Page 6 of The Alpha’s Forced Rejected Mate (Silverlight Valley Alphas #1)
Water droplets poured over Dominic’s shoulders and soaked his dark hair as the rain fell in thick sheets across the parking lot. He stood motionless, like a predator evaluating his victim, anticipating her next move.
Luna. Not Lily.
His instincts had been right. From the moment Xavier had shown him the witch’s file, something had stirred within him—a recognition his conscious mind hadn’t been ready to accept.
Now, seeing her in person, there was no more denial. Despite the dyed brown hair, it was unmistakably her.
Luna Mitchell. The wolf who couldn’t shift. The woman he’d sent away six years ago to save her life.
Well, that had changed.
Dominic’s wolf pushed against the iron control he maintained. He only allowed his wolf out during hunts when the heightened senses were useful. Now, it fought for dominance, yearning for the woman before him.
Despite the chaos inside of him, he spoke in a quiet, controlled voice, “You can’t run from this, Luna. We’ve been monitoring magical signatures, and yours lit up brightly on the sensors.”
Luna took another step back, her blue eyes never leaving his face. Rain plastered her cardigan to her skin, and her dyed hair clung to her cheeks.
Protect her.
The thought suddenly struck him—it was an urge he hadn’t felt in years. Dominic ruthlessly pushed it aside. He couldn’t afford sentimentality, not with everything at stake.
“What Council?” she demanded again. “Who are you working for now, Dominic? Because you’re clearly not with the pack anymore.”
He continued, his voice falling to a low rumble, “I do what is necessary.”
Despite the chilly rain, Luna’s cheeks flushed with rage as she shot back, “Did you do that after having sex with me as well? After you made me believe you cared about me. What a noble sacrifice that must have been for you.”
For a brief moment, Dominic lost control, bringing his wolf closer to the surface than it had been in years. “You have no idea what I sacrificed,” he hissed, his eyes flashing silver. The display of strength made Luna wince, but she didn’t back down.
Her voice was steadier than before as she stated, “It doesn’t matter now Dominic, because I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Luna, I’m not giving you a choice.”
In the blink of an eye, he closed the gap between them, moving with superhuman speed. His hand sprang out and encircled her upper arm.
Big mistake.
The contact zapped him like an electric current, giving him a shock.
His wolf surged forward with such force that Dominic nearly lost his grip on consciousness. Images flashed through his mind, images from their time at the waterfall and the silver cord of power that had nearly bound them together.
The momentary distraction was all Luna needed.
A surge of power radiated from her petite form as her free hand rose, palm flat against his chest. It struck him with such power that he staggered backward a few feet. Although it wasn’t enough to really harm him, it was plenty to loosen his grip.
Fumbling with her keys, Luna turned and hurried across the wet pavement toward her car.
After recovering from the aftereffects of her magic, Dominic pursued her, gaining ground on her in a matter of seconds thanks to his longer legs. Rain stung his cheeks as he followed her, using his improved senses to follow her through the pouring rain.
Her strength has increased.
A mixture of admiration and worry accompanied his thoughts. Luna had no idea how to use her power six years prior. Even though she still didn’t seem to understand its limitations, she now used it purposefully.
After arriving at her vehicle, Luna was able to unlock it and pry open the driver’s door. But before she could slam it behind her, Dominic was there, his palm catching the edge. He yanked the door open with a single, forceful motion.
“Enough,” he snarled as he moved toward her, the rain pouring down his face. “This is over now.”
Luna pulled back, fear and effort heaving in her chest. “Don’t come near me.” She raised her hand in the air, summoning magic, but Dominic immediately sensed it.
Reaching for the silver pendant around his throat, he activated the defensive runes engraved on its surface, following an instinct sharpened by years of hunting.
Just before Luna let forth another magic pulse, a wall of energy flickered around him.
The spell struck his shield, bursting into innocuous sparks that vanished in the rain. Luna’s eyes went wide with surprise.
Dominic made no attempt to conceal the grim satisfaction in his voice. “You’re not the first witch I’ve hunted, Luna.”
Fear flashed across her features, followed by determination. “I won’t be taken like some kind of animal.”
“You have two options,” Dominic replied, continuing to move as she backed away. “Come willingly, and I will make sure you are treated with respect. If you resist, I will have to use any measures required to confine you.”
Luna’s back hit the side of another vehicle, trapping her.
“Why?” she asked, her voice breaking slightly. “Why can’t you just let me go? I’m not hurting anyone.”
For a moment, Dominic allowed himself to consider it. He could file a false report, giving her time to disappear again. But the consequences would be dire, not just for him, but for her as well.
The Hunter Organization didn’t give up once they identified a target. If he failed, they would simply send someone else, and that someone may not hesitate to use more brutal methods.
“It’s too late for that,” he said quietly. “They know you exist now. They’ve been tracking your magical signature for weeks.”
Surprise registered on Luna’s face. “Weeks? But I haven’t used magic until today. Not since I learned to control it three years ago.”
Dominic frowned. According to the intelligence he’d been given, her power signatures had been spiking regularly, powerful enough to trigger alarms. “That’s not possible. The readings were clear.”
“I’m telling you the truth,” Luna insisted, her eyes searching his as if willing him to believe her. “I’ve been careful. Too careful.”
Something didn’t add up. Dominic’s instincts told him she wasn’t lying. But if Luna wasn’t responsible for the magical surges the Organization had detected…
Then who…?
A boom of thunder shattered the sky straight overhead, blocking out all other sounds. Luna dodged under his arm and sprinted across the parking lot, headed for the short alley between the library and the adjacent building.
Dominic cursed and ran after her.
The hunt was on, and despite everything, he felt a rush of excitement run through him. His long-subdued wolf shouted with joy at the chase. The narrow path was dimly lit and obscured by large buildings on either side. Rain from the roofs created a water curtain at the alley’s opening.
Dominic slowed his walk and sniffed the air. Luna smelled of ancient books and lavender, now laced with the keen sting of dread. Her aroma filled his senses. She was close, hiding rather than running.
“I can smell you, Luna,” he called, moving deeper into the alley. “Your heartbeat, your breath—I can hear it all. There’s nowhere to hide from me.”
He was answered with silence, but he caught the slight hitch in breathing from behind a dumpster midway down the alley. Dominic approached slowly, deliberately making noise to let her know he was coming.
“This doesn’t have to be difficult,” he continued, moving closer to her hiding spot.
A sudden movement from behind the dumpster caught his attention—but it was a trick.
As Dominic lunged for the source of the movement, Luna burst from her actual hiding place several feet away, crouched behind a stack of wooden pallets. She sprinted toward the far end of the alley, but her soaked clothes were slowing her down.
Dominic recovered quickly, changing direction fluidly.
He overtook her in seconds, seizing her around the waist and swinging her against the library’s brick wall.
His body slammed over hers, pinning her in place, while his hands grabbed her wrists and held them firmly against the rough brick.
Their faces were inches apart, and they were both breathing heavily.
Her scent now so close, so familiar even after all these years, sent his wolf into a frenzy of recognition and need.
Mate .
Dominic almost lost his grip. He hadn’t allowed himself to acknowledge that possibility in six years, had buried it beneath layers of duty and discipline. But with Luna trapped between his body and the wall, her chest heaving against his, the truth became impossible to deny.
His wolf recognized her as his mate. Always had.
“Let me go,” Luna whispered, her voice barely audible above the rain. “Please, Dominic.”
“I can’t.”
“You mean you won’t.” Her eyes searched his, looking for something—mercy, perhaps, or the man he had been before.
Dominic maintained his straight, solid tone. “It amounts to the same thing.”
Luna’s chin lifted in defiance, a gesture so familiar it made his chest ache. “What happens if I go with you? What does this Council of yours do to witches they capture?”
The question lingered in the rain-soaked air between them. Dominic couldn’t bring himself to explain the binding ritual—not now, not like this, with her body pushed against his and memories haunting him.
When Dominic did not instantly respond, awareness dawned in her eyes, followed by horror. “They seek my power for themselves. Is that it? They do not want to protect anyone; they want to use me.”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Dominic exclaimed, irritated by her explanation.
“And I’m just supposed to trust you?” Luna raised her voice slightly. “Trust the people who sent you to hunt me down like an animal?”