so fond of him that whenever he wasn’t around, she gets upset. She spends most of her days in the bakery with his mom when he’s having a busy day or with Lily at the pool. Sometimes, Miley joins them and they would spend the whole time chattering and making up impossible scenarios.

Today was one of those days when he’s having a hectic schedule and she gets to spend time with his sister, Lily and Miley. She never thought Lily was so cool and friendly. Lily has this kind of look in her face that’d make you think she eats souls for a living. She has this cold and scary force in her that’d make you think she doesn’t talk about boys or do her mani-pedis. But when you get to know her, she’s so lively and friendly.

Alice grabbed her sunscreen and towel before she heads out of the house. She knew Lily and Miley were already at the pool waiting for her. She picked up her pace in the new slippers Dominic just got her. Looking down on her feet, she smiled. They were yellow slippers with sliced watermelon printed all over them. He knew her favourite colour is yellow and she loves eating watermelon. How did he get to know all that? He observes every little thing she does and everything that excites her.

She enters the private pool Dominic lets them use and encountered with the two girls already enjoying the cool water under the hot sun.

“You couldn’t even wait for another minute.” Alice dropped what she came with on the table and relaxed on the hammock.

“We just got into the pool and Lily was telling me about her new guy Justin,” Miley said, making Alice to snap her head towards them.

“Lily? A guy? She likes a guy?” Alice was already on her feet, walking towards them. She walked over to the stairs and walked into the water. “Okay, how much did I miss?” She swam towards them.

“Just that,” Lily said, glaring at Miley. Miley shrugs it off and went ahead to tell Alice more about it. “He is one of Dominic’s pack warriors and they have been seeing each other for about a week now.”

Alice gazes at Lily in awe and she looks away. “Does your brother know about you two?” When Lily didn’t look at her, she knew Dominic has no idea about the two of them. “Why don’t you want to tell him?”

Lily rolls her eyes and scoffed. “Because he always scares them off with his death glares and threats. They always end up not being able to handle my big brother and ghost me. I am not going to let him ruin this one for me.”

“What’s the worst that could happen, Lily?” Alice asked. Lily gasped in disbelief. “I just told you what your husband does and you’re still questioning me?”

Alice was taken aback by her remark. She blinks her eyes and lets out a heavy breath to digest it. Miley muffled a laughter, swimming away from the chaos.

“Okay, first of all, he is not my husband. And secondly, have you ever sat down with him and tell him how you feel? Your brother is a very understanding man, for all I know.”

“Oh, he sure is the most understanding Alpha I know,” Lily said and she could hint out the mockery in Lily’s voice. “Dominic is so stubborn but he listens to you. He listens to only you, Alice. I don’t even know how you do it but you’re like a remote control—you can control him into doing whatever you want.”

Alice tilts her head and gave her a quizzical look, because she doesn’t know whether it was a complement or not. Whatever Lily meant by that, she wasn’t going to let it give her a sleepless night. Dominic is submissive to her?

“I know he’s stubborn when it comes to something he wants it to be his way. But I am not sure I can control the Alpha of Umbris pack. He can be domineering and conceited, yes. But he is really understanding. And if this guy really means a lot to you, I’d talk to him if you want me to.”

Lily’s eyes gaped and Alice could see the fear washing over her face. She shakes her head, hugging herself with her arms as though it wasn’t hot at that time. “He’d cut his head off and deliver it home to me. Do not tell him anything about Justin. At least not just yet. I’ll tell you when I’m ready to let him know. I have to make sure he’s the right guy first, okay?”

Alice gave her a teasing look before nodding. “Tell me more about this Justin guy. How does he look? Is he hot? Is he older than you? Does he have a deep, flirtatious voice like your brother has?” Maybe she shouldn’t have said that. Lily just threw her a disgusting look at the mention of Dominic’s tempting voice.

“What? I can’t control how I feel about him…” She shrugs it off when she hears the sound of Miley’s laughter.

“This girl right here used to hate your brother, so much.”

Alice rolled her eyes and swam to the tray of pineapple juice. Lily smirked, looking at Alice’s retreating back. She knew Lily was looking at her and she dared not to turn her head around and face her.

“This is always my favourite topic to converse. Tell me again, Miley.”

**

“You don’t really expect us to believe that you guys haven’t done it yet. I mean look at you, you’ve gained weight and you might possibly be pregnant with his child already.”

Alice shoots them a look of disbelief. They’ve been talking about how she has added weight and how her skin was glowing—their best suggestion is, she’s pregnant. “I am not supposed to be talking about this with you guys, I’d just pretend as though I didn’t hear you say that, Lily. As my sister in-law, you shouldn’t question me about my sex life, with your BROTHER!”

“So, you now agree that my brother is your husband?” Lily shoots her eyebrow up as she sent her a teasing look.

“He is not my husband. Lily, quit trying to put words into my mouth.” Lily was good at manipulating people into talking their minds but Alice wasn’t going to let her break through her that easily.

“Yeah, you don’t seriously expect us to believe you guys haven’t done it. You can’t even keep your hands to yourselves. You’re always in each other’s space either sucking your tongues out or teasing each other. You can’t lie to us, Alice.”

Alice left her mouth open as she stared at them in incredulity. If only they knew what goes on between her and Dominic behind doors. He had made that promise to her that he’d never force himself on her until she gives him the permission to. She had given him so many hints but it’s either he was ignoring them or he’s truly clueless.

“I am not supposed to even talk to you guys about my sex life but I swear on my grandmother’s grave, we haven’t done it yet.”

They could see the sincerity in her eyes and words. Miley knew she wasn’t lying when she mentioned her grandmother. She valued her grandmother so much.

They shared a look and heaved a sigh.

“How do you guys possibly resist the temptations if you haven’t had sex yet for this very long time?” Lily asked the question.

Alice shakes her head in disbelief as she finds her way out of the pool. She grabbed her towel wrapped it around her waist and settled on the hammock, and fetched her phone—they knew the discussion was over.

She unlocked her phone to find missed calls and texts from Dominic. She knew she thought she might’ve heard her phone chiming but Miley and Lily were such huge distractions that she always forgets to check her phone each time it vibrates.

‘Dress sexy, I’m taking you out for dinner tonight. And wear my favourite perfume you use on your neck because I want to smell it while I give you hickeys on your neck.’

She read the text over and over again, a smile sneaking its way to her lips. She bites down her lip, trying to restrain herself from what he had just sent her. She lets out a heavy outbreath and kept the phone screen-faced on the table beside her as if they could see what he just sent her.

“I have to get going now, it’s getting late.” Miley announced getting out of the water.

Lily grunts as she also followed suit. “I almost forgot that I promised mom I’ll help her bake cookies tonight. I have to the bakery also.”

Alice smiled as she got to her feet. She could swear her legs had turned to water when she stood up. She hates how he has an effect on her even when he wasn’t there. He would’ve held her in his arms and he kiss her until she was lightheaded.

They head out of the pool side and part ways. Alice had to start getting ready anyways.

She hops into the shower the moment she reached home. He still wasn’t back even after she came out of the shower. She wondered how he was going to endure the grogginess after multiple hours of working and manage to take her on a date while all she did was argue with his sister and her best friend as they enjoyed their pineapple juice.

He’s just built different.

She slides open her drawer, revealing the multiple dresses he had bought her over the couple of weeks she was here. He was a gift giver—it sometimes makes her feel a little guilty of how he never ceases to come home without a gift.

He stops by to pick up favourite flowers or her favourite ice cream flavour. He just knows his ways to make her happy an felt loved. The time she spent with Aaron, she couldn’t deny the fact that she didn’t love him, she still feels him in her heart but Dominic was different. He’s so subtle and careful with her, as though if he handles her too much, she’d break.

She smiles at the sight of the dress he just got her last.

He travelled for two days last week and came back with a red satin dress and a matching heel. She rarely wears heels as she doesn’t go out on occasions but this is a night she wants to remember—she’s wearing the heels and the dress he bought her.

She did her makeup first before slipping into the dress. She did a twirl, revealing the slit on the right side of the dress. The strapless dress clings to her figure.

She grabs the perfume she knew he liked and sprayed it all over her body, including the back of her ears and neck. She smiled, trailing her finger over her neck, knowing she’d definitely get hickeys from his tempting kisses. She was looking forward to that.

She hears a soft knock on the door before it slowly opens. It was Dominic and he was already dressed in a long-sleeve light blue shirt that he rolled the sleeves with black pants.

He leaned against the doorframe as he looks at her from head to toe—his lips part in a soft exhale. She doesn’t know if it meant for it to be seductive but she’s suddenly warm all over.

She plastered a smile on her face as she approached him. “How do I look?” She straightens the dress and he could sense the glimpse of jumpiness in her movement.

He circle his arm around her back and pulls her into a sweet, gentle kiss. He pulls back to look at her. His heart warms up by just staring into her sparkling eyes. “You are always beautiful, Alice, but tonight…” He grips her closer. “Tonight, I simply can’t keep my eyes off you.”

She allows a sweet, mocking smile to curve her lips. “You don’t look bad yourself.” She bits down on her lip—it was obvious that she couldn’t contain the ball of desire she was feeling, especially being in his arms.

Dominic lowers his mouth to hers. She expected a quick, stolen kiss, but there’s nothing fast about the way his lips moved. He tastes her slowly and carefully, his tongue sliding deliciously along hers. Unable to resist the intoxicating pull of him, she winds her arms around his neck and return the embrace. Her legs turn to liquid as he opens his mouth to let her in.

If he doesn’t stop kissing her right at the moment, she was definitely going to take her dress off and there goes the dinner he had planned.

As if he read her mind, he pulled back, breathlessly. His eyes search hers and he knew she wanted more. He cups her face in his hands and joined their forehead together. Their eyes fall shut at the same time as they relish the moment.

“We should leave before I thoughtlessly undress you,” she hears him say and her heart flicked. She pressed her lips together to avoid smiling but failed. She nods her head and free herself from his hold.

She fixed her makeup before they left. It took her more than thirty minutes to glam her face but it only took him a minute to ruin it. She loves that he just did that. She couldn’t wait for him to ruin it again tonight.

**

The restaurant was empty and they were seated in the middle table of the room. She looks around again for the third time—she wasn’t just nervous that they were outside their kind, she was worried being the only ones there.

A waiter soon came out from the kitchen and took their order and left. She looks at Dominic to find out he was already staring at her. His eyes were mixed with admiration and earnestness.

“I booked the whole restaurant for the night,” he says—his arms were crossed over his chest as he bored his eyes into hers. She lets out a heavy sigh which made him to chuckle.

“Why did you do that?” She asked curiously.

Laugh?”

He just rented the whole restaurant for the night and he really thinks that she was worried about him laughing over something silly?

He shrugs when she gave a pointed look. “I love my privacy and I know you wouldn’t be comfortable being around outcasts.”

A smile escapes her lips and she nods her head. That’s one of the most considerate things he has ever done to her. Last time she was around outcasts was when she went to the carnival with Aaron and she nearly passed out.

“Thank you,” she mouthed. She wondered if the workers here know who exactly they are.

“They don’t know who we are, Alice.” If he was somehow reading her mind, she really needs to control the kind of thoughts she has around him. She pursed her lips and nodded. He smiled and leaned over the table to kiss her pursed lips—it turned into a smile when he did that.

“You literally seem to read my mind, always,” she mumbled, looking away. He tilts his head, smiling. His eyes never left her sight even with the workers roaming back and forth in the scanty room.

“Who told you I can’t read your mind?”

She rolled her eyes at his statement and dropped her gaze to him. He arcs his brow and shoulder-shrugged. “I also know how much you drool over me whenever I’m not wearing any shirt. The voice in your head is so loud.”

Her eyes gaped and she could swear her jaw was on the floor right now. She gulps hard as her heart sank to her stomach. The sudden edginess weighing her down. He smirked at her and it made her more jittery because she doesn’t know whether he was teasing her or he actually can read her mind. In her years of being alive, she can’t recall werewolves having that power. Maybe it was an Alpha thing. But her father had never told her he had that power—or he just hid it from her.

A sudden trepidation and curiosity washed over her face at the same time and Dominic couldn’t help but laugh. His deep voice echoed through the large room. She furrowed her brows and pursed her lips as she looked away.

“I can’t read your mind but I sure can read your face, Alice. You’re really not good at hiding how you feel through your facial expression. I see how your face lit up when you see ice cream and I see how your face frows when I tell you I have busy schedule. I love that I can see how you feel through your face, it’s my top favourite thing about you because I can get to stare at your beautiful face.”

She smiled and she hates that she just did that. The one thing she sucks at was staying mad at him. He’d annoy her and immediately find a way to make her smile. And she knew that he annoys her deliberately.

Their order was wheeled out soon. The waiter arranged everything on the table before leaving.

At midst dinner, Dominic got a text from Zack even after severally warning him not to call or text him while he was out with Alice except if what he has to say was too important to be waited on. He hates anything that’d distract him while he was having alone time with her.

He ignored the text and continued eating. His phone chimed again almost immediately after the first text. It got Alice’s attention and that’s exactly what he didn’t want.

“Maybe it’s important.” She took another bite of her stake and wiped her lips with a napkin. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” She got to her feet and wanders off. He gripped on his fork when she walked past him. The urge to go with her was incredibly strong. He hates it when she leaves his sight whenever they were in an unfamiliar place. This wasn’t an unfamiliar place to him but it’s one of the places he wouldn’t want her to be walking around without him being close by.

He picks up his phone off the table and read Zack’s text. His heart tightens when he read it. Maybe he shouldn’t have read it—it would’ve somehow magically fixed itself.

He dialled Zack’s number as he quickly glanced around the tables and out through the large level glass window.

“Master…” He hates that Zack just said that but he was willing to let that slide because the situation he was in was worse than being called that.

“What the fuck do you mean he’s here?” He asked through gritting teeth. Aaron has been tediously following him everywhere he goes. He even tried to break into through the fences while he wasn’t around just so he could get to Alice. He wasn’t going to let him get to her—not so easily.

“He’s either already there lurking out the restaurant or he’s on his way to where you are. Whatever the case, come home right now.”

“I don’t give a shit as long as he doesn’t come near her,” he spat as he took an appraising look around. He ends the call upon hearing the sound of her heels walking back to the table. He shoved his phone in his pocket, ignoring Zacks buzzing texts and calls.

He cleared his throat in attempt to hide the anger and slight of fear in his face. She got a glimpse of it and she knew something wasn’t right. “Is everything alright?” She asked frenziedly. “Do we need to go home?” She wasn’t feeling all safe being here just the two of them either. The only thing keeping her sane in here was his presence. She knew, whatever the chaos he’d never let anything harm her.

Dominic forces a smile and nodded, but it’s a pathetic attempt. She sees right through it, and he knows it. He breaks eye contact and looks down on his food that he had long lost appetite for.

“I’m done eating, we should go home.” He looks up at her. “You had a busy day and I know you are tired. Let’s head home and finish the rest of our date in my room,” she says temptingly.

His smiled genuinely and lowered his eyes to her mouth. For a second he’d forgotten about the mess they were in. He looks at the exit and the fear of going out there overtook him. If they walk out there and Aaron was there, he was afraid of what Alice would think or how she’d feel when she sees him after he had ghosted her. He was dead scared she might fleetingly take Aaron back and leave him, because he knew that she still had that spark for him in her heart and he can’t help it.

He paid the bills before they head toward the exit. He approached the door with silents steps and cautiously pushed it open, stretching out his neck. He silently heaves out a sigh and stepped out, his hand gripping on hers. The cold breeze hits his face followed by an excruciating punch to the side of his face.

“Dominic…” She screamed out, holding his face. She didn’t even care whether the scoundrel was going to pounce on her next. “Are you okay?” She asked him as she tried to check the side he got hit. If they ruin his perfect face, she vows to slits their throat open and shove it down their stomach.

“Get away from him, Alice. He’s a monster…”

Her heart jumped to her throat—it wasn’t because he startled her or he just called her name. It was the voice she least expected to hear or thought she’d never hear again. Hearing that voice now brought back every slight of breakdown and emotions at ones. She raises her head up to look at him. It was really him, he’s standing before her and he had a bat in his hand, ready to swing it on Dominic’s head.

She shakes her head, shoving Dominic behind her. “Don’t you dare touch him, Aaron.” She was between anger and breaking down at the spot completely.

She sees the shock register on his face when she said that to him. He lowered his bat and began to approach her. She shakes her head again, her vision went fuzzy and she tensed her muscles. Everything was just too much for her to process at the same time.

“Alice, I…” Dominic swung up his left fist and slammed it into his jaw. She jerked her head back triumphantly as her entire body was suspended in the air.

She felt weightless looking at Aaron grunt in pain as he fell on the ground. Her throat was so thick with burgeoning tears, she couldn’t even say anything to what was happening.

Dominic gripped her arm and drew her towards the car. Her head remotely looked back at Aaron as he attempted to get on his feet. He called out her name several times. Her body responded to his plea—she somehow wanted to run back to him. But it would only mean she was imprudent and rash to go back to a noxious lover like Aaron.