dimples. “Stubborn girl.”
I gave him a small smile. “Sometimes.” I’d never been stubborn with my father. I was all too submissive with him, obeying his every command.
My smile slipped as I caught sight of the clock. 3:09pm. He’d be coming soon. My only saving grace was that I’d ridden in D om’s dad’s car. The exhaust would mask my scent, forcing him to search the city for my smell. I knew his fury would multiply the longer it took him to find me. I knew he would be irrational when he discovered I was with a pack. I knew he wouldn’t leave without me, and I knew Dom wouldn’t let me leave without a fight.
“Hey.” His voice was a soft caress. He tossed the shirt on the bed. He lifted his hands and trailed his fingertips lightly over my bruised face. “I’m sorry for being so cold. I still struggle with my mom’s death. It was…sudden, really unexpected.”
I met his gaze, watching as the emotions crossed his face. “I’m sorry, Dom.”
He shook his head dismissively. “I was nine. We used to live in a small town near the mountains of North Carolina. Some hunters-” He swallowed hard, diverting his gaze and dropping his hands. “They, uh, got her. My dad chased down the man who killed her and scared the rest into never stepping foot on our territory again. But it wasn’t enough. Her memory haunted him there. So he bought this building, uprooted the entire pack and we’ve been here ever since.”
Somehow I knew he missed his mom more than me. I didn’t get the chance to know my mother. I didn’t know what her laugh sounded like, what her hugs felt like. I didn’t remember all the things that made her uniquely and wonderfully mine.
He did though. He knew those things. I could only imagine the ache in his heart from knowing and remembering, but not being able to manifest it. The torture one must face knowing that they would never see or hear someone again; that you would never feel her warm embrace, gentle kiss or motherly caress again must be harrowing.
I grabbed his hand, giving it a tender squeeze. “She would be proud of the man you’ve become.”
His head snapped towards me. Surprise registered. I knew he’d been expecting and not wanting pity then. A smile tugged his lips. “She would have told me off for having a half naked girl in my room with the door closed at seventeen.”
“I’d rather not anger a ghost. Help me put this shirt on and pray that it fits.”
He laughed heartily. “Oh, it’ll fit…exactly how I want it to.”
“ You’re ruining my innocence, Dominick.” I beamed.
His eyes sparkled with mischief. “Not at all, sweetie. I’m dressing you, not undressing you.”
I narrowed my eyes, pursing my lips in protest.
“You’ll never hide these curves beneath a big hoodie again. I want everyone to see what they can’t have.” He winked. It was a sassy wink, one that had me blushing happily.
He reduced me to a giggly schoolgirl inside. He cracked open my girly desires and fulfilled every one without realizing it. He…he was perfect. Nature knew what she was doing by pairing us. A few hours in, he was already lifting my spirits, encouraging my self-esteem. He was instinctively being all that I needed and more. I only wished I’d let him in as soon as I met him. Maybe I could have avoided the heartache of last night. Maybe I could have spared my father and Dom from the fight I sensed was coming.
A new kind of pain niggled in my chest. Awareness. The only way I could save them from each other was to go back to my dad. Undoubtedly, he’d unleash his anger upon me again for not being home on time. But I- I was stricken by the truth.
I loved him. I loved Dom too much to put him through this. Already, he’d been pulled into my mess and was reeling from it still. I’d burdened him in ways I never wanted to. I wasn’t his responsibility yet. I didn’t own his heart or his wolf yet, which meant I had a chance to save them both. He wouldn’t be as
I gave him a small smile. “Sometimes.” I’d never been stubborn with my father. I was all too submissive with him, obeying his every command.
My smile slipped as I caught sight of the clock. 3:09pm. He’d be coming soon. My only saving grace was that I’d ridden in D om’s dad’s car. The exhaust would mask my scent, forcing him to search the city for my smell. I knew his fury would multiply the longer it took him to find me. I knew he would be irrational when he discovered I was with a pack. I knew he wouldn’t leave without me, and I knew Dom wouldn’t let me leave without a fight.
“Hey.” His voice was a soft caress. He tossed the shirt on the bed. He lifted his hands and trailed his fingertips lightly over my bruised face. “I’m sorry for being so cold. I still struggle with my mom’s death. It was…sudden, really unexpected.”
I met his gaze, watching as the emotions crossed his face. “I’m sorry, Dom.”
He shook his head dismissively. “I was nine. We used to live in a small town near the mountains of North Carolina. Some hunters-” He swallowed hard, diverting his gaze and dropping his hands. “They, uh, got her. My dad chased down the man who killed her and scared the rest into never stepping foot on our territory again. But it wasn’t enough. Her memory haunted him there. So he bought this building, uprooted the entire pack and we’ve been here ever since.”
Somehow I knew he missed his mom more than me. I didn’t get the chance to know my mother. I didn’t know what her laugh sounded like, what her hugs felt like. I didn’t remember all the things that made her uniquely and wonderfully mine.
He did though. He knew those things. I could only imagine the ache in his heart from knowing and remembering, but not being able to manifest it. The torture one must face knowing that they would never see or hear someone again; that you would never feel her warm embrace, gentle kiss or motherly caress again must be harrowing.
I grabbed his hand, giving it a tender squeeze. “She would be proud of the man you’ve become.”
His head snapped towards me. Surprise registered. I knew he’d been expecting and not wanting pity then. A smile tugged his lips. “She would have told me off for having a half naked girl in my room with the door closed at seventeen.”
“I’d rather not anger a ghost. Help me put this shirt on and pray that it fits.”
He laughed heartily. “Oh, it’ll fit…exactly how I want it to.”
“ You’re ruining my innocence, Dominick.” I beamed.
His eyes sparkled with mischief. “Not at all, sweetie. I’m dressing you, not undressing you.”
I narrowed my eyes, pursing my lips in protest.
“You’ll never hide these curves beneath a big hoodie again. I want everyone to see what they can’t have.” He winked. It was a sassy wink, one that had me blushing happily.
He reduced me to a giggly schoolgirl inside. He cracked open my girly desires and fulfilled every one without realizing it. He…he was perfect. Nature knew what she was doing by pairing us. A few hours in, he was already lifting my spirits, encouraging my self-esteem. He was instinctively being all that I needed and more. I only wished I’d let him in as soon as I met him. Maybe I could have avoided the heartache of last night. Maybe I could have spared my father and Dom from the fight I sensed was coming.
A new kind of pain niggled in my chest. Awareness. The only way I could save them from each other was to go back to my dad. Undoubtedly, he’d unleash his anger upon me again for not being home on time. But I- I was stricken by the truth.
I loved him. I loved Dom too much to put him through this. Already, he’d been pulled into my mess and was reeling from it still. I’d burdened him in ways I never wanted to. I wasn’t his responsibility yet. I didn’t own his heart or his wolf yet, which meant I had a chance to save them both. He wouldn’t be as
Similar Books
