Chapter 51: Chapter 51

They had just landed in Alaska and waited for Alice's father to pick them up.

They claimed their luggage and headed out front just when his car pulled over. Alice smiled before he even stepped out of the car.

She walked ahead of Max toward the car as he opened the door. She halts immediately when he came out. Her heart completely dropping to the hard floor as the air in her throat clogged.

She wanted to turn around and run until she wasn't seeing him again but she'd look obviously crazy. And she doesn't want to act crazy in front of him. She doesn't even want to act as though he still got an affect on her but she can't deny the fact that everything about Dominic makes her heart skip a beat.

He's staring back at her. He's even smiling at her or he's trying to. Because he's still standing by the car and observing her. He's clearly afraid to approach her also. So, he stood there and stared back while she peered at him in shock. He knew she doesn't know he was coming.

"I swear I didn't ask him to come. Fredrick told me he was the one picking us up," Max said when he caught up with her. Alice just nodded her head, her eyes never left Dominic sight.

He cleared his throat and approached them. He takes his eyes off them and place it on Max. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Max. Welcome home," Dominic said calmly as he helped them with their suitcases.

Oh, his deep and rich voice... His husky voice that makes her knees go weak. How could she not miss it?

She missed everything about him. She missed how he looks at her calmly. She missed how his hands would touch her and make her feel safe. She missed how he called her name and how he laughs at her cheesy jokes. She missed him entirely.

"Your father had to run a last minute task so, he couldn't make it," he said, loading their suitcases in the trunk. She doesn't answer him. She opens the back door and hopped in. He closed the door before she could get the chance to.

Max entered the front seat as Dominic walked to the driver's seat.

This was going to be a long ride home. She was definitely going to enjoy it because she was sitting behind Max and she could stare at his sideburn while he drives.

They hit the road as the car fall silent with only Max answering calls at intervals.

Dominic would casually turn to catch a glimpse of her and she'd turn away. He knew she was looking at him by her intense stare.

"I'm hungry. The airplane food was nasty and I didn't eat much for breakfast. We should get something before we head home. Are you hungry?" Max turns around and faced her.

She briskly took her eyes off Dominic but Max saw she was staring at him. He chuckled and brushed it off even though it stung him in his heart.

"Yeah, I could eat."

She watched when Dominic shoulder shrugged and swirled around the steering wheel, heading to a shopping mall

Dominic attempted to get out of the car when they reached the shopping mall but Max urged him to wait while he got them the snacks.

Alice's lips quivered up when max stepped out of the car and left her alone with Dominic. She didn't plan to talk to him but her hopes of having a conversation with him before Max returns were high.

She watched as he brings out his phone and typed away on it. It slightly made her annoyed because it seemed like he was avoiding speaking with her.

She can't blame him though. She shut him off the last time and told him to stay away from her. She told him she never felt anything for him when they were together which if he told her that, she would've died of misery.

It hurts to love someone and they don't return that slight gesture to you. It hurts to be in love with someone that wants nothing that has to do with you.

His phone chimed and it made him to stiffen and clear his throat. He's too calm and it annoys her to see him not bothered about her.

She sounds selfish but she never expected him to act this way.

She came back because of him...

"How are you feeling?" He mutters when he placed the phone on his ear. His voice lowers a few octaves but her werewolf ears could hear everything.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours. I just have few things to do at Scuris and I'll be back before it's dark."

Maybe it's his mother... or Lily.

It can't be Lily. She can't question him about his whereabouts. And his mother doesn't even have a phone.

Maybe he has moved on and he already has a new mate...

There's a piercing sting in her heart and she tries to ignore it but she couldn't. She furrowed her brows as she swallowed the bile that congested her throat.

She just left for couple of months but he had already moved on? He already has a new mate and she's probably sleeping in her room. She probably cooks in their kitchen. She probably uses the swimming pool she used together with Dominic.

They probably stargaze...

That was their thing and he's not supposed to do that with another woman. He's not supposed to move on so quickly...

Come to think of it, he didn't even seem that happy to see her. Maybe he just smiled because she wasn't expecting him to be the one to pick them up. Maybe he just smiled to show her he wasn't holding grudges and he has moved on.

Maybe she was overthinking everything but was taking Max too long in there?

He ends the call but doesn't return his phone in his pocket until Max returns with their snacks.

He turned to hand Alice hers when he noticed her facial expression. He doesn't say anything because he thought they might've had an argument or something she wasn't satisfied with happened.

The rest of the drive home was a silent one. No one said a word until they were at the gates of Scuris pack.

Alice dropped off the car when she spotted her father standing by the gate waiting for their arrival.

She was mad at him for making her sit in a car with Dominic for an hour. She was mad at him for not telling her he wasn't going to make it to the airport but she went ahead to run toward him and jump on him.

He laughs and hugged her back, patting her back. "You're gonna have to explain yourself for not showing up," she said when they broke the hug.

He chuckled softly, brushing the locks of hair off her forehead. "I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry, something came up and he was the only one I could trust with you."

Alice rolled her eyes and walked into the pack. Not much has changed but there's so much development. Her lips quivered upward as her heart swells up with excitement.

"So much has changed. Scuris pack has grown twice as much as you knew it." Fredrick was walking beside her while her eyes wander around.

"What about the farms? Oh God, we have a new bakery? There's also a park now?" She was already leaping with enthusiasm.

"Wait until you see the water fountain we built," he said and she squealed, squeezing his arm.

They reached home just as Dominic and Max finished offloading the suitcases.

"Thank you, Dominic," Fredrick said, stretching out his hand for a hand shake. Dominic took it and nod his head.

"Please join us for lunch, it's already set on the table."

Alice head snapped towards her father's side but he doesn't even notice her expression. Dominic noticed but ignored her. He wasn't planing to stay either but he'd do anything to tease her.

He had noticed how upset his phone call made her so, he didn't hesitate to accept Fredrick's invitation.

She walked past them and sauntered into the house. Shannon and Jim were in the living room together with Max. She exchanged quick  pleasantries with them as she made her way to the kitchen.

The house was filled with her mother's chicken soup aroma, making her stomach to growl. She remembered the snacks Max gave her but she couldn't eat due to how annoyed Dominic's ignorance and phone call made her.

"Mom," she says with a grin and hugged her mother.

"I never thought you'd come back to me, honey." Linda hugged her tightly and moved back. "Oh my love," she cooed, copping her face in her palms. "You look amazing," Linda commented and kissed both her cheeks.

Alice laughed heartily at her mother's dramatic remarks. "Thank you, mom and I've missed you too. I'll take a shower and join you guys at the table shortly."

She hurriedly went to her room and it was just as she left it. It was spotless and she knew her mother did the job of keeping it clean for her.

She doesn't waste time to take off her clothes and head to the shower. She scrubbed off the stress and jet lag from her skin and soaked her body with the hot water. It felt so good to have access to her shower again. It's felt so good to be home. Just not the part where Dominic may or may not have someone.

She stepped out of the tub and wrapped her towel around her chest.

One of her suitcases were brought in so, she lays it on her bed and unzip it.

It was her underwear. She took her bra and panties, and wore them. The rest of her suitcases must be in the hallway and there was no way she was going to walk out this way. And the clothes she left might not fit her anymore because she'd gained some weight.

"This is great," she mumbled, making her way to her drawer to rummage for anything that'd fit her. She wasn't ready to wear those tight jeans and shirt she had on all they again.

She only had few jeans and shirts she was definitely going to give out left in her drawer. She spotted a knee length pink dress and grabbed it.

Dominic got her that dress. Wouldn't be as if she was missing him if she wore it? Wouldn't she look desperate in them?

She unzips the dress hesitantly as she contemplated. It's the only dress that might fit her.

Her back was facing the door when it swings open. She gasped and turned around, hugging the dress to her breasts.

"Fuck, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to," he said. His eyes were shut close as he pushed her suitcases in. He doesn't spend another second in her room before he leaves.

Her heart was still pacing even after he had closed the door behind him.

How crazy life is—just half a year ago she could stand naked before him and don't feel anything. But she now, couldn't stand him seeing her in her underwear.

She hates the new norm that she created between them.

there isn't a word in the dictionary for how much he loves you."