Chapter 19: Dominic Was Not A Man Who Could Love For Long–term
Avery
At first, the hot streams had stung my cuts and welts, making me wince and bite my lip to keep from crying out. But now, as I stood under the shower in Dominic’s bathroom, I finally let myself relax.
My fingers traced the raised lines across my ribs, my thighs, my back. Each scar told a story I wanted to forget. The water washed away the dried Blood, the dirt, the memories–at least temporarily.
I closed my eyes and let my mind wander to what would happen after my shower. Would Dominic be waiting for me? The thought sent an unexpected fintter through my stomach. Despite everything, I found myself looking forward to seeing him again. His crimson eyes, usually so intimidating to others, had become something I searched for.
A knock on the bathroom door startled me from my thoughts.
‘Dominic?” I called out hopefully, a smile playing on my lips.
The door cracked open slightly, but it wasn’t Dominic’s broad shoulders that appeared. Instead, a young woman in a maid’s uniform peeked in.
“Miss Avery? Alpha Dominic asked me to bring you fresh clothes.” Her voice was timid, careful.
My shoulders slumped with disappointment. “Where is he?”
“The Alpha left in a hurry, miss. Didn’t even touch his lunch. Said there was an emergency.” She held out a stack of folded clothes. Miss Rachel picked these out for you.”
I clutched the shower curtain tighter around myself. “Could you just… leave them by the door?”
She nodded, placing the clothes on a small table near the entrance. “I’ll wait outside to escort you to the kitchen when you’re ready, miss.”
After she left, I quickly turned off the water and reached for a towel. My movements were cautious, deliberate–trying not to reopen any wounds that had started healing. I dried myself carefully before examining the clothes Rachel had sent: simple black leggings, a loose blue sweater, and underwear that still had tags on them.
As I dressed, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. The sleeves of the sweater rode up just enough to reveal the circular scars around my wrists–permanent reminders of the chains I’d worn for so long. I quickly tugged the sleeves down.
When I emerged from the bathroom, the bedroom was empty. No sign of Dominic. The disappointment I felt surprised me. I opened the bedroom door to find the maid waiting patiently.
“This way, miss,” she said with a small smile. “Miss Rachel waiting for you in the kitchen.”
I followed her through the massive house, my eyes taking in everything. This place was nothing like the dirty, cramped quarters I’d been kept in at Blood Moon. Everything here was clean, spacious, and… peaceful..
When we reached the kitchen, Rachel was sitting at a large wooden table, scrolling through her phone. She looked up when I entered, her amber eyes–so similar yet so different from Dominic’s–brightening.
“Avery! Come sit. You must be starving.” She gestured to the chair across from her.
My eyes widened at the spread on the table. Plates of roasted chicken, vegetables, fresh bread, and what looked like pasta salad covered the surface. My stomach growled loudly, and I swallowed hard, suddenly aware of just how hungry I was.
The maid left us alone, and I hesitantly slid into the chair. Without a word, I grabbed a piece of chicken and started eating. Then another. And another. Before I knew it, I was shoveling food into my mouth, barely pausing to breathe.
Rachel sat across from me, a small smile playing on her lips as she watched. She didn’t seem disgusted by my lack of manners. If anything, she looked… pleased.
When I’d cleared my plate entirely, I glanced up at her, suddenly embarrassed by my behavior. She simply pushed her own barely–touched plate toward me.
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Chapter 19: Dominic Was Not A Man Who Could Love For Long–term
“You need it more than I do,” she said softly. “You’re too thin. Eat
I didn’t need to be told twice. I attacked her plate with the same ferocity, stuffing bread into my mouth and following it with forkfuls of pasta. A maid brought Rachel a small bowl of fruit, which she picked at while I continued my feast.
From the cornet of my eye, I noticed another maid watching me while wiping down counters. She giggled softly at my eating frenzy, but there was no malice in it–just amusement, like watching a puppy discover food for the first time.
Finally, after finishing two heaping plates, 1 sat back and wiped my mouth with the back of my hard, Rachel handed me a napkin with a gentle smile.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. “I haven’t… it’s been a while since…”
“You don’t need to explain,” she said, popping a grape into her mouth. “You know my brother really likes you.”
I nearly choked on the sip of juice I’d just taken. “What?”
‘You’re prettier than the last girl.” Rachel’s voice dropped to almost a whisper.
“The last girl?” This time I did choke, coughing as juice went down the wrong way.
“You’re his contracted mate, right?” I nodded hesitantly. I supposed I was.
“You didn’t think you were the first, did you?” The question hit me like a slap. I hadn’t thought about it at all. I was so focused on surviving day to day that Dominic’s past relationships hadn’t even crossed my mind.
And honestly, I didn’t care. All I wanted was to live without being beaten or starved. Dominic was… different from other men. He held me close but never touched me inappropriately. Unlike the men in my former pack who would grope my breasts or between my legs while beating me–those middle–aged wolves who made my skin crawl with fear.
Yes, Dominic had a temper–a fierce one. But I’d never felt uncomfortable around him. He’d even helped me out of the car, carried me when I couldn’t walk.
He was a good man… but why would he have had so many mates before me? Rachel had implied I wasn’t the first…
“Maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but you should be prepared.” Rachel took a deep breath. “My brother has been searching for his mate for years. He’s thirty- five. No heir yet. The others, they didn’t last more than a few weeks before they were killed.”
She shrugged like this was perfectly normal. My blood ran cold.
“Because they wouldn’t give him children?” I asked, my voice barely audible.
She shook her head. “Because he lost interest.”
The food in my stomach suddenly felt heavy. Was Dominic not a man who could love long–term? Would I die here too?
Just as I was about to ask more questions, Rachel’s head snapped up.
“My brother’s back,‘ she said, tensing slightly.
‘How do you know?” I asked, puzzled.
“The package situation.”
Seconds later, the kitchen door swung open with force. Dominic strode in, his face a mask of fury. His eyes were darker than usual, almost burgundy with rage. His gaze locked onto me immediately, his jaw clenched tight.
‘I need to speak with my mate. Alone!” he barked at Rachel, practically spitting out the last word.
