Chapter 53: Are We Sleeping in the Same Den?
Chapter 53: Are We Sleeping in the Same Den?
(Aria’s POV)
The moment Dominic wrapped his arm possessively around me and declared me as his girlfriend, the entire gathering fell into hushed whispers. Curious eyes followed our every movement. I could practically feel their gazes burning into my back as Dominic led me through the crowd.
“Alpha Blackwood’s new she–wolf…” “Isn’t that Alexander Reed’s Luna?” “I heard they’re severing their mate bond…”
The whispers weren’t exactly subtle. My wolf stirred anxiously beneath my skin, uncomfortable with the attention.
“Don’t worry about them,” Dominic murmured close to my ear, his warm breath sending an unexpected tingle down my spine. “They’re just curious.”
He guided me toward a more secluded seating area away from the main crowd. His arm remained draped casually over the back of the sofa behind me, not quite touching but close enough that his unique Alpha scent wrapped around me like an invisible shield.
“We can leave whenever you want,” he assured me, his silver–gray eyes searching my face. “Just say the word.”
I shook my head, determined not to embarrass him in front of his pack members. “I’m fine. Really.”
A tall werewolf with streaks of silver in his dark hair approached us, his posture deferential despite his obvious status within the pack hierarchy.
“Alpha Blackwood,” he began, “I was hoping to discuss the northern border security proposal with you.”
Dominic nodded but didn’t move from his position beside me. “What’s on your mind, Harris?”
As they launched into a detailed discussion about territory alliances and security protocols, I found myself watching Dominic. He maintained an imposing presence while speaking about complex pack matters, yet every few minutes, he would reach for a passing server’s tray and offer me moon–berry treats.
“Try this,” he would say, briefly interrupting his conversation to hand me a small pastry or drink. “It’s good.”
Each time, the treat was exactly what my pregnant wolf was craving, though I hadn’t said a word. How did he know?
After their conversation concluded, another group approached and invited Dominic to join a traditional werewolf card game called Moon Hunt. Dominic glanced at me with raised eyebrows.
“Would you like to play?” he asked.
Th
hesitated. “I don’t really know how…”
“I’ll teach you,” he offered, his lips curving into a smile that made his usually intimidating features soften considerably.
Before I could protest, he had pulled me into the game, his hand occasionally covering mine to guide my card placements. To my surprise, I won several rounds in quick succession.
“Beginner’s luck,” one of the players commented with a forced smile.
But as the game progressed, I began to notice the subtle glances between the other players. They were letting me win. Not because I was any good, but because I was sitting beside their Alpha. Each victory meant they now owed me–or more precisely, Dominic–a pack favor.
My wolf bristled uncomfortably at the realization. I didn’t want favors based on a relationship that wasn’t even real.
“I think I’ll sit out the next round,” I announced, placing my cards down.
Dominic gave me a curious look but didn’t press the issue.
As the evening progressed, the conversation drifted to various pack matters and eventually to gossip about other packs.
“Did you hear about Claire Watson and Alexander Reed?” a younger wolf asked the group, seemingly unaware of my presence. “Apparently they’ve reconciled. Word is that his Luna-”
The wolf’s voice trailed off abruptly as Dominic’s silver–gray eyes fixed on him with a dangerous glint. The temperature in the
Clupter 531 Are We Sleeping in the
+8 Points >
room seemed to drop several degrees as Dominic’s powerful Alpha aura flared, not aggressively but with a clear warning.
The wolf’s face drained of color. “I–I apologize, Alpha. I didn’t mean any disrespect.”
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group. Another pack member quickly stepped in.
“Please excuse Jensen’s thoughtlessness,” she said, shooting Jensen a withering glare. “He sometimes speaks before engaging
his brain.”
I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. So it was common knowledge now–my failed relationship with Alexander, the mate bond severance, all of it. My wolf whimpered anxiously within me.
“Perhaps we should get some air,” Dominic suggested quietly, his hand finding the small of my back.
Outside on a moonlit balcony, away from curious ears, I finally voiced my concerns.
“Do you think your grandmother knows?” I asked, wrapping my arms around myself despite the mild evening temperature. “About
the mate bond severance, I mean.”
Dominic leaned against the stone railing, his powerful frame outlined by moonlight. “Probably.”
My heart sank. “But our whole plan was for her to disapprove of me because of my relationship status. If she already knows and
accepts it…”
“Does it matter?” Dominic seemed surprisingly unconcerned, his expression unreadable in the dim light.
“Of course it matters!” I couldn’t keep the frustration from my voice. “This was supposed to be a simple arrangement. You help
me with my mate bond severance, I help you convince your grandmother you’re considering settling down. Then we both go our
separate ways.”
Dominic’s lips curved into a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Is that what you think is happening here?”
The question caught me off guard. What did he mean by that? Before I could formulate a response, he straightened up from the
railing.
“Don’t overthink it, Aria. Just keep playing your part,” he said, his powerful Alpha presence exuding calm confidence. “Everything
will work out.”
His dismissive attitude left me with more questions than answers, my wolf stirring nervously within me as we returned to the Blackwood compound.
Dinner that evening was a more intimate affair, just Dominic, his grandmother Eleanor, and me in a cozy dining room that still
managed to exude luxury in every detail. Eleanor had prepared a special meal herself, including a steaming bowl of silver pine soup that she placed in front of Dominic with obvious pride.
Dominic eyed the soup with barely concealed distaste. “Grandmother, I’ve told you before-”
“It’s good for an Alpha’s strength,” Eleanor interrupted firmly. “The medicinal properties of silver pine have been proven for
generations.”
Dominic pushed the bowl away slightly. “I don’t need it.”
Eleanor turned to me with a conspiratorial smile. “Perhaps you can persuade him, dear? A mate’s influence often succeeds
where a grandmother’s fails.”
I found myself caught between them, unsure of my role in this family dynamic.
“It does have excellent properties,” I offered cautiously, my herbalist training taking over, “Silver pine strengthens the wolf’s
connection to its human side.”
Dominic shot me a betrayed look. “Whose side are you on?”
I bit my lip to suppress a smile. “The side of good health?”
Eleanor cackled with delight. “I like her, Dominic. She has sense.”
With an exaggerated sigh, Dominic pulled the bowl back toward himself. “If I drink this, will you stop making it every time I visit?”
“Perhaps,” Eleanor said innocently.
Dominic’s silver–gray eyes locked with mine, a glint of mischief in their depths. “Remember this moment, Aria. Payback will come
<Chapter 62: Are We Sleeping in the.. when you least expect it.”
The playful warning sent an unexpected thrill through me as he drank the soup in three large gulps, grimacing dramatically.
After dinner, a young female servant showed us upstairs to the sleeping quarters. She pushed open heavy wooden doors to reveal a luxurious bedroom with a massive four–poster bed at its center.
“Alpha Blackwood’s quarters have been prepared for you both,” she said with a respectful bow. “Is there anything else you
require?”
My breath caught in my throat as I realized what was happening. We were expected to share a room. A bed.
As the servant departed, I turned to Dominic, my eyes wide. “Are we sleeping in the same den?”
Dominic looked at me as if my question was absurd, his silver–gray eyes reflecting the lamplight. “Aren’t we?”
524
Comments
