Page 39 of The Alpha’s Forced Rejected Mate (Silverlight Valley Alphas #1)

That’s my mate.

The thought rose unbidden in Dominic’s mind as he watched Luna heal the injured on the battlefield around them.

She had been going from one to the other but now, she stood at the center of the field and spread her magical power around them to heal all at once.

Hmmm.

With the pride came worry as well. She had just used a lot of magical power. He was not sure she should be doing this much healing immediately after that battle.

Fuck!

Just as he started walking towards her, he saw her begin to fall. Dominic’s pace changed into a run as he caught her before she hit the ground. Blood was coming out off her nose and she was coughing some more.

“No! No,” Dominic couldn’t think as he tried to clean away the blood. She suddenly stopped coughing and went limp in his arms.

Moon No!

Now he really started to panic.Dominic rushed to the pack house clutching Luna in his arms, her blood on his hands. Her breaths came weak and soft, while her silver hair clung with sweat to her skin.

"I need blankets and hot water!" he shouted. His voice pierced the quiet, firm and desperate. The pack members hurried off without hesitation to follow their alpha’s orders.

Don’t you dare leave me.

As he laid Luna on the bed in his room, her eyes briefly opened. Her deep blue eyes briefly locked with his before closing again, as if it required too much effort.

That second their eyes locked sent a surge through him—the bond between them buzzing with life even as her strength ebbed.

"Alpha." Tessa, one of the healers of the pack, stepped up beside him with her arms full of medical supplies. "I need to examine her."

Dominic’s wolf growled low at the idea of moving away, but the logical side of him understood she needed more care than he could give. He stepped back just enough to let Tessa get to work, though his gaze never left the pale features of Luna’s face.

"She poured too much magic into it," he said while pacing back and forth behind Tessa. His black T-shirt had tears all over it, exposing his solid muscles streaked with dirt and blood. "She saved everyone, but her body couldn’t handle the pressure—"

"I know," Tessa broke in pressing herbs to Luna's forehead. "This isn’t the first witch I’ve had to take care of, Alpha."

"What should I do?" His tone softened as he asked the question.

"Go clean yourself up," she replied, her voice kinder now. "Then come back. She draws strength from you. The mate bond will heal her quicker than anything I have here."

Dominic gave a quick nod and glanced at Luna one final time before heading into the bathroom next door. He pulled off his torn clothes and stepped into the shower. Hot water poured over him as he watched red streaks spiral down the drain.

The blood wasn’t all his. Xavier’s defeat had ended in violence leaving no doubt of his destruction. The image of the demon’s real face flashing in his mind still gave him chills.

Luna made that happen.

Once cleaned up and in fresh clothes, Dominic came back to Luna. After cleaning up the blood, Tessa had put her in one of his baggy T-shirts.

She was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, even as she lay there exhausted and unconscious.

"She's stable," Tessa said. "The fever will pass by morning if you stay close to her tonight. Your energy can strengthen hers through the bond."

"I'm not going anywhere," Dominic said, dragging a chair next to the bed.

Tessa gave him a knowing smile. "I didn’t think you would, Alpha. The pack can handle the rest."

Dominic clasped Luna’s hand in his once the healer left. He muttered near her ear, "I love you, Luna," as he pushed his lips over her knuckles and breathed in her aroma, which was mixed with the harsh remnants of magic.

"I love you and our child and I can’t wait to have a family with you."

Luna didn’t say a word. Her slow, peaceful breaths told him she was sleeping more. Dominic settled in for the long night, his eyes fixed on her chest rising and falling. Every single breath she took filled him with quiet relief.

***

It took three full days before Luna regained enough strength to sit up.

Dominic stayed close the entire time, not stepping foot outside her room.

He read the pack reports beside her bed and issued commands through his lieutenants.

Whenever she opened her eyes, he was there, making sure she had everything she needed before she had to voice it.

"You don't need to hover," Luna said, her voice steadying as the third afternoon wore on. She leaned back against the pillows, dressed in a lavender sweater Dominic had brought from their cabin. Her washed silver hair hung in a braid over her shoulder. "I'm not going to fall apart."

"You did," Dominic said, placing a tray with food on the bed next to her. The bowl of rich stew sent up warm steam. "Even the strongest witches couldn’t handle the magic you pulled off without paying a price."

Luna gave a faint smile. "Am I hearing admiration from the great alpha?"

"It’s always been there," he replied, catching himself off guard with the truth in his words.

A knock broke through the moment before Luna could say anything. When Dominic opened the door, Emma stood there—a member of the pack who had once treated Luna badly when they grew up together in the Pack.

"Alpha," Emma said, staring at the floor. She held out a handmade blanket with wolves and moons stitched into the fabric. "The women made this to keep Luna warm. To use when she feels cold."

Dominic gave her a curious look. "Did they?"

Emma gave a small nod and mustered the courage to meet his eyes. "We all noticed what she did to help us. To stand by you. The pack wants her to know she’s one of us now."

Luna gasped, making it clear that she'd caught every word. He grabbed the blanket and gave a small nod to show he approved. "Thanks, Emma. I know she'll value your kindness."

After a brief pause in which her eyes said more than her words, Emma smiled slightly and took a step back, nodding quickly. Dominic shut the door and turned to see Luna looking at him in disbelief.

She started, "You can't just—"

"I already did," he interrupted, handing her the blanket. He draped it over her legs, his hands resting on the soft fabric for a moment. "The pack has chosen to accept you, Luna. It's not because of what you did in the fight. It's also because you're my mate. You're my equal."

Her eyes were full of something unsaid as she rubbed her fingers over the wolf patterns on the blanket. "I never imagined that I would have this. To feel accepted."

Dominic lowered himself onto the bed beside her moving so he wouldn’t disturb it. "You’ve got more than just acceptance," he said. "You’ve earned respect. Admiration. And not from the pack."

Their gazes locked for a moment, the tension between them growing with every second that went by. Luna was the first to shift her attention to the stew beside her.

"You should eat," she told him, her tone softer now. "It looks like you haven’t rested in a while."

He gave a small, lopsided grin. "I’ve had my hands full," he said. "There’s this witch I’ve been dealing with. She’s a piece of work."

Luna snorted, but it sounded more amused than irritated. "Like you'd ever let someone else handle it."

"Never," he replied, his voice turning serious.

By week's end, Luna could walk around the pack grounds again. Dominic stayed nearby, often placing a hand on the small of her back as they walked together. They wandered to the training fields where younger wolves were practicing their combat techniques while Adrian kept a sharp eye on them.

"Alpha!" the kids shouted when they noticed Dominic. They dropped what they were doing and ran toward him. But when they saw Luna beside him, they froze in their tracks.

A bold girl stepped up front. "Miss Luna, are you okay now? Alpha told us you got sick saving us."

Luna bent down to meet the child's gaze, her dark blue dress spread out over the grass. "I'm feeling a lot better now, thanks to your alpha taking such great care of me."

The girl smiled. "Can you show us some magic? Just a tiny bit?"

Dominic started to speak up to stop her—Luna was still healing—but hesitated when he noticed how happy she looked at the children's warm acceptance of her.

"Just a little spell," Luna said, lifting her hand. She murmured something Dominic couldn't understand. Tiny sparks began to appear above her palm, shaping themselves into a wolf running through a trail of stars.

The kids gasped and rushed in closer, their faces lit with awe. Dominic kept his eyes on Luna, her joyful expression squeezing something deep in his chest. She had always deserved this—a life filled with wonder and admiration instead of judgment and fear.

"That’s all for now," Dominic shouted, stepping in to save Luna from overdoing it. "Get back to your training, all of you."

The children dragged their feet, glancing back at Luna’s magical performance as they went. Dominic reached out to help her stand, holding her steady when she wobbled.

"I'm still not strong," she admitted.

"Then we should get you resting," Dominic said, but Luna shook her head in refusal.

"Not yet. I want to experience more of the pack. I need to see what I've missed all these years while I was away."

Dominic couldn't refuse her.

They strolled across the compound. Pack members paused to greet them, showing Luna a level of respect she had never received before.

Women who used to whisper harsh things about her now greeted her with warm smiles.

Men who had once acted as if she didn’t exist now lowered their heads in acknowledgment.

When they arrived at the pack’s sacred grove, the setting sun painted the sky in warm hues. Luna sank onto a bench beneath the old oak tree, her body tired but her determination shining through.

"They accept me now," she said, almost in disbelief.

Dominic lowered himself onto the bench beside her. Their shoulders brushed. "They’re seeing what I’ve known all along."