Chapter 55: Chapter 55

Shannon and Jim went off to their honeymoon two weeks after the wedding. Max was still around until he goes back to New York in a couple of days. She felt like going back with him because her life was a little less complicated other than her boss being obsessed with her.

She hadn't seen Lily since the wedding. Maybe Dominic told her to stop coming here. But he can't stop her from doing what she wants. Maybe he can.

Or maybe Lily had realized what an awful person she is and how she'd treated her brother, and decided to end things between them also like she did to her brother.

"You're over thinking things again, Alice."

Her breath hitched as she blinked back to reality. "What? Huh?" She mumbled, averting her gaze from the waterfall to Max. He chuckled and shook his head.

"You zoned out again," Miley said worriedly "Do you need to go over there to him? Or you need someone to talk to him?"

Alice feigned a smile and shook her head. "No." She wanted to go see him so bad. She wanted to talk to him because she hasn't seen him since the night of Shannon's wedding.

She's never going to forget about him... she'll be okay...

Even without him...

She rushed out air through her mouth and hugged her knees to her chest. That hit her right what it hurts in her chest. It hurts to have to try to accept that they may or may not work out.

She wants to forget him but her heart doesn't. He's everywhere. He's everything. He's her.

"You know this is kind of funny in a scary way. I never thought Alice would love a guy. She literally didn't have any boy problems her whole life until she was old enough to have a mate. Then they all came rushing at ones."

Miley was right. She was fine just two years ago, until she met Aaron and introduced to Dominic. She met Ryan and things went worse. She doesn't even remember how she got herself into all this trouble.

Oh, maybe she can—she fell in love with Aaron, he left. She fell for Dominic but doesn't want to admit that to herself, she left. She doesn't fall for Ryan, she left.

Maybe she hasn't forgotten how all of this mess happened.

"I'll get over them eventually," She said, shrugging it of. "Maybe we should take a swim? Before we leave for dinner," she suggested, changing the topic.

She rose to her feet and took of her shirt, making Max to gulp. She took off her short jeans and ran towards the water. She took a dive just as they did the same and joined her in the water.

She laughed, splashing water on whoever came her way. She'd missed the cave. She hadn't gotten the chance to come in here since she came back from New York. The water fountain spot somehow took her away. It was her favorite spot for thinking about her problems. For thinking about Dominic.

She dives into the water when she felt a clogging pain in her throat. She hates how every single second of her life, Dominic has it with him and she can't do anything about it. She can't take it back from him. She belongs to him.

She had never thought things were going to turn out this way when she first came back from New York. She imagined it as she wanted things to be. She'd come back; she'd meet Dominic and he'd be happy to see her. She'll apologize and he'll take her back.

Not being rejected by him multiple times...

It makes her more attracted to him whenever he rejects her. It makes her want him more. It makes her go crazy. It makes her want to run to him right now.

A hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the top of the water. She gasped immediately her nostrils could inhale air. She looked around and everyone was staring at her worriedly.

"Are you nuts? You've been in the water for several scary minutes. I thought you passed out," Max said, his voice was laced with anger and worry.

Her friends are getting tired of her new behavior because they don't understand what love was. None of them are in a relationship so, she doesn't blame them for how they treat it.

She swam to the edge of the water and got out. She picked up her clothes and made her way out of the cave without bothering she was only in her undies.

It was already getting dark and she wouldn't care of it was in the morning. No one would even care—she'd seen others wearing almost nothing.

She makes way to the water fountain, luckily there wasn't anyone there. How fast did everyone gotten so used to it? It wasn't even that late.

She wore her clothes back and settled on the bench, facing the fountain. A sigh escaped her lips as the wind blew her wet hair dry. She hugged herself not because she was cold—she doesn't even want to admit the reason why she just did that.

She heard footsteps but didn't bother to look up. She knew it would be Max.

He sits beside her, making her stomach to churn. His cologne is the first yet last thing she wanted to smell. It alone messes with her brain talk more of the owner's face. She doesn't want to look at him but his penetrating gaze is forcing her to make eye contact with him.

"Hey." His face looks so relaxed, as if they were a normal couple spending quality time away from this agonizing world.

"Did you move to my pack? Because I could swear you're always here... every time."

She saw the attempt he made to smile but didn't. Maybe her joke wasn't that funny or he just didn't want to laugh because it was her.

"I wasn't here yesterday and today until now. Your father called because of something came up."

She knew he wasn't here yesterday, he wasn't here throughout today because she has eyes everywhere. She stalks him and she isn't ashame to admit that she does.

"What's that something?" She asked curiously. He shrugged and brought his elbows to his knees.

"I don't know yet. Haven't seen him yet. I saw you sitting here and wanted to see if you're okay."

Her stomach fluttered and she couldn't hide the smile.

"Well... after I saw you walking out of the cave almost naked." He admits, smiling. Her eyes drops to his lips as she chuckled. She could kiss him right now on this spot.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly and she return her eyes to his glowing brown eyes. She bite down her lips and nodded slightly. She shakes her head.

"I don't know."

He stares at her for a couple of seconds before shifting his face forward. He breathes out gently, bringing the palms of his hands to the back of his head. He's looking down, thinking and she wondered what he could be thinking about.

She takes a deep breath, but it does nothing to calm her. She wants to know what he's thinking about. She wants to know if he ever thinks about them. She wants to know if there's ever going to be a 'them' again.

This was the first time she was seeing him after the wedding. It's been two weeks now—she doesn't know if he's still mad at her.

"I can't completely give up on us, because in the back of my mind. I still believe we'll get our second chance to do it all over again. Just think about what we used to be."

He slowly raised his head up to look at her. The soft look on his face gives her every single hope she needs.

"Of course, I think about us..." he halts and sighs, cutting his gaze off from her.

She doesn't know why that sentence seemed hard for him to say, but his voice trailed off toward the end as though he was attempting to stop himself from finishing his words.

"Then, what's the problem?" She asked hopelessly. The pain in her voice was evident and she doesn't care to hide it. She was in pain because everything in her life is complicated.

Her heart cracks when he got to his feet. He's leaving her again.

"I have to go," he said and leaned in to his her cheek. He halts right in front of her face after he pecked her cheek.

His eyes bore into hers—hungry for her. He had this big round brown eyes, beautiful and haunting, yet full of sadness and pain. Her heart sinks to see the pain in his eyes. He's trying to forget everything that happened but it's so hard to. She has hurt him—he's trying to forget it.

"He's... he's waiting for me..."

But she had reached up and pulled him down to her, and the rest of his words were lost against her mouth. He kissed her gently, carefully, but it wasn't gentleness she wanted, not now, not after all this time, and she knotted her fists in his shirt, pulling him harder against her. He groaned softly, low in his throat, and then his arms circled her, gathering her against him, and they rolled over on the grass, tangled together, still kissing.

Dominic dips an impatient hand into her hair and kisses her. It's the kind of kiss that screams 'I've missed kissing you.'

They kissed for so long her mouth starts to hurt as much as her heart. Her heart isn't hurting from pain this time, though. It hurts because it's never felt this full.

He pulls away, staring up at her breathlessly. "You're going to get me in trouble with your father," he said breathlessly.

"But it's worth it," she replied, giving him a playful smile.

**

He standing in the porch as Zack walked toward him from afar. He's talking to himself, giving himself a pep talk while he fiddled with his hands. You could swear Zack wasn't capable of his powers. He just tends to panick too much due to his autism which Dominic sometimes forgets he has it.

He only goes through this crisis when he's worried. Today, he has so much to worry about and it's all because of Dominic.

"Master," he says, upon reaching Dominic's house. Dominic descend the steps to meet up with him.

"Have you captured him?" He asked and Zack nodded hesitantly.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, aren't you taking it a little bit too far?"

Dominic shrugs not because he wasn't worried but because he doesn't want to talk about it. He has been avoiding this conversation with his beta but Zack wasn't obviously going to let go of it.

"Are you doing this because of her or because of something else? I feel like it's because of her." Zack asked and answered himself.

"Good for you, Zack. Now where is he?" Dominic's heart was pounding against his ribcage. He was so furious and the only thing he'd do to ease his burning heart was punch Aaron.

"He's in the guard room," Zack answered instead.

They head there and met Aaron on a chair with his hand chained up behind him.

Aaron looked up at him and smirked. "You just can't resist me being alive, huh?" Aaron threw his head back laughing.

Dominic fists comes in contact with his jaw before he could restrain himself. He winced with a groan, feeling the blood in his mouth. He inhaled sharply as he glared at Dominic.

"Master..."

Dominic glared at Zack and he knew what's best. He stayed mute and watch as Dominic pounce on Aaron.

Aaron eyes were already too swollen to open. His mouth tasted like blood and he may have a broken nose. He doesn't think he would heal from his brutal treatment.

Dominic grabbed the collar of his shirt and brought him up. "I want you to listen very carefully, Aaron. If you go near her again, I will kill you. But before I kill you, I will make you suffer pain so unimaginable you will wiggle and beg, and pray for the gift of death. Eventually, I will give you that gift. But when you wake up in hell, you won't find peace because I'll be there, waiting for you again." He pushed him against the wall and straightened up.

"Get rid of him," he ordered this pack warriors as he walked passed Zack, covered in Aaron's blood.

Zack went after him. They walked in silence until they were half way to Dominic's house.

"That wasn't right," he said keenly.

"What wasn't right? Protecting her?" Dominic snapped. He was angry, he was angry at himself. And it's all because they kissed and he never showed up in her pack after that night. It's been five days now and he was too afraid to show up at her home. He doesn't know exactly what he wants but he knew he wants to be with her. Something just feels unsettling.

"Why her?"

Dominic groans softly as he halts. "Why anyone else when she exists?" His voice was filled with emotion—it annoyed Zack because he obviously keeps blowing her off and showing as though he wasn't interested in her anymore.

"I know what you're thinking, Zack." His voice had now softened. "I also hate what I'm doing to her. I just..." he halts, massaging the bridge of his nose.

"What if she leaves me again? What if she never comes back when she decides to leave again."

Zack shoved his hands in his pockets as he let his head to drop. He takes a deep breath before raising his head again to look at his Alpha.

"If you focus on the hurt, you will continue to suffer. If you focus on the lesson, you will continue to grow. You can't change what has already happened. Don't waste your time more because she might get tired of chasing you and end up in the wrong hand. I say, if you love this girl and you want her to be your Luna, you take her back. But if you really feel like you can't handle it, then tell her the truth and end things for good." He pats Dominic on the shoulder before walking away.

Dominic stood there, unmoved. He had somehow forgotten how to breathe because Zack had just made him feel more uneasy about himself and his situation.

Losing her is the last thing he wanted. Having her was a risk but to hell with that. He'd risk anything to be with her. And Zack was right—if he keeps focusing on the hurt, he'll keep suffering.

He looks down at his shirt—he needs to look clean before he goes sees her. He smiled and made his way to his house.

He’s in his room now, stripping off the bloody clothes and heading to the shower.

Half an hour later, he was dressed in fresh jeans and shirt, and ready to make Alice his forever mate.

The house was still silent which was unusual. He waved it off and head out. He was too eager to even find out why the house was silent, knowing he doesn’t live alone.

He spotted Zack by the gate, discussing with the pack warriors. The scent of Dominic cologne hits his nostrils before he even approached them. He turned around and looked at his master with a smile. “Got any plans for tonight?”

Dominic gave him a sly smile. “Have you gotten rid of him?” He asked, obviously changing the subject. Zack nodded and let him be.

Dominic stepped out and headed towards Scuris pack. He was so eager to see her that he felt like shifting and running there. But he wouldn’t want to ruin his clothes and he didn’t bring any spare with him.

He chose to walk instead. It wasn’t that far anyway.

He doesn’t even know what he was going to tell her. He doesn’t even know if she wanted to see him after they kissed and he never showed up again. He definitely knows that she’s aware he hasn’t been in their territory because of her. He’s so close to her father that they were always together. It’s shocking to not see him there though Fredrick had came over thrice in the five days.

He was half way through the journey when he suddenly hears the noise of a twig snapping behind him. It echoed through his ears, causing him to instantly spin round in shock. Narrowing his eyes, his looked around cautiously because he was sure someone was following him.

If it was Aaron, he vows to end him rigth at the spot!

Furrowing his brows, he turned back around and continued on towards Fredrick’s territory, taking slow and steady steps, trying to make as little noise as possible to detect any sudden movements.

The bushes beside him swayed vigorously, and he knew it wasn't from the wind. He wasn’t at all panicked. He turned around, exposing his long, sharp claw to attack. He wasn’t ready to shift and ruin his outfit before Alice sees him. He has to look his best to make things up with her.

Several werewolves walked out of the bushes and approached him in a threatening way. He doesn’t have to think twice to know it was Vincent and he knew it wasn’t because of anything but Aaron.

‘Sorry, my love. I’m afraid I’ll be running a little late to come make you my forever.” He mused to himself, shifting into his enormous werewolf form.