Chapter 12: Why Is He Holding “Her“? Doesn’t He Think She’s Dirty?
Avery
My brother–no, my tormentor–tat on the edge of his desk, his expression a mixture of arrogance and calculation.
Every line of his body screamed of the self–importance that had defined my existence for years.
His expression was cunning and dangerous. I wondered what he was thinking in his mind while he was silent.
‘I must say, Dominic, Trevor began, his voice dripping with false concern, “I’m genuinely puzzled by your insistence on claiming her as your mate.” He gestured toward me dismissively.
“Look at her. What possible value could she bring to your pack?”
I flinched at his words. What tricks was he playing?
“She can’t shift,” Trevor continued, his voice growing louder, more theatrical.
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“She can’t hunt. She can’t bear strong pups. Hell, she can barely string two sentences together without cowering. The girl is fundamentally broken
“And she is extremely ugly! Look at her! My Alpha King! She’s like a slut who can’t control her legs, and just this morning, she seduced my Beta! Are you sure you want a woman like this?”
He became more and more excited while he was talking.
My hoarse throat uttered a few simple words, “No! No… That’s not the truth! Kevin was who wanted to rape me!” Tears welled up in my eyes.
Each word was a knife, twisting deeper into wounds that had never healed. I could feel my face burning with shame, my eyes fixed firmly on my hands.
“She’s been nothing but a burden since the day she was born,” Trevor spat, his face contorting with disgust. “Weak. Pathetic. Even her own mate rejected her -that should tell you everything you need to know!”
I could feel Dominic’s muscles tensing beneath me, his heartbeat accelerating against my
side.
“The truth is,” Trevor said, stepping closer, “you’d be doing yourself a favor by walking away now. Save yourself the trouble of dragging dead weight into your pack.
As he approached, Trevor reached out toward me, his fingers inches from my arm. “If it’s a female you want, we have plenty of stronger, more suitable-
A growl erupted from Dominic’s chest, so deep and threatening that I felt it vibrate through my entire body. The sound wasn’t human–it was pure monster.
“Don’t. Touch. Her.” Each word was punctuated with barely contained fury.
Even the man who might be Dominic’s Beta, a stranger to me, seemed offended by the cruelty being displayed.
In stark contrast, Kevin stood in the corner, a cold smile playing at his lips as he nodded along with Trevor’s assessment. The look he gave me was one of pure malice–the same look he’d worn countless times before bringing pain.
“You misunderstand me,” Treyor backpedaled, hands/raised in mock surrender. “I’m merely looking out for your interests. As allies, I feel obligated to be honest about what you’re getting.”
Dominic’s voice cut through the room like ice.
“You should learn how to control your mouth and be careful with your words! Otherwise, I can’t promise I won’t kill you. The next time we meet, if you use your dirty mouth to say something vicious to irritate my mate AGAIN, I will wash your mouth with ‘delicious‘ soap!”
“And your sudden concern for my interests‘? Or is it that you don’t want to give her up?” His eyes narrowed.
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Chapter 12: Why Is He Holding *Her*? Doesn’t He Think She’s Dirty?
What are you hiding? What makes her so valuable that you’d try to polson me against her while simultaneously fighting to keep her heter
Trevor’s face paled slightly, his confidence faltering. 1-1 don’t know what you mean. I’m simply
You’re simply transparent, Dominic interrupted. “This charade ends now. The contract stands. She leaves with me today.”
Trevor’s jaw clenched, realizing his manipulation had failed. “Fine. If you insist on burdening yourself with damaged goods, that’s your prerogative!
“Draft the papers, Dominic ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument. “And do it quickly. Every minute you delay her medical treatment is another reason for me to reconsider our alliance entirely.”
Trevor scurried to his desk, suddenly eager to complete the transaction.
Throughout this exchange, Dominic never loosened his grip on me. Even as sweat beaded on his forehead from the exertion of holding me for so long, he didn’t set me down or adjust his stance.
I could feel the dampness of his palm against my exposed arm, the tension in his muscles as he restrained himself from violence.
“You’d better finish quickly,” Dominic called impatiently to Trevor, his voice deadly calm.
I noticed Kevin had already slipped away, presumably to rest after his earlier shift. The coward couldn’t even face the consequences of his actions.
Less than ten minutes later, Trevor stood from his desk with papers in hand. He approached Dominic, extending the document with an ingratiating smile.
Dominic completely ignored him. Instead, he walked to the chair in front of Trevor’s desk and sat down, still cradling me in his left arm.
The casual display of strength–holding my entire weight with one arm as if I were nothing–sent an unexpected shiver through me.
Trevor scrambled after him like a dog, placing the paper on the desk with nervous energy.
Dominic glanced over the document, his eyes scanning quickly before he grabbed a pen and scrawled his signature with a quick, impatient motion. He tossed the pen aside and stood immediately, turning toward the door without another word.
As Dominic carried me out of the cabin with Ethan close behind, the bright daylight hit my face–a sensation I’d almost forgotten.
Trevor followed reluctantly, his expression a mixture of frustration and forced politeness.
The moment we emerged, dozens of eyes turned toward us. Pack members stopped what they were doing, their expressions ranging from curiosity to outright hostility.
The whispers started immediately, growing into audible comments that cut through the air.
“Who’s the outsider? He was gorgeous!”
“Why is he holding her? Doesn’t he think she’s dirty?”
“Can’t believe he’d touch something so worthless.”
“Probably just wants a punching bag of his own.” Then there was the laughter of the people….
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