Page 37 of The Alpha’s Forced Rejected Mate (Silverlight Valley Alphas #1)
Luna was proud.
The spell had been flawless; Xavier's human disguise had been torn away by her power coursing through Dominic, revealing a twisted, ashen-gray visage with flaming crimson eyes and jagged fangs that testified his real demonic nature.
But once again, the darkness that had held Dominic was back, its tentacles tearing at his thoughts, looking for a foothold. She saw that he was struggling with it, struggling to think clearly while he struggled physically.
No, no, no. Never again. He cannot be taken again.
Luna reached deeper into their connection, pushing protective magic through their bond. It worked temporarily, burning away the darkness, but more rushed in to replace it—stronger, more determined than before.
Xavier knew Dominic was fighting his influence and was focusing all his demonic power on reclaiming his former puppet.
"I can feel you fighting me, traitor," Xavier said in a distorted voice that was abnormally loud as it filled the woodland. "Did you truly believe that your little witch would keep you safe forever? Her magic is nothing compared to the powers of the underworld."
Luna bit her lip until she tasted blood, straining to channel more magic through their bond. But something was blocking her—a dark barrier forming between her and Dominic. Her connection to him was weakening.
With her eyes closed, she pictured the mate link as a golden thread that united their spirits. It was still there, but it was fading, like a stifled light.
The darkness had found a foothold in his doubts—all the guilt and shame he still carried over rejecting her years ago. Xavier was using it against him, amplifying his self-loathing until it became a wall between them.
Dammit, Dominic. Let go of the past.
Above her, through the wall of tree roots, Luna could hear the noises of battle growing louder—men yelling, wolves growling, and the occasional jolt of magical energy tearing through the woods.
Despite their valiant efforts, the pack was outmatched. Too many hunters, all bolstered by demonic influence, had been summoned by Xavier.
She heard the sound in her spirit, a startling, gut-wrenching howl of sorrow that broke through the clamor.
Dominic.
Luna scurried from her hiding spot without thinking, clawing her way through the root system while dirt flew from her clothing. Reaching him was the only thing that mattered, even though she wasn't meant to reveal herself or leave safety.
He said I am his greatest asset; well, he needs his asset.
She emerged into a battlefield of chaos. The clearing where the pack had made their stand was littered with bodies—both pack members and corrupted hunters. Those still standing were locked in desperate combat, the Silverlight Valley wolves holding their own but slowly being pushed back.
Then she noticed Dominic, kneeling with a black blade sticking out of his shoulder. With his hand clutching Dominic's throat and lifting him off the ground, Xavier stood above him, his demonic visage contorted in a hideous grin.
The demon growled, his voice like gravel against metal, "Did you really think you could escape me, Blackwood? Without me, you're nothing!"
Luna saw the darkness pouring from Xavier's hand into Dominic's body, black veins spreading across his neck and face. His eyes, usually steel gray or silver in his wolf form, were clouding over with inky blackness.
He was losing himself. He was dying.
"No!" Luna let go of all stealth and yelled. Her hands were already glowing with golden-white magical energy as she dashed forward, slicing through the combatants.
With his crimson eyes narrowing with vicious delight and then widening in astonishment, Xavier's head swung toward her.
He continued to grip Dominic by the throat as he purred, "Ah, the little witch emerges from hiding. How predictable. Love makes you all so very stupid."
Two corrupted hunters broke away from their fights and lunged for Luna, but she was ready. Months of training with Dominic and the pack had transformed her from a librarian in hiding to a warrior witch.
Think again.
She shot her hands out, sending a wave of energy that flung the men aside like they were weightless.
"Let him go," she said. Her voice stayed calm even though fear twisted inside her.
Xavier chuckled, the sound sharp and cruel. "And if I don’t, witch? What then? Are you going to kill me? You don’t have the strength for that."
"Maybe not by myself," Luna answered, stepping closer. She saw Dominic's face darkening, his breath slipping away as his movement slowed. "But I’m not on my own."
Xavier’s gaze flicked between her and the pack standing behind her.
They had her back now. She was no longer the outcast.
Xavier seemed to measure his odds. Then, he lifted his shoulders as though none of it mattered to him.
"Kill them all," he shouted, and chaos broke loose once more, as even more corrupted hunters charged ahead.
Luna spotted the opening and bolted toward Dominic and Xavier, holding her hands up to prepare another spell. Xavier, however, saw her coming; he shoved Dominic aside as if he weighed nothing and turned to confront her, shadows twisting and gathering in his hands.
"Your mate already belongs to me," he growled. "I've drowned his thoughts in so much darkness he won’t ever escape it."
He launched the swirling mass of darkness at her. Luna quickly crossed her arms over her face, summoning a glowing blue shield that held up against the hit. The force of the strike pushed her back, her boots scraping against the ground as she struggled to keep her balance.
Dominic stood up across the clearing. Blood still flowed from the gash in his shoulder, but he acted as if the pain wasn’t there.
His empty expression and pitch-black eyes made him look distant, almost hollow.
When Xavier motioned toward him, he moved like a marionette, pulling out his blade and stepping toward Luna.
"Dominic," she shouted, stepping back as he came closer. "Dominic, it's me. It's Luna."
No recognition flickered in those obsidian eyes. The darkness had him completely.
"He can't hear you now," Xavier said, mockery dripping from his voice. "He's mine again. Every piece of him belongs to me."
Luna's back slammed into a tree, halting her retreat. Dominic advanced, the knife in his hand poised to strike. She could’ve unleashed her magic to throw him back or turned and fled. But she didn’t.
She chose to stay.
If there was even a sliver of hope to bring him back, she couldn’t let it go.
"You're lying," she said, her voice firm as she kept her focus locked on Dominic. "He's still fighting. Our connection is stronger than anything you could ever twist."
Dominic loomed closer, his towering shape blotting out the forest around her. The knife caught what little light filtered through the trees, its edge glinting.
Luna didn’t lift her hands to protect herself. Instead, she spread her arms wide open, leaving herself exposed.
"Dominic," she said in a quiet tone, her words reaching out to the man buried under the darkness. "I know the real you is still there. I can feel you trying to fight your way back."
For just a moment, he hesitated. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to spark hope in her.
"Your wolf remembers me," she said, her voice gaining strength. "Your soul remembers me. I’m your mate, Dominic. Your true mate."
He gave a tiny shake of his head, like he was struggling to shake off a haze. The knife in his hand dipped slightly before rising again, a frustrated hiss coming from Xavier.
"End her!" the demon barked.
Luna inhaled. This had to be the moment.
"I love you, Dominic Blackwood," she said.
The words escaped the place where she had buried them for so long.
"I’ve loved you since that night six years ago.
I never stopped—not when you turned me away, not when you chased me, not even when I tried to tell myself it was nothing but the mate bond.
I love you. And I need you to fight. Fight to save us. "
His hand shook as the knife quivered between his fingers.
"There is no 'us,'" Xavier growled, stepping closer, his glowing red eyes filled with hatred. "He belongs to the darkness. He always has."
"No." Luna's voice rose firm as she stared hard at Dominic, her eyes locking onto his. "He stays with me." She stepped forward, inching closer despite the blade in his hand. "We’re meant to be together. And there’s more you need to know, Dominic."
She moved again. The knife tip hovered near her throat now, just a breath away.
"We’re having a baby. Our baby. You have to fight this—for me, for us, for the baby."
For a split second, a glimmer of gray broke through the darkness in his eyes. It vanished almost as it appeared, swallowed by shadows.
Luna didn’t stop. She extended her hand, each movement deliberate. Her fingers shook as they slipped past the blade resting over his heart.
"Let me help you," she begged. "Please, let me in."
Her hand pressed against him, and she poured all her magic into his body. It wasn’t an attack or a defense. It was pure light, bright and untainted. Golden energy streamed from her hand straight into his chest. It lit him up from the inside, making the shadow of his ribs visible under his skin.
Dominic’s body jolted as the magic surged through him. His grip failed, and the knife slipped from his hand, stabbing into the ground below. His mouth hung open in a scream that made no sound, as the clash of light and dark raged within him.
Xavier shouted out, "No!" and threw himself forward.
But Luna and Dominic’s connection had rebuilt itself, even stronger than before. What was once a fragile thread between them had become a powerful, blazing light tying them together.
Through that bond, Luna sensed everything Dominic was going through. She felt his agony as her magic burned the darkness away. She shared the rush of memories filling his mind as it cleared. Beneath all of it, she felt his fierce, unshakable love that left her breathless.