Chapter 56: Chapter 56

"He's fine." His hands were on his waist as he stared at the distance. "They can't touch me, he's the most powerful Alpha in all the packs. His pack warriors are always guarding him even if he asks them not to. Vincent doesn't even have a chance to come near him."

Alice heaves a sigh even though her father wasn't talking to her. They were in the living room. She was in her room, pinned to the door and listening to their conversation.

Dominic was attacked, she heard her father tell her mother last night. She couldn't sleep after hearing that. She wanted to call him but couldn't. She doesn't even know why she didn't call. She was hell mad at him for disappearing after they've literally made out in the park, by the water fountain.

It was the hottest kiss they've ever shared. She never knew how much she'd missed him until she felt his lips crushing against hers. His body against hers...

Alice breathes out hopelessly and made her way to her bad. She collapsed on it with a curse. "Stop fucking with me, Dominic," she mumbled to herself.

Her brain literally hurts from all of this—from everything. Yet she doesn't feel the need to give up on him. She wants to but she doesn't feel like doing it. Giving up maybe the right thing to do—at least for her mental health.

She groans softly as the thought of being wrapped around his big arms cross her mind. She could still feel his lips on hers even though it's been more than a week. She loves how she still has every detail of that night still in her head. It's hard to forget and she's not even trying to. It's literally the only thing she has left of him.

She plumps up on the edge of the bed and grabbed her phone—the phone Dominic got her just when she was about to move to his pack.

She sighs, disregarding the thought and unlocking her phone.

She searched his number and clicked on message. The last message was when she first moved to New York and he was wishing her good luck.

Her stomach fluttered—she should've replied him. She should've listened to him when he came after her. He literally came after her—that should've been enough to believe that he loves her. That should've been enough to forgive him for the little mistake he did. But she decided to jump into conclusion and now she has to face the consequences of her own actions.

She started typing. She doesn't know exactly what but she needed to message him. She needed to talk to him—it's torture not talking to him. It's impossible not talking to him.

She'd spent days without talking to him though—she doesn't even know how she managed that.

Maybe she thought he'd come to her after that fierce, hot kiss session.

He didn't.

Instead, he even stopped showing up at her pack. At first, it felt like she was the reason why he stopped showing up until she heard what happened to him.

She clicked send and immediately drops the phone face down. She cringed at what she just did. She could feel the regret wash over her.

Her phone chimed and she swiftly grabbed it as the embarrassment fades.

He told her he was fine and he apologized for not showing up after that night.

She beamed, her heart warming up. They're progressing!

He also told her he was going to come see her and talk about something important when he settle some things.

He's definitely taking her back—she concluded. It has to be that... right?

She glimpse of hope suddenly disappears.

What if he wants to set things straight with her? What if he wants to set some boundaries? What if he doesn't love her anymore? What if he's seeing someone already.

She finds herself searching for Lily's number. She has to clear her doubt.

"Hey, uhmm... Lily." She picked up on the first three rings.

"Hi, Alice, what's up?" She sounded free. She sounded like she's in a good mood. Good and perfect timing.

"How are you?" She can't ask her... it was a bad idea. It doesn't even make sense to just call her ex's sister and ask if he was seeing someone.

"Hmm. I'm good," she answered suspiciously. She could tell Alice didn't just call to ask her how she was doing. "How's everything? I've been meaning to come visit you guys."

"Good. Good. I wanted to ask you... something..." if she doesn't ask, she'll never get to sleep tonight. She'll never ever sleeps again. "Is... your brother... is he seeing someone?" She was afraid of the answer that she kind of doesn't even want Lily to answer.

"Oh..." Lily halts. She clears her throat maladroitly because she was never expecting Alice to ask her that. Not that she can't answer it or she doesn't have the right to ask. She wasn't just expecting her to. She doesn't want to assume Alice was desperate or paranoid. But she was a little bit worried for her.

"Do you need me to talk to him for you?" She asked worriedly. "Because I honestly am worried for you. For the both of you. I mean... he's playing hard to get and you're..."

"Lily," she cuts in politely. "Is he seeing someone? I need to know my place. I need to know if I should keep fighting for him," she said tiredly.

Lily cooed and sighed. "I understand honey. Dominic isn't seeing anyone at the moment. I actually don't think he's ever going to even angry to be with anyone else..."

Alice heaved a sigh that she almost giggled out of joy. Lily chuckled at the sound of her reaction. "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way."

"I understand. I know how you feel and I hope you two would just stop playing around and make up."

Alice sighed, shaking her head as if Lily was there in front of her. She wished so too. It's all she wishes to have.

"I'll come see you tomorrow, okay?"

They said goodbye and ended the call.

**

Dominic hasn't called her yet. He hasn't texted yet. He hasn't showed up yet. "Why hasn't he called me? I should've texted him back right? I should've ask when he's coming, right? I'm doing that right now," asked and concluded everything in one word. She went for her phone but Miley bit her to it.

She groaned, balling her hands in a fist. She sits down on the edge of Miley's bed.

"You are not calling or texting him. Lily, tell her she cannot call your brother," she said, turning to Lily.

Lily chuckled and shrugs it off. "I say she can do whatever she wants."

Alice squealed, jumping of the bed just as Miley groans and falls back in the mattress.

"But calling him is something you should not do."

They repeated the same reaction but the opposite ways. Alice settled back down with a scoff.

Lily stood up from the vanity stool and perched down on the floor in front of Alice. "Look," she began, raising Alice's chin with her finger. "I totally understand how eager you are. I understand how you believe that my brother is worth everything. But... he's not worth lowering your standards for him."

Alice swallowed the bitter truth. Lily was right—she feels stupid for even thinking about it. She can't just keep throwing herself like that at him. If he wanted to he would. But she sometimes feels like keeping quiet isn't going to bring him back. She needs to show him how sorry she was and how she's ready to make a commitment. She's ready to be his mate—his life partner.

"You might sometimes feel like not doing anything about it won't solve anything but you just have to leave nature to handle things for you," Miley added. It's as if everyone could literally read through her.

"But..." her words falter and she sighed, resting her chin on her knockles. "What if... he doesn't come back."

Miley and Lily shared a look. Clearly Alice isn't even ready to hear them out. She isn't ready to believe in just sitting and around and waiting until things decide to fall back.

"What if you were meant to fall apart only to fall back together?"

She likes what Lily just said to her. It gives her so much hope. It makes her not to want to give up just yet. It makes her want to try just one more time.

"And. And God is not in a hurry. You are. It's why you are tired. It's why you are anxious, and stressed, and disappointed. Trust that what was meant to be yours, will be yours," Miley said enthusiastically.

Though it wasn't entirely what Alice would agree with, she doesn't disagree with what Miley just said. She was right, what's meant to be yours, will be yours. If Dominic and her are meant to fall back together, it's going to happen even if they were a thousand miles apart.

"You are right. You are all right. Thank you, guys. For everything. I can't even imagine how patient you've been with me and my depressing love life."

They cooed in union and hugged.

"Now, let's go have one last fun together before Max leaves tomorrow," Miley said as the break the hug.

Alice gasped softly. She'd been so occupied with Dominic that she had forgotten Max was leaving tomorrow.

They planned to meet at the cave and have a swim then eat at Alice's mother's new restaurant.

They plan to stay out all night until they eventually get tired and call it a night—or morning.

They left Miley's house and went to the cave where they met the guys already waiting for them.

Max's face lit up with a smile the moment Alice came to view. He got to his feet from his sitting position and approached her.

"Hey," he said as they isolated themselves from the others.

"Hey," she replied, smiling freely. Max and her have had a deep conversation about what he's been feeling toward her. Though she knows because he has somewhat confessed in New York. They had to talk about it again and he assured her that he has moved on and he's happy with whoever she chooses to be with. Just not Aaron.

"Can't believe you're leaving tomorrow," she said, staring up at him. She felt the urge to follow him back to New York. But she belongs here. This is her home.

"Can't believe it too," he mouthed while he stared at her in an affectionate way. "But... I'll be here every holiday. This is my second home after all."

They chuckled at the same time followed by a few seconds silence.

"Well, let's go give you a memorable day."

They walked toward the rest and joined them by the water.

"Could you believe Lily doesn't eat chicken? Are you even a werewolf? Is she a werewolf?" Daniel spoke, clearly stressed out by Lily's weird peeve.

She shoulder shrugs. "I don't know... they just make me gag. But I love stake... I love 'em so much," she said dreamily and swallowed as the thought of a juicy stake cross her mind.

"I never knew you didn't eat chicken. Why didn't you tell me that?" Alice asked, perching beside her.

"But I eat beef... I eat every other meat. Just not... chicken," she said and made a gagging sound.

"Yeah, you can keep talking about talk meat while I go swim," Miley said as she got to her feet. She took off her shirt and her jeans before ran to the water and dived.

**

It was late in the night—the five of them were in the park, laying on the grass and stargazing.

"This feels so nice," Miley said and everyone hummed in agreement.

Alice didn't—it's amazing to stare gaze with your friends but it's isn't when you used to do it with an ex-lover that you desperately want to get back together with.

Everything literally reminds her of him. She sighs, closing her eyes—there he was. She just closed her eyes to rest from thinking about him but there he was again.

He was smiling at her, he leaned to kiss her now. He hugs her and whispered something she wanted to hear in her ear. She smiled... she whispered back and kissed him...

"Alice..."

She opened her eyes as the daydream disappeared from her head. She looks to her side.

"Your phone is ringing," Lily told her. It was at the moment she realized it was vibrating from her pocket. She briskly say up to check the caller.

She sighed—a happy sigh because Dominic was the one calling her.